Disney has announced that Tracy Underwood has been named president of ABC Signature, where she will oversee all creative affairs, including the studio’s development of drama, comedy and limited series, as well as the current series slate. 

Tracy has been working at ABC since 2010 and, most recently, served as executive vice president of creative affairs for ABC Signature.

Eric Schrier, president of Disney Television Studios and Global Original TV Strategy for Disney Entertainment, said in a statement:

“As a proven leader at ABC Signature, Tracy has been an instrumental force behind the studio’s development of award-winning and culture-piercing series for over a decade. In this new role leading the studio, Tracy will build on her excellent relationships with our creative and platform partners to grow the studio’s legacy of producing undeniable television,” said Schrier.

Tracy Underwood also added:

“I’d like to thank Dana Walden for her extraordinary leadership and Eric Schrier for entrusting me with the opportunity to step into this role. The prospect of leading the studio that I’ve called home for over 10 years is a professional dream come true. Along with the exceptional teams, we will continue to create spectacular, impactful and relevant television during one of the most transformative chapters in our industry,”

Sydnee Rimes, senior vice president of Series, will continue to lead the current series team, now reporting to Underwood. Susan Lewis, senior vice president of Drama Development and Danny Feldheim, senior vice president of Comedy Development, will continue to report to Underwood.

Underwood has shepherded some of the studios’ most-lauded shows, including Emmy-nominated “Bad Sisters” for Apple TV+, “Fleishman Is In Trouble” for FX and “Tiny Beautiful Things” starring Kathryn Hahn for Hulu, as well as recent Humanitas recipient “A Small Light” for Nat Geo. Additional recent series under Underwood’s purview include the critically lauded comedy “This Fool” and Onyx Collective’s “UnPrisoned,” starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, and drama series “Reasonable Doubt.” Upcoming series include “Death and Other Details” starring Mandy Patinkin, “Under The Bridge” starring Riley Keough for Hulu, as well as the new drama series “High Potential” starring Kaitlin Olson for ABC. She has worked on some of the most celebrated shows across Disney Entertainment, including the launch of several of the first original series for D+, including “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” “Big Shot,” The Muppets Mayhem” and “National Treasure: The Edge of History.”

Previously, Underwood was appointed to establish a new division of ABC Studios in 2013, targeting the cable and streaming business. Under her leadership, this innovative, artist-driven speciality arm developed across all cable networks and streaming platforms, where she was responsible for shepherding the series “Godfather of Harlem” for MGM+, Hulu series “Dollface” and “High Fidelity,” “SMILF” for Showtime and the Emmy-nominated limited series “Little Fires Everywhere” for Hulu. Prior to this role, Underwood served for two years as vice president of Drama for ABC Signature (then ABC Studios). She previously had a successful career as a senior executive and producer in feature films. Her credits include “Source Code,” “White Oleander” and “Nearing Grace.” Underwood is on the advisory board for Brilliantly Strategic, a start-up in support of the breast cancer community.

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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