Eileen O'Neill

As Vice President of Programming for the Discovery Health Channel, Eileen O'Neill is responsible for overseeing the network's programming schedule, all network program acquisitions, managing the scheduling and evaluation department staff and overseeing the network film budget.

O'Neill joined Discovery Health in May 1999 as Director of Programming. Previously, she was Director of Scheduling for the Travel Channel, acquired by Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI) in 1997.

Prior to that position, O'Neill served as DCI's director of business affairs, responsible for all contract negotiations concerning co-productions, commissioned programming and original work for Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel and Animal Planet. She served in this capacity for four years, working with such partners as the BBC, Warner Brothers and Termite Productions.

O'Neill describes herself as "homegrown talent," having started with DCI as an intern while working toward a graduate degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Having successfully developed a programming library and earned the respect of her professional mentors, she was hired by DCI's networks operation department immediately upon graduation. Early years with the company were spent in production management.