2023 Spring ELP Speakers

EVP, Platform Distribution Operations, The Walt Disney Company

As head of the business operations team for The Walt Disney Company’s Platform Distribution segment, Lori LeBas supports the development and distribution of products and services that create meaningful value for the company, its partners, and consumers. She is focused on the design and implementation of business processes for efficient management and operation of all media distribution including linear networks, SVOD/AVOD/TVOD, transactional, syndication, audio and direct-to-consumer products. LeBas also leads the creation of cross-functional business requirements for new products, as well as oversight of all post-sales processes for content distribution across all platforms.

LeBas was elevated to her current position of Executive Vice President in early 2022 after serving as Senior Vice President of Platform Distribution Operations since 2020. The Platform Distribution business unit within TWDC that manages all third-party media sales efforts for distribution and affiliate-related business operations for all of the Company’s direct-to-consumer services and linear media networks; content sales agreements for General Entertainment, Studios and Sports; as well as global theatrical film distribution; management of Disney’s iconic El Capitan Theatre and the Disney Music Group.

Prior to her current role, LeBas led affiliate marketing and operations for the company’s affiliate sales and marketing division.  She was accountable for the marketing impact on the growth and success of the Disney and ESPN Media Networks businesses including cable networks, broadband, video on demand, pay per view and all emerging media businesses plus director to consumer platform partner marketing.  She also led technical and operational projects advancing the content distribution business and managing engagement across The Walt Disney Company and with distribution partners on product integration and existing service expansion including adoption and engagement of live streaming products, video on demand and newly developed products.

Previously, LeBas was Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Operations for the company’s sales and marketing division overseeing a global advertising sales operations team responsible for all post-sales processes for television, digital and magazine and oversight of the affiliate operations team responsible for all post-sales processes for content distribution for television and digital platforms.  She provided financial support and oversight for affiliate sales and marketing and ad sales and operational support for research and marketing.

LeBas joined ESPN in 2000 as Director, Affiliate Sales Development and Operations, responsible for, among other things, helping develop, pricing and packaging policies for ESPN’s domestic networks and overseeing ESPN relationships with distribution partners.  Prior to joining ESPN, LeBas held a variety of positions at SNET, lastly as President of SNET Personal Vision, Inc., the company’s cable subsidiary. She also held marketing positions at The Connecticut Ballet and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.

LeBas is a graduate of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute and has successfully completed the CTAM Executive Development Program at Harvard University. She is an active mentor in many programs at TWDC and externally.  She is a member of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executive Council, focused on culture for the segment. She is a member of WICT and acts as Executive Advisor for the WICT New England Chapter. LeBas is also a supporter of the T. Howard Foundation and NAMIC. In addition, she is currently the Co-Executive Champion for ESPN’s Emerging Leaders Resource Group and the Executive Champion for the recently formed empowHER Business Employee Resource Group.

LeBas received her undergraduate degree in Economics and German from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She is an avid traveler, certified yoga teacher and marathon runner.  She lives in Connecticut with her husband Sean and looks forward to frequent visits with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ms. Nimmons is President and co-founder of Stone Lake Leadership Group LLC. She is an expert in leadership development, facilitating programs for thousands of leaders in financial services, law, IT, academia, science, medicine, entertainment and engineering. Ms. Nimmons stays current on realities and demands of 21stcentury leadership and shares this knowledge through executive coaching and developing high-potentials and mid-careers in the private, public and non-profit sectors.  She brings rigorous “real world” leadership offerings to committed leaders in top global organizations, start-ups and to large federal agencies.

Ms. Nimmons is experienced with executive level leaders and high-potential talent.  Her suite of offerings include 21^st Century Leadership, Executive Presence, Transformational Leadership, Personal Brand, D&I Leadership, Strategic Thinking, Leading Across Generations – and more. She is a frequent workshop speaker and webinar host.

For leaders at all levels, Terri recommends a shot of B3:

Be informed

Be intentional

Be inspired!

Denise Wallace is a leadership development consultant and executive coach with over 25 years of experience.  She has consulted with organizations in financial services, insurance, corporate counsel, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and education. She uses her comprehensive skills to assess needs, design training programs, create workshop materials, facilitate workshops and train other trainers in delivery.  She also has an extensive list of executive coaching clients that spans across all levels of organizations. In her coaching practice, she administers comprehensive 360 degree assessments and then works one-on-one with executives to increase their self-awareness, build leadership skills and create a strategy for managing their leadership brand.

Her passion for training and coaching others and her energetic enthusiastic style have been appreciated by such clients as the Hanover Insurance Company, Choate, Hall and Stewart, Acadian Asset Management,  Women in Cable Telecommunications, State Street Bank and Trust, Wolfe, Greenfield and Sacks, Merck, Hologic, Highfields Capital, The Baupost Group, Hub International, Shire Human Genetic Therapies, Cumberland Gulf , The Velcro Group,  Fidelity Investments, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Avid Technology, GE Capital, Zurich Scudder Investments, and Boston Financial Data Services.

She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont and has a Master’s Degree in Training & Development from Lesley College.  She is a certified instructor of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Situational Leadership II – Leader Behavior Analysis, Tracom’s Social Styles, Zenger-Miller’s Front Line Leadership, Personnel Decisions Inc. – Profilor 360 Feedback Instrument, EQ-1 2.0 (Emotional Intelligence), and the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument.

She also is a Senior Consultant with Stone Lake Leadership, an affiliate of the Personal Brand Company and a certified instructor of The Organization Workshop from Power and Systems.