Lucas, a native of Atlanta, started her career in broadcast as an unpaid intern for Turner Broadcasting where she met many of her mentors. A graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s in industrial engineering and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in finance and marketing, she offers rolling out readers a little insight. –yvette caslin
My personal leadership philosophy is …
It’s really simple. It’s about hiring good people, developing a sound strategy and [having] a laser-like focus on execution.
On working for Cathy Hughes:
I know a lot about her story. I respect her as a strong, smart and savvy businesswoman. I will tell you the thing that impressed me the most in terms of her reputation, before I ever met her, was that she is so beloved in this community. I have been living in the D.C. area for the last few years and what I didn’t know before I moved here is how much she means to people. We have a kindred spirit. I always try to work for people that I admire and who have attributes that I admire. I was very fortunate in that way because I have worked for a lot of people [and] I am very excited to work for Ms. Hughes, to help continue her and her son’s, Alfred Liggins, vision.
Prior professional leadership positions:
VP of entertainment marketing at TNT and the SVP of marketing at CNN.com. General manager at The Weather Channel. Chief marketing officer for Discovery Communications and chief operating officer for Discovery Channel and Science Channel.
What drives you?
At the end of the day, my passion is television, storytelling and working in brand management … to work every day in a medium that mattered to people — one that has an emotional core and really touches people.
Why did you take this position?
For me personally, I am excited to work with the African American audience and to move beyond my own personal experience. [It will provide me] the opportunity to understand more deeply what drives the African American audience and to create programming that is representative of our experience or those experiences that we long to have.
Best advice ever received:
It’s from my mom and I think about it every day. It is to be considerate. Especially in this business, you may have to make tough decisions that people may not like. With that comes being a good listener, [being] compassionate and putting yourself in the other person’s situation.
Affiliations:
I am a member of Women in Cable and Telecommunications; Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing; a board member in Atlanta for the W.E.B. Dubois Society; the advisory committee for Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta; and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Last good book read:
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill, it’s historical fiction and the story about a woman who came from the western coast of Africa into slavery in Charleston, S.C., and her journey back home to Sierra Leone. The reason I love that book is because it is about perseverance, a woman overcoming obstacles in the most difficult of circumstances. The triumph of the human spirit is uplifting to me.
Last song downloaded:
I have been into old school lately … “Back Down Memory Lane” by Minnie Ripperton.
Favorite TV Show:
“True Blood”
Favorite Original Program on TV One:
“Unsung”
Last Movie Enjoyed:
An independent film called Win Win
Childhood Heroes:
My parents were successful first-generation college grads who believed in hard work but also believed in treating everyone in the community with respect, kindness and consideration, giving people hope and opportunity. My father [Bill Lucas] was the first black general manager in baseball for the Atlanta Braves. Watching him handle the business side of baseball in the mid ’70s and watching him handle the racism that was hurled at him with integrity, grace and style was pretty amazing and impacted me greatly. My mother was an educator who was very involved in the community; they both were.
The other hero is my uncle, Hank Aaron, watching him chase his dreams. He faced a lot of death threats and racism and always turned the other cheek.
Favorite place to get away and get a little pampering:
Going to Martha’s Vineyard is the ultimate luxury to me.
Giving back:
I am going to Kenya where I have been for the last few years with my daughters ages 14 and 18 and my sister. We teach kids in the slums of Nairobi who have all of the potential in the world and [little opportunity]. It is really a core part of my life.
