Her 30-plus years of experience includes roles leading President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine education program, communications for Instagram, and leadership positions in political campaigns and the Obama White House. We are incredibly fortunate to have Kristina with us at this important time. Our business segment and content communications leads will continue to dual report to both division leadership and corporate communications, now led by Kristina. In this expanded role, Kristina will have oversight for corporate and segment communications and continue to be our chief spokesperson.
With Geoff’s departure, I am pleased to share the following changes:įirst, Kristina Schake will lead The Walt Disney Company’s communications efforts, serving as our Executive Vice President, Global Communications reporting directly to me. Fortunately, the strength and experience of our existing leadership team-including relatively new all-star hires-means there is no shortage of talent to guide our reputation-driving functions. I am writing to share the news that Geoff Morrell, our Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Now, with Morrell bloodlessly out, the question is can the new communications squad help their boss avoid anymore obvious icebergs. As former theme parks boss Chapek sought to establish his own stamp on the company he had served so long, GOP and BP vet Morrell was seen as a clear indication of the direction the CEO wanted to steer the good ship Disney. In the dying days of Bob Iger’s reign in December, Morrell was announced as successor to Disney’s longtime and iron-fisted Senior EVP and Chief Communications Officer Zenia Mucha. With Republicans and Fox News smearing Disney with phrases like “grooming” and turning the company into an electoral piñata in the latest version of the culture wars, the hope at the highest level is that Morrell’s removal and the new reorganization will allow the media giant to come out from underneath the falling debris of the current situation. Some responded within the corridors of power, while others took their dismay to the streets and online - an extremely rare display for a company with a culture that keeps things behind closed doors. Even with the dark external clouds, Disney staffers who are members of the LGBTQ+ community reacted sharply to what was seen as an abandonment by Chapek, Morrell and senior leadership. Soaked by a constant storm of corporate missteps over Disney’s silence and then ever-shifting position on the Sunshine State’s discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” law and later the legislative yanking away of the self-governing status of Disney World, Morrell’s exit has been seen in recent weeks as a matter of when not if. Or rather, to paraphrase Disney’s Encanto, we don’t talk about Florida - unless we have to talk about Florida. The loss of Morrell also reveals the cracks in what has been a pretty solid wall of Chapek loyalists so far. Additionally, EVP Corporate Social Responsibility Jenny Cohen now will report directly to Chapek as Disney tries to figure out where it stands and to whom is it is donating.
Company General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez will take over Government Relations and Global Public Policy. Splitting up Morrell’s role, Biden administration insider and recent Disney addition Kristina Schake will handle Disney communications efforts. Walt Disney World's Special District Suggests It's Weighing Potential Challenge To Florida Law Dissolving It