Name: Marla Provencio
Title: Executive Vice President, Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer, ABC Entertainment Group
Company: Disney ABC Television Group
Headquarters: Burbank, California
Number of Employees: 5,000–10,000
Education: BA in English, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
What I’m Reading: My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
My Philosophy: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
Away from Work, I: Play Texas Hold ’Em poker
How My Company Supports Me…and How I Pay it Forward: Mentorships are key in our company, and I have been lucky enough to be part of the executive mentorship program. Anne Sweeney, my mentor for many years, has given me tremendous guidance and has included me in corporate meetings, conferences, seminars that have spurred my growth and development. Other programs have helped me improve my management skills and public speaking. I, in turn, offer a mentorship program in my own department. I’m a board member of Promax/BDA and belong to its diversity council, which mentors talent in the field of entertainment marketing. In establishing relationships with various stakeholders at NCLR, I have participated in Cal State Fullerton’s roundtable meetings, headed by Inez Gonzalez, director of Latino Communication’s Initiative. Some objectives of these meetings are providing high-value internships for students and assisting recent graduates in finding jobs in their field.
The Best Career Advice I’ve Received and the Advice I Offer Others: The best advice I was ever given about career advancement is this: Move out of your comfort zone and seek opportunities that will challenge you. That advice has stayed with me throughout my years at ABC. Additionally, my advice is to be proactive, not reactive. Challenge yourself to question, explore, and create change where it is needed to benefit you and others.