Patricia Kollappallil
In 2015, Kollappallil and her team have already secured more than two dozen hits on national morning programs including “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” for TLC and Animal Planet content. And her long-running relationship with People magazine has resulted in 13 major hits with the respected publication including coverage of “I Am Jazz,” which features the youngest legally transgendered girl, Jazz Jennings, 14, as she enters high school. “I am extremely proud of the media campaign that helped introduce Jazz and tell her powerful story,” says Kollappallil, who lends her support as a mentor to the Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
What’s your biggest professional accomplishment in the past 12 months?
I am extremely proud of the media campaign that helped introduce Jazz and tell her powerful story.
Best business advice you’ve received?
Always take the meeting
How do you define diversity?
Diversity isn’t just being inclusive of gender or race. To me diversity means brining in a wide variety of personalities so that you have a lot different viewpoints at the table. I’m talking about age, race, and socioeconomic status; people bringing everything that they live with each day to the table. Their experiences and how those impact and shape them being brought together can be a powerful and all-encompassing tool.
How can cable better support diversity?
Diversity can’t just be about trying to reflect the audience you are trying to reach on-air. There needs to be diverse personalities and points of view all the way through to management, throughout hiring practices and really reflecting what you’re putting on air by starting it behind the scenes.
What’s been the biggest story in cable this year?
Going beyond cord cutting, there has been a resurgence of really good television and content being churned out. Add this to the fact that there are now countless choices and ways in which you can receive content.
How do you define success?
It can’t be stated enough but to me, being truly successful means finding a combination of being fulfilled and successful in your professional and personal life.
