User:Samantha Orton/sandbox

Samantha Jade Orton (née Samantha Jade Gerrard; May 30, 1980) is a British corporate executive for the professional wrestling company WWE. She is currently the Executive Vice President, Television & Live Events but will leave this role on September 30, 2012 to become the Executive Vice President, Creative Writing alongside Stephanie McMahon.

Orton joined WWE in October 1997 and a personal assistant to Chairman Vince McMahon. She remained in this role until May 1998 when she joined the WWE Creative Team which she continued to do until January 2000 when she and Stephanie McMahon were named Co-Head Writer, WWE Divas. Both Orton and McMahon were praised for their revitalisation of the view of women in wrestling. They continued in their roles until July 2005 when Orton became the Director, Television Distribution and McMahon moving on to become the Director, Creative. She continued in this role until August 2008 when she took maternity leave. Upon her return to work on January 1, 2009, she was named the Executive Vice President, Television & Live Events. She will leave this role on September 30 to re-join Stephanie McMahon as the Executive Vice President, Creative Writing.

Orton made her on-screen debut in April 2001 as the manager of Randy Orton, whom she would later start an off-screen relationship with which led to their marriage in August 2007 and the birth of their daughter in 2008. During her 10 year on-screen career, Orton has played both face and heel characters and has been involved in the majority of her husband's 9 world title wins. She made her final WWE appearance at Wrestlemania XXVIII in April 2012, causing her husband to lose his match against Kane and leaving up the entrance ramp.

She is the wife of nine-time World Champion Randy Orton as well as being best friends with Stephanie McMahon. She also shares a close relationship with WWE owner Vince McMahon and his wife Linda, Stephanie's husband Paul Levesque and other WWE talent including Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and John Cena amongst others. Category:1980 births