her current obsession: rising
expectations and demands of
subscribers and advertisers.
“Cable excels if we put our
customers first,” she believes.
Gillman’s also tracking media
fragmentation and the proliferation of devices, which presents “amazing opportunities
for cable to leverage customer
relationships, and the cable
plant to add value to strategic
partners and subscribers.” Understanding how the business
works outside of your department is her charge to younger
women. “The more you know,
the greater your chances of
making a difference.”
year by changing gears,
segueing over to head
the launch of Discovery’s
seedling, Planet Green. Not
surprisingly, her “Whisper
Buzz Scream” campaign
was a huge hit, from
Internet anticipation to the
launch concert at the Greek
Theater. This consummate
team player says a quote by
Eleanor Roosevelt captures
the many lessons she
learned at BMLI: “You gain
strength, courage and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to
look fear in the face. You
are able to say to yourself,
‘I have lived through this
horror. I can take the next
thing that comes along.’ You
must do the thing you think
you cannot do.”
Vicki Hamilton
SVP, Enterprise
Performance Of ce,
Turner Broadcasting
System Inc.
Class X
Emerging consumer platforms
will be big business. Hamilton
makes sure the infrastructure
and processes are in place to
support all of Turner’s business
activity. “I am paying attention
to the advertising market,” she
says. “It impacts how cable
can and will continue to make
money.” She advises up-and-
comers to read as much about
the industry as possible. She also
suggests finding mentors. “But
please remember, mentoring is
a two-way street. You have valu-
able knowledge, as well.”
Annie Howell
Charlene Keys
VP/GM, Operations
and Voice, South Carolina
Division, Time Warner
Cable
Class XVI
As the head of operations in
one of Time Warner Cable’s
competitive hotbeds, Keys
lives the daily reality of
competition. Her strategy
focuses on the shift from
cable as a utility to the
social necessity of the
bundle. “Clearly women are
making significant strides
in the industry; however,
the number of senior-level
female executives remains
relatively small,” she la-
ments, offering this advice
to up-and-comers: “Make
learning the business and
getting to know yourself
equally important goals.”
SVP, Communications
& Public Affairs,
Planet Green
Class XIII
The irrepressible Howell
showed her versatility last
It’s not every day a corpora- Class III
tion creates a position to Lucas has transferred her
suit an executive. That’s knowledge, vision and
what Comcast did last year strategic expertise to Silver
with veteran HR innova- Spring, Maryland, from
tor Killilea. Known for her Atlanta with typical aplomb.
knowledge, passion and Nearly a year after she
advocacy for professional arrived from The Weather
development, she advises Channel to lead Discovery’s
young women in cable to worldwide marketing, she
“Often people who have had
broader experience running
a business rise to the top of
senior management, which
could be one reason there
are so few women at the
very top of organizations,”
she notes. Will WICT exist in
30 years? Owens believes
so, but hopes “equal opportunity and equal pay are off
the agenda and we will be
ensuring women’s perspective is properly represented
in all forms of media.”
“be the CEO of your own and the company continue
career.” A BMLI facilitator to push the branding enve-
for seven years, Killilea’s lope. Her mantra for success Loretta Walker
“learned how incredibly is unchanged: “Know and SVP, Human
powerful a professional respect your consumer. Resources, TBS
and personal network of Speak to their needs and Class XIII
women can be,” she says. desires. Continue to in- Relationship-building is
“Having women and people novate.” Lucas is grateful to critical to the success of
of color in key roles” is one Betsy Magness for bringing women in cable, Walker
way cable will continue to her into a circle of trust notes. She should know. As
innovate and adapt. among so many influential the top human resources
industry women. “They can executive for Turner’s
be tough and challenging, entertainment networks,
but they always have my she oversees recruiting and
best interest in mind. They diversity outreach within
have never steered me in the company and externally.
the wrong direction.” She “Relationships with indi-
urges women entering the viduals who are superiors,
industry to “know yourself. peers, subordinates, in
Connect. Listen. Commu- the industry and not in the
nicate. Be a Catalyst. Be industry will play a key role
Fearless. Inspire.” in your success,” she says.
Aside from building her
leadership skills, BMLI got
Walker’s health and fitness
back on track. “Like most
women, I’d spent more than
a decade focusing on career
and family and without
realizing that I’d done so, I’d
actually put myself on the
backburner. I implemented
some of the things I learned
at Betsy Magness along
with a couple of additional
action items. My health and
fitness level have improved
significantly.” ♣
Vicki Lins
CMO, Canoe Ventures
Class VI
Lins remains in the spotlight
despite leaving Comcast
Spotlight in November to focus
full-time on Canoe, arguably
cable’s hottest initiative. How
did she get there? In part by
not worrying about her gender.
“Understand that it matters,
but don’t get sidetracked by
it. Focus on the work, do your
best and make your contributions matter,” Lins urges. “Run
your own race. If you’re too
concerned with what others
think or have accomplished
and pace yourself according
[to others’ expectations], you
will lose sight of the opportunities you have to make an
impact. “
Lisa Choi Owens
SVP, Online Partnerships
and Distribution, Scripps
Class XV
Scripps scooped up Owens
from Fuse last spring,
and she got right to work
expanding the company’s
reach in the digital arena.
Owens would like to see
larger representation
of women in ad sales,
technology and operations.
