After college, Laybourne had various jobs. From 1969 to 1970, Laybourne worked at Wallace, McHarg, Roberts and Todd, an architecture firm in Philadelphia. where she initiated a
focus-group approach to programming. Laybourne and her team were responsible for creating and building the Nickelodeon brand, launching
Nick at Nite and expanding the network by establishing it in other countries, developing theme parks and creating Nickelodeon magazine, movie, toy and publishing divisions. Under her leadership, Nickelodeon became the top-rated 24-hour cable programming service and won
Emmy Awards,
Peabody Awards,
CableACE Awards and
Parents' Choice Awards. The network had a 40% profit margin and explosive growth every year. By the time she left Nickelodeon in 1996, it was an $8 billion business. She led the development of two projects that did not come to fruition: ABC 24 Hour News cable channel and ABZ, an innovative education channel. Laybourne played a role in the creation and
management of
ABC's
Saturday morning children's programming schedule, with the successful launch of
One Saturday Morning.
Oxygen Media (1998–2007) In 1998, Laybourne left Disney and partnered with
Oprah Winfrey and
Carsey-Werner Productions to create
Oxygen Media, a cable TV company dedicated to creating television and Internet programming for women. She also purchased three women-oriented online services from her former MTV boss,
Robert W. Pittman. On February 2, 2000 (a date which plays off the chemical compound of oxygen—O2/O2), the Oxygen Network premiered to 10 million subscribers.
Boards and memberships • 2014-present
Betaworks, Board Member • 2013-present Katapult, Chairman of the Board, Co-Founder • 2015-present Vital Voices, Vice Chairman
Past positions • 2010-2015: Alloy Media + Marketing, Chairman of the Board • 2013-2015: Defy Media, Chairman of the Board • 2007–present:
Symantec, Board Member; Compensation Committee • 1997–present:
Vassar College, Board of Trustees; 2010-14: President of the Alumnae/i Association of Vassar College (AAVC); Co-Chair of Vassar Presidential Search Committee • 2008-2012:
Electronic Arts • 2009-2013:
JC Penney • Kindercare • Move.com •
Cable Positive, Honorary Chair •
National Cable & Telecommunications Association • National Council for Families and Television • New York Women in Film & Television, Advisory Board Member • The White House Project == Personal life ==