Wonya Lucas, who joined Hallmark Media as president and CEO in 2020 at a time when the programmer needed an uplift, is leaving at the end of the year but will remain on the board of directors, the company said today. Hallmark Companies CEO Mike Perry, to whom she reported, will assume her responsibilities.

A savvy marketing and operations executive who rose through roles at CNN, Discovery, The Weather Channel and TV One, Lucas joined privately owned Hallmark about six months after the departure of longtime CEO Bill Abbott. Abbott left after backlash over the channel declining to broadcast a commercial that included two women kissing at their wedding. Perry apologized on Hallmark’s behalf (and later ran the commercial) but set out to find a leader at the channel who could repair any damage that might have been done to the Hallmark brand.

Perry said in an interview Monday that when he and Lucas set priorities, “first on the list was really about broadening the content and the stories that we tell here, and making sure that we did that in a more diverse and inclusive way.” He said, “I think both of us feel very good about that.”

Other goals were to build a strong management team at the channel and develop “new commercial pathways’ beyond linear TV, and inroads have been there made via deals with Peacock, Hulu and YouTube TV, with the Hallmark Movies Now streaming service and with ad-supported video-on-demand and FAST channel launches, he said. 

"To her credit, it's like check, check, check and check on all the things that we wanted to do," Perry said. 

Lucas said she knew from the outset there was content potential in various Hallmark brands, including Mahogany, the African-American-targeted card line, and the faith-based DaySpring brand. 

But on the storytelling side, she wanted to expand the definition of love stories to include familial love, love of community and celebrating different religions. She also wanted to “open up the aperture” in terms of diverse characters. “Diversity beyond ethnicity and race” was important, she said, and credited programming chief Lisa Hamilton Daly for progress there. Notable there were Holly Robinson Peete’s 2021 holiday movie, Our Christmas Journey, inspired by her real-life experiences as a mother to an autistic son; the 2022 film Color My World with Love, centered on a love story between two individuals with Down syndrome; and The Christmas House and The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, which earned GLAAD Media Award nominations. Hallmark also began dubbing content into Spanish last year and secured carriage for it on Canela TV and Peacock, with more distribution coming this year, channel officials said.

Lucas said she was proud of new series launches, the inter-generational The Way Home ("one of my favorite series of all time") and Western-themed Ride, and respectful wind-downs of older series Chesapeake Shores and Good Witch. Unfinished business includes finding the best approach to a subscription streaming service, but she has confidence in Emily Powers, hired this year as executive VP of streaming and digital platforms.  

She cited efforts to put women behind the camera at the female-focused network, especially the Make Her Mark initiative, partnering with Ashley Williams to recruit, coach and guide female directors. “I know what it's like to have doors shut in my face, and to be able to help women who have a vision and who have the passion, and have the skillset, you know, what greater joy is that?” she said.

Lucas, who had the unique honor last year of going into both the Cable Hall of Fame and the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, also credited members of the Hallmark Media senior team, including content distribution chief Judi Lopez, who negotiated a branded hub for Hallmark fare on NBCUniversal-owned Peacock, and executive VP of content strategy and research Robin Thomas, along with ad sales EVP Ed Georger. who preceded her at the channel. 

Lucas, whose father, Bill, was the first African-American general manager of a Major League Baseball team and whose mother, Rubye, was on the Turner Broadcasting board, lives in Atlanta and wants to spend more time on the East Coast (Hallmark Media is based in California). She also wants to do more board work when she leaves her CEO job.

“It’s been three great years,” she said.

Wonya Lucas, the CEO of Hallmark Media, is a longtime programming marketer and chief executive, who has the coincidental distinction of being named to two halls of fame -- the Cable Hall of Fame and the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame -- on consecutive weeks at the same venue, the Ziegfeld Ballroom. We like to think the latter speech, given on May 3 at the B+C event, was the greatest -- like her uncle, Henry Aaron, was in baseball. Here is a lightly edited transcript of her induction speech:

Good evening! Good evening. Yeah. Call and response, y'all. I'm so excited to be here with you today and I am deeply humbled to join the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, which includes so many people that I have admired throughout my career. So I thank you. As the leader of Hallmark Media, I know firsthand the impact positive stories of love and hope can have on many lives. It reminds me why I love this medium so very much. 

You know, as a young girl living in the small footprint of the South, I quickly understood that I could transcend my physical boundaries and discover experiences that extended beyond my tiny space in the world. I was mesmerized by great storytelling, and I am the beneficiary of its powerfully unwavering ability to expand the mind and warm the heart. Now, later in life, I knew my destiny somehow, some way, was in television.

Now, my trajectory to this evening has not been a linear one. Like many of you, I stand on the shoulders of greatness. People like Decker Anstrom, Julia Sprunt, Scot Safon, Pat Mitchell, Mike Perry and so many others who have poured their wisdom and sometimes tough love into me. So tonight I want to focus on a few lifelong lessons about grace, generosity, and grit.

There is no me without three people who instilled these three qualities within me. So let me tell you a story, not about a man named Jed, but about Hank, Ted and Ruby.

Now, as a child, I had a front row seat to overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges through the sheer power of grace. You see, I watched my uncle, the late great Hank Aaron, pursue his home run record while receiving constant death threats. I watched my uncle sharpen his focus, chase his dream, show grace to those who wished him harm. So as leaders, when we see someone struggling with difficult challenges, show them grace. You never know. Show grace.

You never know if they will be the one to metaphorically hit it out of the park one day.

Also: Jim Nantz Invokes Jim McKay at B+C Hall of Fame Induction

Generosity and kindness also changed the trajectory of my life. Weeks before my high school graduation, my father [Bill Lucas] died suddenly when he was the GM for the Atlanta Braves. I vividly remember Ted Turner saying to my mother, "I will always take care of you." And so he did, when life was so uncertain for us. He helped put me through college that fall, and throughout the duration of my tenure there, he took my mother from being a classroom teacher to the corporate boardroom at Turner Broadcasting. My point is, as you move through your career, you never know when a moment of generosity can have an amplifying effect on a life. So take time, and care, to live with a generous heart. 

Last but not least, my mom, Rubye, who's here tonight. [Applause.] My mom is the epitome of grit. And although she stands barely five feet tall, probably like 4-6, I don't know, she is simply fearless. While in the TBS boardroom with the likes of John Malone, Gerry Levin and Brian Roberts, she asked if there was an opportunity for kids’ content. And one board member, not the aforementioned, just putting it out there, not Gerry, Brian or John, scoffed at the idea. But Ted listened. He moved forward and it became Cartoon Network. [Applause.]

This story taught me that the perceived tiniest voice in the room could have the biggest idea. So look for that tiny voice, that potential change agent who has the courage and the grit and deserves to be seen and heard.

So I want to close with three things. Gotta say, the best title I have ever had is that of Mom. Thank you to my three daughters, one of whom, Alexis Kirton, is here with me tonight. They inspire me every day. And I am so incredibly grateful for the Hallmark Media team that is here today. I call 'em my A Team, y'all. They're my A Team. They are brilliant, scrappy and, most importantly, they are kind. 

And lastly, my humble soul admires each of the phenomenal awardees who are being honored here tonight. Now, your body of work speaks for itself, and your influence on the industry is obviously clear. Yet it is how you walk through life, and your character while doing so, that is most impressive. You each in your own unique way are the living embodiment of grit, generosity, and grace.

I thank you.

Click this link to watch Wonya Lucas's time at the podium (and Craig Melvin's introduction plus video) at the 2023 B+C Hall of Fame.

Growing up in Atlanta as the daughter of Bill Lucas, VP of player personnel for Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves, one wouldn’t have blinked an eye if Wonya Lucas took a career swing at the sports business.

But it was television that made an impression and would eventually guide her to success in leading a number of prestigious entertainment brands, from The Weather Channel to TV One to Hallmark Media, where she serves as CEO.

Read More: Here’s to the 2023 ‘B+C’ Hall of Fame Inductees

“I never really left the South growing up because my dad was in baseball, but television helped me really move beyond those boundaries,” she said. “It was the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies that really resonated with me. It was there that I first saw Black life treated respectfully.”

Still, Lucas considered a career in sports following in the footsteps of her father — who was the first African-American executive to run a Major League Baseball team — as well as her uncle, baseball great Hank Aaron, when she enrolled at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. It was there, though, that her focus shifted to media.

Finding a Career With Meaning

“When I went to business school I wanted to be a sports agent, but I ultimately wanted to be in the entertainment business,” she said. “It seemed like more fun. I wanted to be in a business that, like sports, really mattered in people’s lives, and that mattered in my life.” 

Her father’s influence remained as she sought to be a general manager and run a business like her dad. After graduating and working as a brand manager at Clorox and Coca-Cola, in 1994 she joined Turner Broadcasting System, which owned the Braves and where her mom, Rubye, worked. She would remain there through 2002, ascending to VP of business operations and network development for TNT and TBS and senior VP of strategic marketing for CNN.

“I was so proud and so happy at Turner and about the potential for my life and career, but I knew I wanted to be a general manager and run a network,” she said.

Lucas would realize her dream in 2002, becoming executive VP and general manager of The Weather Channel. “The other through line in my career is trying to work on brands that had a sense of purpose, and The Weather Channel was all about making a difference in people’s lives,” she said. 

Lucas continued to seek opportunities to work on brands that focused on teaching, entertaining and influencing people through stints at Discovery, as chief marketing officer; as president and CEO of African-American targeted cable network TV One; and president and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta.

“Wonya is one of the most talented leaders in the business. She has incredible people skills, business acumen and her marketing prowess is pure genius,” TV One and Cleo TV president Michelle Rice said. “She is a strong advocate for women and has been a necessary disruptor in our industry for decades.”

Full Circle at Hallmark

In 2020 Lucas would take the reins of Hallmark Channel, part of the entertainment brand that initially influenced her as a child. “The Hallmark Channel did mean something to me from an emotional perspective, but I also saw the opportunity from a brand perspective to reach people,” she said.

One of Lucas’s major initiatives at Hallmark was last year’s extension of the Mahogany card brand into original movies that tell authentic stories from a Black perspective. “When I saw Mahogany within our portfolio, as well as DaySpring [greeting cards] which targets the Christian community, I felt like there was a substantial opportunity to build on well-established intellectual property and brands that existed under the umbrella of Hallmark,” she said. 

Growing up, Lucas said, she could have never imagined all the accolades that her career path would garner, including induction into the B+C Hall of Fame. “I knew I loved this business and how it changed my life as a child and as a person throughout my life, and it’s such a great honor to be recognized in this way.” 

Jim Nantz, Rachael Ray, Soledad O’Brien and The Walking Dead will share the spotlight with on-air stars and impactful executives at the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City on May 3. 

“We are thrilled to once again honor our industry’s most accomplished pioneers, creators and innovators and leaders,” Bill McGorry, chairman of the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, said. “These individuals all share a common bond — their collective vision, remarkable achievements and unbreakable will to succeed have changed our business forever and brought it to another level. We look forward to recognizing these worthy individuals on May 3 as we welcome them as the newest inductees into the B+C Hall of Fame — our industry’s highest honor.”

The full class is: George G. Beasley (1932-2021), founder, Beasley Media Group, and Caroline Beasley, CEO, Beasley Media Group; Matthew Bond, chairman, content distribution, NBCUniversal; Ray Cole, president and chief operating officer, Citadel Communications; Frank Comerford, chief revenue officer & president of sales, NBCUniversal Local; Ray Hopkins, president, U.S. networks distribution, Paramount Global; Wonya Lucas, president and CEO, Hallmark Media; Soledad O’Brien, CEO, Soledad O’Brien Productions; Rachael Ray, host, Rachael Ray; Deborah Roberts, ABC News senior national affairs correspondent and contributing anchor for 20/20; Al Roker, weather and feature anchor, Today, co-host of Today third hour; and James Thompson (1947-2022), past president, Broadcasters Foundation of America. 

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports gets the Lifetime Achievement Award and AMC’s The Walking Dead wins the Iconic Show Award. 

It is the 31st Hall of Fame event. More than 400 honorees have been inducted. 

A portion of the night’s proceeds is donated to The Broadcasters Foundation of America, which provides grants to industry colleagues and their families who are in acute need. The Paley Center for Media is also a beneficiary. 

Honorees will be profiled in the April issue of B+C Multichannel News. For sponsorship, tables and ticket information, contact Jessica Wolin at jessica.wolin@futurenet.com, 212-685-4233 or www.bchalloffame.com. ■

The Cable Center has named six industry leaders to be honored during its 2023 Cable Hall of Fame ceremony in April.

The honorees, who were selected for their groundbreaking innovation and entrepreneurship in the connectivity, content, and media industry, include:

• Tom Adams – Former Executive Vice President, Field Operations, Charter Communications, Inc.
• Italia Commisso Weinand – Executive Vice President, Programming and Human Resources, Mediacom Communications Corporation
• Doug Holloway – President, Homewood Media
• Julie Laulis – Chair of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cable One, Inc.
• Wonya Lucas – President and Chief Executive Officer, Hallmark Media
• Curb Your Enthusiasm – HBO

Since 1998, 153 luminaries have been inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. The 26th annual Cable Hall of Fame ceremony will be held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on April 27. 

"The members of our 2023 Cable Hall of Fame class reflect all cornerstones of our industry and are true trailblazers in their field," Michael Willner, president and CEO of Penthera Partners and chairman of The Cable Center’s Board of Directors said in a statement. "I am looking forward to gathering with our industry friends again this April to welcome them to the Cable Hall of Fame."

Added Cable Center President and CEO Diane Christman: "This year’s Cable Hall of Fame inductees are some of the 'best of the best,' and we are thrilled to honor them at our celebration at the Ziegfeld Ballroom this April." ■

Wonya Lucas has been named to the board of directors of NCTA-The Internet & Television Association.

Lucas, who is president and CEO of Hallmark Media, will serve as an appointed — rather than elected — at-large director for a term of two years.

Lucas oversees linear networks Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama, as well as the company's subscription on-demand video service, Hallmark Movies Now.

Before Hallmark, Lucas oversaw PBS and NPR stations in Atlanta as president and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta and before that, president and CEO of TV One, where she was the second African-American woman to serve in that capacity for a cable network.

Her resume also includes stints at Discovery and The Weather Channel Networks. She is currently on the Peabody Awards board of jurors and the Cable Center's board, as well as on the board of trustees of the Sundance Institute. ■

The WICT Network has named the media executives who will receive the trade organization's Women of the Year and Women to Watch honors this October.

Named as Women of the Year are Colleen Langner, the executive VP and chief operating officer of Cox Communications, representing cable operators and Wonya Lucas, the president and CEO of Hallmark Media, representing programmers. This honor is bestowed on individuals who embody its mission to develop women leaders who transform the industry, the organization said. Honorees have achieved top industry status and show great resolve to help others along their path.

Also: Diversity Week Returns to In-Person Events 

Honored as Women to Watch are the following executives from an operator, a programmer and a technology organization: Shannon Atkinson, regional VP, field operations, West Division, Charter Communications; Lisa Williams-Fauntroy, senior VP, business & legal affairs, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Urvi Shah, VP, global key account marketing, CommScope. The accolade recognizes leaders who show tremendous achievement and progression in their professional goals with a strong commitment to their company and the industry at large, WICT said.

The awards will be presented their awards during the Touchstones Luncheon held Monday, October 10, at the New York Marriott Marquis as part of The WICT Network Leadership Conference. AMC Networks is champion sponsor of the 2022 Touchstones Luncheon.

“The WICT Network looks forward to celebrating the many accomplishments of our esteemed Women of the Year and Women to Watch honorees at our 2022 Touchstones Luncheon this October,” Maria E. Brennan, CAE, The WICT Network's president and CEO, said in a statement. “These strong, dynamic, and inspirational women are paving the way for the next generations of media and technology leaders. Our industry is stronger for having them in their influential roles, and we are honored to give them recognition.” ■

Crown Media Family Networks is changing its name to Hallmark Media. 

The corporate home of G-rated networks Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama is making the move to more align with parent Hallmark Cards.

"The iconic Hallmark brand and our purpose-driven mission to help people live caring, connected lives full of meaningful moments will drive everything we do," said Wonya Lucas, president & CEO, Hallmark Media, in a statement. "The beloved Hallmark brand is associated with positivity, kindness, celebrations, and traditions—all of which are the underpinnings of our content and core values. With these attributes as our foundation, it only makes sense that our company name lead with the Hallmark brand."

The announcement came Wednesday ahead of the company's Television Critics Association summer press tour presentation.

Hallmark Media brands also include streaming service Hallmark Movies Now.

"Admittedly, as a true brand nerd, it is meaningful to have the Hallmark name front and center. No more saying 'Crown Media, the home of Hallmark Channel' like I have said a few times today and every day," said Lucas during the company's TCA executive session Wednesday. "When you say Hallmark, no caveats or home-of references are required. People know what they're getting."

Hallmark Media is also looking to bring additional Hallmark Cards IP to the screen. Mahogany-branded content is the first initiative under this effort. Mahogany's Unthinkably Good Things premieres on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries August 28. 

Fun fact: Hallmark owns Crayola. Yes, the crayons. A partnership between Hallmark Media and Crayola is in the works.

The family oriented company has faced increasing competition in the space. Former Hallmark Channel head Bill Abbott bought Great American Country and Ride TV last year. Abbott has since transformed the networks into Great American Family and Great American Living. He has also followed the same programming playbook as Hallmark, producing holiday themed content and poaching familiar Hallmark faces, including Candace Cameron Bure. ■

Correction: An earlier version of this story indicated Lacey Chabert had signed with Abbott's Great American Media when she has signed an exclusive deal with Hallmark.

Wonya Lucas has successfully led a number of entertainment brands, from The Weather Channel to TV One to Hallmark Channel. Some might say her Wonder Women recognition is overdue, but it adds yet another block to the continued build of her impressive personal brand. 

“I am continually impressed and inspired by how thoughtful, transparent and authentic Wonya is as a leader,” said Mike Perry, president and CEO of Hallmark Cards, owner of Hallmark Channel parent Crown Media Family Networks. “She cares deeply about people and leads as much from her heart as she does from her incredibly sharp mind, making her the perfect person to helm Crown Media, a company fundamentally rooted in care and love.”

That’s high praise for Lucas, who as a child set her sights on being a teacher like her mother, Rubye. Watching her mom work impressed upon her the impact teachers can have, Lucas said. Television further broadened her horizons. 

“Growing up we never left the South, so television took me to places that I couldn’t go to physically and introduced me to people that I didn’t see every day,” she said.

After graduating from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Lucas had her mind set on a career in media. A job interview at consumer product company Clorox changed her perspective. 

“They had a position on the entertainment side, but they said to me that while you can always go into the entertainment business, you could never come into the packaged goods business without a marketing background,” she said. “Come learn the nuts and bolts of marketing and then decide what you want to do. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Moving Into Media

She became a brand manager at Clorox and Coca-Cola, learning important operational and leadership skills. In 1994, she had the chance to enter the media business at Turner Broadcasting System, where her mother was then working. 

“She was working in community affairs, so I worked there to see if I really wanted to go into the media industry and I loved it,” Lucas said. 

Lucas — whose Turner family ties also include her uncle, baseball icon Hank Aaron, who played for the Turner-owned Atlanta Braves ­­— would remain there through 2002, ascending to VP of business operations and network development for TNT and TBS and senior VP of strategic marketing for CNN.

Her father, Bill Lucas, was also in baseball and was a career role model. He was VP of player personnel for the Braves from 1976 until his death in 1979, becoming the first African-American executive to run a Major League Baseball team. 

“I wanted to be a general manager like my dad and run a business,” Lucas said.

Lucas would get that opportunity in 2002 as executive VP and general manager of The Weather Channel. “The Weather Channel was when I really shifted into a general manager’s role,” she said. “I loved The Weather Channel and I really learned how to lead.”

Learning How To Lead

She fine-tuned her leadership skills over the next 12 years, in such roles as Discovery Communications chief marketing officer, president and CEO of TV One and president and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta.

In 2020 came the opportunity to run Crown Media, home to one of the most well-known brands in the country, Hallmark Channel. At the time, it was dealing with a very public brand controversy around the lack of diversity and inclusion both on- and off-screen, but Lucas said she was not afraid to meet the challenge head-on. 

“My whole career has been working on great brands, and I saw the potential in the brand to be more,” she said. “I watched the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies and I remember seeing Black actors in prominent roles — they were inclusive before I even knew what that word was. It was just a matter of mirroring the brand with initial intent and purpose to be inclusive, whether you’re talking about the [Hallmark] card brand or the media brand. So I saw it as a great opportunity and I felt like there was a lot of room to grow.”

Lucas said the best job title she’s ever had is mom to her two daughters. “I have also been fortunate to have had bosses who understood that [motherhood] is my No. 1 job,” she added. 

As for career advice, Lucas said try to work at something that you love, and then position yourself to leverage your best skills within that company. You see, she has never lost the desire to be a teacher.  ■ 

Crown Media will create a slate of films targeted to African-American audiences under its Hallmark greeting card brand, the company said Wednesday.

Toni Judkins, senior VP of programming development for Crown Media, will spearhead the initiative, which will launch in 2022 as a quarterly slate of original movies airing on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries under the Mahogany brand, which is rooted in the three decade-old, Hallmark greeting card line of the same name, said company officials. Crown plans to eventually expand the initiative into scripted series and podcasts. 

Also Read: Telling Stories Sans Stereotype 

“This launch marks a pivotal moment in our evolution as we continue to bring the Hallmark brand to life in new ways,” Crown Media President & CEO Wonya Lucas said in a statement. “In addition, it’s a huge step forward in our mission to deliver more diverse, inclusive content representing various cultures and perspectives that resonates with our current audience and attracts new viewers.” 

Added Judkins: “Mahogany is an expression of all the love, joy, and complexities that emerge from the distinctive journey of Black people. It is a dream realized to create a content experience around this Hallmark brand that honors, empowers, and authentically captures Black culture and amplifies our voice.”

Also Read: Crown Media Debuts Countdown to Christmas Widget 

Longtime Crown Media programming and production executive Michelle Vicary will leave her position at the beginning of June, the network said Monday.

Vicary has served as executive VP of programming for Crown Media Networks since 2011, overseeing production and original programming for all of Crown Media’s platforms, including Hallmark Channel, according to the company. She was instrumental in developing such Hallmark scripted series as When Calls the Heart, Good Witch and Chesapeake Shores.

Crown Media has named Randy Pope, senior VP of programming and development, and Darren Melameth, senior VP, programming and content strategy, as interim co-leads while searching for a replacement, said Crown Media Family Networks CEO Wonya Lucas.

“We thank Michelle for her contributions to the growth and success of our networks and for helping to bring the quintessential Hallmark brand to life,” Lucas said in a statement. “We appreciate the passion and effort she has  brought to our team and to the company.”

Crown Media earlier this month named veteran programming executive Toni Judkins as its senior VP, programming and development for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Also Read: Telling Stories Sans Stereotype

Crown Media Family Networks, the parent company of Hallmark Channel and related programming outlets, said it has appointed Annie Howell as chief communications officer. 

Howell, who was executive VP of corporate communications and media relations from 2010 to 2014, reports to Wonya Lucas, the company's president and CEO. Lucas joined in July, after former chief Bill Abbott left the company. Lucas and Howell both worked for Discovery networks earlier in their careers.

Related: Hallmark Channel Parent Hires Wonya Lucas as CEO

“As one of our industry’s most widely recognized and respected communications leaders, Annie embodies a rare combination of creativity, experience, keen insight, warmth, and humor,” Lucas said in a release. “Having previously worked at Crown Media, she also brings to the table an intimate understanding of the Hallmark brand, making her uniquely qualified to lead the corporate communications, program publicity, and social media teams. It is my great pleasure to welcome Annie as a key member of my executive team and I look forward to collaborating with her as we embark on an exciting new chapter in Crown Media’s history.”

Howell earlier was interim head of communications at AMC Networks-owned SundanceTV and founded The Punch Point Group, a communications firm, in which she is a non-operative partner. She spent 11 years at Discovery as a senior VP of communications and public affairs, helping to launch Planet Green and overseeing communications efforts for a wide range of Discovery networks.

Before coming into the entertainment industry, she spent 12 years in public affairs and crisis communications in Washington, D.C., at Powell Tate and Ogilvy & Mather Public Affairs.

Howell also serves on the national executive board of the Alliance for Women in Media and, for five years, has co-chaired the organization’s Gracie Awards. She earlier served on the executive committee and board of the Association of Cable Communicators and the NCTA Public Affairs Committee and was on the Washington-Baltimore chapter board of WICT, where she remains active.

Crown Media Family Networks has named former TV One and the Weather Channel executive Wonya Lucas as its president and CEO.

Lucas will be responsible for the strategic direction, management and growth of Crown’s three linear networks Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama, as well as the company’s Hallmark Movies Now subscription streaming service. Lucas will report to Hallmark Cards CEO Mike Perry.

“Wonya is a brand builder at her core who shares Hallmark’s beliefs and values. She has a deep understanding of the role our brand plays in fulfilling a bigger purpose in people’s lives,” Perry said in a statement. “After a thorough search process, we found a remarkable leader with proven general management skills, as well as a track record of success in driving business results and evolving the positioning and programming of a brand. I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Wonya to the Hallmark family.”

RELATED: Hallmark Channel Chief Bill Abbott Out at Crown Media

Lucas’ appointment comes six months after former Hallmark Channel president and CEO Bill Abbott left the company amid controversy over Hallmark Channel’s pulling of an ad for a wedding planning company which showed two women kissing during their wedding ceremony. The network eventually restored the commercial.

Lucas most recently served as president and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta. Prior to that Lucas served as TV One CEO, and has also served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Discovery Channel and Science Channel as well as the Weather Channel Networks general manager. She's also spent time at TBS, CNN and in brand management roles at Coke and Clorox.

“Hallmark has been central to my life since I can remember, starting with those Hallmark Hall of Fame movies that were as enriching as they were entertaining,” Lucas said in a statement. “In some ways, my entire career has led me to this incredible opportunity to use the breadth of my experience and skills to evolve an iconic and beloved brand, a culture and a business. I am honored to link arms with the multi-talented leaders and their teams at Crown to build toward an exciting future.”