Robert Sharenow

President of Programming
Lifetime Networks

Rob Sharenow was named Executive Vice President of Programming of Lifetime Networks in March 2011. In his role, he spearheads all programming activities for Lifetime's scripted and reality series, as well as its original movies. In addition, Sharenow is responsible for managing all programming for LMN and Lifetime Real Women.

Lifetime's scripted programs include the hit drama The Client List, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and based on the hit 2010 original movie; Army Wives, the network's most watched series ever that was recently renewed for its seventh season; the critically-acclaimed comedic drama Drop Dead Diva; and the recently picked up drama Devious Maids, from Marc Cherry. As the network continues to expand its scripted portfolio, Lifetime has also ordered the drama pilots Cinnamon Girl, from Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Award-winning actress-producer Renée Zellweger, HR (working title), The Secret Lives of Wives (working title), Witches of East End and the two-hour original movie/backdoor pilot, Sworn to Silence, starring Neve Campbell.

In the midst of tripling the amount of its unscripted programming, Lifetime's reality slate includes, to name a few, the Emmy® Award-nominated nominated series Project Runway, the number one unscripted cable series among women; Project Runway All Stars, featuring 13 of the show's most talented and memorable designers who've come back to be judged again; and the hit docusoap Dance Moms, which raises the curtain on the seemingly innocent, yet extremely intense, political and colorful world of competitive dance among young girls.

A longtime leader in longform, Lifetime is also the number one ad-supported cable network for original movies among women. The October 7, 2012, world premiere of the Lifetime Original Movie Steel Magnolias, starring Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Adepero Oduye, Condola Rashad, Jill Scott and Alfre Woodard, averaged 6.5 million Total Viewers, becoming the network's third most-watched original telecast ever.

Prior to joining Lifetime, Sharenow was Senior Vice President of Non-Fiction & Alternative Programming at A&E Network, where he was responsible for supervising the development and creation of all of A&E's non-fiction programming, including its signature real-life series, justice franchises, critically-acclaimed documentary series, A&E IndieFilms, lifestyle programming and marquee specials. He also oversaw original program development for the Bio Channel.

During his tenure at A&E, he developed and/or served as executive producer on several critically acclaimed and hit real life series, including Intervention, Storage Wars, Hoarders, Steven Seagal: Lawman, Beyond Scared Straight, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, The First 48, Manhunters and Growing Up Gotti. For the Bio Channel, he was responsible for developing Shatner's Raw Nerve, I Survived and Celebrity Ghost Stories, the highest rated original series in the network's history. Under his leadership, A&E IndieFilms produced and released several theatrical documentary features, including The September Issue, The Tillman Story and Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer.

Before joining A&E, Sharenow served as Executive Producer of History's award-winning weekly series, This Week in History. While there, he also co-created and launched the series, Extreme History, with Roger Daltrey. In addition, he served as Senior Producer of a special commemorating the anniversary of 9/11, Relics from the Rubble. His other television writing credits include Michael Moore's Emmy Award-winning TV Nation and the Emmy-winning children's series Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? His first novel, My Mother the Cheerleader, was named one of the "Best Books of the Year" by the American Library Association, School Library Journal and the New York Public Library. It is currently being developed into a feature film by Julia Roberts' production company, Red Om. His second novel, The Berlin Boxing Club, was published by HarperCollins in 2011.

Sharenow is a graduate of Brandeis University. He received his Masters degree from New York University, where he held a fellowship in the American Studies department.

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