Variety has issued its annual Women's Impact Report, highlighting women who have made an impression at all levels of entertainment. Just like last year, the list includes executive powerhouses, household-name performers, and lesser-known talents. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be spotlighting some of the women whom I find particularly noteworthy. Today's pick: creator of the TV series Army Wives, Katherine Fugate.

It's hard enough to draw audiences to the theater for movies having to do with the Iraq War; attempting to bring these stories into living rooms week after week is a huge undertaking. But by focusing the stories more on the universal topics of friendship, family ties and community, Army Wives creator Katherine Fugate has successfully found an audience for a show about American military families.

One of the things that I think resonates most with viewers is the show's emphasis on community, for which Fugate recognizes a deep-seated desire in our society. She told Variety, "The one thing that moved me during my research among real-life Army wives was the camaraderie between the women. They will bake a cake for someone they barely know, and that was so moving for me. We ache for community." For more about Fugate — including how the birth of her daughter is all wrapped up with the show's beginnings, and how she sneaked a movie script into Shirley MacLaine's hands — click here.

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