Debra OConnell recognized as one of the 2026 Matrix Awards honorees

MIDTOWN, Manhattan -- A person very special to our station and the Walt Disney Company was honored on Tuesday night in Manhattan.

Debra OConnell, Chairman of Disney Entertainment Television, was recognized as one of the 2026 Matrix Awards honorees.

OConnell has spent three decades at Disney and has continued to rise throughout the company.

She was supported by many colleagues on Tuesday night, including Deborah Roberts and Will Reeve.

When accepting her award, she talked about one of the key parts of her success.

"And this award tonight represents hundreds of people who have shaped my path in big ways and small, I've worked in media for my entire career, including nearly 30 years at the Walt Disney Company, across every role and every chapter, there has been one throughline that has remained constant, and that is mentorship," OConnell said.

The Matrix Awards are presented by the New York Women in Communications, which was founded in 1929, and includes students, professionals and executives from different disciplines, including journalism, broadcasting, communications and advertising.