Cablefax The Magazine - November 2015 - 38

More of the Most Powerful Women in Cable 2015
Holly Tang
CFO
Bravo & Oxygen
Media
Tang brings an analytical
perspective to her peers to
help create goal-oriented
strategies that drive continued
growth. She acts as the strategic and analytical
counterpoint and partner within the Bravo and Oxygen
executive team. " There are many trailblazers in the entertainment
industry now who inspire me, " she says. " It's
hard to pick just one, though I do love Mindy Kaling. "
Suzanne Underwald
SVP, Business & Legal
Affairs
Scripps Networks
Interactive
Underwald leads the
legal teams that support
revenue generation
within the company. This year she was the lead
attorney in Scripps' fi rst OTT deals with Sling TV
and Sony Vue and secured long-term distribution
renewals with Dish and NCTC, to name a few recent
accomplishments. How does she unwind after it all?
" I read a good book or hang out on my porch with
my husband and dog and watch the world go by. "
Michelle Vicary
EVP, Programming &
Network Publicity
Crown Media Family
Networks
Over the last year,
Vicary's vision helped
grow audiences for both
Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
Hallmark Channel closed out a record 2014 with its
most successful Q4 and Countdown to Christmas
programming initiative yet, and Vicary carried the
tide into 2015 with an increase in original movies,
" Kitten Bowl II " and new scripted series.
Janet Han Vissering
SVP, Development &
Production
Nat Geo Wild
Compelling content and
ratings are running wild
at the network with Han
Vissering at the helm. She
continues to propel growth, green-lighting newbies
including a behind-the-scene look at " Vet School " to
38
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air along perennial hits like dog-whispering " Cesar
911. " " Perseverance and being fl exible on how one
can apply their skill set to a job " is what she believes
is most important in fi nding a cable career path.
Sruta Vootukuru
VP, Business
Operations
SlingTV
Vootukuru is such a wellregarded
leader that her
promotion was hailed at
all levels of the company.
She headed up the operations team that launched
SlingTV, the fi rst OTT MVPD service in the United States,
yet lauds her colleagues instead of herself. She's also
inspired by her mother's work ethic. " It pushes me to do
more and be a better role model for them. "
Sandy Wax
President & GM
Sprout
Wax continues to lead
Sprout's transition from
a library channel to an
originals-driven network
with an emphasis on
high-quality animation and collaborations with some
of the biggest production companies from around
the globe. An active WICT mentor, Wax has enlisted
acting legends William Shatner and Rita Moreno to
voice characters in key original series for Sprout.
Michelle D. Wilson
Chief Marketing &
Revenue Officer
WWE
Wilson has transformed
WWE's approach to annual
tent-pole events, growing
them from single-day
occurrences into weeklong, revenue-generating events.
She also ushered in a new approach for the company's
sales and sponsorships and has worked to secure key
partnerships, both with blue-chip brands and charitable
entities. Recently WWE partnered with the Texas Lottery on
a WrestleMania promotion to benefi t Texas public schools.
Amy Winter
EVP & GM
UP TV
Winter joined UP fulltime
in February after a
successful nine-month
stint freelancing for the
November 2015
network, no doubt impressing senior management
by refi ning the brand and giving it a sharper focus
than ever before. More than just giving UP a fresh
look, she gave it a contemporary feel. She green-lit
reality series " Bringing up Bates, " which quickly
became the network's highest-rated original series
across key demos, and its fi rst original scripted
series, " Ties That Bind. " No wonder her reply was,
" Creating content, " when asked what is the biggest
growth area for women in cable.
Julie Yoo
SVP, Corporate
Development
Scripps Network
Interactive
With new acquisitions,
joint ventures, investments
and partnerships under
her radar, this past year Yoo executed an investment
with fashion and style website Refi nery29, accepted
the Luminary award from NAMIC and completed a deal
with leading Polish media company TVN, giving SNI a
52.7% interest in the company. She makes it a priority
to help the advancement of other Asian businesswomen,
participating on panels and in other opportunities to
discuss their opportunities in the corporate world.
Kathy Zachem
SVP, Regulatory &
State Legislative
Affairs
Comcast
Zachem is one of the
most highly esteemed
regulatory professionals
in Washington, managing more than 200 employees
nationwide. A tireless advocate on behalf of women
in the industry, she says it's important to recognize
" that all mentees are not you and are not looking for
the same things you looked for. "
Dana Zimmer
President,
Distribution
Tribune Broadcasting
In the last year Zimmer
led more than 300 retrans
deals and 600 WGN
America cable network
deals. The result? WGNA reached 65% of U.S. homes
when it relaunched on basic cable and is now in 80%
of its footprint. Not to mention a 75.5% year-over-year
increase in affi liate distribution revenue. Growth for
women in cable is " everywhere you look, " she says.
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Cablefax The Magazine - November 2015

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