A Small Group, and a Big Network
Since her start as a manager in ad sales more than two decades ago, Cooper climbed the ranks to her current role, where she helps determine which content the company will license to other distributors and platforms.
Her steady climb is a testament to her negotiating skills—something she was not always comfortable with, at least when it came to work. The group helped her build these skills by coaching her through difficult and contentious negotiations with partners over the years.
“We’re a good sounding board for each other. We help each other through the process of thinking things through,” Cooper added. “We're all very passionate. We're all very opinionated. And so much of this is now done over text. It's amazing.”
Deena Demasi, who joined the group shortly after Cooper, is the only other member of the group chat who also works at ViacomCBS, where she is EVP of marketing and communications—a position formerly held by fellow group member Morris. She echoed Cooper’s feelings about the importance of the women’s network.
“I think each one of us knows we've got a friend, or a referral, or a contact, anywhere we need them,” Demasi explained. “We ask each other for advice and we rely on each other. We're a very big network. Small group and a big network... All of my career conversations are with these women. Many of my life conversations are with these women.”
While the women are teammates in a way, they are also occasional competitors. Abernathy recalled often competing with them for the same jobs. This, too, is a testament to their collective success.
“There are not many of us at this level in this arena,” she says. “I think it’s okay to want something for yourself but still be very supportive and excited for someone else at the same time. Inherently we’re all very happy for each other. If it’s not one of us, then it will be someone else. So it’s better that it’s one of us.”
Introducing: The Nasty Women
“It’s deeply personal,” says Menzel. “We’ve been there for marriage, divorce, children. We are all politically oriented. We all met together on the day of the [2016 presidential] election to cry. We were all very much in transition phases when we met, not young and in college. We always make time for each other even when there is a lot going on personally.”
Menzel believes the culture at Viacom fueled the closeness that has persisted through career and life changes.
“We worked hard and played hard,” she said with a laugh. “We do stay connected through the group text on a daily basis. The personal part is so much more than the professional part. It’s rooted so deeply into a magical friendship we have with each other. We have so much fun together. We think we’re the most hilarious people on the planet.”
Even as the group rallies to celebrate achievements like Cooper’s accolade, they also unite around one another’s misfortunes. When Lowe suffered an accident a few years back that landed her for an extended stay in the hospital, there wasn’t an evening when one of the group wasn't at her bedside.
“All my Nasty Girls came and every day or night one of them would be there spending the night, because I couldn’t move,” Lowe recalled.
When Lowe was finally ready to go back to work after several years off, she tapped into the network of women to help her find a job and reenter the workforce. She now works at NBC Sports in distribution and revenue growth.
The women get together at least a few times a year for special occasions, or just to hang out. They often met at the Perfect Pint in Times Square near the ViacomCBS office as a reminder of old times. Last holiday season, they all spent time at Abernethy’s apartment, including Morris and Mitchell, who flew in from San Francisco. Cooper and Menzel’s daughters used to babysit for Demasi’s daughters, and Menzel and Budill are sisters-in-law.
Before the award ceremony was rescheduled and became virtual due to COVID-19, all of the “Nasty Women” planned to be cheering at a table for Cooper and Abernethy. Many of them even blocked off the afternoon following the event for an extended post-award ceremony celebration. Now, the ladies will have to make do with emojis and GIFs in the group chat—maybe even a Zoom happy hour.
“We have all maintained agency over our careers, and our lives, and our bodies, and our kids, and our daughters,” Cooper said. “We're the right combination of very, very smart, very strong, very empathetic, and just good people. I really am super proud of the group. I think we'll be friends ‘til the day we die.”