Cartoon Net Head Miller Latest Ex-Turner Exec to Leave AT&T

Christina Miller, president of AT&T’s Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM said she will be leaving the company.

Miller, a 15-year veteran of what was Turner Broadcasting before it was acquired by AT&T and folded into WarnerMedia, is the latest in a procession of former Time Warner and Turner execs who have left as AT&T shifts its focus from its cable network business to streaming.

Among those departing are HBO head Richard Plepler, Turner CEO John Martin, Turner president David Levy, Turner ad sales president Donna Speciale and Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara. Chief corporate marketing and brand strategy officer Molly Battin left WarnerMedia in November to become VP of marketing at Delta Air Lines.

Related: Zeiler Named Interim Head in AT&T Ad Sales Shakeup

“This is not a decision I came to lightly,” said Miller.. “It’s one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my career. Ultimately, it feels like the right time for me to leave and take a little time to think about what comes next, but I do so, feeling immensely proud of the work we’ve done together and so grateful for the experience.”

Michael Ouweleen, executive VP and chief marketing officer, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, will serve as the interim president and Miller will help with the transition.

“Christina has been a respected and impactful leader since she joined the company, said Ann Sarnoff, who was hired this year by AT&T as chair and CEO of Warner Bros. “We wish her the best of luck in the next chapter of her career, where I know she’ll continue to enjoy great success.”

AT&T has talked about building a bigger kids business by getting Turner’s kids businesses, led by Miller to work more closely with Warner Bros.

Before her current post, Miller was general manager of NBA digital and senior VP of Turner Sports.

Here is the email Miller sent to her staff:

All-

I wanted to share with you some personal news. After much consideration and thought, I have made the difficult decision to leave the company at the end of the year. This is not a decision I came to lightly; it’s one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my career. Ultimately, it feels like the right time for me to leave and take a little time to think about what comes next, but I do so, feeling immensely proud of the work we’ve done together and so grateful for the experience.

More than 14 years ago, what brought me to this company was the prospect of working on some of the world’s most iconic brands – but what has kept me here all these years are the amazing, talented and all-around great people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working. The laughing, grinding and executing of big ideas across all of our businesses has been what has set us apart, and the talent contained within the organization is truly awe-inspiring. Every single day, I have been motivated, challenged, educated, entertained and fulfilled by each of you, and my path has been made better and the successes richer because they were achieved together.

What stands out to me most about this experience is the countless opportunities I’ve been afforded, the support of what, at the time, seemed like crazy ideas that ultimately transformed our business, and the trust that was given to me every step of the way. I am grateful beyond measure to the entire executive leadership team past and present for investing in me and allowing me to manage my career path in ways I could have never expected. It has been the experience of a lifetime, and one I will never forget. I leave here considering myself incredibly lucky to have called this “work” for so long.

This is an exciting time for WarnerMedia and it is the start of a new chapter for the company. You all have waited incredibly patiently to begin that next phase and that time is coming. Though I’m not leaving just yet – I’ll be working alongside the interim leadership through the end of the year – when I do, I will not only be watching from afar, but also rooting for you from whichever seat I’m in.

So, this isn’t really goodbye; consider it instead my heartfelt thanks for the experience, and a toast to what’s to come for us all.

All my very best,

Christina

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.