“Fancy Nancy” is one of the new breakout hits for Disney Junior this year, and behind the scenes Kanter employs some fancy footwork as she delivers fresh programming kids love and parents trust. After excelling at overseeing content for Disney’s preschool set, Kanter last year added oversight of creative strategy for Disney Channel’s programming for K6-14 to her Disney Junior duties. It’s a natural progression for the exec, who’s known among peers for changing the way kids think about who and what they can be. She cites “the greatly intensified battle to attract and retain top talent both in the executive and creative ranks” as one of the biggest recent changes in her sector of the media business.
What’s a recent example of a step forward for women in the media industry?
That we are having frequent and honest conversations at the highest executive levels about the state of inclusion and how to improve representation across the board both in front of and behind the camera.
Who is an inspirational woman you admire, and why?
I’m sure I’m not the only one who is going to mention Notorious RBG but no one has done more to inspire me to be thoughtful and active about the things I care about most than Ruth Bader Ginsburg. From her dedication to the cause of equality for women that is near and dear to my heart to her extraordinary intellect on all issues, she is a perfect example of what it means to be a leader and a champion.
What’s been the most dramatic change in your sector of the business today vs. three years ago?
The greatly intensified battle to attract and retain top talent both in the executive and creative ranks.
