Roberts this past year oversaw the production and premiere of “Monsters at Work” and helped deliver “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” to Disney+. Her impact goes beyond what’s seen on screens as she supports the Disney Television Animation Writing Program, which has inspired her and her team to roll out new initiatives for the future.
“Before I entered the kids business, I had a career in live action. I often wondered ‘is this as good as it gets?’ because the value system did not align with my own. A headhunter set an interview with a publicly traded children’s company. The first thing the CEO asked for was a picture of my daughter, a first for me in Hollywood. I knew immediately that I had found my people. I took the leap into kids television and never looked back.”
My kid just taught me how to… Sometimes the Industry is so all-consuming that we lose sight of personal priorities. When my child got a life-threatening disease, my priorities were immediately calibrated. Work is one dimension of your life; parenting, partnership and more fills out the rest of your personal dimensions. My daughter taught me to be fearless, to focus on what matters, and to accept the things we cannot change. I often remind my staff that their job title does not define who they are; and that their identity needs to be wrapped up in other equally meaningful things that will last a lifetime.
What should companies do to ensure more women are in senior leadership roles? Women have been marginalized in leadership roles for years. In order to set more women up for success, companies need to invest in Executive Coaches to provide support for the newly minted Sr Leader. Creating mentoring opportunities for the leader with other female leaders is also a key to lasting success. Sending women to events where they can network with peers and share best practices (like Ted Women) also is a great tool for learning and elevating behaviors.