Now, as Vice President of Original Content and Business Affairs at ESPN, Heather and her team negotiate deals for ESPN’s original content including 30 for 30, ESPN+ series and ESPN Films. “All of the documentary content that surrounds our live games and studio shows, I now support the creative teams that makes those happen. Our creative teams come up with ideas or decide to greenlight content, then they inform our team, and we start those negotiations with the agents or the producers. Business affairs is really the glue in between the creatives and the legal team.”
Throughout her career, Heather hasn’t only been instrumental in her legal or business work. She is also passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and has been a part of milestone moments in creating communities within the company. We’ve already mentioned her involvement in the Black Talent Network, but she is also a co-founder of Disney Lawyers of Color and Wakanda@Disney, a business and employee resource group (BERG) created to champion business and professional opportunities and a communal space for Black talent at Disney.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion is an important passion of mine – I probably spend the majority of my free time outside of my assigned role working in that space. I’ve been involved in other BERGs, and the professional development and support of employees is near and dear to my heart.”
Outside of the company, she has also been on the Television Academy’s diversity council, the State Bar of California’s council for access and fairness, and currently sits on the board of the UCLA Law Ziffren Institute for media, entertainment, technology and sports law and the school’s LEAD women’s board.
Is it any surprise then that Heather would be chosen not once but three times for all of her achievements and dedication to supporting others? She has received the Lawyer of the Year award from the California Association for Black Lawyers, the Ms. JD Limitless Leader Award, and most recently, the 2024 Diversity Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern California.