Pioneering sports journalist Lesley Visser, who became the first woman to cover an NFL beat, in 1976, often tells the story of waiting in a parking lot for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. (She wasn’t allowed in the locker room.) Seeing her notebook and pen, he grabbed them, signed an autograph, handed them back and walked away. Suffice to say that in the intervening years women have entered an entirely different realm in terms of their influence in the sports world. They run leagues, marketing campaigns, production units and distribution divisions. They represent athletes and brands, steering the strategies that create billions in value, at a time when the stakes keep getting higher and higher. Since 2011, Multichannel News and B&C have offered this annual salute to the most accomplished next class of these women. Our fourth lineup is so strong it invites the use of way too many sports clichés. But clichés, of course, are rooted in truth. These honorees have gone the extra mile, done great blocking and tackling and hit the cover off the ball. We look forward to watching them continue to lap the field in the years to come.

Visit our Women in the Game page for more coverage.

VAL ACKERMAN

Commissioner, Big East Conference

KEY STATS: Ackerman counts some 25 years in the sports business as both an att orney and executive, most notably as the fi rst president of the WNBA, a post she held from 1996-2005. She also spent time as the president of USA Basketball, overseeing the U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic basketball program. She still maintains a presence with the international game, serving as the U.S. representative on the central board of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). She began her legal career as a corporate and banking associate at the New York law firm of Simpson Thacher and Bartlett and later joined the NBA as a staff attorney in 1988.

VARSITY STATUS: Ackerman, who was named the commissioner of the “new” Big East last summer, is finishing up her first school year leading the conference, which was forged last spring when the seven catholic schools of the original Big East left the conference to go out on their own. Her role with FIBA — she also serves on the governing body’s competition commission — will include the first-ever “Basketball World Cup” this summer, a rebrand of the former World Championships.

IN HER WORDS: “The Big East Conference has a proud heritage, and our recent reconfiguration as a basketball-centric league based in New York City represents a new chapter in our history. With the support of our 10 member schools, Fox Sports, New York Life and our other business partners, we look forward to building an exciting competitive environment for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”

—Tim Baysinger

DORIS BURKE

Basketball analyst and reporter, ESPN

KEY STATS: Burke has covered basketball, both on the collegiate and professional levels, for ESPN since 1991. She is a regular on the network’s NBA coverage as well as the NCAA women’s basketball regular season and championship. Burke also handles the NCAA men’s basketball regular season and Championship Week. She has been an NBA sideline reporter for more than a decade, including playoff games and the NBA Finals on ABC, and has done select game analysis. Burke is also the host of the network’s Kia NBA Countdown on Wednesdays.

VARSITY STATUS: Burke began her career right after playing for Providence College by calling Providence games on local radio, a move that paved the way for much bigger assignments. In addition to her duties at ESPN, Burke has served as the analyst on the MSG Network telecasts for the WNBA’s New York Liberty, been the women’s college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and was the first woman to call a New York Knicks radio/television broadcast, in 2000. She was also the first woman to call a Big East men’s basketball game on television. Burke was inducted into the New England College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and a year later was presented with the Women of Excellence Trailblazer Award from the Rhode Island Women’s Center. Burke signed a five-year deal with ESPN last year.

IN HER WORDS: “If you could have seen me as a college student, I never had the idea that I would be working the NBA Finals in front of millions of people. The place I was most comfortable was between the lines on the basketball court. There never was a grand career plan. I don’t know if I ever put it in that line of thinking. I’m just focused on the assignment in front of me. There really is no [what’s left to do] end plan.”

— Kevin Czerwinski

STEPHANIE DRULEY

VP, Production, College Networks, ESPN

KEY STATS: Druley has been with ESPN since 1990, where she started as a production assistant and rose up the ranks through numerous titles including associate producer (1996-99), highlights supervisor (1999-2000), producer (2000-02) and coordinating producer (2002-05). In 2006, Druley developed the annual “My Wish” series on SportsCenter, a collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation featuring unique sports-related wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

VARSITY STATUS: Druley, who was also VP of production for the Longhorn Network, will lead the second production launch of an ESPN network in less than three years with the debut of the SEC Network on Aug. 14, overseeing all production elements. Druley helped to rope in talent that should be familiar to SEC fans, including a certain well-known former Gator named Tim Tebow. All 14 SEC football teams will have a game on the network within the first four weeks of the season.

IN HER WORDS: “It’s going to be an exciting year, and football is going to be a big thing for us, and Saturdays are going to be very exciting. … We want people at home to feel like, ‘I’ve been there even though I haven’t.’ Because there is nothing like it: The sights, the sounds, the feeling of family. So we want to go where these traditions already exist and be part of it, be a part of the atmosphere.”

—Tim Baysinger

KELLY DUNNE

Senior VP, CBS Sports Marketing

KEY STATS: A 20-year veteran of the sports marketing and creative services sector, Dunne leads all marketing for CBS Sports, including branding and on-air promotions. She has recently overseen the promo campaigns, on-air look and set design for the launch of five new shows and helped launch the on-air graphics look for CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network. She had previously worked for the Diecks Group, a broadcast design and marketing company, and also at ESPN, where she played a role in the launches of ESPN2, ESPNews and ESPN.com.

VARSITY STATUS: There is no off-season for Dunne, who handles marketing for a top-shelf portfolio, including the NFL, the Masters and PGA golf championships, SEC football, the NCAA basketball tournament and U.S. Open tennis. In executing strategies, Dunne works with divisions across all of CBS Corp., including interactive, outdoor, radio and entertainment. One model for collaborations likely to take shape in the future happened last fall. Tying in with both the college football season opener, featuring the University of Hawaii and the return of primetime drama series Hawaii Five-0, she created a cross-promotion that aired on both CBS Sports Network and the flagship network.

IN HER WORDS: “The inaugural season of Thursday Night Football is a huge priority for CBS and that focus certainly extends to CBS marketing. We are working closely with our partners at the NFL to use the power of CBS to promote the 16 weeks of Thursday Night Football, which features the most marquee match-ups ever on Thursday night.”

— Dade Hayes

REAGAN FEENEY

VP, Content, DirecTV

KEY STATS: Feeney has been part of the programming-acquisitions team at the 22 million-subscriber satellite-TV provider since 1997 and became VP in 2007. She is responsible for developing strategies and negotiating general entertainment and sports programming acquisitions, as well as maintaining external business relationships for linear cable channels, out-of-market sports subscription packages, regional sports networks and on-demand sports content.

VARSITY STATUS: Feeney, working with DirecTV’s internal products teams, has helped create and launch several exclusive interactive services for sports programming, including multiscreen “mosaic” services and 3DTV telecasts. She has also played key roles in leading DirecTV through complex negotiations to launch and renew service agreements with several regional sports networks, general entertainment services and out-of-market sports subscriptions, as well as authenticated content for TV Everywhere offerings and, earlier in her career, managing the pay-per-view business. Feeney is also a die-hard fan of Boston sports teams and an avid golf viewer.

IN HER WORDS: “DirecTV’s commitments to HD and innovation and the content deals I executed to support those initiatives are big highlights for me,” she said. “Recently, I worked tirelessly with MLB to bring MLB.TV to DirecTV customers and it was a big moment to see that change. … I like the intersection of content with technology and how new devices and technology have shaped the way customers consume their content, and the deals we negotiate. I remember starting at DirecTV and the buzz was in a few years we’d be able to do VOD. Now we’re delivering authenticated content across multiple devices. I also enjoy the challenge of trying to reach agreements for the content we deliver, but it has grown increasingly difficult with the rising tide of content costs, particularly sports. I want every fan to have his game, but this climate of unreasonable content cost demands often results in customers being shut out from their favorite team, and that is not ideal for the consumer.”

—Kent Gibbons

LESA FRANCE KENNEDY

CEO, Vice Chairperson of the Board, International Speedway Corp.; Vice Chairperson, NASCAR

KEY STATS: Kennedy joined ISC in 1983, advancing in her path while helping motorsports overall to keep growing. ISC now has about $615 million in annual revenue, controlling 13 facilities where about 100 racing events are held each year, and runs a range of commercial businesses, including broadcasting, based at those sites. ISC, based in Daytona Beach, Fla., was founded in 1953 as Daytona International Speedway Corp. As vice chair at NASCAR, she has helped optimize the corporation’s television status. While the frenzy around stock cars has subsided slightly over the past few years, a new deal with NBC Sports will keep NASCAR in the spotlight for the foreseeable future.

VARSITY STATUS: A Duke grad, Kennedy is from one of U.S. auto racing’s royal families. Her father, Bill France Jr., headed NASCAR for nearly 30 years; her grandfather founded the league in 1947. Her son, Ben, is a NASCAR driver.

IN HER WORDS: “NASCAR remains very strong and we’ve seen recent developments that point to further positive momentum in the future. Nearly one in four Fortune 500 companies participate in the sport, and the recently signed 10-year broadcast rights agreements with Fox and NBC start in 2015. From an ISC perspective, our mission is to provide memorable and positive experiences for our fans at the track so they return year aft er year. For 2014, my personal goal is to continue executing on “Daytona Rising” — the $400 million renovation of our premier property Daytona International Speedway. We plan to achieve a number of major milestones this year that will help us meet our deadline for debut in January 2016.”

— Dade Hayes

MICHELLE McKENNA-DOYLE

Senior VP and CIO, National Football League

KEY STATS: Prior to joining the NFL in 2012, McKenna-Doyle served in the same capacity with Constellation Energy Group. Before joining Constellation Energy, she worked in various senior management and information technology positions at several Fortune 500 corporations, including as senior VP and CIO for Universal Studios and Centex Homes, as well as VP of information technology for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

VARSITY STATUS: With advancements in home theater technology, McKenna-Doyle’s main goal has been to improve the in-stadium experience, highlighted by the agreement in January with Extreme Networks, a network services company, as the league’s official WiFi analytics provider. The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles were the early adopters, deploying WiFi in their stadiums last season. The league recently released minimum standards that all teams have to meet in regard to digital access service (DAS) and WiFi connectivity, which helped drive the Extreme Networks agreement. The San Francisco 49ers’ deal with Comcast to help outfit the team’s Levi’s Stadium, set to open this fall, was driven partly by mobile connectivity needs.

IN HER WORDS: At an NFL Fan Experience panel held with Extreme Networks in January, McKenna-Doyle said, “The cool devices and cool applications always outpace the underlying infrastructure’s ability to keep up with it, and that’s exactly where we find ourselves at the NFL, and that is playing a litt le bit of catch-up in our stadiums.”

—Tim Baysinger

STEPHANIE McMAHON

Chief Brand Officer, WWE

KEY STATS: Stephanie McMahon has been involved in the WWE since middle school, when she modeled Rockers T-shirts in the WWE Shop catalog. She’s now fully entrenched within the WWE’s business operations, whether it’s effectively selling the pro wrestling outfi t’s brand behind the scenes or dishing out orders to WWE Superstars in the ring on the its various cable and broadcast shows. In December 2013, she was named chief brand officer, responsible for leading WWE’s efforts to further enhance the company’s successful brand among advertisers, media, business partners and investors. Prior to her new role, McMahon, the daughter of WWE president Vince McMahon, was executive VP of creative, and was responsible for overseeing the creative development of all WWE television, PPV programming, print, digital and social media content. That often meant taking a hands-on approach by including herself in the company’s dramatic on-air story lines, most recently as the bad girl head of WWE’s power-hungry group “The Authority” with her real-life husband, WWE Superstar Triple H. When she’s not bullying WWE Superstars in the ring, she serves as primary spokesperson for the company’s CSR initiatives, including “Be a STAR,” WWE’s anti-bullying program.

VARSITY STATUS: Now serving as one of the company’s principal owners, McMahon is helping build a WWE brand that recently expanded its media wings. In February, it launched standalone OTT service the WWE Network, and earlier this month extended its carriage deal with NBCUniversal to televise its highly rated, live WWE Monday Night Raw and SmackDown series on NBCU-owned USA Network and Syfy, respectively. While the company’s stock has struggled of late due to the growing pains of the WWE Network, which has 667,000 subscribers — less than the 1 million mark expected by the organization — WWE continues to be one of the leading digital content providers in the entertainment industry.

IN HER WORDS: “Success in business is not about gender. It is about results. You need to be your own person, push forward and accept nothing less.”

— R. Thomas Umstead

REBECCA SCHULTE

President, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic

KEY STATS: Before coming to Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic in 2007, Schulte was the general manager of Fox Sports Net Arizona from 2002-05. She also served in several other positions at Fox, including coordinating producer for Best Damn Sports Show Period, overseeing the promotional launch of NASCAR on Fox Sports and Fox Sports Net and developing branding, marketing and media campaigns for Fox’s coverage of marquee sporting events, including the NFL.

VARSITY STATUS: Schulte has overseen the growth and innovation that has marked the network’s expansion. Her tenure has also been marked by an increase in the amount of quality live event coverage, the expansion of game-day shows and the creation of compelling news and entertainment programs such as SportsTalk Live and Table Manners. CSN Mid-Atlantic has also seen growth among its digital media properties. Under her direction, the network has expanded its team and league partnerships, making it the top regional sports network in the Mid-Atlantic region. She was instrumental in the establishment and growth of CSNWashington.com and CSNBaltimore.com, which were launched in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Schulte envisions CSNMA having more interactive, tech and touchscreen programming. One of the objectives is the integration of social media with the programming in terms of games, as well as studio shows. Ideally, it would simply be more than putt ing comments on a screen. She would like to take the more insightful comments and make them a more meaningful part of the on-air product, rather than just simply posting tweets. There isn’t a great deal of this type of interaction with the fans on a regional network level and Schulte believes there is a way for it to be incorporated into real-time broadcasts.

IN HER WORDS: “Goals in life are the thing. But it’s also about enjoying the ride and I’m enjoying the ride. When I was younger it was about the end but I’m at a stage where I am enjoying the ride. I’m having a great time right now. It’s one of those things where I am working on a show that never gets canceled — the NFL, the NBA and the NHL. They are incredible products to work with.”

— Kevin Czerwinski

CATHY WEEDEN

Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Florida Citrus Sports

KEY STATS: The former general manager of three Fox Sports Net regional sports networks, Weeden is now responsible for sponsorship and membership sales for the organization that oversees the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. Her career veered in 2009 when, after 16 years of RSN management at Fox, she moved into a college-sports marketing role with IMG. That segued into her current position, which itself came aft er years of volunteer service on the not-for-profit Florida Citrus Sports board of directors.

VARSITY STATUS: At Fox, Weeden was responsible for all aspects of the ongoing operations at Fox Sports Arizona and then at both Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida aft er Fox bought Sunshine Network. She negotiated and oversaw the network’s programming agreements and relationships with team partners including the Florida Marlins, Florida Panthers, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays, Florida State University and University of Florida, as well as the SEC and ACC conferences. At IMG College, she oversaw IMG’s sales and marketing responsibilities at Florida, Florida State, UCF, USF and Miami while also working with Southern Miss, UAB, the University of South Alabama and Troy. The Citrus Bowl, where the Daytona Beach-born Weeden att ended Tangerine Bowl games with her dad and two brothers as a kid, is undergoing a $207 million ground-level reconstruction that she can see from her office window. The venue hosts the Capital One Bowl and Russell Athletic Bowl annually, but there are aspirations for it to one day host the college football playoff s’ championship game. Before then, there are naming rights, sponsorships and premium seats to sell.

IN HER WORDS: “Everything’s kind of looped around for me. I was really fortunate professionally to start where I started, at regional sports networks, and learn that business from the ground up. It’s all been a path that’s led me here, which has been just a good place for me both personally and professionally. You meet so many people at an RSN because you’re not tied to one team or one league or one sport, or even one sector within that sport.”

— Kent Gibbons

Beginning with a story about working in a steel mill and ending with lessons in “Wonder Woman-ness,” the 16th annual Wonder Women luncheon had more than its share of timeless and timely tales about the lives and careers of a dozen successful women in cable.

Comcast’s Kathryn Zachem (you can find everyone’s titles in our More Online link) told the steel mill anecdote, about being hired in 1977 as one of the first women to be a day laborer for U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh. The man assigned to train her to fix turbines chose not to speak to her for the first two weeks. The ice was finally broken after she fetched a tool the trainer, Mike, had forgotten to bring. When Zachem returned, he laughed and said, “Kathy, I needed a ratchet, not a hatchet,” she recalled, adding, “From that day on, we were inseparable.” Years later, Mike, the pipefitter, recognized Zachem at the airport and, with tears in his eyes, greeted and congratulated her on becoming a “woman lawyer.”

Cablevision’s Lisa Rosenblum joked that she was surprised to have been named a Wonder Woman for her years doing legal and regulatory work. “Cablevision, after all, is known for being such a quiet company, existing calmly on Long Island and shying away from disputes of any kind or public policy battles,” she said in deadpan fashion. She credited company founder Charles Dolan, current CEO Jim Dolan and several other executives, including Sheila Mahony, who Rosenblum met while still a member of the New York State Public Service Commission, when Cablevision first proposed offering phone service.

Univision’s Jessica Rodriguez spoke emotionally of growing up in the South Bronx and sharing with her family an emotional connection with programming on Univision. After an early foray onto Wall Street, she “practically begged” her way into a Univision job, and she’s very happy to be there some 13 years later. “Some people say that life is a novella,” she said. “Well, today I’m living my fairy tale. I have a dream job at my dream company.”

NBCUniversal’s Patricia Fili-Krushel was unable to attend due to knee surgery. Co-host Hoda Kotb, of NBC’s Today, took a podium photo for her “so she knows what you look like.” Kotb read some remarks from Fili-Krushel, who advised attendees to “find the people you believe in and pull them along with you.”

ESPN’s Jodi Markley said she had learned a lot during 18 years in ESPN’s international operations, introducing the brand in places that had never heard of ESPN and adapting to changes in countries, languages and teams on a regular basis. She said she learned people everywhere respond to integrity, courage, clarity of purpose and respect. And she said mentoring makes companies like ESPN a better place.

Kimberly Maki, of Bright House Networks, spoke of growing up in Michigan to parents who adopted her, adding her to a home that already had three boys in it. “That day, I got a home because my parents chose me,” she said, and the love and security she felt gave her “rock solid confidence.” Hard work led her through college into journalism and corporate communications. She credited much to having heard these four words: “I believe in you.”

TiVo’s Tara Maitra attended the 2004 Wonder Women luncheon, was impressed and emailed Comcast’s Amy Banse, a Wonder Woman in 2003, to say she hoped to take part in one some day. Maitra credited her longtime boss, TiVo CEO Tom Rogers, and called him a man who saw things others didn’t. “I’m proof of that,” she said. “Ten years ago, you never would have seen someone from TiVo receiving a cable award.” She also said the humanresources oversight in her job had drilled home the old adage that “everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, so please be kind.”

Crown Media’s Laura Lee was inspired by her mom, who drove her to elementary school every day. Most days her mom left the house with big rollers in her hair and, while driving, quizzed young Laura on school subjects, using flash cards she had prepared in advance. “She was incredibly smart and pushed me to work hard, think big and laugh a lot along the way.” She taught her daughter to be prepared, how to do several things at once while being dedicated to each moment and that women could do anything they set their minds to.

Turner’s Brenda Freeman said media audiences are changing, “becoming more diverse, demanding that our industry step up, stay relevant, and hire talent and develop content that reflects the face of this new general market.” To play a part in encouraging that next generation of decision makers, she works closely with the Girl Scouts organization and the Savannah College of Arts and Design. Quoting Pharrell, she declared, “I’m happy.”

Janet Nova, of 21st Century Fox, was named as News Corp.’s interim general counsel in June 2011. “Three weeks later, I was sitting behind Rupert Murdoch in London, facing a parliamentary committee conducting an inquiry into phone hacking,” she said. “While Google thinks my attempt to protect Rupert from the shaving-cream pie was my career highlight, the real highlight of that period was the experience I gained in advising the company for a year throughout that crisis.”

Jennifer Chun of Time Warner Cable provided a timely highlight, saying the impending merger with Comcast had “caused us to think about where we might be in a year or so.”

“Probably a little early to tell, but I think we all know that there will be change and things will be different,” Chun said. “So if you’ll indulge me, I’d actually like to eulogize our content acquisition deal team for a second.” Invoking what colleague Susan Weinstein called “our senior year,” Chun then assigned “yearbook predictions” to team members, such as most likely to form a garage band, open a gastro pub or broker world peace.

SundanceTV’s Sarah Barnett passed along eight “top lessons in Wonder Womanness.” The first (No. 8), from Sundance founder Robert Redford, was: When they zig, you zag. Meaning, resist group-think and easy-consensus decisions, and strive for the remarkable. The last, No. 1, was to make your own way. “Decide for yourself what’s important to you, craft your own Wonder Woman Rules, make it fun and true, and make it matter for you in your own, brilliant way.”

The March 26 event at the New York Hilton, co-sponsored by Multichannel News and the New York chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications, was attended by about 750 people.

RELATED:Get current and archival coverage of MCN's annual Wonder Women class. | Learn about the yearly Wonder Woman luncheon.

STEPHANIE ANDERSON

TITLE: Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Business Services, Time Warner Cable

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: Anderson is responsible for all elements of marketing and advertising for TWC’s fast-growing and highprofile Business Services unit, which includes Time Warner Cable Business Class and NaviSite.

HOMETOWN: Dayton, Ohio.

FIRST JOB: A high-end local clothing store where she sold men’s suits.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Current, Sleepy Hollow; all time, The Andy Griffith Show and The Brady Bunch

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “The realization that we actually are helping businesses by providing critical services they need to successfully run their companies.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Direct mail! And commuting; being away from my kids; never having enough time.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “From my early telecom years, two leaders come to mind: Michael Dennis and Herb Moorehead. Both highlighted the importance of strength through diversity, which I appreciated as one of the very few women in the business at the time.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “Always put the customer first — period. This has always been my motto and is a basic tenet at Time Warner Cable. From that, everything else falls into place.”

PATRICIA BETRON

TITLE: Senior Vice President, Multimedia Sales, ESPN

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: A seasoned executive at ESPN/ABC Sports with more than 20 years with the company, she manages sales teams in New York, as well as the Chicago and Detroit offices. She also has overseen sales communications for ESPN customer marketing and sales. This includes go-to-market messaging, positioning ESPN beyond just a sports network or multimedia company, as a collection of audiences. Has led new innovative deals that incorporate the multiscreen nature of video. An active member of the Women’s Employee Resource group at ESPN.

HOMETOWN: Stoughton, Mass.

FIRST JOB: Research analyst at NBC

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:College GameDay, Modern Family, Mad Men

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Always learning something new.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Never seems like there is enough time.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “My first sales manager in the business was a Marine sergeant and Vietnam veteran. He was incredibly tough, but I learned a lot.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “Don’t look back. The best decisions are the ones you made because you made them.”

MEGAN CLARKEN

TITLE: Executive Vice President, Global Product Leadership, Nielsen

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: Since she joined Nielsen in 2004, Clarken has been intricately involved in shaping the strategy and execution of Nielsen’s digital product portfolio. She works closely alongside clients to identify and understand emerging needs and leads the development of Nielsen’s product and service offering, including the recent development of much-needed mobile and tablet measurement solutions. Earlier, she was on the founding team of Australian online publisher Ninemsn and served as chief technology officer at application service provider PeakHour.

HOMETOWN: New York (“But my home/home is Auckland, New Zealand.”)

FIRST JOB: Working the counter at her school “tuck shop” — donuts and pies.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: “I like drama and good comedy.”

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Solving really hard problems with a team of really smart people.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Having to prioritize great ideas.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “I remember them all. I make sure that I learn something from everyone.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “In corporate life — learn how to take a deep breath.

SARAH GITCHELL

TITLE: Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Comcast

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: As lead attorney for the Content Acquisition group, she provides legal support for programming and retransmission-consent agreements for all Comcast cable systems and for new-media rights and strategic multiplatform initiatives.

HOMETOWN: Philadelphia

FIRST JOB: Receptionist at America’s oldest fine-arts auction house (Freeman’s Auctioneers & Appraisers)

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Mad Men, Episodes, Veep

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “The team I work with, both on the business side and the legal side. Everyone is smart, forward-thinking and not afraid to work really hard or draw upon creative solutions to reach the right answer.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: How long it takes to get a deal done.

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “My dad. At 14 years old, I could mow our lawn and have it looking better than our local golf course, and my dad’s emphasis on attention to detail and taking pride in my work has stuck with me through everything I do.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “Sometimes subtraction adds more than anything else. Always look for opportunities to simplify and subtract.”

JENNIFER HIGHTOWER

TITLE: Senior Vice President, Law and Policy, Cox Communications

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: She oversees Cox’s compliance, legal operations, litigation, regulatory and corporate governmentaffairs teams. With Cox since 1997, she previously led telecommunications regulatory functions, including policy-making and strategic initiatives.

HOMETOWN: Atlanta

FIRST JOB: Lingerie clerk at a J.C. Penney

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Scandal, The Good Wife, 60 Minutes

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “My company and its people. I love the Cox culture and the smart people I work with daily.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “The sheer volume of work and the fact that the legal landscape has not kept pace with technology’s evolution.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “Many for different reasons: Randy New for teaching me to always try to get to yes; Jim Hatcher for teaching me to learn a company’s culture; and Mark Bowser for teaching me to fully understand your company’s strategic direction, but to always do the right thing.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED. “Luck is not what enables success. Rather, luck is the intersection of opportunity and preparedness. And, when in doubt, simply do the right thing.”

SHARON LEVY

TITLE: Executive Vice President, Original Series, Spike TV

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: Since she joined Spike in 2005, Levy has overseen the development of many of the network’s most ambitious and successful series, including Ink Master, Bar Rescue, Auction Hunters and Tattoo Nightmares.

HOMETOWN: East Meadow, N.Y.

FIRST JOB: At Eisenhower Park. “Working the tennis courts, handing out leisure passes and driving a battery operated boat around a lake overrun by geese.”

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Game of Thrones, Homeland, The Wire, Falling Skies, Downton Abbey, Dancing With the Stars

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Watching my team put their heart and souls into making great entertainment.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “That I can’t live on Kauai while doing it. Otherwise nothing.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: Kevin Kay and Doug Herzog. “They lead with dignity, humor and trust.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. “This is so true when it comes to production. You have to be flexible [and] remember that our greatest asset is our ability to adapt and think on our feet, even if it feels like all is going to pot.”

COURTNEY MENZEL

TITLE: Senior Vice President, Domestic Distribution and Partner Marketing, Discovery Communications

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: Menzel, who joined Discovery in 2012 from Current Media (after 14 years at MTV Networks), leads the National Accounts and Field Sales and Marketing efforts for the programmer’s Domestic Distribution team. She’s responsible for the strategic oversight and distribution of a portfolio of 13 U.S. networks, nine HD channels and all Discovery U.S. Hispanic networks.

HOMETOWN: Larchmont, N.Y.

FIRST JOB: “It was quite glamorous: working the snack bar at our local swim and tennis club.”

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Downton Abbey, Homeland, House of Cards, Scandal, Modern Family

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB. “The people in our industry — many have become close personal friends over the years.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB. “Getting up in the morning!”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES. “I’ve been lucky to work for many great bosses — both men and women. Viacom had a lot of incredibly smart and talented female executives who taught me so much about the industry and were a real source of inspiration and motivation.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “Be true to yourself and you will never fail.”

COURTENEY MONROE

TITLE: Chief Marketing Officer, National Geographic Channels U.S.

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: She manages the NGC brands (National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild) and all aspects of marketing — including brand strategy, creative, consumer marketing, digital platforms, social media, partnership marketing and adsales marketing. Previously, she was marketing chief at HBO.

HOMETOWN: Bethesda, Md.

FIRST JOB: Assistant account executive, BBDO New York

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Homeland, The Newsroom, Master Chef Junior (with her kids)

LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “The opportunity to work with an amazing team of people on an iconic brand.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “The sheer volume and pace of work in today’s world doesn’t allow for enough time to really think. Need more hours in the day!”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “My very first boss at BBDO, Sue Haxager, was a real role model for me as a senior female executive and as an exemplary manager of people.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “From my father, right before I started my very first job: ‘The latest you should ever be to a meeting is on time.’ (I need to follow it more!)”

ALLISON PAGE

TITLE: General Manager, Home Category, Scripps Networks Interactive

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: After serving as a senior programming executive at Food Network and Cooking Channel, she was elevated in November to her current post, where she oversees programming and scheduling teams at HGTV, DIY Network, Great American Country and associated websites and digital properties. Before joining Scripps in 2001, she worked at independent production companies on programs for Discovery Channel, A&E and Lifetime, and was an associate producer at CBS News Sunday Morning.

HOMETOWN: Knoxville, Tenn.

FIRST JOB: Substitute bank teller

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Teen Mom, Breaking Bad, Project Runway, Love It or List It, Chopped

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Developing strategy, defining a brand and creating shows.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “When a good show doesn’t find an audience quickly.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “Three women have been and are models of who I want to be. Judy Girard: inspiring, challenging, nurturing, appreciative and direct. Brooke Johnson: wicked smart, doesn’t waste time, clear and no BS. Kathleen Finch: a model, a mentor, a great team leader and incredibly effective.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “Listen.”

TINA PIDGEON

TITLE: Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, General Counsel, General Communication Inc.

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: A leader among Alaska’s tightly-knit group of female executives, Pidgeon manages GCI’s 20-person legal and regulatory department and is responsible for developing and implementing the cable operator’s overall federal, state and local legislative and regulatory strategy. Also responsible for managing all corporate legal issues.

HOMETOWN: Anchorage, Alaska, with extended stops along the way in Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; and Macon, Ga.

FIRST JOB: Field coordinator for a 1990 congressional campaign

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:The Killing, Scandal, Paw Patrol

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Encountering something new every day and developing creative solutions with outof- the box thinkers.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “Having more initiatives to tackle than time permits.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “Ron Duncan, CEO and co-founder of GCI, who succeeds by knowing the technology, understanding the multidimensional nature of issues and instilling a spirit of competition and innovation in everything GCI does.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “From my dad: ‘Keep up!’ From my mom: ‘Don’t worry about what you can’t control.’ I’m still working on following both!”

PATTY POWER

TITLE: Senior Vice President, Operations, Engineering and Production Planning, CBS Sports

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: She’s a problem-solver, a logistics supervisor, a crisis manager and more. Power oversees operations for both CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of operations for CBS Sports’ broadcast and cable properties.

HOMETOWN: Garden City, N.Y. FIRST JOB: Secretary (when they were still called that) in Sports Technical Operations at NBC Sports

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:Homeland, The Good Wife, That Other Pregame Show (TOPS)

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “The people and working with so many talented professionals at all levels of the organization.”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB. “When something happens during a remote event that is out of your control.”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “I’ve had so many great bosses over the years and learned from all of them. They were all extremely bright, strong leaders and motivators who allowed me to grow and put me in a position to succeed.”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED. “Embrace change and don’t shy away from taking a risk!”

JUDY SCHMELING

TITLE: Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, HSN

WHY WE’RE WATCHING: She oversees the electronic retailer’s finance, information technology, customer care, facilities, supply chain and logistics, corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions departments, as well as affiliate relations. In the financial realm, she is responsible for treasury, financial planning and analysis, accounting, tax and investor relations. She assumed the dual COO/CFO role in May 2013, having been CFO since 2001.

HOMETOWN: Tallahassee, Fla.

FIRST JOB: Greeter at the local Burger Chef in Tallahassee

FAVORITE TV SHOW:The Big Bang Theory. “I just love watching geeks be cool and funny!”

WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: The fast-paced, live, 24/7 television network. “It’s fun here!”

WHAT SHE DISLIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB: “As corny as it sounds, I can’t think of anything!”

MOST MEMORABLE BOSSES: “HSN CEO Mindy Grossman stands out as most admired for her vision, inspiration, work ethic and drive to succeed. She brings out the best in me!”

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “Focus on what is right for the company, not for yourself or any other individual — everything else will take care of itself in the end.”