Cheryl DiCarlo is a Director in Grande & Leonard Creative, ESPN’s in-house creative agency focused on connecting fans with brands through storytelling and innovation. A 25-year television industry veteran, DiCarlo has been with the company since 2000, when she began as a writer/producer.
In her current role, DiCarlo leads a creative production team of writers, editors, and producers and oversees marketing campaigns for three college networks (ACC Network, SCC Network, Longhorn Network). DiCarlo has been a key contributor in the planning and execution of the NCAA Women’s Basketball promotions, having represented ESPN at the annual ESPN/NCAA women’s basketball committee meetings since 2018. She has also been a critical contributor to the company’s WNBA draft, regular season, and playoff campaigns.
DiCarlo is an active mentor and has represented espnW as a panelist at Campus Conversation events that connect successful women in leadership positions as ESPN with college female student-athletes. She is an active member of the Change Igniters- a group representing ESPN Marketing’s commitment to driving actionable change in the area of Diversity and Inclusion.
Internally, DiCarlo has led numerous collaborations with Production, espnW, and Programming. She has developed Marketing campaigns that span the entire ESPN family of networks and platforms including tv, radio, social, print and digital. DiCarlo led the creation of an internal post-production team determining both technology and personnel needs.
During her ESPN career, DiCarlo has served as the creative lead on numerous image and topical promo campaigns, including NBA, NFL, MLB, ESPN Films, Grand Slam Tennis, Golf, NCAA Women’s Basketball, NCAA Men’s College Basketball, Heisman Trophy Presentation, Little League World Series, College Gameday – Football and Basketball, WCWS, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
DiCarlo has won an EMMY Award, ESPN Visionary Award (three times), ESPN Leadership Award, ESPN Standing Ovation Award, and ESPN 20-year Service Award. In 2019, DiCarlo was inducted into the Roselle Park (N.J.) High School Athletics Hall of Fame, having graduated the school as its all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
DiCarlo holds a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communication from Southern Connecticut State University, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team.
