Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Stephanie McMahon

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Stephanie McMahon made an impact.

Stephanie McMahon is an American businesswoman and retired professional wrestler, primarily known for her extensive involvement with WWE from 1998 to 2023. She held various on-screen and executive roles, contributing significantly to the company's growth and evolution. Her roles encompassed performer, writer, and executive, ultimately becoming chairwoman and co-CEO before her departure. McMahon's career reflects a blend of wrestling entertainment and corporate leadership.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1998: Graduation from Boston University

In 1998, Stephanie McMahon graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in communications.

September 20, 1999: Tag Team Victory with Test

On September 20, 1999, Stephanie McMahon and Test teamed together in a match, defeating Jeff Jarrett and Debra.

August 21, 2000: Loss of WWF Women's Championship

On August 21, 2000, Stephanie McMahon lost the WWF Women's Championship to Lita on Raw, despite interference from Kurt Angle and Triple H. The Rock, as the special referee, performed a spinebuster on McMahon during the match.

November 2000: Head Writer Appointment

In November 2000, Stephanie McMahon became the head writer of the company, replacing Chris Kreski.

2000: Appearance in WWF WrestleMania 2000

In 2000, Stephanie McMahon appeared in the WWE video game WWF WrestleMania 2000.

January 2002: Return to WWF and Marital Problems

In January 2002, Stephanie McMahon returned to WWF television after being banished. She returned when Triple H made a comeback as a fan-favorite, but their on-screen relationship began to deteriorate as she portrayed a nagging wife.

July 18, 2002: General Manager of SmackDown!

On July 18, 2002, Stephanie McMahon returned to WWE (formerly WWF) as the general manager of SmackDown!. Unlike her previous villainous character, she became a fan favorite.

2002: Director of Creative Writing

By 2002, Stephanie McMahon held the position of Director of Creative Writing.

2003: Feud with Vince McMahon and Sable

In 2003, Vince McMahon began resenting Stephanie's attempts to stop him from pursuing an affair with Sable. This led to a father-daughter "I Quit" match at No Mercy, which Stephanie lost, forcing her to step down as SmackDown! general manager.

October 3, 2005: Return as a Villainess

On October 3, 2005, Stephanie McMahon returned as a villainess for Raw Homecoming, where she confronted Stone Cold Steve Austin and received a Stunner.

October 10, 2005: Firing of Jim Ross

On October 10, 2005, Stephanie McMahon, along with her father and mother, fired Raw announcer Jim Ross.

March 6, 2006: Return to Raw

On March 6, 2006, a visibly pregnant Stephanie McMahon returned on Raw, claiming abdominal pains to Shawn Michaels and then pouring an unmarked substance into his water, causing him to become groggy during his match.

April 1, 2006: WWE Hall of Fame Appearance

On April 1, 2006, Stephanie McMahon appeared at the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony and in a backstage vignette with her family at WrestleMania 22.

2006: Promotional Poster for Royal Rumble

In 2006, Stephanie McMahon appeared on promotional posters for WWE's Royal Rumble event.

2006: Promotion to Senior Vice President

In 2006, Stephanie McMahon was promoted to Senior Vice President of Creative Writing.

April 2007: Wrestlemania 23 Appearance

In April 2007, Stephanie McMahon returned during a backstage segment at WrestleMania 23, visiting her father before his "Battle of the Billionaires" match.

September 3, 2007: Confrontation with Mr. McMahon

On September 3, 2007, Stephanie McMahon, along with her mother Linda and her brother Shane, confronted Mr. McMahon about his illegitimate child, Hornswoggle, on Raw.

2007: Appearance in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007

In 2007, Stephanie McMahon appeared in the WWE video game WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007.

2007: Executive Vice President of Creative

In 2007, Stephanie McMahon was promoted to Executive Vice President of Creative, responsible for overseeing the creative process for all television and pay-per-view programming and all aspects of talent management and branding, live event booking and marketing, and all social and digital media properties.

2008: Appearance in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008

In 2008, Stephanie McMahon appeared in the WWE video game WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008.

March 28, 2009: Appearance on The Market Morning Show

On March 28, 2009, Stephanie McMahon appeared with her mother on Business News Network's "The Market Morning Show".

November 11, 2009: Appearance on Dinner: Impossible

On November 11, 2009, Stephanie McMahon appeared on an episode of Food Network's "Dinner: Impossible" with wrestler Big Show.

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2009: Appearance in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009

In 2009, Stephanie McMahon appeared in the WWE video game WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.

2011: Appearance in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011

In 2011, Stephanie McMahon appeared in the WWE video game WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011.

July 23, 2012: Appearance on Raw 1000th Episode

On July 23, 2012, Stephanie McMahon appeared on the 1000th episode of Raw, confronting and slapping Paul Heyman to convince him to accept a match between Brock Lesnar and Triple H at SummerSlam.

April 6, 2013: Induction of Trish Stratus into WWE Hall of Fame

On April 6, 2013, Stephanie McMahon inducted former on-screen rival Trish Stratus into the WWE Hall of Fame.

June 3, 2013: Decision Regarding Triple H's Competition

On June 3, 2013, Stephanie McMahon made an appearance to reveal her decision not to allow Triple H to compete that night.

October 2013: Honorary Chairperson for Special Olympics

In October 2013, Stephanie McMahon became the honorary chairperson for the Special Olympics of Connecticut.

November 2013: Signing Performers Contract

In November 2013, Stephanie McMahon signed a three-year performer's contract with WWE, confirming her as a regular on its programming. She and Triple H continued to rule the company as a controlling "power couple" dubbed The Authority.

December 4, 2013: Promotion to Chief Brand Officer

On December 4, 2013, WWE announced the promotion of Stephanie McMahon to Chief Brand Officer, where she would lead efforts to further enhance WWE's brand reputation among key constituents including advertisers, media, business partners, and investors.

2013: Combined Salary

In 2013, Stephanie McMahon earned a combined salary of over $775,000 between her corporate role and as an on-screen talent.

February 5, 2014: Partnership with KaBOOM!

On February 5, 2014, Stephanie McMahon along with CMO and CRO Michelle Wilson announced a partnership between WWE and KaBOOM! to build a playground for WWE's annual WrestleMania week in Louisiana.

April 15, 2014: New WWE Logo Confirmation

On April 15, 2014, during WWE's annual Business Partners Summit, Stephanie McMahon confirmed that a new WWE logo would debut the night after WWE SummerSlam, although it was already showing up on WWE products like the WWE Network and NXT.

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June 2014: Feud with Brie Bella and Vickie Guerrero

In June 2014, Stephanie McMahon's storyline with Daniel Bryan involved threatening to fire Brie Bella if Bryan didn't relinquish the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. On the June 16 episode of Raw, Roman Reigns spiked the coffee Vickie Guerrero gave to McMahon. On the June 23 episode of Raw, Vickie lost in a pudding match against McMahon with her job on the line and was fired.

August 5, 2014: Needham Fireside Conference

On August 5, 2014, at the Needham fireside conference, Stephanie McMahon alongside her husband Triple H, and WWE Chief strategy and financial officer George Barrios, discussed the Creative side of WWE, the WWE Network, and the difference between WWE and UFC.

December 2, 2014: Release of WWE Fit Series

On December 2, 2014, WWE released the WWE Fit Series, starring Stephanie McMahon as a trainer in a fitness video designed for women.

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2014: Promotional Poster for Elimination Chamber

In 2014, Stephanie McMahon appeared on promotional posters for WWE's Elimination Chamber event.

2014: Feud with Ronda Rousey

In 2014, Stephanie McMahon feuded with Ronda Rousey, leading to a mixed tag-team match at WrestleMania 34 where she and Triple H were defeated by Rousey and Kurt Angle.

July 13, 2015: Introduction of the Women's Revolution

On the July 13, 2015, episode of Raw, Stephanie McMahon interrupted Team Bella to introduce Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Sasha Banks, calling for a "revolution" in the WWE Divas division.

February 22, 2016: Vincent J. McMahon Legacy of Excellence Award and Shane's Return

On February 22, 2016, Mr. McMahon presented Stephanie McMahon with the "Vincent J. McMahon Legacy of Excellence" award. Shane McMahon also returned after 2009, demanding control of Raw.

May 2016: Memoir Announcement

In May 2016, Stephanie McMahon announced via Twitter that she was writing her memoir, expected in 2020.

October 30, 2017: Confrontation with Kurt Angle

On the October 30, 2017, episode of Raw, Stephanie McMahon confronted Raw general manager Kurt Angle regarding the SmackDown roster's attack on Raw, naming him team captain for Raw at Survivor Series.

2017: Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Honoree

In 2017, Stephanie McMahon was named a Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Honoree at the ESPN Humanitarian Awards.

2018: Announcing the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble Match

In 2018, Stephanie McMahon announced the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match for the 2018 Royal Rumble with the winner receiving a match at WrestleMania 34 for either the Raw Women's Championship or SmackDown Women's Championship.

2018: Undercover Boss Participation

In 2018, Stephanie McMahon participated in a celebrity edition of CBS's "Undercover Boss", disguised as a new employee in the WWE business office.

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April 15, 2019: Heel Turn on Raw

On the April 15, 2019, episode of Raw, Stephanie McMahon turned heel again by supporting her brother's actions against The Miz's father and insulting the fans.

2019: Adweek Brand Genius Honoree

In 2019, Adweek chose Stephanie McMahon as a Brand Genius honoree.

2019: Sporadic Appearances and Draft Announcement

Throughout 2019, Stephanie McMahon was seen as a more neutral character, appearing sporadically. She announced the draft picks during the 2019 WWE Draft and introduced the live broadcast of WrestleMania 36.

2020: Most Influential Female CMO

In 2020, Stephanie McMahon was named the world's most influential female CMO by Forbes, ranking No. 2 overall.

2020: Unreleased Memoir

In 2020, Stephanie McMahon's memoir, which was announced in May 2016, was expected to be released but ultimately never was.

May 19, 2022: Leave of Absence

On May 19, 2022, Stephanie McMahon announced via Twitter that she would be taking a leave of absence from the majority of her responsibilities at WWE to focus on family, with plans to return in the near future.

June 17, 2022: Interim Chairwoman and CEO Appointment

On June 17, 2022, amidst an investigation into Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon stepped in as the interim chairwoman and CEO of WWE, replacing her father.

July 22, 2022: Chairwoman and Co-CEO Appointment

On July 22, 2022, Stephanie McMahon was named the new chairwoman and Co-CEO of WWE (alongside Nick Khan) after Vince McMahon retired from the company.

January 10, 2023: Resignation from WWE

On January 10, 2023, Stephanie McMahon Levesque resigned as Co-CEO of WWE and from the company, following her father Vince McMahon's return as executive chairman.

April 2024: WWE Draft Appearance

In April 2024, Stephanie McMahon announced the draft picks during the 2024 WWE Draft.

August 2024: Attendance at SummerSlam

In August 2024, Stephanie McMahon attended SummerSlam at ringside. After the event, Triple H indicated that while she wasn't currently in a position with the company, a return was possible.