Dana Walden | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dana M. Freedman October 1964 (age 59) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Employer | The Walt Disney Company (2019–present) |
| Title | Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment |
| Board member of | Live Nation Entertainment UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Saban Free Clinic of Los Angeles |
| Children | 2 |
Dana Walden (born 1964) is an American businesswoman and the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment.
Career
Fox Television Group
Before her tenure at Disney Entertainment, Walden was previously chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group,[1] which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21 Television Studios, Fox Consumer Products and the syndication supplier, 20th Television.[2][3]
The Walt Disney Company
Walden was chairman of Entertainment at Walt Disney Television.
On June 9, 2022, Walden replaced Peter Rice as Chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content[4]
Dana Walden was named co-chairman of Disney Entertainment on February 8, 2023, where she is responsible for television and streaming.[5][6] As part of this role, Walden leads ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios (20th Television, ABC Signature, 20th Television Animation and Walt Disney Television Alternative), Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective.[4]
Other board positions
Walden sits on the board of directors for Live Nation Entertainment[7] and UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.[8]
Personal life
Walden is married and has two children. She lives in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Her grandmother Rose Freedman was a survivor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire who lived to the age of 107.[9]
Early life and education
Dana Freedman was born in 1964 to a Jewish family[10] in Los Angeles, California. Her father was in the travel industry and her mother was a dancer. As a teenager, Walden rode show hunters competitively. She earned a degree in communications from the University of Southern California.
Awards and accolades
Walden was named MIPCOM's Personality of the Year in 2015.[11] She has been named "Showman of the Year" by Variety and "Executive of the Year" in 2019 by The Hollywood Reporter.[12][13] In 2021, Walden was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business.[14]
References
- ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (July 14, 2014). "Dana Walden, Gary Newman Take Over Fox Broadcasting in Restructuring". Variety.
- ↑ Rose, Lacey (December 5, 2012). "20th TV's Dana Walden On Her Career-Changing 'Jerry Maguire' Moment". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ "Dana Walden on TV's 'Existential Crisis,' TV Studio Vision and Why She Joined Disney". June 19, 2019.
- 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie; Fleming Jr, Mike (June 9, 2022). "Shocker! Peter Rice Fired From Disney; Dana Walden Taking His Post As Chairman, General Entertainment Content". Deadline Hollywood.
- ↑ "Dana Walden". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ↑ White, Peter (2023-02-08). "Dana Walden & Alan Bergman To Oversee New Disney Entertainment Unit". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ↑ Variety Staff (June 8, 2018). "Fox's Dana Walden Joins Live Nation Entertainment Board". Variety.
- ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (October 8, 2019). "Dana Walden Backs the Cancer Center That Helped Save Her Mother's Life". Variety.
- ↑ Martin, Douglas (February 17, 2001). "Rose Freedman, Last Survivor of Triangle Fire, Dies at 107". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ↑ Jewish Daily Forward: "The World’s Most Powerful Jewish Women" by Laura E. Adkins June 15, 2016
- ↑ Stanhope, Kate (May 28, 2015). "Fox Chiefs Dana Walden and Gary Newman Named MIPCOM's Personality of the Year". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ "Dana Walden". Variety.
- ↑ "The Hollywood Reporter's 2019 Women in Entertainment Power 100". The Hollywood Reporter. December 11, 2019.
- ↑ White, Peter (February 7, 2021). "Disney's Dana Walden On Increasing Opportunities For Smaller Production Companies, Covid Impact, Leaning Into Failure & Fostering Diversity". Deadline.