After 32 years at Black Entertainment Television (BET), former CEO Debra Lee continues shaping culture and business. Today, she sits on the boards of Warner Bros. Discovery, Marriott International, and Procter & Gamble — but her legacy at BET remains untouched.

At AFROTECH™ Conference 2025, Lee reflected on how her leadership from 2005 to 2018 helped define generations of Black entertainment, from shaping beloved programming to setting new standards for representation.

Lee began at BET as the company’s first in-house counsel, building the legal department from the ground up. She later — and unexpectedly — became president and chief operating officer, succeeding founder Bob Johnson.

“When people started writing articles, ‘Debra Lee is the heir apparent,’ it really shocked me,” Lee recalled.

“I thought I was just going to continue to do the work, and Bob would get all the credit. That’s the way it went. No big deal. And it wasn’t until Bob left and I became CEO that people started saying, ‘What do you want your legacy to be? What’s your vision for the company?’”

For Lee, the answer came easily — her vision centered on creating authentic, high-quality Black programming and proving it could thrive.

One of the first shows under her leadership, “The Game,” was picked up from CBS and went on to draw 7.7 million viewers on its BET premiere night, she shared — an unprecedented number for cable television at the time.

“My legacy is a little different. I want the high-quality programming to be part of that. But, I also wanted the fact that I hired primarily people of color, a good number of women, and they came to BET,” Lee said.

“They were passionate about what they did, and they did an excellent job. I wanted BET to be known for excellence. And it took a while, but we accomplished that. So I wanted that to be my legacy also, that I provided opportunities for young people of color and for women to produce great programming and to change the idea of representation in the media industry,” she continued.

After leaving BET in 2018, Lee still feels the joy and pride of the legacy she built. Fans continue to stop her for selfies, thank her for her impact, and celebrate what she did for the culture — proof that she accomplished exactly what she set out to do.

“That means a lot that people see what we did, what we tried to do. And I’m really proud of that. That’s the legacy. And when I look back on it, we had fun doing it. We really had fun. Everybody was pulling in the same direction. We had the same goal, and we just wanted the audience at home to watch and to be proud of what we were doing,” she shared.

Debra Lee Wants Leaders To Embrace AI, Not Fear It

Under Lee’s leadership, BET.com also launched — an effort driven by her determination to keep the network connected to its growing audience. As digital media rose in influence, she recognized early on that BET needed a strong online presence to stay ahead of the curve.

With AI reshaping business and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives under pressure, she noted that industry leaders are still learning and adapting — just as she always has.

“I think we’re still struggling with getting over the fear that AI is just going to eliminate jobs. It’s going to eliminate some jobs, but it should also be helpful in terms of how we conduct business and how people can work better together,” Lee said.

“People are nervous, but I think we have to get over that fear and really figure out how it can be helpful. And that’s the same thing with any technology,” she continued.

‘Trust Your Gut’

In an era of layoffs and uncertainty, Lee told the AFROTECH™ audience, “always realize that we’re all expendable,” urging them to stay adaptable and proactive. Above all, she encouraged attendees to stay true to themselves.

“You know what you’re good at. You know what you’re not good at. I hope you have unbridled faith in yourself. And usually when people make mistakes is when they don’t listen to their gut and they don’t stay true to their values,” Lee said.

“So then find out what your values are or what the values of the company where you work are, even if you are the founder. And stay true to those values,” she added.

Over 40K Attendees Gather At AFROTECH™ Conference 2025

AFROTECH™ Conference 2025, held in Houston, TX, from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31, 2025, drew over 40,000 attendees and provided a significant boost to the local economy, according to a news release. Launched in 2016, the conference has become a cornerstone for Black tech professionals and innovators.

This year, leaders and founders from government, health systems, and top tech companies led hundreds of sessions and connected across sectors to advance human-centered AI, equitable medtech, and culture-driven tech entrepreneurship.

“AFROTECH™ is where the world experiences innovation through the lens of community,” Morgan DeBaun, founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., said in the release.

“This year’s conference embodied what’s next, from real-world AI applications to transformative discussions in health and venture, bridging access and opportunity in every space,” she continued.