DEBRA OCONNELL is chairman of Disney Entertainment Television, where
she oversees the company’s portfolio of iconic television brands,
including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations,
Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content
and the creative strategy for 20th Television and 20th Television
Animation. In this role, she is focused on fueling a world-class
streaming library that drives growth and audience engagement on
Disney+ and Hulu, while maximizing the cultural reach and
profitability of linear television. OConnell reports to Dana Walden,
president and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Company.

OConnell is a proven creative and business executive with nearly three
decades at Disney, bringing deep experience across multiple segments.
She has played a key role in shaping the company’s television
strategy, guiding high-impact decisions that have strengthened and
evolved its content slate. Most recently, OConnell served as president
of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, where she oversaw
all aspects of ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations,
aligning the nation’s No. 1 news network with the No. 1 station
group in the country. She continues to have P&L oversight of the
company’s multiplatform linear entertainment networks — ABC
broadcast network, Disney Channels, FX Networks, Freeform and National
Geographic Channels.

In 2018, OConnell was named president and general manager of
ABC7/WABC-TV New York, ensuring its winning streak as the most-watched
station in the country, a distinction that it holds to this day. As
part of her overall management responsibility for the station and its
ancillary businesses, the long-running hit syndicated series “Live
with Kelly and Mark” became the No. 1 daytime talk show for the
first time in franchise history. Prior to taking the reins of WABC-TV,
OConnell held a variety of senior leadership roles, including
executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, for Disney|ABC’s
consolidated advertising sales group; president, National TV Sales,
ABC Owned Television Stations; and vice president of Marketing at
WABC-TV.

OConnell has been widely recognized for her vision and impact. She was
named one of Variety’s 120 Most Powerful Executives in Entertainment
(2025), inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame (2024),
and named Broadcasting & Cable’s Broadcaster of the Year (2022). She
also received a 2022 Gracie Leadership Award from the Alliance of
Women in Media and was named one of Multichannel News’ Wonder Women
(2018).

A respected industry thought leader, OConnell serves on the Television
Academy Executive Committee and the boards of A&E Networks, National
Geographic Partners and TVB, a nonprofit trade association
representing America’s local broadcast television industry, where
she served as chair from 2021 to 2022. She is also involved with the V
Foundation and previously served on the boards of the New York State
Broadcasters Association and The Broadway Association.

Additionally, OConnell serves on the board of the Alliance for Women
in Media and is an ex officio member of the board of the International
Radio & Television Society (IRTS), where she previously served as
chairman. She is an IRTS Hall of Mentorship honoree (2021) and
recipient of the organization’s Gold Medal Award (2025). In 2022,
she was recognized by New York Edge for her support of programs that
expand opportunities for students from underserved communities across
New York City.

This year, New York Women in Communications will honor OConnell with
its Matrix Award for excellence in media.
