Susan Lewis is joining ABC Signature as senior vice president and head of drama development.
Lewis will officially join the studio on Aug. 31 and will report to Tracy Underwood. She takes over the role from Patrick Maguire, who exited the studio amid the recent restructuring that saw ABC Studios and ABC Signature combine under the ABC Signature banner as part of Disney Television Studios.
“I feel very lucky to be joining the incredibly talented team at ABC Signature,” Lewis said. “The breadth of projects that they have brought to audiences is unparalleled, and I am excited to be at a company that is doing everything possible to tell stories about people that have not been told before.”
Lewis most recently worked at Starz Entertainment, where she has been senior vice president of original programming since 2017. During her tenure, she oversaw multiple series including “Dublin Murders,” “Hightown,” and the new critically-acclaimed series “P-Valley.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Susan to ABC Signature,” said Underwood. “I have long admired her impeccable taste and collaborative spirit. Her thoughtful shepherding of distinctive series like ‘P-Valley’ in concert with her unflappable leadership style made her an undeniable choice for us to spearhead drama and be a vital decision maker for our studio.”
Prior to Starz, Lewis was a producer for AK Worldwide, overseeing all creative development and production for Alicia Keys’ production company in digital, film, television, theater and publishing. Among other projects, she worked on the unscripted series “Hustle” for Viceland, and executive produced the films “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete” and “Pariah,” and the Hallmark/ABC Humanitas award-winning television movie “Firelight.”
Prior to that, she was vice president of development at MTV Films. In that position, she acquired the manuscript for Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling young adult novel “Twilight” and oversaw the initial development of that blockbuster film franchise alongside Paramount executives.