Career Path of a Vice President Original Content and Business Affairs at ESPN and Disney
Heather's career path started with juggling two part-time jobs in college while pursuing a political science degree, gaining early corporate experience "in those business settings," and securing a weekly internship with a securities lawyer. Following UCLA Law School, proactive networking, exemplified by writing letters to women featured in *Ebony* magazine, led to a coveted internship at Sony Music, ultimately resulting in a post-graduation offer from a prominent law firm, setting the stage for Heather's current VP role at ESPN and Disney.
Networking, Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Motivational Stories, Real-World Examples
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Heather Anderson
Vice President, Original Content and Business Affairs
ESPN and The Walt Disney Company
UC Berkeley
UCLA School of Law - JD
Ethnic & Related Studies, Political Science, American Studies
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Law
Business Strategy
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Heather worked full-time throughout college, gaining experience in corporate settings at a financial services company and a movie theater. This early exposure to business environments proved valuable later in her career.
2. She proactively sought out internship opportunities, writing letters to women in the entertainment industry featured in Ebony magazine. This led to an internship at Sony Music, highlighting the importance of networking and initiative.
3. Her internships, including one at Sony Music and another at a law firm, provided crucial experience and ultimately led to a job offer after law school, showcasing the value of practical experience in securing a desired career path
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I went to UC Berkeley for undergrad and worked full-time the entire time I was there. I worked 20 hours a week at a financial services company and another 20 hours a week at the Chaddick Movie Theater. I took classes in between these jobs.
My senior year, the financial advisor company closed. I then worked as an office manager for a property management company. While these roles weren't directly related to practicing law or the entertainment industry, they helped me understand corporate America and how to present myself in business settings early on.
The financial advising company knew I aspired to be a lawyer and was a political science major. They allowed me to spend a few hours each week with their securities lawyer, who was in the same building. This gave me internship opportunities with an actual attorney while I was in college. He took me to court and we worked on discovery for some of his cases. He was a securities litigator, and I really appreciate the exposure he gave me.
I went to UCLA Law for law school and had great internships there. The summer after my first year, I interned at Sony Music in New York in their copyright department. I got this position because in college, I saved an Ebony magazine featuring the top 50 black women in the entertainment industry.
When I got to law school, long before the internet was prevalent, I wrote letters to those 50 women. One of them was a vice president at Sony Music. By the time I wrote to her, she had become an SVP. She wrote back and provided me with the contact information to apply for an internship at Sony Music. I applied and believe I was their first West Coast legal intern, as they had primarily focused on East Coast students. I lived in the NYU dorms and interned in Manhattan that summer.
My second year summer, I interned at a law firm called The Reading Priest, which is where I eventually received an offer to practice after graduation.
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