Rita Ferro

Ferro successfully led sales for Disney’s kids and family networks for years, and this spring she was rewarded with the new elevated role heading sales operations for all of Disney-ABC’s broadcast, cable and digital teams except for ESPN under a sweeping reorg. She’s off to a great start. Disney-ABC broadcast volume was up 3%-5% in this year’s upfront and in the high single digits across all broadcast and cable (sans ESPN). Ferro is inspired by the cable industry’s progress on the diversity front. “The amount of women in senior leadership roles today speaks to change that is really taking hold. I would love to see the same in diverse candidates represented among those executive ranks,” she says.