CJ Harris

CJ Harris is a creative powerhouse renowned for her ground-breaking achievements in the media industry. CJ began her career in public relations where she worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment before turning her gaze to the glittering world of television. CJ has held senior executive positions at major networks including HBO, BET and CNBC. Her latest mission is to empower Black millennials through Guapify, a financial platform delivering practical and pro tips on personal finance, investing and spending in a voice that is both accessible and relatable.

CJ’s passion for allyship has always been integral to her success. As Director of Creative Services at CNBC, her fearless pursuit of new horizons reinvigorated primetime promotions. Her edgy and innovative style helped craft breakthrough campaigns like Empires of New York which featured the music of Grand Master Flash, and the Joe DeSena’s No Retreat featurette which aired as the lead-in to the Olympics on CNBC. Among the many wins at the network her proudest moment was being the catalyst behind Make It Black, a CNBC vertical spotlighting Black entrepreneurs and business leaders offering tools, resources and inspiration to achieve success. CJ also played a crucial role in orchestrating a groundbreaking ad sales partnership with Black-owned businesses featured on Shark Tank. This “Shop the Show” experience opened up new monetizable opportunities for the network resulting in a major sponsorship deal.

CJ has a proven track record of transforming good ideas into impactful creative. At HBO she served as Senior Writer and Producer leading numerous high-profile campaigns including Sex and the City, Project Greenlight, Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger, Jill Scott’s No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, the relaunch of the HBO Documentary Films franchise and producing Floyd Mayweather’s very first boxing promo. She is best known for the award-winning promotional campaign for HBO’s Def Poetry, an aesthetic that continues to be replicated to this day.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, CJ left HBO to become a part of the change she wanted to see at BET Networks. Her work as Creative Director sparked some of the biggest ratings on record. Notable campaigns include the launch of the critically-acclaimed BET Original Movie Being Mary Jane, the Emmy-award winning series Scandal on BET, the record-breaking season of The Game and the NAACP Image Award-winning show Black Girls Rock.

CJ’s creative endeavors extend beyond television. A serial entrepreneur, she and her daughter Mecca created Urban Anna Mae, a multi-cultural emoji app featuring seven distinct characters with their own unique styles and catchphrases, which garnered thousands of downloads in the app stores.

CJ’s tenacity and drive can be traced back to her days as an all-city point guard from The Bronx. She attended Boston University on a full 4-year basketball scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast and Film. She is a highly competitive individual who loves a challenge, a whiskey cocktail and advocating for Black culture.