Sonia Coleman has been named senior VP, human resources, Disney General Entertainment Content and ESPN, effective immediately.
Coleman has been head of HR for the Disney General Entertainment Content division since 2017. She is adding responsibility for ESPN and sports content.
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In her new role, Coleman will be responsible for all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, employee development and engagement, organizational development, employee relations, recruitment and compensation for both DGE’s and ESPN’s portfolios of businesses, including Onyx Collective.
She will continue to be based in Los Angeles and report to Peter Rice, chairman of DGE; Jimmy Pitaro, chairman ESPN and sports content, and Paul Richardson, senior executive VP, human resources at The Walt Disney Co. Richardson was head of HR for ESPN until he was promoted July 1.
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“I am personally ecstatic to welcome Sonia to the ESPN leadership team. I’ve known Sonia for many years and have worked with her in previous roles when we were at Disney Consumer Products, and I know firsthand that she is an extremely talented and capable executive who has earned her outstanding reputation,” said Pitaro in an internal memo obtained by Broadcasting+Cable. “I’m looking forward to working closely with her and the exceptional HR team Paul built in Bristol to continue serving the people of ESPN.”
Prior to being named DGE’s HR chief, Coleman was the human resources VP for Disney’s corporate officers and oversaw management initiatives, organizational development and engagement strategies, among other responsibilities. Before that, she led HR for Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. Previously, she held HR roles with The Children’s Place and TCP’s Disney Stores, which were acquired by Disney in 2008, and The Home Depot.
