Thedrum

Being at an agency for 5 years these days seems like a monumental accomplishment. The fact that Val DiFebo, CEO of Deutsch New York, has been at the same agency for 25 years isn’t an anomaly — it’s testament to her dedication to not just the agency she has called home, but to the industry overall. Starting as an account manager, the Bronx native has steadily and continually climbed to the stratosphere of leadership in her own way — with honesty, candor and a competitive spirit. But DiFebo is also incredibly loyal to her team and women in the industry and mixes her innate bravery with kindness and care. DiFebo knows how to read people well, but also doesn’t wait when she sees an opportunity to engage for the greater good — especially with clients. This superpower, she believes, is a learnable trait and one that can be valuable when practiced with mindfulness and empathy of others. One critical aspect of DiFebo’s own growth, and that of the agency, is her insistence on breaking down the walls of the C-sui

One can’t say that Sharon Napier is quiet. Growing up in a “loud first-generation Italian family” outside of Buffalo saw to that. Another thing one can’t say about the CEO of Partners + Napier in Rochester is that she follows the rules. The competitive fire she exhibits day in and day out sparks her team, which works on a number of interesting clients such as Delta Vacations, BMW and MINI Financial Services, USA Today, Xerox, Robert Mondavi and others. But that doesn’t mean that Napier, a proud mother with two daughters in the advertising business in New York City, doesn’t make a mistake or two along the way. In fact, she believes that learning from the failures (actually learning from them) has been of great benefit to her over her 20+ years in the industry. Napier is a massive advocate for women in the industry and strongly encourages, especially young women, to understand their personal brand, know their value and never apologize. “Every time we say sorry we sort of lose our relevance, our import

Libby Brockhoff, CEO of Odysseus Arms in San Francisco, is all about breaking convention and keeping ahead — resulting in penultimate moments in creativity, culture and even world affairs. A few, in her impressive career so far, stand out. First, she, along with the other founders named a new agency in London “Mother,” with the intention of separating it from the male-dominated stereotypes. More recently, her leadership was front and center with her teams supporting both Caitlyn Jenner’s coming out story on NBC and activating President Obama’s arms trade treaty with Amnesty International. As the CEO of the only Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified female-owned agency in San Francisco, it’s clear that Brockhoff places a great premium on ensuring that the world and brands fully understand her commitment to not only owning and running an agency, but inspiring others to be brave enough to do the same. Bravery and fearlessness are a constant thread for Brockhoff. She fears nothing —

There is no question that Mira Kaddoura, founder and creative director at Red & Co. in Portland, Oregon has been surrounded by plenty of great people in her career. In fact, she counts the legendary Dan Wieden as a major influence — having spent 10 years at Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, working on some of the agency’s most important work including for Nike, Target, Coca-Cola, Travel Oregon and others. But it's her family that she counts as major influences saying that she was surrounded by plenty of “badass women” in her native Lebanon. The were writers and fighters for rights in the 30s and 40s. Deans of universities in Lebanon and Egypt in the 50s. That foundation, along with her supportive siblings, provided a powerful foundation that she brings to her work and life today. A major advocate of and for women, no matter the industry, Kaddoura espouses a gospel of leaning how to not listen to the noise and how to find rays of sunshine and energy to find the inherent good in people and the world. With that in

Caressa Douglas SVP of content & branded integration at Branded Entertainment Network (BEN) knows all about the “deep end.” At 21, she was hired (due to her “aura”) by a product placement company. Unbeknownst to her, the manager who hired her had a partner who was none too excited about her being part of the company and she was told that she had 30 days to close a deal or else. Without any experience, Douglas not only closed the deal, but began a 20+ year path becoming a true leader in the brand and product integration space. LA through and through, Douglas, in her experience, believes that there are truths to some of the sayings out there, especially in her world. Two that leap to mind are “Don’t believe everything you hear” and “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” The former helps in approaching collaboration with producers and directors confidently while the former is part of daily life in Hollywood, where preparation and contingency plans are key. Another part of work that Douglas believes in

It seems clear that Danielle Trivisonno Hawley, chief creative officer, Americas for Possible, was destined to build a career that involves words. One of the core foundations was built years ago through failure — kind of. In “failing” a writing portion of a test as a youngster, she found out that “boring questions lead to boring answers” (the story is gold). Another brick in the wall was her love of creating stories, even from an early age — where she, like her work today, enlisted people to help make her stories come to life. But the words were (and are) the thing. They matter. It’s her love affair. The ability to use words artfully to articulate emotion is what breeds authenticity. Additionally, a competitive streak and team ethos, borne from being a competitive soccer player, has helped put it all into creative overdrive — and it makes sense that iconic work paved her pathway. When she first heard and saw the iconic Nike “If You Let Me Play” work, written by Janet Champ, she knew that the creative world

As the managing editor at Flipboard, Gabriella Schwarz leads a team of news curators to feature the most important stories to the site’s readers — a role that she takes very seriously. She says her inquisitive nature is what led her to become a journalist in the first place — logging in stops at two dissonant destinations: Fox News, then CNN, where she won an Emmy. That curiosity is a search to find the best of people’s stories, something that inspires the Seattle native daily. Schwarz believes strongly that the most important choice a woman can make in life is to be confident, and is something that her mother instilled in her from an early age, a powerful story on its own, which gave her the fortitude to strive and succeed. She spreads the gospel of confidence, forgiveness and self-awareness, a trait that allows for knowing one’s limits, a critical component for well-being and something that can prevent “doing things that you would later regret.” In five years, Schwarz hopes we are talking about success –

For Constance DeCherney, where we’re headed is important — whether it’s in work or life. DeCherney, who leads strategy at TDA Boulder grew up in Wilmington, Delaware — attended the nearby University of Delaware and found herself, after graduation, at the ACLU, then Planned Parenthood and iCrossing. At every stop along the way, she pushed hard to move everything forward. How we evolve as an industry is of particular interest and DeCherney believes that we place too much emphasis on authenticity when, in fact, it should be all about intention first. Intention can build a future while authenticity can keep evolution at bay, to the industry’s own peril. Motivations are also on her mind — and the ability to listen first and talk second, can help engender greater understanding of people, especially in the tenuous climate gripping the country. Knowing and appreciating values is another key marker for moving forward and the inherent ability to relate — or least attempting to relate — can unearth more connection t

Tricia Clarke-Stone’s professional yin and yang have made her success, despite her yin being failure. That her yang is being a rainmaker evens out the CEO of Narrative’s story. Failure is something that is oft-discussed, especially as it related to entrepreneurs — but what is telling is that failure engenders growth and self-awareness. True, from the business end, learning from failure is indisputable. But learning about one’s self is a positive, unintended consequence, especially for Clarke-Stone. Being a rainmaker, a superpower that Clarke-Stone possess, also has another side. Sure, it can be about building business, but in her mind, it’s also very much about pressing things forward as much as possible, especially in uncharted territories — the white space where great things can happen and “firsts” can thrive, something she realized in her early time with the legendary Russell Simmons, who she now calls a partner at her creative, entertainment and technology agency, Narrative. In fact, when people told

For Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s VP of EMEA, there is no shortage of energy or optimism. Beginning her career at BBH in London, Mendelsohn is a force to be reckoned with, relentlessly espousing the gospel of getting out there and “making more stuff”. She also believes that we shouldn’t be afraid to fail and that “done” is much better than “perfect”. Inspiration is all around Mendelsohn — from her experience in South Africa with small business owners who built their businesses on Facebook to her children from whom she learns every day, especially as it relates to their adoption and use of technology. Moreover, her contributions, as co-chair of the UK government’s creative council, gives her a front row seat to the challenges of change and allows her to continually advocate for the creative industries An advocate of doing things that one is afraid of, Mendelsohn, one of the co-editors of The Drum’s special Cannes issue with Sheryl Sandberg and Mark D’Arcy, feels that being out of one’s comfort zone is th

Determination is a theme that runs through Gladys Kong’s life thread. The CEO of UberMedia’s actions can sometimes belie her manner. Though cool, calm and collected, Kong has the entrepreneurial fire that helped her deservedly ascend to the rare air of the most senior of leadership. And though the manic chaos of startups and entrepreneurialism swirls around her on a constant basis, the Hong Kong native finds great solace in the thrill of the hunt. Starting her career path with the legendary founder of IdeaLab, Bill Gross, in 1999, Kong’s initial inspiration that illustrated that anything is truly possible began when she was 10 years old and saw the Great Wall of China for the first time. It opened her mind, thinking that if her “ancestors could do this with no technology, what’s going to stop me from doing anything in life?” A massive sports fan, Kong sees parallels between the path of entrepreneurs, startups and sports. It’s not so much about the wins and losses, but rather the notion of the comeback — kn

Like plenty of others in advertising, Paige Campbell, president and partner at Grady Britton, didn’t necessarily expect to end up in the industry. A fine arts major, she was “terrified of becoming a starving artist” and took a design class at the University of Oregon’s journalism school. (Fun fact: Campbell was the mascot for the Oregon Ducks) From there, Campbell ended up at the front desk of a small agency and, over time, from job to job, landed in her current role at the Portland, Oregon-based indie. In her element juggling multiple things at one time, Campbell is natural team-builder and has built a culture at the agency that keeps people there for long times, bucking the trend of talent moving from one place to another. Balance is a crucial part of keeping work and life on track for Campbell, especially when change, a constant in advertising, arises. Additionally, knowing ones self is something that she preaches, as it helps unravel the process of career direction and success — providing a foundatio

For Liz Valentine, CEO and co-founder (along with Alicia McVey) of Swift in Portland, Oregon, community is a big deal — and it starts when people walk through the door of the Possible agency. There is a sense of calm but it is quickly obvious that the agency has energy and vitality and is bound together by the work and philosophies that Valentine, McVey and the rest of the leadership convey. In many ways, Valentine is an ideal player/coach and especially strong at advising women, both inside and outside the agency, to fully understand their worth and value — and to do so with confidence. She coaches women on the important art and craft of negotiation, further helping them see that they can advocate on their own behalf, without fear, and clearly articulate what they deserve, both in and beyond the salary. Valentine’s fearlessness (praise that she received from a senior male WPP leader) began as she was growing up in the Philadelphia area where her mom, a highly-respected doctor, overcame gender bias in her

Gucci. BMW. The radio biz. Acting. Stunt-driving. All of those things point to talent acquisition, right? To the naked eye, this tapas of jobs and roles would seem out of place, but not at all for Kathleen Prior-Louis, VP and head of talent for Los Angeles-based SteelHouse. This first act set the stage for act two: her time digging into getting the most out of a wide range of talent. This eclectic blend of experiences makes an awful lot of sense when you see what Prior-Louis has learned along the way — whether that was in front of the camera or behind the scenes. What has come out of this mishmash is a true sense of empathy and understanding and knowing what is beyond the page when it comes to building a talented team. Endlessly optimistic, Prior-Louis is a big fan of intuition, gut and instinct. That triumvirate affords an open, flexible mind and heart — and a willingness to see the potential in, not only herself, but others that she works with and recruits. Reading between the lines, she is well-equip

If you think that, tucked away in Alaska, there isn’t much in the way of creativity or outstanding work, Karen King, president and CEO of Spawn Ideas will certainly prove you wrong many times over. The full-service, independent shop, with offices in Denver and Seattle, embraces its Alaska — and it is an enticing environment steeped in the abundance of the state, especially the outdoors. In fact, the agency has been named one of Outside magazine’s best places to work for five years running. But what happens at the agency indoors (and, in fairness, outdoors as well) is testament to King’s leadership. A native Minnesotan, King is a mindful leader who embodies a form of leadership that is profound and caring — filled with passion and drive, much like the agency’s staff and the place they all call home — yet leavened with accountability, industry and hard work. King’s intellect and curiosity are perfect foils, bouncing off each other to form a world and work view that puts curiosity, generosity and cultural un

Occupying the unique space between brands, technologists and creative can be an interesting place — and uncomfortable for some. For Pam Scheideler, chief digital officer of Deutsch, it fits like the glove. Though a technologist at heart, Scheideler understands the machinations of each segment and has an innate ability to bring right- and left-brain people together for the common good, especially when it benefits a brand and CMO. In fact, one of Scheideler’s key strengths is her ability to teach marketers — one CMO remarked that whenever she talks, there is always something new that she learns. High praise indeed, but a trait that comes with years of agency experience and perspective and her willingness to never hold anything, especially knowledge, back. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a social work degree, Scheideler went the public path out of school, but found the siren sound of the dot-com boom too enticing to ignore. That said, she firmly believes that technology and the internet are

As Nancy Hill, CEO of the 4A’s can attest, nine and a half years as leader of the organization, in the trenches through years of change, disruption, ups and downs yields some fairly important wisdom and perspective. Her profile is high and contributions during her tenure are many, but the 35-year veteran of the industry had a profound moment early on that set her foundation. Being told that she was “too ethical and honest” to be successful in the industry, Hill made it a point, and has spent her career, proving that those words are not only hollow, but untrue — fuel for the fire. Like a good number of those in advertising, her path was not linear. But Hill’s “North Star” has always been creativity. Opportunities presented themselves and took her on a career walkabout that landed her within the halls of the 4A’s as CEO in 2008. Baltimore, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York have been ports of call — but Hill, raised in a small town in Western Pennsylvania, has deep appreciation for what the

Susan Franceschini, executive director of ThinkLA, may be in the thick of the Los Angeles ad scene, but she considers herself a neutral Switzerland and loves getting to play with the best agencies, brands, marketers and media companies in town. Franceschini never would have pictured herself at the helm of LA’s biggest ad club, but with her 10 years in human resources at Davis Elen, four years as a recruiter at Chiat, she was led into a role she didn't even know existed before, and it’s one in which she thrives. Her superpower is being a good listener, which is a reason she can wrangle the strong personalities of the LA ad scene and bring them together for a greater good, all while remaining calm, centered and focused on the task of shining a brighter light on the market. She also says we should all ask for help from time to time and avoid the possibility of “hero syndrome”, that moment when intention is swamped by the reality of being overburdened with trying to manage big workloads. “It brings out the b

One of the hallmarks of work at Maxus Los Angeles is speed. Speed breeds momentum, momentum results in success and this is where Pam Sullivan, managing director of Maxus in LA, thrives. Growing the media shop from a team of four in 2011 to a lofty place in the advertising continuum as less an order-taking endeavor and more a consultative powerhouse for clients, has demanded a pep in the step — but never sacrifices keeping the team engaged and giving them the tools and environment needed to excel, especially in the fast-paced word of entertainment, where Maxus has firmly planted its flag. Knowing how to navigate the ever-moving world helps engender confidence, something that Sullivan learned early on, especially after an incredibly awkward encounter with a client. The mother of two adopted children, Sullivan also preaches the importance of getting past fear, feeling that it is a roadblock to living and working confidently. Through all of the exhilaration, which is an experience Sullivan holds dear, is a hi

Any great conversation about advertising in Southern California, on some level, has to include Lee Clow. This six-degrees thing seems to permeate the area though, for Margaret Keene, executive creative director at MullenLowe in Los Angeles, it squarely landed at one-degree of separation. The ad legend popped up on Keene’s TV screen when she was a teenager. Presenting storyboards to Porsche executives on a cable access channel (this was the mid-80s), Keene really liked the work, thought Clow was cool and was hooked, realizing that advertising and creativity was what she wanted to do. Fast-forward from groovy cable access TV — Keene kicked off her career working for Clow as an assistant and then spent her early creative days at TBWA\Chiat\Day (the TBWA part of the equation arrived in the 1995 merger) as art director, ACD, CD and then, ultimately, group creative director. After a close-to-4 year stop at Saatchi & Saatchi LA as executive creative director, Keene made her way from Santa Monica, south to El Segu