Girls Inc. Honors Hollywood Women

Girls Inc. Honors Hollywood Women
Movies and television shows inspire girls to dream big. Some girls fantasize about shining in front of the camera. Others aspire to run movie production companies, cable channels and television networks. On November 13, Girls Inc. will hold our 9th annual Celebration Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California. This event will honor three successful women who understand the far-reaching impact realistic, strong and empowered female characters have on girls. It will also give girls a unique opportunity to pitch their ideas to real entertainment executives.

Meet our honorees'
Debra Martin Chase, President of Martin Chase Productions
Mindy Herman, President and CEO of E! Entertainment Networks
Lana E. Corbi, Entrepreneur and former President and CEO of Crown Media

Debra Martin Chase President, Martin Chase Productions
Credits: Produced $100-million mega hit The Princess Diaries and a hip, multi-racial version of Cinderella.

As a kid, Debra Martin Chase loved watching movies. She even dreamed about seeing her name listed in the credits. 'I wanted to make movies, but I didn't know what that meant or who did what,' admits Chase. After six years as an attorney for several Fortune 500 companies, Chase finally decided to pursue her passion. She landed a law gig at Columbia Pictures and used that experience to learn about marketing, producing and the role of studio executives from the former chairman, Frank Price. Chase learned to ask important questions that helped her make the switch to the entertainment side of the business. 'All filmmakers have central themes that run through their movies,' says the Academy Award and Emmy nominated producer. '[My theme] is if you believe in yourself all things are possible.' Her next Disney TV movie, The Cheetah Girls, follows four girls' quest for stardom.

Mindy Herman President and CEO, E! Entertainment Networks
Goals: To create an entertainment-genre powerhouse with the clout of MTV.

Being a sports junkie can be a good thing. At least it was for Mindy Herman. Her sports knowledge helped the Philly native make the leap from being a junior lawyer who drafted contracts at Fox to crafting strategies for the network's sports business. 'The closest I got to entertainment was to fax a piece of paper with the MGM logo on it,' says Herman about her days in corporate law. Now, as head of E!, the largest producer and distributor of entertainment news and lifestyle programming, Herman oversees everything from program , on-air talent, E! online activities, and new business ventures. When Herman got started in cable TV, it was as a haven for women who were overlooked by major networks. But now that it's a multi-billion dollar business, women are being nudged out of the running for top posts. Still, Herman remains confident that women will continue break barriers. Her advice for aspiring entertainment head honchos is simple: 'Work hard. Be smart, get to know people and always have a point of view.'

Lana E. Corbi Entrepreneur, former President & CEO, Crown Media U.S. for Hallmark Channel
Resume Highlights: Listed in Electronic Media's '12 to Watch in 2002' feature and named one of the top women in entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter.

If you're an assistant faxing important documents and scheduling appointments with power brokers, take heart-- all that grunt work can take you to the next level. Case in point: Lana Corbi, listed in Fortune magazine as one of the '50 Most Powerful Black Executives in America,' worked her way up from an entry-level job. 'In those days, you didn't call them assistants,' says Lana Corbi. 'I was a secretary with a graduate degree thinking, I didn't [get all this education] to be a secretary.' Corbi was ready to ditch her administrative tasks for a bigger challenge. Before she jumped ship, Corbi's supportive boss convinced her to stay and taught her how to run a television business. In the process, Corbi learned that having a five-year career plan doesn't work for her personality. Instead of thinking about what high-profile job she should snag, Corbi thinks about her personal contribution to the communications industry. And, she never forgets that she didn't rise to the top jobs at Fox, Odyssey Network, and Blackstar L.L.C by herself. Says Corbi, 'Nobody has it all figured out. We all need a help, a mentor, a leg up.'

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