WOMEN ELITE 2008: UNIVERSAL--Casting wide influence

Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s team of Women Elites spans across nearly every segment at the studio.

Hilary Hoffman, senior VP of brand and digital marketing, credits the industry’s openness to new ideas as well as female mentors for women’s move up the ranks.

“From my experience, the one thing I do find valuable is I do think it’s important for women to mentor other women,” Hoffman says. “Women are very supportive of helping to grow a career.”

At Universal, Hoffman and other women have found a supportive mentor network. Hoffman has been at the studio since 1994, most recently overseeing the studio’s move into Blu-ray.

Christine Lawton, senior VP of business affairs, has led the home entertainment division’s move into digital, including overseeing agreements with Apple iTunes, Microsoft Xbox Live, Amazon VOD and others in the space.

Pamela Blum, senior VP of marketing services, has overseen the creative team in the development of bonus features for some of the studio’s biggest hits.

Patti Jackson, senior VP of live action production for Universal Studios Home Entertainment Production, oversees production on Universal Originals, including recent release The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. Jackson’s counterpart on animated originals, Ellen Cockrill, just won a Daytime Emmy for Uni’s Curious George PBS animated series and is heading production of a Curious George DVD Original planned for 2009.