BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The Women in Cable Telecommunications Southern California Chapter is honoring a network P.R. ace, a kids’ content and strategy expert, a content acquisition maven and an actress twice nominated for an Oscar.

The 2017 LEA Awards, their 25th anniversary edition, will be presented at a luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 9, at The Beverly Hills Hotel, kicking off with a networking reception at 11:30 a.m. followed by the awards luncheon at 12:30-3 p.m. (For more, visit LEAAwards.com.)

The program includes a panel discussion on leadership with the honorees, moderated by KCBS on-air host Erica Olsen. The four honorees, listed alphabetically, are being recognized for their contributions to the industry and their commitment to developing women leaders in entertainment.

The honorees are (alphabetically):

• Terri Hines, executive vice president, communications, Fox Sports;
• Nancy Kanter, executive vice president, content and creative strategy, Disney Channel Worldwide, and general manager, Disney Junior Worldwide;
• Mary McDonnell, actress and star of TNT’s Major Crimes;
• and Kathy Payne, head, content acquisition management, Amazon Channels.

Terri Hines joined Fox Sports as executive vice president of communications last December. She serves as Fox Sports’ chief spokesperson and is responsible for leading the development and execution of communication strategies for the sports programmer’s multiplatform portfolio. She reports to Fox Sports president and COO Eric Shanks.

Hines previously spent 10 successful years at Nike, most recently as VP of global communications for the Converse brand. Hines also was director of communications for Nike’s Jordan Brand of premium athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. Working directly with NBA legend Michael Jordan and his team, Hines was a driving force behind a number of brand firsts, notably the campaign launch for the Air Jordan XX3, at the time the biggest in Nike history. She also was responsible for rebranding and launching Jordan Brand’s philanthropic platform, Wings for the Future.

Prior to Nike, Hines spent 10 years at Nissan North America in a variety of roles in media relations, communications, public affairs and multicultural marketing, and created Nissan’s first lifestyle and entertainment practice. She started her career at Volkswagen of America.

Nancy Kanter was promoted to executive vice president, content and creative strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide, and general manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, this year. She is responsible for content creation strategy that guides the development of original live-action and animated programming for kids age 6-14 on Disney Channel and Disney XD, and all creative content for kids age 2-7 on Disney Junior. She also oversees strategy for acquired content that supports the overarching creative vision and, working with the live action and animation development and programming teams, continues attracting, developing and retaining creative talent to Disney’s portfolio of entertainment platforms for kids and families.

Under Kanter, the 24-hour Disney Junior channel has reigned as the top preschooler-dedicated TV network in total viewers, kids 2-5, girls 2-5, boys 2-5 and women 18-49. In 2016, the channel presented the top eight series among kids 2-5 and total viewers, including The Lion Guard, Elena of Avalor and Miles from Tomorrowland. Kanter also brought the Peabody-winning Doc McStuffins, the Emmy-winning Sofia the First, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mickey and the Roadster Racers and Puppy Dog Pals to Disney Junior.

Previously executive VP, original programming, she joined Disney Channel in 2001. In 2011 and 2012, she led the successful rebrand of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior, establishing the brand a total of 33 Disney Junior channels in 24 languages around the world. Prior to joining Disney Channel, Kanter was president, Bluecow.com, a children’s entertainment internet, following a distinguished run as an executive producer and producer of children’s programming.

Mary McDonnell is a distinguished American actress known for her work in theater, film, and television. She is highly regarded for her portrayals of strong, empathic and powerful women. Her ability to connect with roles in a way that reveals a conscious awareness of the world around her has resulted in a rewarding and long lasting career.

Nominated twice for Academy Awards for her work in movies (Dances With Wolves, Passion Fish), she has also been nominated twice each for Golden Globes and Emmy awards. Her many TV roles include the surgeon Dr. Virginia Dixon in Grey’s Anatomy and Noah Wyle’s alcoholic mother in ER. She played President Laura Roslin in Syfy’s Peabody Award-winning series Battlestar Galactica; Capt./Cmdr. Sharon Raydor in TNT’s franchise drama series The Closer and in Major Crimes; and the mysterious widow Ruby Goldfarb in Fargo on FX.

As an advocate, she has used her voice to support The National Lyme Disease Association (spokesperson), Autism Speaks, Sunshine Kids, Ocean Park Community Center and Everett Company Stage School in Providence, R.I. She recently aided the fundraising effort for The Water Protectors Legal Collective, devoted to finding legal representation for Americans arrested during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

Kathy Payne joined Amazon in March to lead the content acquisition team focused on live television channels for Amazon Channels. Over the course of her career, she has been at the forefront of transforming the consumer television experience, negotiating video programming rights from virtually every major media company over 25 years.

Before she joined Amazon, Payne was chief programming officer at Suddenlink Communications (now part of Altice USA) and before that, she was VP of content acquisition and an assistant general counsel at Cox Communications.

Payne served on the board of Women in Cable & Telecommunications for seven years, chairing it for two years. She has received several industry and corporate awards for leadership, commitment to customers and cost-mitigation efforts. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and loves adventure travel, most recently trekking in Peru and Nepal and exploring Cuba and Argentina.

Disney Junior Worldwide general manager Nancy Kanter has been promoted to executive vice president of content and creative strategy for Disney Channels Worldwide, said company officials.

In addition to oversight of the toddler-targeted Disney Junior, Kanter’s new duties will include the content creation strategy that guides the development of original live action and animated programming for kids age 6-14 on Disney Channel and Disney X, said Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, to whom she will continue to report.

"Nancy is a formidable leader with exceptional creative instincts and a personal passion for great storytelling. Her track record in launching and steering Disney Junior into becoming the number one preschooler-dedicated network is a testament to her relentless focus on excellence," said Marsh. "I look forward to her daily partnership in aligning and guiding the creative strategy and content for our animation and live-action storytelling teams."

Kanter added:"The Disney Channels Worldwide creative teams have consistently set the bar at the highest level when it comes to offering stories and characters that resonate with audiences worldwide and also become cultural icons that endure. I am excited to work with our multi-talented development and production teams and hope to be able to contribute meaningfully to this legacy of extraordinary storytelling."

Twelve top-performing executives in cable television operations, programming, network distribution and advertising sales have been selected by the editors of Multichannel News as the 2013 class of Wonder Women.

They will be profiled in the Jan. 28 edition of Multichannel News and will be honored at a luncheon event on March 19 at the Hilton New York hotel. For more information about the event, email Sandy Friedman (sfriedman@nbmedia.com).

Here is the 2013 class of Wonder Women:

Jamia Bigalow, senior vice president, distribution marketing, Fox Networks

Denise Denson, executive vice president, content distribution and marketing, Viacom Media Networks

Viviane Eisenberg, senior vice president and chief counsel, programming, global marketing and global licensing, HBO

Irene Esteves, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Time Warner Cable

Tamara Franklin, senior vice president, affiliate operations and new media distribution, Scripps Networks Interactive

Jacqueline Hernandez, chief operating officer, Telemundo Media

Ava Jordhamo, president, New York, Zenith

Nancy Kanter, senior vice president, original programming, and general manager, Disney Junior Worldwide

Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager, Animal Planet; president, Science & Velocity Networks

Cathy Kilstrom, senior vice president, customer care, West Division, Comcast Cable

Kim Norris, executive vice president, emerging businesses and data analytics, Cablevision Media Sales

Donna Speciale, president, Turner Entertainment & Young Adults Ad Sales

The editors of Multichannel News will also be selecting a class of Women to Watch who will be honored at the luncheon, co-hosted with the New York chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications.