Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul Exits Disney TV After Eight Years as Communications Chief

Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul is leaving Disney after eight years, most recently as executive vice president of communications for Disney Entertainment Television. She announced the departure in a memo to staff, writing that she was exiting "to pursue a new opportunity."

Her exit lands amid a broader reshaping of Disney's television operations. Earlier this month, Eric Schrier moved from his role as head of international originals into a production pact. Adam Smith took over full oversight of direct-to-consumer operations. Joe Earley shifted into the newly created role of president of Disney Entertainment Television franchise and content strategy. Debra OConnell, the new chairman of Disney Entertainment Television, is said to be mulling further structural changes in the coming weeks.

Insiders stressed that Bulochnikov-Paul was departing of her own accord and that her exit was unrelated to the current restructuring.

As head of communications, Bulochnikov-Paul led communications across a sprawling portfolio of Disney brands: ABC Entertainment, ABC News, Disney Kids & Family, Disney Television Studios, FX, Hulu Originals and National Geographic Content, as well as platform distribution and Disney Global Advertising.

She joined Disney as VP of communications at Freeform and later became senior vice president of publicity and communications for ABC Entertainment. As her remit expanded across Disney Entertainment Television, she also handled executive communications for Dana Walden during Walden's tenure as Disney Entertainment co-chairman. Before Disney, Bulochnikov-Paul began her career at MTV Networks and held communications roles at Netflix, Sony Pictures Television and Current TV.

In her farewell note to staff, Bulochnikov-Paul described her eight years at the company as formative. "There is so much I will carry with me from my time here, but nothing more meaningful than the privilege of leading this incredible, powerhouse team," she wrote. "Together, we've navigated defining moments for our company, championed our talented leaders and creators, and helped our shows and stories break through and become part of the culture."

She continued: "We've also weathered our share of challenges and met every single one of them with sound judgment, creativity, resilience and most importantly, a real commitment to one another. And somehow – through it all – we always managed to make the impossible look entirely planned."

Bulochnikov-Paul thanked Dana Walden, whose "trust and mentorship have shaped my career in countless ways," as well as Paul and Debra OConnell, "whose support and generosity of spirit I've valued and benefited from greatly over many years and many roles." She called Disney "where I was raised professionally" and closed the note with a personal pledge: "I will always be in your corner."

OConnell responded with her own memo to staff. "It is with a heavy heart I share Naomi's note with you about her departure from Disney Entertainment Television," the chairman wrote. "Naomi has been a wonderful partner for me, Paul and Dana as well as so many others across the company over the years, and she's a thoughtful leader who has cultivated an awesome comms team that we've come to rely on and trust — and we all know that's something that's earned."

OConnell credited Bulochnikov-Paul's expertise as a communications strategist as "vital to us as we've navigated so much together over the past few years," and added: "We are better for having had you here, and I hope you know how deeply appreciated you are."

Neither memo named Bulochnikov-Paul's next destination. With OConnell reportedly weighing additional structural changes in the coming weeks, the vacancy at the top of Disney Entertainment Television's communications operation gives the new chairman an early opening to reshape her leadership team.