Every major life change for me has happened at ESPN. To work at a truly special place for 20+ years with people who are deeply passionate is a gift. From a little girl playing hooky to watch the NFL Draft to building espnW, this ride has been a dream come true. “It is hard to express how much I love ESPN. A passionate athlete and leader, Laura managed the creation of espnW from an idea to a fully developed brand, built the espnW Summit into a powerhouse event, and led ESPN’s partnership with the State Department to create The Global Sports Mentoring Program, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year. I am reaching out with bittersweet news – Laura Gentile, EVP, ESPN Marketing, has made a thoughtful and personal decision to leave ESPN after a 20-year career to start her own business. Laura’s strategic leadership and creativity have been vital to growing the ESPN brand, ESPN’s relationship with fans and our audience expansion efforts. In addition to her work with Marketing, Laura’s role championing and empowering women in sports cannot be overstated – she has made an enormous difference in the industry. I’m incredibly energized and eternally grateful,” Gentile said as part of the internal memo.Ī full copy of the internal memo from ESPN chief Jimmy Pitaro follows:

The marketing team is now deep and experienced, and it’s the right time for me to do new things, pursue fresh challenges and start my own shop.

“To work at a truly special place for 20+ years with people who are deeply passionate is a gift. In March, Pitaro restructured his senior leadership team, with Thornton taking on additional duties to lead content production and operations, while longtime marketing head Gentile took on more duties at ESPN. Josh Gad Shares Update on Rick Moranis-Starring 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' Reboot: 'Budget Got the Best of Us'

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