Abbe Raven is the acting chairman and former president, CEO and chairman of A+E Networks. Raven is one of the most influential women and accomplished executives in the entertainment industry.

A UB alumna (BA ’74, theatre), Raven has led the award-winning, multibillion-dollar global media company that encompasses A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, VICELAND, FYI and A+E Studios, reaching 330 million households in 200 territories.

Under her leadership, HISTORY grew to become one of the most widely recognized television brands in the world, while A&E catapulted into a top five cable network and Lifetime reclaimed its position as a premier brand among women.

Raven has been named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” by Fortune and ranked in the top five on the Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment Power 100” list.

As an advocate for educational outreach, she has captured the power of television to change lives and is an inspiring mentor to women.

An active community leader, she serves on the boards of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and PENCIL, a nonprofit that fosters success among New York City public school students by connecting them with business professionals.