Rita Ferro

As president of Advertising Sales for The Walt Disney Company, Rita Ferro leads advertising sales for the Company's entertainment, news, sports and kids linear and digital TV and Radio businesses (ABC Entertainment, ABC Daytime and ABC News; Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney; Freeform, FX Networks, National Geographic Networks) and the ESPN portfolio which includes ESPN’s domestic networks, ESPN on ABC, ESPN.com, ESPN3, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Radio, ESPN International, ESPN+ and ESPN Mobile. She also leads the integrated sales team for the Disney Digital Network, the Company’s online, mobile and social offerings. Additionally, Ferro directs National TV Ad Sales for ABC’s eight owned local TV stations. She has been in this role since September 2018.

Ferro previously served as president, Disney|ABC advertising sales and marketing where she oversaw all advertising sales, marketing functions and ad revenue-generation strategies for the company’s entertainment, news and kids and family linear and digital TV and radio businesses, including ABC Entertainment, ABC Daytime, ABC News, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney and Freeform. She also led the integrated sales team for the Disney Digital Network (DDN), The Walt Disney Company’s online, mobile and social offerings.

Among her many industry honors, Ferro was named to Variety’s 2018 Power of Women New York Impact list, honoring women across all aspects of the entertainment industry who are making an impact; in 2017, she recognized to The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100, in addition to being featured on AdvertisingAge’s Women to Watch power list, which celebrates the most powerful women in advertising. In 2015, Ferro was selected as part of Multichannel News’ Wonder Women — “Women to Watch,” and for seven consecutive years (2012-18), Ferro has been named one of the Most Powerful and Influential Latinos by the Imagen Foundation. Most recently, The Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Commissioner, Julie Menin appointed Ferro to the Latin Media and Entertainment Commission (LMEC) in efforts to cultivate the next generation of New York City-based Latinx media and entertainment professionals; promote enhanced Spanish language content on mainstream and emerging media platforms; attract and retain major Latinx media events in New York City; and expand the audience for premier Latinx cultural content in New York City.

Ferro began her career with The Walt Disney Company 22 years ago with ESPN International, where she held several posts including vice president, International Ad Sales leading the ESPN International Ad Sales offices in Miami, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil. She ultimately added ad sales management for Disney Media Network’s kid-driven and family-inclusive portfolio – Disney Channel, Disney XD and the then-named Playhouse Disney – in Latin America. Additionally, she has held the positions of executive vice president, Disney Media Sales and Marketing for Disney Channels Worldwide and vice president, Advertising Sales, Disneymedia+.

Ferro currently sits on the board of the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau), the AAF (American Advertising Federation) and the VAB (Video Advertising Bureau). She earned a Bachelor of Science in advertising and a master’s degree in International Business from Florida International University, and currently lives in Short Hills, NJ with her husband and daughter.