Honorary Degree Recipient

MARILU GALVEZ, MBA

Marilu Galvez has served as president and general manager of WABC-TV since May 2022. In this role, she has overall management responsibility for ABC7/WABC-TV and its ancillary businesses. WABC-TV, which is owned by Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, has been broadcasting to the New York City metropolitan area since August 10, 1948. Today, it is the most watched TV station in the United States.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Galvez was vice president of community engagement and development for WABC-TV, responsible for community outreach efforts and for growing relationships with key service organizations in the tri-state area. She aligned news, programming, marketing, and onair talent with cause-related events and campaigns, and leveraged opportunities with advertiser support.

Through strategy and innovation, her leadership has helped expand and elevate a multicultural presence at the station. She is an active member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and was named one of the Top 10 Latina Corporate Executives of the Year by Latina Style in 2019, and a Notable Hispanic Leader in 2022 by Crain’s New York Business

As executive champion for the Diversity Equity Inclusion team, Ms. Galvez reports directly to Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution President of Networks Debra OConnell, helping to unify DEI efforts across networks – ABC, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Channel, ESPN, FX, Freeform, and National Geographic – with a focus on the company's key strategic pillars. She was previously the committee lead for OTV Belong, the diversity and inclusion team for ABC Owned Television Stations. Prior to joining WABC in 2001, Ms. Galvez was a production assistant and assignment editor at Telemundo, an assignment editor at WNYW, and an assignment manager at WNBC.

Ms. Galvez was instrumental in bringing ABC7’s Long Island Bureau to The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication; the bureau features a full-time reporter and two production trucks. This initiative exposes Hofstra students to some of the best-in-class journalists and the business of delivering local news. WABC has a history of supporting the journalism program at Hofstra, donating valuable equipment, and providing internship and career opportunities for students.

Marilu Galvez holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications and Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland. She is a board member for the American Red Cross and the nonprofit STOMP Out Bullying, the leading national anti-bullying and cyberbullying organization for children and teens in the United States. She is also a strong supporter of the Boys & Girls Club, WABC anchor Sade Baderinwa’s Get Reel Foundation, and all of Disney’s VoluntEARS program initiatives.