Barroeta, Karen

Barroeta, Karen

Executive Vice President of Production and Development, Telemundo Global Studios at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises

Karen Barroeta is Executive Vice President of Production and Development and the head of Telemundo Global Studios at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. In this role, Barroeta is responsible for leading the strategy of long-form scripted content at the Studios, along with the management and execution of all scripted productions. She oversees all areas of production including Development, Production Operations, Talent Management, Casting and Alternative Content, providing services for the network and third-party partners. Barroeta reports directly to Beau Ferrari, Chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.  

With over 25 years of experience in broadcast, pay TV, production and content distribution, Barroeta has led efforts in Programming, Creative, Marketing, PR and Ad Sales for international and Hispanic-language markets and has cultivated a strong expertise in media management, content creation and strategic thinking. Barroeta has played a key role in the series “La Suerte de Loli” (Loli’s Luck), International Emmy-award winning “Buscando a Frida” (The Search for Frida) and “El Señor de los Cielos” (The Lord of the Skies) which premiered its eighth season in 2023 as the #1 drama series in primetime, regardless of language. Barroeta is a forward-thinking, results-driven executive who has excelled at leading growth businesses, pushing for innovation and enhancing productivity, as well as improving operational and communication workflows while building external and internal partnerships. 

Previously, Barroeta was Senior Vice President of Marketing and Creative for Telemundo Network and Universo including Entertainment, News & Sports. In this role, Barroeta was part of the network’s core content team leading the strategic development and execution of all brand and consumer-marketing initiatives across the company’s platforms, including oversight of the media planning and experiential practices. She also collaborated with Telemundo Station Group and NBCUniversal distribution and affiliate teams while leading the strategies for shared services and scheduling. 

Prior to this, Barroeta held the role of Senior Vice President, Marketing and Creative for NBCUniversal International Networks Spanish Latin America, where she spearheaded the Marketing, Communications and Creative for Universal Channel, Studio Universal, Syfy, E! Entertainment and Telemundo Internacional, with additional responsibility for Telemundo Internacional’s programming strategy across the region. Barroeta also served General Manager at the Telemundo Internacional Pay TV Channel in Latin America.

The recipient of notable awards and recognitions, Barroeta has been named to Multichannel News’ Wonder Women of New York, Cablefax’s 100, and The Imagen Foundation’s Influential Latinos in Media. During her tenure, the series “Buscando a Frida” received an International Emmy Award for Non-English Language U.S. Primetime Program.

Barroeta is a member of the Worldwide Audiovisual Women’s Association (WAWA) and volunteers at the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School. Barroeta holds an MBA from the University of Miami, a Master of Arts in Television Production & Digital Media from Emerson College and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Florida Atlantic University. 

Sessions/Events
Streaming: The New Age of Hispanic Programming
Sunday, April 16 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM PT