Kristen Roberts

Years in Cable: 23

Education: BA, Marketing, Villanova University

One Word that Best Describes Me: Committed

Abbott, McAvoy, Roberts and Vicary may have slightly different approaches to their jobs at Crown Media, but they share several important qualities that keep the crown shining bright: kindness, commitment, and a penchant for creative excellence. Abbott’s vast knowledge of the cable industry and keen instincts help him accurately forecast industry trends. Vicary’s innate ability to identify and tailor content for the Hallmark brand has fueled the growth of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. McAvoy’s creative and on-point ideas—spanning consumer, ad sales, and affiliate marketing—continually hit the sweet spot, helping generate viewership and revenue. And Roberts deftly manages to keep the organizational side of the operation afloat. Even without the networks’ successful Christmas programming events, they both grew in key demos in 2016; among total viewers, Hallmark Channel was up 14 percent and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries was up 25 percent.

Q&A

Three years from now, what do you hope has been invented? A unified metric that crosses platforms and captures all commercial viewing in this constantly changing environment.

What are the top three qualities you look for in a hire? Someone who shows up on time, has diversity of experience and opinions and is excited to come to work.

How do you celebrate your birthday? Drinking margaritas.

Favorite Saturday morning cartoon from your childhood? “The Jetsons”

Last show I watched not on my networks: “How to Get Away with Murder”

Honored For: