Colleen Schmidt

SVP, HR & Internal Communications, Altice, USA

Schmidt’s unrelenting focus on employees helped ensure a seamless transition for them after Altice purchased Cablevision. Her Wellness360 program kicked into high gear, with in-person and virtual wellness workshops, on-site health screenings and a walking challenge that drew 6,000 participants. Schmidt turned to tech to deliver tools and an intranet to inform and engage employees, which has provided a common Altice USA experience for all employees of the new company. “We are fearlessly reinventing how we operate within the industry and accelerating the ability to deliver superior customer value,” she says, “and fostering a culture where we can do all of that and still have fun along the way.”

What advice would you give your 13-year-old self?

Learn to appreciate your true value from within, not through others, find your authentic self, and then let that guide you in everything you do. Once you have that foundation, seek to be developmentally authentic by taking the inputs of those you trust, but always stay anchored in those core values.

Which current programming best reflects the kind of women’s roles you like to see and why?

The show “Grace & Frankie” portrays women who are confident in who they are and have learned enough about life to know what truly matters.

What’s been the biggest story in cable this year?

Altice USA of course! Bringing global scale, we are fearlessly reinventing how we operate within the industry and accelerating the ability to deliver superior customer value…and fostering a culture where we can do all of that and still have fun along the way.