Abbe Raven

Raven was born and raised in Queens, New York. In 1974, she received her B.A. in Theatre from the State University of New York at Buffalo.{{cite web|title=History in the Making|url=http://www.buffalo.edu/UBT/UBT-archives/11_ubtw99/alumni_profiles/profile3.html|website=www.buffalo.edu|publisher=UB Today|access-date=June 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527122329/http://www.buffalo.edu/ubt/UBT-archives/11_ubtw99/alumni_profiles/profile3.html|archive-date=May 27, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} Raven received her M.A. in Theatre & Film from Hunter College. She was awarded Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from Hunter College, Florida Southern College and State University of New York at Buffalo.

Raven met her husband, Martin Tackel, while at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Tackel is an attorney and a commercial arbitrator.{{cite web|title=HTackel & Varachi Partner Profile |url=http://www.tackelvarachi.com/martin-s-tackel.html |website=www.tackelvarachi.com |publisher=Tackel & Varachi |access-date=February 11, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212003033/http://www.tackelvarachi.com/martin-s-tackel.html |archive-date=February 12, 2015 }}

After graduating from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Raven was a stage manager for off-Broadway and regional theater. She took an opportunity to work for a company called DAYTIME that was just starting out. It later became the Arts & Entertainment Network. She was promoted to Senior Vice President and put in charge of all production, post-production and studio facilities.{{cite web|title=THIS SLAVE FILM SHOULDN'T MAKE HISTORY|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/slave-film-shouldn-history-article-1.773703|website=www.nydailynews.com|publisher=NY Daily News|date=December 3, 1997}} Raven then transferred to the HISTORY brand as the Executive Vice President and General Manager{{cite web|title=The Past Is Its Present and Future|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-30-tv-51428-story.html|website=www.latimes.com|date=September 30, 2001 |publisher=LA Times Today|access-date=September 30, 2001}} and was in charge of all programming. She was then promoted to President of A&E Network and The Biography Channel. In March 2005, Raven became the President & CEO of A+E Networks.{{Cite news|url=http://www.hearst.com/newsroom/nickolas-davatzes-steps-down-as-president-ceo-of-a-e-television-networks-abbe-raven-succeeds-him|title=Nickolas Davatzes Steps Down as President & CEO of A&E Television Networks; Abbe Raven Succeeds Him|access-date=April 19, 2018}} In June 2013, she became Chairman of A+E Networks.{{cite web|title=Abbe Raven Elevated To New Role as Chairman of A+E Networks; Nancy Dubuc Named President & Chief Executive Officer|url=http://www.hearst.com/newsroom/abbe-raven-elevated-to-new-role-as-chairman-of-a-e-networks-nancy-dubuc-named-president-chief-executive-officer|website=www.hearst.com|publisher=Hearst|access-date=April 21, 2013}} Raven retired and became Chairman Emeritus of A+E Networks in February 2015.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2014/11/abbe-raven-retire-ae-networks-1201271380/|title=Abbe Raven To Retire As A+E Networks Chairman|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=November 3, 2014|work=Deadline|access-date=April 19, 2018|language=en-US}} Upon the departure of CEO Nancy Dubuc in March 2018, Raven returned to A+E as Acting Chairman.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/nancy-dubuc-vice-media-ceo-ae-networks-abbe-raven-1202723999/|title=A+E Networks Chief Nancy Dubuc in Talks to Become CEO of Vice Media (EXCLUSIVE)|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=March 12, 2018|work=Variety|access-date=April 23, 2018|language=en-US}}

In October 2009, she was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/abbe-raven-110489|title=Abbe Raven|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=April 25, 2018|language=en-us}}

In 2010, she was named in The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power 100 list and named one of the top 5 most powerful women in entertainment.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/women-entertainment-power-100-56504|title=Women in Entertainment Power 100|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=April 25, 2018|language=en}}

She was Chairman of the board and now alumni Board Member of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.{{Cite web|url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/profile/721|title=Abbe Raven|website=National Museum of American History|language=en|access-date=April 19, 2018}}

Raven was elected as Vice Chair of the inaugural Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Advisory Council

Raven is on the board of directors of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bcrf.org/board-of-directors|title=Breast Cancer Research Foundation|date=July 11, 2014|access-date=April 19, 2018|language=en}}

She previously served on the board of directors of Pencil, a non-profit group that brings corporate know how to New York City public schools.{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/ae-s-raven-joins-pencil-board-directors-134599|title=A+E's Raven Joins Pencil Board of Directors|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=April 23, 2018|language=en-us}}

She is a director of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and is on their executive committee.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/a-e-networks-chairman-abbe-666635|title=A+E Networks Chairman Abbe Raven Joins International TV Academy Executive Committee|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=April 23, 2018|language=en}}

In 2018, Raven was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from the State University of New York at Buffalo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2018/09/signature-series.html|title=Signature Series to feature A&E's Abbe Raven - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at Buffalo|website=www.buffalo.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-11-28}} Hunter College, and Florida Southern College.

Raven was a co-producer of the Tony-nominated Broadway musical The Prom, which opened on November 15, 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/abbe-raven-520304|title=Abbe Raven – Broadway Cast & Staff {{!}} IBDB|last=League|first=The Broadway|website=www.ibdb.com|access-date=2018-11-28}} As a co-producer, she received a Tony Award for best musical revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company in 2021. She is also co-producer of the current Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman, which opened Oct 9,2022.

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• {{Citation |last= Goldsmith |first= Jill |title= Raven rises after modest start; Showman of the Year 2012: A+E Networks |magazine=Variety |date=September 9, 2012 |url= https://variety.com/2012/tv/news/raven-rises-after-modest-start-1118058731/ }}
• {{Citation |publisher=National Museum of American History |url= http://americanhistory.si.edu/about/board |title= Board }}
• {{Citation |title= Abbe Raven (1953-) |publisher= Biography and Genealogy Master Index {{Subscription required|via=Gale }} |editor-first= Jeffrey |editor-last=Muhr |year= 2014 |location=Detroit }}
• {{Citation |chapter= Abbe Raven |title= Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television (Biography in Context) |volume= 101 |location=Detroit |publisher= {{Subscription required|via=Gale }} |year= 2010 }}

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• {{authority control}}{{Citation |last=Raven |first=Abbe, Producer |title=The Prom |date= |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-prom-518117 |work=Company}}

• {{Citation |last=Raven |first=Abbe, Producer |title=Death of a Salesman |date=October 9, 2022 |url=https://www.playbill.com/production/death-of-a-salesman-broadway-hudson-theatre}}
• {{Citation |title=Wonder Women: Smithsonian appoints advisory council for budding women's history museum in Washington, DC |date=August 8, 2021 |url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2021/08/20/wonder-women-smithsonian-appoints-advisory-council-for-budding-womens-history-museum-in-washington-dc |work=Smithsonian American Women's History}}

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Category:A&E Networks

Category:University at Buffalo alumni

Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:Hunter College alumni

Category:People from Queens, New York