Empowering Women in Media: Insights from Industry Leaders (Video)

On the importance of network and professional development opportunities, Bratcher recalled a recent program at Optimum that she helped spearhead to provide mentorship, networking, and growth for female emerging leaders at the company. “They were hungry, there was interest, and something needed to be done,” she explained. The initiative, which includes workshops on imposter syndrome, influence, negotiation, and DEI, also fosters networking and visibility within the company. “We’ll have served over 80 women by the end of this year… It’s having an impact on not just their own futures but their teams and the overall business. When you put those people together and start seeing those synergies take place, it’s really powerful when you look at the impact across the board.”

Liz Rave, Vice President of Marketing at OUTFRONT Media, reflected on the challenges of balancing work and motherhood and the changes not just the general workplace needs to undergo, but the country as a whole. “As women, we learned, or maybe stopped pretending, that there’s no such thing as balance on a daily basis,” she shared. She emphasized the importance of proper parental leave, crediting her husband’s eight-week leave with establishing an equal partnership at home. “As women, we’re made to believe that taking care of our children falls solely on us. Having him from the very beginning made it an equal partnership and what that did is it set a precedent for when I returned to work. It freed up my mind to strive at work and be able to focus on work during the hours that I’m here, knowing that everything at home is covered. Providing the resources for both partners from the very start set us on a great foundation for balance.”

Stephanie Versichelli, Senior Vice President of Ad Sales at Hallmark Media, highlighted the company's commitment to supporting women behind the camera through its Make Her Mark directorial program. “Hallmark Media’s workforce is more than half female. When I walk into a conference room, I’m rarely ever in the minority, and that’s really helped us provide opportunity for growth,” she said. “We launched a great program last summer, Make Her Mark, led by one of our actors Ashley Williams, who wanted to get more female directors behind the camera, which is very lacking in the industry.” The program’s winner was actress-turned-director Crystal Lowe who, after an extensive shadowing and mentoring process, made her feature directorial debut last spring with Hallmark’s Shifting Gears which became one of the highest-rated original programs of their spring lineup.

You can watch the full roundtable above, watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. Happy Women’s History Month!

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