Yaccarino has been at NBCU for eight years, and it’s fair to say she’s revolutionized the company’s approach to the ad sales market—with continued stellar results. Her oversight comprises the company’s entire television portfolio, including two broadcast, 17 cable and more than 50 digital properties. Money-wise that adds up to nearly $10 billion. She’s not only transformed NBCU’s advertising organization, which counts more than 1,400 employees, but has set new standards for the entire industry in the process. Last year, NBCU met with executives from a diverse group of companies including Twitter, IBM and McDonald’s to talk about issues related to the destabilization of TV advertising. Yaccarino acknowledged there is indeed a problem, and suggested the industry needs to come together or risk ad erosion. Away from work, she lends her time to her alma mater Penn State University, where she sits on the board at the School of Communications.
