Variety’s 2018 Power of Women New York Impact List

Agent, CAA

Skilled journalists able to unearth the facts and truth behind the headlines are always in demand, but the evolving ways people consume news is opening new doors. Adler’s clients include trailblazers like Andrea Mitchell and Martha Raddatz and next-gen pros like Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer (Politico); Liz Plank (Vox); David Fahrenthold (The Washington Post); Chris Cillizza and Abby Phillip (CNN); and Savannah Sellers and Gadi Schwartz, whose “Stay Tuned” on Snapchat reaches millions of young viewers each day. “We are advocates for the eyewitnesses to history — the best journalists and thought leaders of our time,” Adler says. “The world has never needed their work so urgently.”

Executive, A24

A24 had a banner year in 2017. The independent boutique label based in Manhattan won its first best picture Oscar with “Moonlight” and had its biggest release yet with “Lady Bird” (grossing $49 million at the domestic box office), in addition to a slate that included such critical darlings as “The Florida Project,” “The Disaster Artist” and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.” Aizenberg, one of A24’s top executives who joined in 2012, helps steer all major decisions regarding the company’s release strategy, marketing and publicity campaigns.

President/founder, MAC Presents

Recent highlights for MAC Presents, Allen’s 14-year-old New York-based music experiential agency, include booking a Grammy Week show with Eminem, negotiating a year-long integrated partnership with Capital One and  Foo Fighters, and executing a global deal with Forever 21 and best new artist Grammy nominee Khalid. “My earliest memories are of my grandfather, as a southern DJ, teaching me the stories behind the artists and their music,” Allen says. “That is my ‘why.’” She is also an adjunct professor at NYU’s Steinhardt School and works to mentor women “who will continue to break the music industry’s glass ceiling for years to come.”

Singer

If there was a single breakout star of 2017, it was Cardi B — and she was already famous from her role on the VH1 series “Love & Hip-Hop: New York.” Powered by “Bodak Yellow,” one of the year’s hottest singles, and a fiery personality that bursts through every time a camera turns toward her, the Bronx-born Belcalis Almanzar has stepped into the spotlight with style: She was a highlight of the Grammy Awards ceremony and in the first two weeks of April, she dropped her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” appeared on “Saturday Night Live” and is set to perform at Coachella. 

Partner, Louverture Films

Barnes is co-founder — with Danny Glover, whom she describes as “a walking encyclopedia of world cinema” — of Louverture Films, a conscience-driven production company whose credits include Lucrecia Martel’s “Zama” and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Cemetery of Splendor.” Barnes met Glover in 1995 on the set of “Battu” (a film she wrote), and a decade later, we created a “production company designed to support arthouse directors and producers based primarily in the global South, as well as documentary filmmakers making films of social relevance.” This year, she shared an Oscar nomination with director Yance Ford for “Strong Island,” which she produced.

Anchor, CNN

Baldwin has long commanded the CNN anchor desk between 2 to 4 p.m., a particularly challenging time to report the news during the Trump era. “My two hours falls smack dab in that crazy sweet spot of the day where the White House daily briefings happen,” Baldwin says, noting most of her plans usually gets scrapped. “A blank teleprompter is my best friend.” She’s also covered school shootings and March for Our Lives; launched the digital series “American Woman,” highlighting those who have shattered glass ceilings; and rung in the New Year with Don Lemon. 

Partner, WME books department

With New York Times bestselling authors like Emma Straub (“The Vacationers”) and Jesse Andrews (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”) on her roster, Ballard is continuing the momentum with projects by Lydia Kiesling, Jenny Slate, Charlie Kaufman, Jordan Kisner and Josephine Rowe. Ballard loves working with female authors. “This last year has shown us that women being heard can make an enormous difference,” she says. “The writers I work with are all so creative and wild in their thinking, and while their styles of storytelling are unique, the ways in which they are bringing women’s issues into the world is incredibly inspiring.

Actress

Baranksi is in her ninth year of portraying the feminist, liberal legal eagle Diane Lockhart — first on “The Good Wife” and now on that show’s spinoff,” The Good Fight.” “I love the masculine aspect of Diane, and by that I mean she’s comfortable in a man’s world and is comfortable speaking up in man’s world,” Baranski says. “She’s not apologizing. She feels she has the right to literally be in the room where it happens.” The Emmy and Tony-winning actress also has a big presence in Hollywood films including “A Bad Moms Christmas” and the sequel to 2008’s “Mamma Mia!,” “Mama Mia! Here We Go Again,” due out July 20. “My career has been a wonderful mixture of theater, television and film. Doing all three mediums has made me a better actress.”

Equity partner & co-chair, entertainment practice, Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard

Bodine helps talented artists and business people achieve creative and professional goals. Recent deals include Netflix series for two clients — Mary Harron’s “Alias Grace” and Jose Padilha’s “The Mechanism” — and the 4K restoration/relaunch of Kevin Rafferty’s noted 1982 documentary “The Atomic Café.” She also struck a financing deal between Blumhouse Films and China’s Meridian Films. Bodine, who has worked alongside powerful men throughout her career, sees promise in the #MeToo movement: “Sexual harassment and discrimination take many forms, and I think the #MeToo movement makes it easier to discuss these things, in all their complexity, between all women — and definitely in mentoring young women.”

Host, “Face the Nation”

Brennan has enjoyed a rapid rise since joining CBS News in 2012. In February, Brennan got the nod over other network veterans to replace John Dickerson as moderator of “Face the Nation.” That vote of confidence came just months after she was promoted to senior foreign affairs and White House correspondent. The opening at the venerable Sunday morning public affairs program was a result of the #MeToo fallout. Dickerson was enlisted to fill the void at “CBS This Morning” after Charlie Rose made a hasty exit from the program in November amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Brennan is a born reporter — she covered financial news for CNBC and Bloomberg before arriving at CBS — but the move to “Face the Nation” has forced her to take a different approach to the job. After years in the scrum of Washington’s hyperactive news cycle, Sunday morning duties require a longer-lens take on the week’s headlines. “What people want on a Sunday morning is not to be in the breaking news fray. They want someone to call hits and misses, and to bring context and perspective and to be even-handed,” Brennan says. “You have to ask tough questions and remember that you’re a journalist, not an entertainer. I want to make sure that the viewer at home learns something by the end of the show.” At a time of intense partisanship, having respectful relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle is more important than ever as Brennan tries to guide “Face the Nation” guests beyond slogans and talking points. “It’s not a food fight, it’s not a debate, it’s a conversation,” she says. 

Host, Variety’s New York Power of Women luncheon

While some see Bee as an unconventional journalist, the “Full Frontal” host doesn’t see herself that way, but does consider herself as a pursuer of truth.

Bee’s handling hosting duties for Variety’s 2018 Power of Women New York luncheon.

In February she and her TBS “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” team traveled to Puerto Rico to better understand the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The result was an hour-long “Full Frontal” special called “The Great American Puerto Rico” that aired in March.

“Part of the reason we wanted to go in the first place was to let Puerto Ricans tell their own story,” Bee says. “We also wanted to show what the situation really looked like and show people the landscape of stories. Their situation is so complex.”

Since “Full Frontal” launched in 2016, Bee has also visited Iraq, Russia and Jordan.

While the comedienne says the field pieces are very important to her and remain an essential part of the series, she also is proud of her no-holds-barred work at home. That includes last April’s “Not the White House Correspondents Dinner” and a timely “Penis PSA” she gave last October. In the mock-PSA, Bee gives helpful hints to male executives who might be tempted to masturbate in front of colleagues. The segment aired in October in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and prior to the Louis C.K. revelations.

“When you hit the exact right tone on something it’s really gratifying, but then we move on…quickly. There’s always more work to be done.”

Co-host, “Morning Joe,” MSNBC

Brzezinski laughs off her critics to show them their words don’t matter. “It’s a rough world out there,” she says. “People fight dirty, people can be tough, people can be inappropriate, and we need to set the standard by being there and staying there.” Brzezinski and “Morning” co-host Joe Scarborough have seen their ratings rise during the election cycle and subsequently stay steady for MSNBC — the pair are not afraid to speak their minds and call BS when they see it. The former CBS news correspondent and author of “Knowing Your Value,” a book on how to successfully navigate the professional world as a woman, also oversees the Know Your Value online community and conferences. “I don’t want to blaze a trail; I want to mow down the forest. And I want everyone to get to where they belong in terms of a level of pay and a level of stature in this industry.”

Managing director, PGA East

Last year, Byrd was hired as managing director of the PGA East — it’s a newly created position that was created in part because of the PGA’s rapid growth. As the former executive director of Gotham’s Independent Filmmaker Project, co-president of New York-based Games for Change and head of a consulting practice with clients including Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development, Byrd was just the right New Yorker for the job. In the past 12 months Byrd has made PGA East’s presence known. Case in point: the PGA/Players Club second annual East Coast nominees’ celebration, which was attended by Amy Sherman-Palladino and the producer of “The Handmaid’s Tale” earlier this year. “I’ve been helpful in identifying some of the great events and programs that the guild has been running and determining what we can do to amplify them so that they can get a bigger spotlight.”

VP, global experiential marketing & partnerships, American Express 

In 2016, Curtis engineered successful presale partnerships with Beyoncé, Kanye West and Ariana Grande. Last year she upped the ante for Amex card members at Coachella, the U.S. Open (with Venus Williams and the innovative U.S. Open Experience virtual tennis game) and Austin City Limits. Amex integrated into the latter festival’s app, using RFID technology for a lightning-fast cashless experience. It earned Curtis and her team the prestigious American Express Chairman’s Award for Innovation. This year, she’s created innovations around the Super Bowl, the NBA All-Star game and is looking ahead at other events that make sense with the American Express brand. “We want to plus-up the experience for our card members,” she told Variety in 2016.

Executive VP for talent and content development, CNN Worldwide

CNN has evolved beyond news coverage to include award-winning docuseries and films that tackle timely issues and historic events. Entelis continues to play an important role in CNN’s commitment to well-researched, non-fiction programming. “Later this year we will air three documentary features — ‘RBG,’ ‘Love, Gilda’ and ‘Three Identical Strangers’ — that are now playing in major film festivals,” Entelis says. “In a highly competitive landscape, CNN Original Series and CNN Films continue to thrive, attracting new and younger audiences to the network, receiving multiple awards, and garnering critical acclaim. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in five years.”

President, advertising sales, Disney-ABC Television Group

A year after ascending into her new position within Disney-ABC, 21-year company veteran Ferro is on the frontlines of the company’s sales reorganization, which has combined media properties (ESPN, Freeform, Disney Digital and ABC Network) into a one-stop-shop for advertisers to reach audiences. This year, ABC sold out its Oscarcast inventory, while Macy’s and Zyrtec signed on as major sponsors for the “American Idol” reboot. The Miami-born, Cuban-American Ferro has been surrounded by Disney her whole life, and says: “It’s in my DNA. My mom says you can chronicle my life through pictures of Disney visits.”

Chief content officer, Refinery29

Emmerich helped the brand break into the Hollywood mainstream with “Shatterbox Anthology,” a series of 12 short films from women directors, writers and animators, and attracted top talent, including Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny, whose shorts played at Cannes and Sundance. Now, Emmerich is bringing “Shatterbox” back for a second season in partnership with TNT, and says at this time of female empowerment in entertainment, “my priorities will continue to be elevating women to step into their power — whether that’s by pushing for equal representation in the boardroom, striving to close the wage gap or fighting for our basic human and civil rights.”

Finch: Chief lifestyle brands officer, Discovery Communications
Daniels: Chief brand officer, Discovery Communications

As Discovery finalizes its acquisition of Scripps, power player shifting is inevitable, which so far has led to Discovery veteran (and former TLC president) Daniels and Finch (former chief programming, content & brand officer for all six Scripps Networks brands) into complementary slots under the Discovery banner. Finch’s elevation is to a rare top spot in cable for a woman, and she’ll oversee such brands as HGTV, Cooking Channel and Heroes Channel, among others. “A large percentage of our executive lineup is female, as is a large percentage of our customer base,” says Finch, who grew up in Greenwich Village in New York City as the “child of two hippies.” She adds: “I’m glad to see something like #MeToo is receiving long-overdue attention, but for Discovery it’s just who we are.” Meanwhile, 10-year Discovery vet Daniels says she’s hoping to apply her TLC spin-off successes to Scripps properties. “Quite simply, [we look at] what’s working — and let’s do more of that,” she says. The Connecticut native says her goal, whether as a Big Sister or a network executive, is to “work with people who want to learn and grow. I take that very seriously.”

Filmmaker

Fox’s “The Tale” was the most buzzed-about movie of the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Based on Fox’s own sexual abuse as a child, the film focuses on Jennifer, played by Laura Dern, and memory. It marks Fox’s first narrative feature after a 35-year-career in the documentary film realm. Three-plus decades as a nonfiction filmmaker came in handy while making “The Tale,” which Fox calls a “fictional memoir.” “I had enormous trouble getting [this film] financed even with Laura Dern and Ellen Burstyn attached,” Fox says. “But being a documentary filmmaker makes you very scrappy and makes you think that ‘no’ is never really ‘no.’ It’s only really a ‘maybe.’ So just keep going.”

EVP and head of programming, A&E Networks

Frontain Bryant loves bold ideas and creative challenges. Therefore she wasn’t daunted by the legal and logistical issues that made A&E’s series “Live PD” — the No. 1 unscripted crime series on cable — seem like an impossible feat. “I love that a spark of an idea can become a show that will touch millions of people,” she says. “[When] we start musing on an idea that feels like it could be a big one, I literally get goosebumps. I like to savor those moments, to remember to trust my gut, and to surround myself with creative people who aren’t afraid to share their opinions.” Those instincts proved correct with groundbreaking, award-winning series including “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” and “Born This Way.” She also led the relaunch of the Biography series.

President of ad sales for Fox News and Fox Business Network

As soon as Gambelli joined Fox News in May 2017, she made history as the network’s first female head of sales. The former Horizon Media chief investment officer wants to present the news, business and news digital divisions as an integrated portfolio to advertisers, and recently installed a leadership team of three. “Brands are looking for media solutions,” says the White Plains, N.Y., native. “So more media companies are combining their efforts when going to market.” Signing on at Fox in a post-Roger Ailes era, Gambelli is adamant about supporting women in the industry. “I feel like my whole life has worked toward this,” she says, “but it’s much bigger than one person.”

VP/executive producer, ESPN Films and Original Content

This year, Geist added features and shorter pieces to her long-form work with “30 for 30” and ESPN Films. She says creating content for ESPN+ will allow producers to take more creative risks than ever. “Our team has gained the trust we need from our bosses to take risks and push boundaries, and I really want to take advantage of that on our new platform this year,” Geist says. “Change can be uncomfortable, and I’m sure there will be hiccups, but it’s refreshing after the success our team has had recently to have new challenges to face.”

Producer/founder, Brookside Artist Management

Gerson Saines’ clients are making headlines not only for their acting but also for their multi-faceted interests. Client Cynthia Nixon, who is on Variety’s 2018 New York Women’s Impact Report, not only won a Tony last year for “The Little Foxes” but is now running for the governor post of New York in a high-profile campaign. Daveed Diggs was the toast of Sundance with “Blindspotting” (Lionsgate releases this summer). Ansel Elgort, hot off 2017’s “Baby Driver,” landed “The Goldfinch.” As co-founder of Autism Coalition for Research and Education (ACRE), she continues to raise funds and awareness for autism biomedical research and education. 

Producer

Goldman has produced many of the past decade’s most compelling documentaries including “The Final Year,” “Weiner,” “Gideon’s Army” and “Buck.” This year she received her second Oscar nomination for “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.” Last year, she was at the Oscar ceremony for her work on “Life, Animated.” Goldman’s reasons for producing a film are the same as they were nine years ago when she founded Motto Pictures — one of Gotham’s leading doc production companies. “We want to make films that we feel are absolutely necessary to watch,” Goldman says. A self-described creative producer and exec producer, Goldman is behind “The Cleaners” and “Inventing Tomorrow,” which both premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and “Love, Gilda,” which opens the Tribeca Film Festival later this month. Currently Goldman is co-producing Todd Haynes’ first documentary feature about the Velvet Underground.

Chairman/COO, Atlantic Records Group

A hallmark of Greenwald’s 14-year tenure as co-chairman/co-COO of one of the most storied record labels in the music biz has been its remarkably consistent success. Yet the company vaulted into a new realm over the past year with 13 Grammy wins, including trophies for Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Cardi B, Lil Uzi Vert, Kelly Clarkson, “Dear Evan Hansen,” and not least, Portugal. The Man, which scored its first No. 1 single with “Feel It Still,” a song from its eighth album. And while Greenwald has long been one of the most formidable executives in the music business period (forgetting any gender distinctions), she says, “Every female boss has the obligation to be a dedicated mentor, and it’s imperative that we make it our mission to raise up a new generation of female leaders.”

Actress/writer/director

With “Lady Bird,” Gerwig became a force to be reckoned with, earning the fifth Oscar directing nomination for a woman at a time when the spotlight was on gender (and pay) inequality in showbiz. She also picked up a screenplay nom for the film, her first solo directing effort. Until “Lady Bird,” Gerwig was better-known for her onscreen career in such indies as “20th Century Women” and “Greenberg,” although her screenplay (co-written with Noah Baumbach) for “Frances Ha” promised bigger and better things to come. Next up: She’s a voice actor in Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” and reteams with Baumbach on his yet-to-be titled project.

Chairman, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment

It can easily be argued that Hammer’s instincts and ingenuity have re-defined and shaped the basic cable landscape more than anyone else in the business, male or female. Leading by example, she also inspires those who work alongside her. “After four decades in the business and a new contract, I feel as invigorated as the day I started,” Hammer says. “It feels good to be able to show female executives that there’s no expiration date for them. And, I’m thrilled to be working for a company that values the kind of insights one gains after years … and years! … of experience in a business I love.”

Co-president and co-CEO, Truly Original

The heavyweight unscripted impresario has seen season 10 of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Ink Masters” score once again with audiences. Truly Original has roughly 30 series in production, including new series “Mancave,” a late night talk show with Jeff Johnson on BET, “Beauty Bar” on VH1, Bravo’s provocative “Stripped” and “Xscape: Still Kickin’ It” with Kandi Burress. “One thing that we are excited about is the reboot. We are bringing back ‘Deal or No Deal.’ Viewers can go to so many places to get entertainment that there’s a craving for things that are familiar.” As for how the #MeToo movement is impacting reality TV: “As a woman in the business, I am thrilled to see change and that bad behavior can’t happen. As a woman-led company, [Truly Original is] at the forefront of making sure we have women in leadership positions. This is at the core of what we do.”

Actress/playwright

Before playing Okoye in “Black Panther,” Tony-nominated playwright Gurira was best-known as the equally fierce Michonne on “The Walking Dead.” Next, she’ll play Okoye in “Avengers: Infinity War.” In all mediums, Gurira’s work celebrates strong, determined women. In a 2017 guest column for Variety, Gurira wrote, “Politics, believe it or not, is where I feel breakthrough is most feasible, where certain ceilings are yet to be broken. We recognize this moment as one in which we can exact the type of change we have yet to see. We are on the right side of history. We have nothing to apologize for; we voted for equality, tolerance, and lower taxes for the middle class. Now is the time to stand up and get to work.”

Editor-in-chief, Vanity Fair

As Vanity Fair’s new editor-in-chief, Jones says that she’s most excited about “having the opportunity to shine a light on people whose work breaks boundaries.” She did just that when she made groundbreaking writer/actress/producer Lena Waithe the April cover story; the issue marked the first produced under the total control of Jones. Championing women like Waithe is part of Jones’ mission. “It goes beyond our cover choices. It’s about cultivating a diverse group of writers, photographers, editors and subjects. Otherwise, in my experience, you just miss too many stories,” she says. As the first female editor of the venerable magazine since Tina Brown — who led Vanity Fair from 1983-1992 — Jones is also dedicated to covering the current role of women in the workplace. “It’s vital to explore that shifting landscape for women — and not just in entertainment, but in every industry,” she says.”

Lighting designer

Katz isn’t just one of the very few female lighting designers on Broadway; she’s also probably the busiest, with projects that include “Frozen,” “Springsteen on Broadway” and “Meteor Shower.” She received a Tony nomination in 2017 for her work on “Hello, Dolly” and an Olivier nomination for “The Glass Menagerie.” “When I started it was mostly women lighting designers,” says the 30-year stage veteran, who says she’s seeing a “concerted effort” in hiring practices in her industry for women and individuals with diverse backgrounds. “I hope the pendulum will swing back.”

Casting director

A dancer who originally moved to New York to perform, Kaufman got her start in advertising casting, where she admits she quickly got frustrated that people wouldn’t get roles just because they didn’t have a specific look. “We’re trying to reach the world, so I like to cast people from all over the world,” she says. She then fought to work in features and later expanded to television, too. Now, the casting director for such recent series as “The Alienist,” “The Looming Tower” and “Maniac” says every project she works on is personal to her. “I have two children, and one of the most meaningful things for me is to show them that honesty is the most glorious way of life,” she says. “And that’s how I run my office, too.”

Partner/co-head of comedy, APA

Not only do clients like Tiffany Haddish, Criss Angel, Jimmy Carr and Lewis Black keep Knobbe’s world interesting, they inspire her. “I’m not in this business to be a famous agent,” Knobbe says. “I’m here to ensure that these incredibly talented individuals get the recognition and respect they deserve.” She says that last year, even before the #MeToo movement had really gained traction, APA launched a women’s empowerment initiative, WE APA, to empower women — individually and in groups — in all departments and across all levels of the company through mentorships, team building and philanthropy. “It’s been an incredibly inspiring experience,” she says.

COO, Global Entertainment Group, Viacom Media Networks

In her role as COO, Levy has focused on creating a more collaborative and expansive portfolio strategy across Viacom Media Networks. “It’s such an exciting time,” she says. “There are changes happening across our industry which are creating new challenges, but so many more opportunities. It has been an honor to work side by side with our team to develop a strategy that positions Viacom to take advantage of these opportunities in the U.S. and also around the world.”

Founder, the Lasher Group

Listening has been key to Lasher’s success as a talent manager. As the head of the New York-based Lasher Group, her clientele includes Viola Davis, Alan Arkin, Connie Nielsen and Omari Hardwick. “I believe in listening to the client and also listening to the other side and then weighing and measuring so you can get the results that you need.” Listening proved instrumental when it came to helping get Davis a 15-episode per season contract for ABC’s smash-hit “How to Get Away With Murder.” “It’s all about the strategy of how to get from point A to point B. You have to listen to your client and to yourself,” she says.

Actress

Known for her Emmy-nominated role as Nicky Nichols on “Orange Is the New Black,” Lyonne entered uncharted territory this year when she wrote and directed fashion house Kenzo’s fall/winter film, titled “Cabiria, Charity, Chastity.” A frequent guest star on “Portlandia,” the in-demand Lyonne also joined the #MeToo movement after revealing her own sexual assault as a young actress. “The awareness around #MeToo is the beginning of change, but the patriarchy is still the architecture of the world we operate in,” she says. “I can’t wait for the gatekeepers to rotate out and be replaced by the new faces of change: women, people of color and LGBTQ leaders everywhere.”

Partner, literary agent, ICM Partners

An avid reader since childhood, Machinist champions new and emerging voices. Today her clients are breaking records. Kevin Kwan’s novel “Crazy Rich Asians” was made into the first U.S. studio film with an all-Asian cast; Martha Hall Kelly’s debut novel, “Lilac Girls,” has spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list; and Tomi Adeyemi’s “Children of Blood and Bone” debuted at No. 1 on the list — after selling outright to Fox 2000 for seven figures. “I’m also now working with Jen Sincero, creator of the ‘You are a Badass’ franchise, in my continued pursuit of helping women find their way through inspirational literature,” she says.

CEO, American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP)

Leading a 114-year-old organization through the tempest of the streaming revolution is no small task, and since Matthews took the helm at ASCAP in 2015, she’s delivered more than $1 billion in revenue three consecutive years, led its involvement in the Music Modernization Act on copyright reform, and renewed agreements with songwriters ranging from Paul McCartney to Kendrick Lamar. Clearly, for Matthews — one of the few women at the helm of a company with more than $1 billion in annual revenue — leading by example is key. “Culture is really important,” she says. “I want people on our team who are inspired and motivated to bring their A-game every day because they believe in the mission to protect and support our music publisher and creator members.”  

Activist/author/producer

Mock is making TV history as the first trans woman of color to produce and write a series: Ryan Murphy’s FX series “Pose,” which bows this summer. “As you know, when you think about writers’ rooms in general, there’s not not enough people of color in those rooms, and those that fall into various intersections,” says Mock, whose bestselling memoir “Surpassing Certainty” will be released in paperback on May 1. “So for me to make history as the first trans woman of color in a Hollywood writers’ room is phenomenal and I am so glad I get to do it on a project that speaks to the trans community. We have five series regulars that are trans.” Mock, who was one of the activists onstage during Common’s performance of Oscar-nominated song “Stand Up for Something” during the March 4 awards broadcast, adds: “To be shepherded into this industry under the tutelage of someone as prolific and accomplished as Ryan Murphy is such an honor. When he was coming up in this industry, he was an ‘other,’ so I think he has a lot of sensitivity to help craft new voices and develop new voices.”

CEO, National Geographic Global Networks

Increasing the premium original programming on National Geographic Channel has been a big part of Monroe’s mission over the past two years. The success of scripted series “Genius” and “The Long Road Home,” plus documentaries like “Jane,” led Monroe to greenlight “America Inside Out With Katie Couric,” Darren Aronofsky’s “One Strange Rock” and second seasons for two Brian Grazer and Ron Howard series, “Genius” and “Mars.” Monroe says: “In a world in which media is being scrutinized like never before, we have the responsibility to be bold, to take risks, to be radical in our thinking, and to be relentless about telling stories that matter.”

Co-host, “The View”

McCain, the conservative pundit and daughter of Sen. John McCain, helped boost “The View’s” ratings when she joined the Hot Topics table in September. Ratings are up to 3 million viewers on the syndicated ABC talk show moderated by Whoopi Goldberg, making it the most-watched season in three years. “It’s been a privilege to join a show with such a long legacy and important place in TV history,” McCain says. “It’s been an exciting challenge to try to bring my conservative perspective, especially during the turbulent Trump years.”

CEO and co-founder, Revelations Entertainment

Now wrapping up her final year as PGA president (where she helped craft the guild’s anti-sexual harassment guidelines), McCreary has been pursuing her mission at Revelations Entertainment (which she shares with Morgan Freeman) to “create thought-provoking entertainment that serves underrepresented voices,” she writes in an email. Among those projects: the fourth season of CBS’ “Madam Secretary,” where 70% of the directors were either women or people of color last season. Production is now under way at NatGeo’s “The Story of God With Morgan Freeman”; Revelations now has a first-look partnership deal with the channel.

Actress

Taking the stage to collect her best actress Oscar for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” on March 4, McDormand ignited a mini-revolution. First, she asked that all the female nominees in the audience stand up and be recognized. “Look around, everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed,” McDormand said. “Don’t talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days or you can come to ours, whichever suits you best, and we’ll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight. Ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider.” Those last two words sent everyone to Google, and once educated, stars and power players began pledging to add that to their contracts.

Candidate for governor of New York

The former “Sex and the City” star has seen her profile rise after turning to a career in politics. Nixon is running for governor of New York on a platform that includes repairing the subways, advocating for tougher gun-control laws and supporting the legalization of marijuana. She’s shaping up as a formidable contender against two-term Democrat Andrew Cuomo. “People talk a lot to me about being a celebrity entering this race,” Nixon told Wendy Williams on her daytime talk show April 4. “I have to say, when Andrew Cuomo ran eight years ago, he was a celebrity because he was the
son of Mario Cuomo.”

Actress

On “Saturday Night Live,” McKinnon’s fearless impersonations of everyone from Elizabeth Warren to Betsy DeVos to Robert Mueller and Kellyanne Conway are spot-on, edgy and always buzzworthy. She’s the first openly lesbian cast member of “SNL,” her TV home since 2012, and is slated to voice Ms. Frizzle in Netflix’s “The Magic School Bus Rides Again.” More recently she’s packed her schedule with features, including August’s “The Spy Who Dumped Me” (co-starring Mila Kunis) and the upcoming “The Lunch Witch.” “It’s inspiring to watch her live,” “SNL” writer Chris Kelly wrote in Variety last October. “She’s just so commanding and weird, confident and slippery. There’s no one else like her.”

Playwright

In 2017, Nottage won her second Pulitzer Prize in Drama for her play “Sweat,” which also marked her Broadway debut. “Sweat” nabbed three Tony nominations, including best play, and won the 2017 Obie Award for playwriting. Nottage is also a producer and writer on Spike Lee’s Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It.” In 2018, the busy Nottage saw her play “Mlima’s Tale” world premiere at the Public Theater, while her companion play to “Sweat,” titled “Floyd,” is set to bow at Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater in July 2019. Last year, Nottage was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Digital content creator/writer

Ramsey, aka YouTuber Chescaleigh, has kept a journal since third grade. “I thought: ‘I’m going to put my dreams in here because I’m trying to go places.’ And I’m still that person to this day.” Ramsey went viral with “Sh*t White Girls Say…to Black Girls,” and has worked on “The Nightly Show,” MTV’s “Decoded” and premiered a docuseries at Sundance this year. “Creating content is about discussing issues that are important to me in funny, interesting and creative ways and hopefully inspiring people to do the same.” She is also one of 11 global YouTube Creators for Change Ambassador, and her book, “Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist,” comes out May 22.

TV journalist/host/producer

“I think the strength in being straight-talking lies in that it’s actually wrapped up in fact,” says O’Brien. The Emmy Award-winning journalist and CEO of her production company, Starfish, hosts Hearst Television’s weekly show “Matter of Fact,” Oxygen’s “Mysteries & Scandals” and led the panel for Fox’s buzzy “OJ Simpson: The Lost Confession?” in March. “In order to have a future, you can’t wait around for other people to decide what it will be,” she advises. O’Brien also spearheads the PowHERful Foundation to mentor young girls but doesn’t stray from taking to Twitter to call out BS when necessary. “It’s nothing personal.”

Agent, intellectual property, UTA

Pender has always been drawn to and inspired by riveting stories from fresh voices with different perspective. That’s why it’s become her mission to amplify the stories of writers who give voice to the voiceless. She’s helping bring the works of bestselling YA authors like Angie Thomas (“The Hate U Give”) and Julia Walton (“Words on Bathroom Walls”) from the page to the big screen. “These titles are timely perspectives that tackle important social and political issues,” Pender says. “Nothing motivates me more than reading a book with an exciting narrative arc or unique characters that I know will get people talking.”

Partner, Gersh

Porter’s superpower is spotting talent. “I appreciate seeing it in people and want that talent to be known to the world.” Her clients include household names and up-and-comers. She’s just as excited by client Kathryn Hahn’s (“Bad Moms,” “Transparent,” “I Love Dick”) forthcoming dramatic role in “Private Life,” as she is about Zazie Beetz (“Atlanta”) playing Domino in “Deadpool 2.” Porter hopes the #MeToo movement inspires more women to direct. “I don’t represent any directors, but I always encourage my clients to write, and if they want to, to direct. I hope this empowers my younger clients to go out and do it themselves, because we need more of that.”

Chief global affairs correspondent, ABC News

Raddatz has long been committed to helping veterans, and her best-selling book, “The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family,” was turned into an eight-part TV series for the National Geographic Channel in 2017. “It was one of the most gratifying experiences I have ever had,” Raddatz says. “I want as many people to see and understand the story of the military and their families as possible, and this series brought it to life in such a vivid and powerful way.”

Athlete/activist

Serving as the 2012 and 2016 captain of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team has steeled Raisman to become a leader for women’s rights. The sexual assault survivor testified against former U.S.A. Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, and has partnered with Aerie for its body positivity campaign, as well as Darkness to Light, an organization that educates adults on child sexual abuse. “It’s comforting for me to know that there are … other people out there who are, unfortunately, going through the same thing,” she says. “I think we’ve learned that everyone is battling something, so it’s important to be very honest, so that we can all help each other out.”

Filmmaker

“Mudbound” director Rees is tasking men with including women in Hollywood projects. “The change will come when men give shots to women. It can’t just be women giving women shots,” says the first African-American woman to be nominated for an adapted screenplay Oscar. Her next project is Gloria Steinem biopic “An Uncivil War.” Rees walks her talk: Much of the crew for “Mudbound” were women. “Two black women, a Japanese woman, a white woman who is a lesbian,” Rees says. “I loved the idea that we brought our so-called otherness to the film.”

Host, “AM Joy,” MSNBC political analyst

Reid has been embedded in political discourse for years. But in 2017, her voice was elevated further due to her refusal to just recap the same old news everyone else is reporting. Instead, she is out to educate viewers on both sides of the issues. Her style attracted more viewers, raising ratings and allowing her to sub for other network hosts on their breaks. “Journalism is one of the last remaining guardrails of democracy that the current president has not been able to smash, and we can’t guard the citadel by pretending that Donald Trump is just another, normal president. And, by the way, women are often told, don’t be so emotional — but as far as I’m concerned emotion equals empathy, and we need it to do this job,” Reid says.

Actress/producer

When Ritter isn’t starring as the titular superheroine who battles past trauma in hit Netflix drama “Jessica Jones,” she is an executive producer on PopTV’s “The Demons of Dorian Gunn.” “It’s a great opportunity for me to challenge myself, use a different muscle, [and] focus on comedy, because ‘Jessica Jones’ is obviously very dark,” she says, adding that all of her projects, including her 2017 debut novel, “Bonfire,” focus on “character development and collaboration.”

CEO and founder, Nutopia

Root and her indie production company Nutopia have been tackling the “mega-doc” concept since 2008, and have several projects due out later in 2018: “Civilizations” (BBC/PBS), “The Great American Read” (PBS) and “One Strange Rock” (for Nat Geo), which has Darren Aronofsky and Will Smith attached. In addition, she’s instituted company-wide policies designed to prevent any #MeToo situations at Nutopia — something that was a priority. “I was overwhelmed by the number of women and men who wanted to engage with the issue and think about how to move forward,” she says.

President and chief advertising revenue officer, CBS Corp.

“We at CBS have been in the mentorship, women’s networking and leadership for almost as long as I’ve been here,” says Ross, who was promoted to the post of president and chief revenue officer last August. “We’ve embraced it. And now we’re taking a larger role. We have a bigger footprint and a louder voice.” This spring Ross announced CBS’ Eye Speak female empowerment initiative and participated in #SeeHer events.

Writers/performers/podcasters

Robinson and Williams’ podcast “2 Dope Queens” shot to No.1 on the iTunes chart when it first debuted in 2016, and this year it aired as special on HBO. Before “2 Dope Queens,” Robinson was known for working on “Girl Code” and “Broad City,” as well as her solo podcast “Sooo Many White Guys” and bestseller “You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Have To Explain.” She is currently working on a second book. “When my book came out, Oprah read it and just called me to say, lovely work. It was nice because it was just her saying, ‘I like what you’re doing and I see you.’ In this industry that can be rare,” Robinson says. “I fully believe in paying that forward. When you rise, others rise with you.”

Williams is also known for “The Daily Show,” where she learned the importance of being a boss who is respected, but also someone “people can go and talk to,” and is an actor and executive producer on “The Incredible Jessica James.” She also appears in the upcoming “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” “As a black woman, oftentimes the more you achieve in your career field, the less you see people around you who look like you. But even if you see that, my advice is to keep going and to again focus on what makes your voice unique,” Williams says.

Showrunner/director

Sherman-Palladino struck gold this past year with Amazon original “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” The period dramedy won the Golden Globe for television series, musical or comedy, as well as accolades for Rachel Brosnahan, who stars as the titular stand-up comedienne. “My father was a comic, so I basically grew up with the cast of ‘Broadway Danny Rose’ hanging out in my backyard,” says Sherman-Palladino. “I heard stories about the basket-house scene in the Village and playing the Catskills, and the Playboy club and I think it just stuck. So, when I was thinking about where to place my new heroine, what kind of journey to send her on, it just seemed a natural fit.  It couldn’t be farther away from the safe structured world she grew up in.”

Simms: President, Combs Enterprises 
Moar: Exec VP, brand, strategy & communications, Combs Enterprises

in 2017, Sean Combs named Simms president of Combs Enterprises. The title hadn’t existed before, but Simms was the right fit, launching brands and navigating the worlds of liquor (Combs Wines & Spirits, home to Ciroc), music (Bad Boy), cable TV (Revolt) and, of course, fashion (Sean John), Says Simms, “Sean is the embodiment of the American dream. [My job] is to make grand ideas feel scalable, operational, and profitable.”

“Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop,” the title of the 2017 documentary about Combs’ Bad Boy empire, could just as well describe Moar, who heads up imaging, messaging and branding across multiple Combs-related businesses, along with the mogul’s media strategy; the latter is a role the savvy Australian had held for two decades as his publicist. Today, her increasingly global position takes Moar from the L.A. set of Fox’s “The Four: Battle for Stardom,” a producing and starring vehicle for Combs, to the campus of Capital Prep Harlem, a charter school Combs co-founded. But Moar is perhaps been best suited for the cabler Revolt, which combines culture and music in a visual medium absent since MTV’s heyday.

President, Turner ad sales

Speciale has many feathers in her cap: she’s overseeing ad sales for the largest-ever Cartoon Network lineup, signing on to the female leadership initiative Makers@ board of directors and she had a 100% renewal for audience targeting partners in last year’s Upfront. But her proudest achievement right now is in helping launch the year-old OpenAP, in partnership with Fox and Viacom. The Accenture-monitored platform helps advertisers reach niche consumer targets. With more than 700 users so far, she says, “marketers want the capability they’ve been using in digital to apply in the linear space.”

Endometriosis Foundation of America

Padma Lakshmi may be best-known as host of “Top Chef” and a best-selling writer, but she is foremost an advocate for the misunderstood illness endometriosis. She was misdiagnosed until age 36, when she was referred to specialist Dr. Tamer Seckin.  In 2009, she and Seckin launched the Endometriosis Foundation of America, which funds research and education.

She is being honored with the Karma Award at Variety’s New York Power of Women luncheon for her work with the foundation.  

“We initiated a medical conference, a teen education program, and we now have a model we use remotely in other states,” she says of EndoFound’s work.

Fighting for women’s health issues is a political issue — something that Lakshmi addresses with vigor and a touch of anger. She is also an ambassador for the ACLU, focusing on immigrants’ rights and women’s reproductive rights, works closely with Planned Parenthood, and recently gave the keynote address at the UN Women’s Empowerment forum.

“Another thing we feel is unfair to women that have [endometriosis] and other reproductive disorders is that Planned Parenthood is under attack, the Trump administration has rescinded the law that Obamacare passed that said that employers had to offer free birth control as part of their health plan, and all of this hurts a patient that has endometriosis,” she says, noting that “the only treatment we have today is hormone therapy, and the biggest form of hormone therapy is the birth control pill — so for millions of women, contraception is not the first thing they use the pill for, so we find that we are being discriminated against.

“It’s just one more way the patriarchy or male-dominated society uses their leverage to keep women under their control — inadvertently or directly.”  

Education and research are key. “We give small and large grants to researchers at different universities,” she says, including the MIT Center for Gynepathology Research. But research funds remain sparse. “The government allocates between $7 million to $11 million for research,” says Lakshmi. “Yet it costs our system $21 billion a year. From a ruthless economic standpoint, never mind the collateral human suffering, it’s just bad business.”

Lakshmi’s new MAC Cosmetics collection is also more than just lipstick, with tones formulated for woman of color. “If you feel insecure about how you look, it totally throws you off your game.”

Co-founder/CEO, First Access Entertainment

2018 was a bittersweet year for Stennett and First Access: While the company saw big success with Zayn Malik, Rita Ora, Bebe Rexha and others, promising MC Lil Peep died of an accidental drug overdose at just 21. “It’s so sad, but it’s a reminder of the impact we can have on people’s lives and how fortunate we are to be able to work with such talented young people,” she says, noting that he left behind a catalog of “around 150 tracks and many videos”; a posthumous album and film are expected in the coming months.

Host/writer, “The Rundown With Robin Thede”

As she stepped into the role as the host of BET’s “The Rundown With Robin Thede,” the comedian already had spent years developing her hilarious skills on various shows including “The Queen Latifah Show,” “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and as head writer on “The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore,” making her the first African-American woman to hold that position on a late-night comedy show. Thede says her show allows her “to speak directly to an audience that is largely ignored by other late-night shows.” She calls the program “black Twitter in late night.”

Founder, One Vote at a Time

Congressional inaction following the Pulse nightclub shooting motivated Ullman. “I was tired of tweeting and calling and donating,” she says. “I was angry that it felt like not enough of our elected representatives were doing anything about gun violence.” As a director, she knew she could help candidates tell their stories, so she founded One Vote at a Time. In 2017, the grassroots SuperPAC — staffed by women and gender non-binary individuals — made videos for 19 progressive candidates in Virginia; 10 were elected. “I’m excited to say we’re expanding our work to 10 states and are planning to work with upwards of 250 candidates this election cycle,” she says.

Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, co-anchors; Libby Leist, exec producer, “Today,” 7-9 a.m.

Guthrie and Kotb came together as the new “Today” anchor team under difficult circumstances — the ouster of the show’s co-anchor Matt Lauer in 2017 — but they have quickly formed a formidable team. The duo proved the definition of grace under pressure when they delivered news about the Feb. 14 shooting tragedy in Parkland, Fla., while anchoring “Today” from South Korea during NBC’s Olympics coverage. “It’s a stand-out example of what the ‘Today Show’ can do — covering a big international event like the Olympics and also leaning in when news happens,” says Leist, who was recently named the exec producer of the franchise’s first two hours.

“It used to be the 24-hours news cycle, and now it’s the 24-second news cycle,” says Guthrie. “You can’t waste people’s time.” And yet, says Kotb, morning shows are about more than delivering information. Viewers “want to be with people you trust and you enjoy being with.”

Comedian/writer/actress 

Developing her jokes through a trial and error process, every night, for many years has led comedian Wolf to land a Netflix late-night series, topline her own HBO Comedy special and land the gig of headliner at the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Assn. Dinner April 28. She says her experience as a writer and contributor on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” has prepared her for the next steps in her career. “The breadth and depth of news that we covered or had to consume every day kind of gave me a good sense of the stories I like, the stories I don’t, and how much detail I want to go into certain things.”

Co-president and co-founder, Lucky 8

As a former journalist and National Geographic development VP, Woodard understands the power of marrying investigative news and entertainment, which helps explain the success of Lucky 8’s shows for A&E, “60 Days In” and “Undercover High,” both of which used undercover insiders to examine two American institutions: prisons and schools, respectively. Partnerships with Oprah Winfrey and Univision’s Maria Elena Salinas are generating further hybrid programming, as with OWN’s “Released.” “Showing you something that’s only whispered about can lead to change,” she says. “That’s the power of our medium.”

Chairman, advertising and client partnerships, NBC Universal

With a $6 billion take at the 2017 Upfronts and a record $920 million in Olympics ad sales, Yaccarino heads up a revitalized division at NBCU. She’s leading the company’s effort to cut ad clutter by 20% (which has led to increased sales on “Saturday Night Live”) and has pushed hard ever since joining NBCU in 2011 for more accurate data and numbers measurement. “Advertising innovation isn’t happening fast enough, and marketers are confused, because our industry is in chaos,” she writes in an email. With products like Audience Symphony and the practice of earmarking $1 billion of inventory for targeted campaigns, NBC and Yaccarino clearly are focused on the future.