Disney Names Susi D’Ambra-Coplan SVP For Affiliate Relations

Industry veteran Susi D’Ambra-Coplan on Monday was named senior vice president, affiliate relations, Disney Entertainment. The new role marks a promotion for D’Ambra-Coplan, who most recently was vice president, station relations. She succeeds John Rouse who retired earlier this month.

D’Ambra-Coplan will manage affiliate relations activities for the ABC Television Network in the U.S. and its territories. She will be responsible for helping set ABC’s network distribution strategy, negotiating broadcast affiliation agreements and achieving distribution revenue goals. Additionally, she will lead efforts to maximize the exposure and local viewership of ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ESPN on ABC and ABC’s digital distribution initiatives across 200-plus television stations.

“Susi has been an invaluable contributor and teammate to the Affiliate Relations team for more than 25 years and I could not be more pleased to have her at the helm moving forward,” said Justin Connolly, president, platform distribution. “An accomplished, strategic and respected executive, Susi will continue to bring her wealth of expertise to successfully manage the company’s ongoing relationship with its esteemed ABC station partners.”

“I am truly honored to lead the best-in-class Affiliate Relations team,” D’Ambra-Coplan said. “In this important time of change and transformation, we are committed to supporting ABC stations across the country with top-rated news, sports, and entertainment programming.”

In her most recent role as vice president, station relations, D’Ambra-Coplan managed the company’s relationship with 70 ABC-affiliated stations in the Eastern region including the negotiations of affiliation agreements. In addition, her responsibilities included maximizing distribution of all ABC programming and digital initiatives across ownership groups to support strong local performance of the network’s content.

Throughout her career in affiliate relations, she has worked on numerous successful launches including The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as the expansion of GMA to additional hours. She has also served as the team’s primary liaison to ABC News to help strengthen the news/programming relationship between the network and local stations.

D’Ambra-Coplan joined The Walt Disney Co. in 1992 as an account executive in Chicago with Buena Vista Television. In 1997 she moved to ABC as director, station relations for the Northeast region and was promoted to vice president in 1999.

She began her career with Tribune Entertainment as an account executive, Central Region/Station Sales Division. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and psychology from the University of Michigan.