2008 Most Influential Minorities in Cable: The Top 50
The Top 10
1. Debra Lee, Chairman & CEO, BET Networks
Under Lee’s leadership, BET has ramped up its original programming, expanded its international reach and continues to maintain its leadership position as a preeminent media company serving African-Americans and consumers of black culture globally. She oversees diversified operations and an array of BET assets, including several cable television channels, digital offerings, mobile, a home entertainment business and international distribution of the brand. She also serves on the corporate board of directors of Revlon, Marriott, Eastman Kodak and Washington Gas & Light. Lee will be one of the senior executives participating in NAMIC’s diversity town hall meeting during the organization’s annual conference, being held Sept. 14-16.
2. Andrea Wong, President & CEO, Lifetime Networks
Now in her second year atop Lifetime, Wong continues the transformation of the programmer. Under her leadership, Army Wives has become the most successful series in Lifetime Television’s 24-year history, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter was Lifetime’s most-watched original movie in 13 years and Lifetime Movie Network posted nine straight months of prime and total day growth. Lifetime’s W18-49 total day ratings have risen 20% since Wong arrived, the network reports. Wong has also revamped myLifetime.com and launched the Lifetime-Glam online network. She made headlines earlier this year when she forged a deal with The Weinstein Company to bring Project Runway to Lifetime, which should attract a whole new demo to the network.
3. Albert Cheng, EVP, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group
Cheng oversees digital media efforts including online, VOD and mobile strategies/initiatives for Disney Channel, ABC Family, Toon Disney/Jetix and SOAPnet as well as the ABC Television Network, and is involved in all digital media-related deals for those networks. He and his digital media team are helping to create new trends in the way people watch content by making shows available on iTunes, streaming full episodes online and launching fast-foward-disabled VOD. This technological leadership extends throughout the Walt Disney Co. and beyond, to the company’s cable affiliates and the rest of the TV industry. This past spring Cheng spoke at NAMIC So. Cal.’s West Coast Creative Summit.
4. Dinni Jain, President & COO, Insight Communications
How do you get to be No. 4 on our list? If you’re Dinni Jain you reinvent your company by implementing what CEO Michael Willner calls "radical changes." As COO of a company that lost 11,000 customers in 2003, Jain adopted strategies from Jim Collins’ book Good to Great. Instead of holding regional managers accountable for the final score, aka cash flow, Jain broke out elements of cash flow success. It was these metrics and others that he pushed. And managers became hands-on: Jain and his senior staff listen in on customer calls regularly. The results of the transformation are impressive. Insight posted record growth across the board in ’07 and was named our MSO of the Year.
5. Henry Ahn EVP, TV Networks Distribution, NBC Universal
Henry Ahn is more than a triple threat. Besides being one of cable’s most engaging people, he’s also one of its brightest minds. Ahn’s passion and people skills alone earn him a spot on our list, but add in his job — he’s instrumental in national sales and distribution of NBCU’s 15 cable properties and the Beijing Olympics — and you see why he’s in our top five. In addition to all this and his board position at Cable Positive, Ahn’s one of cable’s great road warriors. There are few cable events that Henry does not attend, and they’re not nearly as fun and interesting unless he does.
6. Johnathan Rodgers, President & CEO, TV One
In addition to leading the growth of TV One for four and a half years, Rodgers has played an influential role in public policy as an NCTA board member who frequently represents the industry in policy forums and in private meetings with the FCC or on Capitol Hill. This industry-leading role will culminate at next year’s Cable Show in Washington, D.C., which he will co-chair with Michael Willner, vice chairman and CEO of Insight. It’s probably no coincidence that NCTA turned to Rodgers for its first-ever confab in D.C. At TV One, Rodgers handles many of the major deals himself and is closely consulted by Radio One and Comcast on any major deal that has an impact on TV One.
7. Scott Mills, President & COO, BET Networks
Mills is one of the top deal makers at BET Networks. He oversees the company’s business functions, including advertising sales, content distribution and marketing, legal and business affairs, finance, digital, research, administration operations and international. He has also served as the company’s chief financial officer and president of BET Digital Media. He’s currently working on taking this pioneering programmer to the global stage. At this year’s Cable Show, Mills participated in the Kaitz Foundation’s annual Supplier Diversity Connection Workshop; for the first time, Kaitz teamed with BET to introduce minority students and professionals to technical opportunities available in the cable industry.
8. Marwan Fawaz, EVP and CTO, Charter Communications
Since coming aboard in 2006, Fawaz has played a critical role in Charter’s turnaround, which was highlighted by five consecutive quarters of solid financial performance. He restructured Charter’s technology infrastructure to support rapid rollouts of telephony and higher Internet speeds. Fawaz also directed bandwidth-management initiatives, launched switched-digital video and dramatically expanded HD content. Beyond Charter, Fawaz serves on several CableLab committees to develop technology road maps for industry initiatives like DOCSIS, packet cable and Canoe. He also chaired the recent SCTE Expo and was named 2007 Mentor of the Year by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of WICT.
9. Jacqueline Hernández, COO, Telemundo Communications Group
Hernández joined TCG earlier this year after establishing herself in the magazine biz. The former publisher of People en Español and Teen People is no stranger to the TV landscape, though, and is now charged with leading all sales, marketing and domestic growth platforms for the Telemundo network and stations group. Her specialty: identifying clients’ needs and advocating the use of research in creating customized programs and solutions for advertisers and partners. Hernández was one of Advertising Age’s Top 10 Players in the Hispanic Market in 2005 and 2007, and was profiled in the magazine’s 2007 Women to Watch list.
10. Charisse R. Lillie, VP of Community Investment at Comcast, and EVP of the Comcast Foundation
This August, Lillie, previously the HR head at Comcast, took on a new role as leader of Comcast’s community investment program, including corporate and foundation charitable giving and all of Comcast’s national community partnerships. In this capacity, Lillie, one of Comcast’s most senior minority executives, will play a prominent role in strengthening the MSO’s reputation for community investment. A nationally renowned labor and employment lawyer, Lillie is well known for advocating and implementing corporate diversity plans and is responsible for multimillion dollar partnerships and community and employee projects, such as Comcast Cares Day. Last year she received the Paragon Award from NAMIC’s Philadelphia chapter.
Top 50: 11-50
11. Salaam Coleman Smith, EVP, The Style Network
One of the youngest women to be appointed to run a cable network, Coleman Smith has led Style to significant ratings gains, delivering the network’s most-watched year ever in 2007 and most recently the network’s most-watched second quarter ever, up 25% compared to a year ago. She is responsible for Style’s highest-rated series, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, which recently completed its second season. Coleman Smith also spearheaded Style’s "Raise Your Hand and Make a Difference" initiative in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She has been a Walter Kaitz Foundation Fellow and is a member of Women In Cable Telecommunication’s Betsy Magness Leadership Institute Class XV.
12. Marva Smalls, VP of Global Inclusion Strategy, MTVN; and EVP of Public Affairs and Chief of Staff, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family
Smalls works with the leadership of all MTVN brands to champion multiculturalism, inclusiveness and diversity across the company worldwide, and push for the development of the next generation of leaders across MTV Networks’ worldwide brands. For Nick/MTVN Kids and Family Group specifically, Smalls is the chief administrative officer for the networks and their ancillary businesses, coordinating and directing financial resources, personnel and facilities for their New York, Los Angeles and international offices. And on her coffee breaks she oversees all of the pro-social and corporate responsibility initiatives for Nick/MTVN Kids and Family Group.
13. Mike Hayashi EVP, Advanced Engineering, Time Warner Cable
One of the creative engineering forces behind Time Warner Cable’s technological advances, including converting set-top boxes to digital, HD, DVRs and VOD, Hayashi has also managed the selection and negotiated the purchase of more than 1.75 million digital set-tops yearly. He has transformed Time Warner Cable’s advanced services suite to include more than 4 million installed digital units across the company’s footprint. A sought-after speaker, Mike also chairs CableLabs’ OpenCable Certification Committee.
14. Mae Douglas, SVP & Chief People Officer, Cox Communications
Douglas is responsible for all of Cox’s human resources functions, including talent and leadership development, organizational development, workforce planning and recruiting, employee relations, labor relations, diversity, compensation and human resources management systems. A well-known force in the industry, she serves on the board of directors for NAMIC, and was formerly a board member for WICT and Cable Positive.
15. Alfred Liggins, Chairman, TV One
Liggins spent four years working behind the scenes to get TV One off the ground, and he has proven that more than one channel for African-Americans can succeed. He’s transforming Radio One into a diverse media company, with TV One as the jewel in his crown. A born salesman who knows his way around Wall Street, Liggins convinced Comcast to be a partner in TV One — a true badge of honor.
16. Reginald Hudlin, President of Entertainment, BET
One of the pioneers of the modern black film movement as the writer and director of House Party (1990), Hudlin remains a pop culture force at BET, where he’s in charge of the net’s music, entertainment, specials, sports, news and public affairs, film and program acquisitions, home entertainment and programming development units. Some of the prime-time shows launched under his watch: Keyshia Cole: The Ways It Is, American Gangster and Baldwin Hills. He also manages to find time to write for Marvel Comics’ The Black Panther. [Editor’s note: After this issue went to press, CableFAX Daily reported that Hudlin was leaving BET and will resume his career as an independent film producer.]
17. Geof Rochester, EVP, Marketing, WWE
About two years ago WWE needed a well-rounded marketer to lead its incredibly over-the-top buzz-generating apparatus. Vince McMahon and Co. got their man in Geof Rochester, who had 13 years of cable experience at Comcast and Showtime under his (championship) belt. In short order the soft-spoken Rochester’s made a loud impact. Who else but Geof could cajole Senators Clinton, Obama and McCain to appear on USA’s Monday Night RAW? Initiate partnerships with Gillette, Alka-Seltzer and Slim Jim? Or attract more than 325,000 fans to the 10-city WrestleMania Fan Axxess Tour? In addition, Rochester had great success reaching WWE’s tech-savvy demo online at Facebook, YouTube and virtual world Habbo.
18. Marlene Dooner, SVP, Investor Relations, Comcast Corp.
Dooner is one of only 13 SVPs at Comcast Corp. and is one of the company’s top Hispanic executives. The face of Comcast to the investor community, Dooner leads all of Comcast’s financial communications activities concerning earnings, mergers and acquisitions, shareholders and treasury. She also sits on the board of Philadelphia Hospitality Inc., a private nonprofit organization that provides cultural programs for groups visiting Philadelphia, and Leadership Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to mobilizing talent in the private sector to work on behalf of the community.
19. Wonya Lucas, Chief Marketing Officer, Discovery Communications
The former Weather Channel exec left Atlanta and has become a driving force behind Silver Spring’s global marketing and branding strategy. The affable Lucas, who was named a Woman to Watch by WICT in 2007, is responsible for strengthening Discovery’s brands and leveraging the company’s assets to increase awareness and expand its worldwide viewer base.
20. Bob Gerrard, EVP & General Counsel, Scripps Networks
Gerrard, who formed the Scripps Networks legal department in 1997, serves as a member of the company’s executive committee, diversity committee and the Food Network partnership committee. He’s responsible for all legal matters pertaining to HGTV, Food Network, DIY, Fine Living Network and Great American Country and their respective websites. We’re not the first to honor Gerrard, and won’t be the last: He’s received the Minority Corporate Counsel Association Northeast Employer of Choice Award and the Stanley B. Thomas, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award from NAMIC.
21. Raymond Gutierrez, EVP, Human Resources and Administration, Showtime Networks
Gutierrez runs the entire spectrum of human resources activities for Showtime, as well as for CBS Sports and CBS College Sports. He leaves the office once in awhile, too. He serves as first vice chair on the executive committee of Cable Positive; is a member of the board of directors for both NAMIC and CTHRA; participates in the Human Resources Advisory Council of WICT; attends meetings of the Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity; and is an active partner of PENCIL (Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning).
22. Doug Gaston, SVP and General Counsel, Comcast Cable
The top lawyer for Comcast Cable, Gaston is among the cream of the crop in the cable legal brain trust. He serves as principal legal counsel to Comcast’s senior management and leads the company’s cable law department, overseeing and directing a team of legal advisers who provide day-to-day counsel to the company’s operating departments.
23. Lino Garcia, General Manager, ESPN Deportes
If we knew how to translate "sitting in the catbird seat" into Spanish we would, since that’s where Lino Garcia can be found. ESPN Deportes is growing like most other ESPN products, which is to say, like crazy. From a small television network in 2004, the Deportes brand today boasts digital basic carriage in the country’s top three Hispanic markets, 27 radio affiliates, mobile and online presences and a magazine. Garcia is responsible for much of this, as he’s run the brand from day one. In many cases it was Garcia himself at the negotiating table, like when he obtained rights to televise Dominican winter baseball on the island that produced Albert Pujols and Pedro Martinez.
24. Luis Silberwasser, SVP & GM, Discovery Networks U.S. Hispanic Group
Under Silberwasser, Discovery has expanded choice and deepened commitment to underserved U.S. Hispanic audiences with increased investment in original Spanish-language content for Discovery en Español, having increased original production hours by 30%. Ratings growth has been driven by original productions such as Atlas Mexico and Historia Receinte: Elian Gonzalez. Silberwasser continues to work with U.S. operators to increase distribution of Discovery en Español and to launch Discovery Familia targeting Hispanic kids and women.
25. Pearlena Igbokwe, SVP, Original Programming, Showtime Networks
Igbokwe developed and currently supervises Tracey Ullman’s comedy show, State of the Union, and Dexter, Showtime’s bloody hit drama series, now in its second season. This follows the shepherding of Showtime’s Fat Actress, Barbershop and Soul Food. Since 1995, Igbokwe has presided over the Showtime Black Filmmaker’s Showcase, which spotlights the work of fledgling African-American directors and mentors them through the creative and production process.
26. Pragash Pillai, VP, Strategic Engineering, Bresnan Communications
Pillai was a Top Op Award winner in the most recent issue of CableFAX: The Magazine, but that really was an award for the whole engineering team at Bresnan, which is top of the line for midsize operators. Pillai and the Bresnan team have deployed digital simulcast to 30% of the company’s footprint, and launched 37 linear HD channels, with a target of 50 for the end of the year. The magic number for HD channels is 100 — they just have to figure out how to get there without the resources of a Comcast. We’re thinking they’ll figure out a way.
27. Michelle Kim, Group VP & Chief Counsel, Programming, Time Warner Cable
Kim’s job is to deal with the legal complexities of the content side of Time Warner Cable’s business — and content isn’t just linear programming anymore. She oversees all legal work on the MSO’s affiliation agreements, retransmission-consent agreements with broadcasters as well as pacts related to high-speed data operations. Her influence extends beyond the company through her contributions to Asian Women in Business (AWIB) programs, NAMIC, WICT and service on the board of directors of Performance Space 122, a nonprofit arts center in New York.
28. Arthur Orduña, SVP, Public Policy/Product, Bright House Networks
Orduña, one of cable’s leaders in the development of new technology, is a key player behind Canoe Ventures, the joint MSO project that will make advanced advertising easier to buy, use and measure. But being on the vanguard is nothing new for Orduña, who is well-regarded across the industry for his razor-sharp mind and business acumen.
29. Patrick Younge, President & GM, Travel Channel Media
Younge’s shift away from poker programming to shows like Anthony Bourdain No Reservations was gutsy and appears to have been a good bet. This year he launched a utility mobile product, Travel Channel Go, which provides access to the net’s destination content through any Web-enabled mobile device. The service offers more than 2,000 content references exclusive to Travel Channel. In addition to being a member of NAMIC and serving on the board of the Emma Bowen Foundation, Younge is a founder and patron of the African-Caribbean Leukemia Trust in his native U.K.
30. Clara Kim, EVP, Business Affairs & Programming Legal, Discovery Communications
Kim leads the development effort of Discovery’s business affairs and production management strategies, and has day-to-day oversight of matters relating to the acquisition of programming content for all of Discovery’s networks and digital platforms. In addition to also handling talent management, she advises senior management on content deals, intellectual property and licensing.
31. Olivia Smashum, EVP, Affiliate Marketing, HBO
Smashum is responsible for HBO’s subscriber acquisition and retention efforts. A leader in subscriber marketing and affiliate products, including the SVOD platform, Smashum has also been a major advocate of diversity initiatives that give voice to minority talent. These include the Black Filmmakers Foundation, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and African-American, Latino and gay/lesbian film festivals.
32. Keith Dawkins, SVP, Nickelodeon Programming Partnerships and GM, Nicktoons Network
Nicktoons’ first and only GM has overseen the launch of a roster of original shows including Kappa Mikey, Edgar & Ellen, Skyland and, in 2008, Speed Racer: The Next Generation and Three Delivery. Most recently, he created the Nicktoons Network Animation Festival. As part of his expanded role, Dawkins has developed partnerships with Marvel Animation, LEGO, mtvU and AddictingGames. A graduate of the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development Program in April ’07, Dawkins was named one of NAMIC’s Next Generation Leaders this year.
33. Nathalie Lubensky, SVP, Affiliate Marketing, ESPN
Lubensky, who is responsible for marketing the ESPN and The Walt Disney Co. media properties, is key to making sure that all distribution deals receive outstanding marketing support through innovative, creative marketing campaigns. She has also been a lead advocate of diversity within ESPN and Disney.
34. Rita Tuzon, EVP and General Counsel, Fox Networks Group
Tuzon was promoted from EVP at Fox Cable Networks to her current role supervising all legal and business matters, including standards and practices, pertaining to Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox Cable Networks, Fox Sports and Fox Networks Engineering & Operations. She is the immediate past president of the board of directors of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and also serves on the board of the National Geographic Channel.
35. Kevin Stephens, SVP, Commercial and Advertising Operations, Suddenlink Communications
Stephens leads Suddenlink’s Commercial & Advertising Operations (CAO) team, which has delivered double-digit growth for the last two years, winning new customers while developing customer segments and revenue streams. A strong influence within Suddenlink, where he’s got the ear of CEO Jerry Kent, Stephens is also influential in the wider world. He serves on several boards, including those for the Eltrex Corp., the CTAM Business Services steering committee and the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (CAB). He is also a member of NAMIC.
36. James Brown, SVP, ESPN Rise
Instrumental in bridging the gap between the industry and Disney/ESPN Media Networks, Brown recently launched ESPN Rise, a high school sports multiplatform content initiative designed to expand ESPN’s 12-to-17-year-old audience. So far he has acquired high school sports brands SchoolSports/Rise, hoopgurlz.com and Student Sports. Brown is a board member of NAMIC, is active in CTAM and NCTA and has served in the Principal for a Day program since 1999.
37. Himesh Bhise, Corporate VP, New Revenue Development, Charter Communications
Formerly VP/GM for Charter’s high-speed Internet business, Bhise now identifies, evaluates, negotiates and launches new revenue-generating initiatives such as advanced advertising, home security and interactive and wireless. The company has high expectations in these areas, given Bhise’s success with high-speed: Under his leadership, Charter achieved industry-leading revenue HSD growth.
38. Michael Smith, SVP, Marketing & Creative Services, Food Network
Smith has led Food Network through several marketing evolutions, into brand marketing and merchandising partnerships. A creative person at heart, he navigates deals for promotions, public relations and marketing, and cultivates corporate synergies, both internal and external. Smith serves on Scripps’ diversity committee and participates in the company’s outreach to Historically Black Universities.
39. Kamal Dua, VP and General Auditor, Comcast Corp.
Dua leads Comcast’s internal audit group, which is responsible for conducting more than 200 internal audits annually, including examining Comcast’s acquisitions. As such, he plays a key role in acquisitions, including, most recently, Comcast’s purchases of Fandango, New England and Bay Area SportsNets, Patriot Media and Plaxo.
40. James Makawa, CEO, Co-Founder, The Africa Channel
Makawa’s network carries English-language programming from the African continent, including news and information, travel and lifestyle, music, soap operas, talk shows, reality, feature films and special events. The commercially supported channel is seen on cable systems in Ft. Worth, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta and Macon, Ga.; Houston; Detroit; New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, La.; Hampton Roads, Va.; Inland Empire, Calif.; Bahamas; Trinidad; Jamaica; and Barbados West Indies. It’s also on Sky in the U.K. Not bad for a 5-year-old net.
41. Chris Powell, EVP, Human Resources, Scripps Networks
Powell has become an influential member of Scripps’ diversity committee, guiding it to a three-pronged approach that includes baseline measurements, benchmarking and the company’s first multicultural summit. Under his leadership, Scripps deployed "pillar teams" comprised of rank-and-file employees to examine diversity within five areas: workforce, community, audience, content and suppliers. NAMIC recognized Powell’s efforts this year by naming him one of its Luminary Award winners. The award salutes a commitment to promoting multi-ethnic diversity.
42. Alicin Reidy-Williamson, SVP, Corporate Responsibility and Public Affairs, MTV Networks
Reidy-Williamson leads the way on MTV’s high-profile social initiatives. Her impact has been global, especially in light of MTVN’s recent Channel the Change: Darfur project, which earned the programmer a CableFAXIES Award in May for public affairs campaign. Channel the Change was noted for, among other things, special screenings of the Darfur Now documentary and the creation of a Darfur Is Dying video game that was translated into several languages. Reidy-Williamson also serves as a chairperson on the board of directors for NAMIC.
43. Loretta Walker, SVP & Chief Human Resources Office, Turner Broacasting System
Walker is responsible for managing the talent pipeline for Turner Broadcasting. She oversees recruitment, compensation, training and development, performance-management and succession-planning within the Turner domestic networks and businesses. Outside of Turner, Walker is president of the board of directors of Warren/Holyfield Boys & Girls Club, and is an active member of the Emma Bowen Foundation and NAMIC. She is a graduate of the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development program.
44. Michelle Rice, EVP, Affiliate Sales & Marketing, TV One
As the new head of distribution at TV One, Rice has a direct impact on the industry’s perceived value of multi-ethnic programming and on the number of programming choices available to African-American consumers. And as a longtime No. 2 executive, she has been one of the driving forces behind TV One’s growth since its inception in 2004. Rice was named a NAMIC Emerging Leader at the Next Generation Leadership breakfast in May, and has participated in the WICT Betsy Magness Leadership Institute.
45. Tony DiSanto, EVP, Series Development & Programming, MTV/MTV2
DiSanto oversees production and development for MTV and MTV2, and has been responsible for bringing talent and development deals to the channel. He’s worked with executive producers like Randy Jackson, Chris Abrego and Joel Gallen and has launched talent like Tila Tequila, Lauren Conrad and Rev Run for an audience with seriously diverse tastes.
46. Sandra Simpson Chiles, SVP & GM, Affiliate Sales, HBO
The former Sandra Mitchell oversees all affiliate sales and marketing efforts for three of the top 10 cable providers in the U.S. — Cox, Charter and Suddenlink — and is responsible for ROI on all marketing dollars spent in campaigns with these affiliates. An active supporter of mentoring programs and other activities that promote diversity and civic responsibility, Simpson Chiles has been recognized for her leadership by NAMIC, and is a member of Jack & Jill of America Inc.
47. Keno Thomas, SVP, Affiliate Sales, Starz Entertainment
Thomas oversees Starz’s relationships with the key telco accounts, among other responsibilities. He guided Starz to its recent extension and expansion of its affiliation relationship with Verizon, including the Starz Play wholesale licensing deal with the telco for premium pay TV content by subscription.
48. Terry Cordova, SVP and Chief Technology Officer, Suddenlink Communications
Cordova leads a 115-person engineering team that handles all technical operations, voice and engineering functions. Under his leadership, Suddenlink has migrated more than a million new customers from Cox and Charter to the company’s own e-mail and billing platforms, including the migration of 30,000 voice customers from one soft-switch to another. He is also a two-term SCTE board member.
49. Marty Dominguez, VP, Marketing, C-SPAN
Mary Richards (aka Mary Tyler Moore) and her smile that could turn the world on have nothing on Marty. The upbeat Dominguez, who’s about to celebrate 20 years with C-SPAN, is a double threat, combining her business knowledge (she has an MBA) and marketing sense to create buzz for buses — the C-SPAN ’08 Campaign Buses, that is. But Marty’s job only starts with bus stops — she handles consumer, affiliate and education advertising and promotions for all the C-SPAN properties. This new U.S. citizen also has time (we don’t know how) to tout C-SPAN and the elections to young voters on Facebook. With all that, she’s still smiling.
50. Karen Wishart, EVP/Chief Legal Officer, TV One
The ultimate deal negotiator for TV One, Wishart has influence that goes beyond her role as general counsel. CEO Johnathan Rodgers has empowered her to take part in almost everything at TV One, from programming and business deals to personnel matters. Last year she received NAMIC’s Next Generation Leaders Award and the Inspire Award from the DC/Baltimore WICT chapter.
2008 Most Influential Minorities in Cable: The Second 50
2008 Most Influential Minorities in Cable: Regional Executives
