Disney Just Shook Up Its Communications Department With a Major Executive Move
Disney keeps moving its executive pieces, and the latest promotion signals exactly who the company is betting on as it builds toward whatever comes next.
April Carretta has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Communications and will serve as the primary communications lead for Dana Walden, the company’s President and Chief Creative Officer. The promotion comes alongside a broader restructuring of Disney’s communications department, outlined by new Chief Communications Officer Paul Roeder in a company memo that reshapes reporting lines across every major business segment.
This is Disney reorganizing one of its most strategically significant functions at a moment when the company is managing considerable change across streaming studios, parks, and television simultaneously.
The Promotion
Carretta previously served as head of communications for Disney’s direct-to-consumer business, as well as for the tech and product teams. In her new EVP role, she will continue leading those areas while taking on expanded responsibility for Disney Entertainment, which now falls under Dana Walden rather than Disney Experiences, following recent organizational shifts.
Disney Promotes April Carretta to EVP of Communications, Exec to Lead PR for Dana Walden https://t.co/woWyKpwnsp
— Variety (@Variety) April 9, 2026
Before joining Disney, Carretta held senior communications roles at Twentieth Century Fox, Edelman, and Sony Pictures. She will report to Paul Roeder, who recently stepped into the Chief Communications Officer role following the announced departure of Kristina Schake.
The Broader Restructuring
Roeder’s memo laid out changes well beyond Carretta’s promotion, covering how Disney’s communications function will be structured across its various business segments going forward.
David Jefferson, EVP of communications, will continue leading corporate communications, including public affairs and media relations, while also taking on Disney’s international communications teams covering Asia Pacific, EMEA, and Latin America. Mimi Fong, VP of communications, will join Carretta’s team to support international content communications. Carrie Brown, SVP of internal communications, will now report directly to Roeder. Mariana Vaca has joined as director of communications, working across Disney’s teams company-wide, having previously served as director of external communications for Walt Disney Studios.
Exciting news for Disney! Looking forward to seeing how April Carretta shapes the PR strategy under Dana Walden.
— Kingzz (@Mudiakingsley) April 9, 2026
The business segment communications leads are largely staying in place, but with adjusted reporting lines. Alannah Hall-Smith, EVP communications for Disney Experiences, reports to Disney Experiences chairman Thomas Mazloum and Roeder. Josh Krulewitz, EVP ESPN Communications, dual-reports to ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro and Roeder. Naomi Bulochnikov, EVP communications for Disney Entertainment, reports to entertainment TV chairman Debra O’Connell and Roeder. Bridget Osterhaus, VP communications for Platform Distribution, now dual-reports to Bulochnikov and Krulewitz. Erin Barrier, SVP communications for Walt Disney Studios, was recently promoted to that role and dual-reports to studios chairman Alan Bergman and Roeder.
What This Tells You About Disney
The structure being put in place puts Roeder at the center, with clearly defined lanes for every business segment, and elevates Carretta to serve the company’s top creative executive directly. Disney is reorganizing, and the communications infrastructure being built right now is designed to support what the company is building toward.
Watch this space.
