Dana Walden

Dana Walden (born October 13, 1964) is an American media executive who serves as co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, overseeing the company's global entertainment, news, and content operations including linear networks, studios, and streaming services such as Hulu and Disney+. With a career spanning over three decades in television production and network leadership, Walden previously spent 25 years at 21st Century Fox, rising to chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group, where she managed Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, and Fox 21 Television Studios, elevating the network from fourth to first in primetime ratings during her tenure. Under her oversight at Fox, the studios produced award-winning series and amassed 184 Emmy Awards, 29 Golden Globes, 17 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and 24 Peabody Awards, reflecting her role in developing commercially successful scripted content amid industry shifts toward streaming. Joining Disney following its 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets, she initially chaired Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment, guiding ABC to five consecutive seasons as the top-rated entertainment network and contributing to the profitability of Disney's direct-to-consumer division. Walden, a University of Southern California communications graduate, has received industry recognition including MIPCOM's Personality of the Year in 2015 and Variety's Showman of the Year, underscoring her influence in television strategy and content creation.

Dana Walden, born Dana Freedman in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, was raised in a Jewish family in the Studio City neighborhood. Her father worked in the travel industry and held membership in the Friars Club of Beverly Hills, exposing her from a young age to entertainment industry figures and social circles through family visits to the club. Her mother had worked as a professional dancer, including background roles in Las Vegas performances, which provided indirect ties to show business while the family emphasized stability and education.