Geraldine Laybourne

Geraldine Laybourne is a serial “entrepreneur.” In the 80’s and 90’s she was a cable pioneer: she led the team that created Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite. In 1996 she was named as one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential People. She brought her entrepreneurial approach to Disney/ABC Cable Networks (1996-1998) and worked closely with the Disney Imagineers to envision the future of TV and the internet (Telefusion). She then founded Oxygen Media to be a “convergence” network. Her approach to audiences has always been to listen hard and disrupt conventional wisdom. Oxygen was sold to NBC Universal in 2007. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2020.

Her current focus is in the city of Poughkeepsie where she is co-founder of DAY ONE Early Learning Community, a project aimed at creating a model for early learning opportunities for kids zero to five and eradicating generational poverty. She is working with MASS Design Group on community oriented revitalization projects and is a founding member of the Executive Committee of the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet.

She currently serves on the board of directors of 9 Story, Common Sense Growth, Katapult Studio and Betaworks, is on the board of Vassar College and is Vice Chairman of the board of Vital Voices. She previously served on the board of directors at JCPenney, Electronic Arts, Symantec, Move.com, Insight Communications, and Kindercare.