Lori McFarling

A highly respected industry leader with more than 20 years of media, marketing, and business development expertise, Lori McFarling served as Discovery Education’s president of social impact, leading global branding and the company’s public-private social impact. McFarling drove the development of Discovery Education’s strategic marketing initiatives that supported educators in transitioning classrooms to digital learning environments, optimizing the power of media and technology to enhance instruction. With a diverse array of partnerships across the public-private sector—consumer brands, non-profit and advocacy organizations, sports leagues, and academia—McFarling guided the company’s work across diverse industries, disciplines, and subject areas that support youth achievement. McFarling is a sought-after thought leader and speaker on issues related to the intersection of social impact and brand activation. She has been a featured speaker at the Milken Institute’s Future of Health Summit, STEMConnector’s Global STEM Talent Summit, the Incite Marketing Forum, Landmark Media’s Tech Summit, and the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 2016 Corporate Citizenship Conference. McFarling is a graduate of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute and was named to the Most Powerful Women in Cable roster in 2017, 2015, and 2014. McFarling was also named to the “Wonder Women” class of television executives and has been recognized with notable awards, including the Vanguard Award for Marketing, the industry’s highest honor for marketing excellence, and the WICT Liberty Award, acknowledging her “demonstrated excellence in the areas of leadership, innovation, excellence, risk-taking, teamwork, and dedication to the cable and telecommunications industry.” McFarling earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and resides with her husband and three children in Bethesda, Maryland.