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10 WWW. UNWLA.ORG “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, СІЧЕНЬ 2013 Television Network colleague and broadcast le g- end Barbara Walters; her fellow recipients inclu d- ed Peggy Noonan, Glenn Close, and Tyra Banks, among others. Following Samilenko’s introduction, Mucha delivered brief remarks during which she stressed the importance of the work ethic and the sense of limitless possibility that her immigrant parents had instilled in her — and then the floor was opene d to a spirited and wide - ranging que s- tion and answer session. The diverse capacity a u- dience included many young communications professionals eager to hear from a superstar in their field, UNWLA friends and family, as well as some of Mucha’s former classmat es from the East Village’s St. George Ukrainian Catholic School. Topics ranged from the personal to the political and the professional; in response to a crowd a p- preciative of her time and achievements, Mucha was generous in turn, and answered questions for well over an hour. While deeply committed to and inspired by her work over the past decade with the Walt Disney corporation, Mucha gave most revealing answers to questions that had to do with her enormously influential time in the public sector, where she was perhaps best known as a right hand to New York State Governor George E. Pataki, with whose political tenure she is pract i- cally synonymous. The New York Times described her role as expanded beyond communications, “to include virtually every major de cision made by the Governor.” A lifelong Republican, Mucha spoke candidly about the disenfranchisement she feels from the current iteration of the party, which she characterized as consumed with a focus on social issues to the detriment of the kind of i m- pa ct - making policies she had a hand in shaping during her tenure with Governor Pataki. Howe v- er, when she was asked if there is the possibility of a Governor Zenia Mucha in the future, her answer was a quick and resounding no. Her respect for and commitment to the governor also account for Mucha’s biggest pe r- sonal and professional regret: not being in New York on September 11, 2001. To this lifelong New York public servant, it felt incongruous not to be in the city in its darkest hour. Professionally, her tra nsition to the private sector meant that Mucha couldn’t exert her customary influence to bring Governor Paraki in front of the media to address his state and the nation at large, something she views as a significant missed opportunity for the once presiden tial candidate. When Mucha spoke of her time at Disney, it was the company’s commitment to quality and the way in which it represents America around the globe that seemed to inspire her most — as well as the fact that her job allows her to interface with e ach facet of the company, making every day di f- ferent. While she side - stepped the inevitable “What Disney princess would you be?” question, Mucha did admit that, like all top executives, she had to take a costumed turn around the theme park as part of her c orporate initiation process. The memory of rapturous responses from young fans clearly left Mucha moved, but the strategic communicator in her was loathe to divulge the Disney character involved. But perhaps the most direct answer of the evening came in re sponse to a young woman, curious as to how Mucha nav i- gated her way to the pinnacle of such an iconic company (she reports directly to Disney CEO Robert Iger). “Well, I came in at the top,” said Mucha with a well - earned chuckle. “So I can’t r e- ally answer th at question.” At the conclusion of the Q & A, Mucha was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a selection of catalogs from the Ukrainian Museum by a member of Branch 113’s cultural affairs committee. The reception i m- mediately following featured an abundant culinary spread and a co n tinuation of the lively di a- logue that preceded it. Mucha stayed and answered questions until the very end of the eve n- ing, a Los Angeles - based power broker happy to be back among the co m munity and in the city that shaped he r destiny. UNWLA Branch 113 members at An Evening with Zenia Mucha. Photo by Olena Sidlovych
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