Editors’ Note: Black history is American history. Reel 360 News’ Reel Black List is a commitment to recognizing the impact of Black voices across film, television, music, media, and culture every single day of the year. In a moment when DEI initiatives have been challenged and hard-won progress feels increasingly fragile, it’s more important than ever to amplify the voices of Black artists, leaders, and innovators who have shaped the industry and continue to move it forward. Today, we are so incredibly honored to spotlight and listen to award-winning media exec and author, Christen Rochon.
Christen Rochon is an award-winning media executive and author whose 25+ year career spans the intersection of culture, media, tech, and storytelling. As Director of Ad Partnerships at NBCUniversal, she leads advertising strategies across broadcast, digital, and OTT platforms, helping brands build authentic connections with multicultural audiences.
A proud Detroit native and advocate for equity in STEAM education, Christen is the founder of the STEM Equity Foundation and the author of The Creative Discipline Project. She has been celebrated as a trailblazer in media and innovation by Black Enterprise, EBONY, ESSENCE, and Rolling Out.
Christen’s deep experience in broadcast, editorial, and digital marketing, along with accolades such as the Verizon Digital Trailblazer Award and Michigan Chronicle’s 40 Under 40, underscores her multifaceted influence. Her dedication to mentoring young creatives of color and involvement in advisory boards further demonstrates her commitment to making a positive impact and driving industry innovation and change.
Let’s meet Christen!
What’s the version of your origin story you don’t put on LinkedIn?
My origin story doesn’t start with job titles; it starts with curiosity. As a kid, I was captivated by TV commercials. I’d sit through entire breaks analyzing the music, the dialogue, the energy. Sometimes I was more excited about the ads than the actual show.
I didn’t have the language for “brand strategy” or “consumer psychology” yet, but I just knew I was watching magic. That early obsession quietly shaped everything that came after.
Which dream did you outgrow? Which one won’t go away?
I haven’t outgrown my dreams; they’ve matured alongside me. What I once imagined has expanded in scale, but the core vision has remained: autonomy, creativity, and impact. The one dream that still lingers quietly but persistently is becoming a full-time visual artist and retiring somewhere like Bonaire or San Juan, painting near the ocean, living slowly, and creating without pressure. That dream hasn’t faded; it’s simply waiting for its appointed season.
Was your career a choice, an accident, or a survival instinct?
My career was destined in vision but accidental in execution. I always wanted to work in advertising, but I just didn’t imagine sales would be my vehicle. Starting in radio forced me to build survival skills: negotiation, relationship management, and composure under pressure.
Those early lessons became transferable assets that carried me through a 25+ year career in radio and television. What began as an unexpected entry point became my arena.
Who were your mentors?
I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who guided me in different dimensions of my life. My mother taught me confidence, composure, and how to walk into rooms knowing I belonged there. Professionally, Skip Dillard was instrumental during my radio career and beyond, advocating for me, encouraging me to elevate my education, and opening doors to broader industry exposure. Their mentorship wasn’t just advice; it was access, belief, and reinforcement at critical turning points.
What’s a risk you took that looked insane to everyone else but felt necessary to you?
The biggest “insane” risk I took was leaving a traditional 9–5 in radio in 2010 to build my own lifestyle and entertainment platform before influencer marketing was mainstream. There was no roadmap, no guaranteed income, and no safety net, just vision.
That leap allowed me to collaborate with Fortune 500 companies, travel globally, expand my brand, and double my income. It looked reckless from the outside. It felt inevitable from the inside.
Tell us a story that’s 100% true and still sounds like bullshit?
I turned watching commercials as a kid into a career negotiating six-figure sports media deals, while building a nonprofit, curating art, mentoring women, and planning real estate investments on the side. It sounds chaotic. It’s just my actual life.
What lie do you tell yourself to keep going?
The lie I sometimes tell myself to keep going is that I’ll rest after the next win, after the deal closes, the project launches, the responsibility lightens. That pushing a little harder now guarantees peace later. It’s helped me build discipline and resilience, but I’m learning that rest, softness, and joy don’t have to be earned through overextension
You wake up in a film universe? What is it? Who do you play?
I’d wake up as Storm in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She’s powerful, but measured. Observant before decisive. She understands that leadership isn’t about domination, it’s about balance. She commands the elements the way I aim to command rooms: with awareness, restraint, and precision.
What’s something people assume about you that’s completely wrong?
People often assume that, because I’m quiet, introverted, and highly observant, I’m stuck-up or judgmental. In reality, I’m discerning. I listen more than I speak, I read energy carefully, and I move intentionally. My silence isn’t arrogance, it’s awareness.
What are you chasing next: clarity, chaos, peace, or power?
I’m choosing peace and power, and embracing the productive chaos that comes with growth. Peace in my relationships and decision-making. Power in my finances, career, and personal boundaries. And the kind of chaos that represents expansion new opportunities, unexpected blessings, and divine redirection. I’m not chasing anymore; I’m aligning and allowing.
What does success look like when nobody’s watching?
Success, when nobody’s watching, looks like ownership, health, peace, and optionality. It’s multiple paid-off homes and income-producing assets that fund freedom. It’s a strong, healthy body and a clear mind. It’s quiet joy, emotional security, and relationships rooted in reciprocity.
It’s creative sovereignty, the ability to travel, build, paint, write, and give back without hesitation or financial limitation. It’s legacy built intentionally, wealth structured wisely, and a life designed with choice at the center.
What does 2026 look like for you?
2026 looks like a year of elevation, intentional building, and mentorship to the next generation of leaders in media, television, and entertainment. It’s a season of stepping into higher rooms, strengthening the foundations of revenue and assets, and expanding my influence globally while remaining grounded in integrity. It’s about scaling impact, professionally, financially, and philanthropically, while creating clear pathways for young Black women and emerging leaders to see what’s possible. It’s refinement, expansion, and legacy in motion.
For more Reel Black List honorees, click here.
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