Grey’s Anatomy is a tribute to Disney TV executive Stephanie Leifer

The season 21 premiere of ABC Grey’s Anatomy ended with a card dedicating the episode to Stephanie Leifer. Although the name may not be recognizable to the average person Grays Fan, the tribute is deeply meaningful to those who contributed to the show at any point in its run.

Leifer, who died of cancer in June at age 56, was a popular programming executive who worked at ABC and its sister studio for a total of 28 years before leaving the company in 2022. She was the boss Grey’s Anatomy as a current executive at the network and then at ABC Signature (formerly ABC Studios), which produces the hit medical drama.

In an interview with Deadline in conjunction with the season 21 premiere: Grey’s Anatomy Executive producer/showrunner Meg Marinis spoke about the decision to dedicate the episode to Leifer. Marinis had worked with Leifer for more than a decade and a half as she rose from host to collaborator to executive producer and now showrunner on the show.

“Stephanie Leifer was an incredible person and dedicated advocate Grays. She really believed in us from the beginning and supported our creative vision,” said Marinis. “I started my career as an assistant delivering something Grays Scripts were sent to her office and I remember her door was always open. She encouraged writers and participated in several Grays Milestone events. It was a heartbreaking loss for this family.”

For more on the premiere’s twists and what to expect from the rest of the season, check out Deadline’s interview with Marinis.