Thedrum

Running a technology practice in a communications firm can be daunting on its own. Add in the fact that the practice is based in one of the world’s most dynamic tech markets, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington, and it gets downright massive. But that’s all in day’s work for Dawn Beauparlant, head of technology for WE Communications. The Texas native has called Seattle home for over fifteen years and was president of the agency’s Microsoft account leading a “kickass team that is always thinking and dreaming about what’s next for Microsoft.” What stands out about Beauparlant isn’t the impressive resume or work — it’s the combination of Texas confidence and thoughtful ability to balance the present and the future for companies such as Microsoft, T-Mobile, F5, Honeywell and others — and doing so in meaningful ways, exploring the “gray areas” of technology using wisdom and good judgment. These are the “small” things that are a big deal and borne from a dedication to listening and being attentive. A master st

It can challenging to be super-focused but have a wide view of the world at the same time. Not so for Britt Peterson Fero, SVP and head of strategy for Publicis Seattle. Chalk it up to a combination of opportunity and experiences, leavened with that “Midwest thing” — a work ethic that started with family in Iowa and continued with the “family” that is Fallon in Minneapolis (she counts Pat Fallon as a major influence on her career and life). A straight shooter, Fero manages to strip away the clutter to get from A to Z in the most direct path possible and the willpower to see things through every time. She also exhibits a guile and fearlessness that is infectious — a highly productive self-belief that influences the strong work of the agency in Seattle, a city that she is most loyal to. Most certainly a star in the constellation that is Publicis, Fero is present in the moment and knows that everything worthwhile is not given but earned.

It started with an insatiable appetite for the written word. DNA Seattle creative director Kammie McArthur dove in to newspapers, magazines — anything she could get her hands on to feed her curiosity. Born from those formative days, a deep love of writing emerged. More connections were built over time, building a powerful story that is interesting and filled with passion for work, life and the moments to peace that create a sense of calm and place. Connecting with the land and nature. Connecting by disconnecting. Connecting by listening more. Connecting to culture and the world. Connecting the future through a dedication to mentoring. Connecting to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Though she grew up in Northern California, and spent time working in France, McArthur is undeniably part of the Emerald City’s fabric as a creative leader. Much like the city and region itself, the pioneer spirit, the willingness to take the right risks, not fearing its quirks, are arrows in an interesting quiver, cleari

Storytelling has always been at the heart of everything Shannon Pruitt, President of The Story Lab, has done throughout her life. Growing up in southern Oregon, Pruitt took pen to paper and wrote stories at the kitchen table, reading them to whomever would listen, including her stuffed animals. Throughout her incredible career, one that has seen her rise from an account manager at MasterCard to management positions at Mark Burnett Productions, Warner Brothers, Brand Arc and her own successful SMPI Marketing Group, Pruitt, a proud University of Oregon graduate, has told her stories to ever-widening audiences. Now, as President of The Story Lab, a Dentsu Aegis Network company, Pruitt is the main link in the story chain. She leads a team that works every day to develop, create and distribute stories for a roster of clients who value the quality and integrity of telling the best stories possible. Pruitt is proud to lead a team, including a number of women, in a company where she helps empower them to be thei

The great unknowns in work and life can be daunting. For a then-24-year-old Tami Hurwitz, general manager, Office campaigns and marketing automation, Microsoft, it was a trip to Argentina to help launch a product for the company she was working for at the time, Procter & Gamble. A competitor took the brand name and attempted to position P&G in an unfavorable light — and the team there feared that Hurwitz would get nervous about the environment and head right back to Cincinnati. Not a chance, Hurwitz took the opportunity and not only ran with it, but built a foundation that serves her today, especially in her role at Microsoft. Our conversation at the Marketo Marketing Nation Summit covered a lot of ground, but the themes of challenge, risk and realism permeated throughout. Her leadership style is steeped in the right kind of experimentation — the thoughtful variety that is willing to give things a go, not for the sake of just doing it, but seeing where results and people can grow. Not knowing what’s nex

Growing up in Boston, one of 9 children, Michelle Cardinal, co-founder and CEO of R2C Group in Portland, Oregon, got the TV bug. Big time. 70s TV, according to Cardinal, was an escape and it was part of the foundation that led her to LA where she began her career as a media buyer in the informercial business. From there, the evolution began — a commitment to continually elevating television marketing and doing something unheard of in the go-go, get-the-quick-hit 90s: helping brands use television to build for the long-haul. Setting her sights on going big with the likes of Phillips, Hoover Braun and Estee Lauder, Cardinal played the role of outsider, putting aside conventional thinking to build R2C Group. Even the home base of Portland has an outsider feel, but Cardinal is loyal to The Rose City and proud that it is part of the story. In fact, she’s playing an active part in being part of the solution of Portland’s homeless problem — another important way of thinking big. Like her family, Cardinal’s tea

It has been an unintended path for Jean Freeman, owner and chief operating officer of Culver City, California-based Zambezi. But, when she attended a Disney focus group that her father, a marketing executive and CEO, ran, the seeds may have been planted for today. However, for a time, she thought she would be a lawyer. Then, Freeman was slated to be in the Peace Corps, until civil war broke out in the South Pacific, where she was assigned. On a whim, she applied for a job at Fallon in Minneapolis, ending up getting a gig as an assistant account executive. She remained at Fallon for two and a half years, soaking in wisdom and care from the late, great Pat Fallon. After her time in the Twin Cities, she went to graduate school at Northwestern and made her way to Portland for a stint at Nike. Throughout her journey, Freeman has experienced working at all types and sizes of companies — with the associated up and downs. She has learned the importance of listening, a trait that wasn’t necessarily her forte in he

The shiny lights and glimmer of the advertising and creative world don’t often cast their gaze to Calgary — unless, of course, you’re talking about Critical Mass. The highly-awarded experience design agency proudly calls Calgary home and Dianne Wilkins, Critical Mass CEO is fiercely loyal to those roots. Those Canadian lights shine brightly both at home and at their offices around the globe where the Critical Mass culture stays true, no matter the country or city. Wilkins is all-kinds-of-grounded and has a very interesting pathway to today. She thrives where some recoil — when the pressure is on, when time is short, when speed is the order of the day, when situations are uncomfortable. And, oh, by the way, it’s always done with plenty of smiles, wit and a keen sense of being “real.” Our conversation, recorded during SXSW in the courtyard of a South Austin boutique (long story), is revealing, filled with candor and decidedly real.

On the surface, when one looks at the list of accomplishments, The CyberCode Twins are on a fast, high trajectory. TEDx talks. Awards from tech competitions and hacks such as the NASA International SpaceApp Challenge, AT&T Developer Summit, and recently a top-15 world finalist for IBM Global Mobile Innovator Tournament. When one looks deeper (and one must look deeper), it's obvious that 25-year-old twin sisters America and Penelope Lopez are doing more than just taking home well-deserved accolades. They are right in the middle of a movement to share their talent and wisdom — and to give greater access to the technology world, especially for Latina women. Their keynotes for Girls Who Code, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, in addition to the awards, are testament to never giving up. And even though their world is moving fast, they are grounded. Raised in East Los Angeles, the sisters are deeply proud of their heritage and celebrate where they come from — showing

According to Kat Gordon, founder of the 3% Conference, she’s always been “used to being the only woman in the room.” Three brothers. Time at Sports Illustrated, PowerBar and other male-centric brands. Now, with her husband and two sons — the greatest gift she’s ever been given. A few years ago, as she puts it “the advertising world was just a little too male even for someone like me who is used to being the only chick in the room.” This is where social change and a movement began — the annual 3% Conference, dedicated to championing creative female talent and leadership. Though there has been improvement, with senior female creative leaders now making up about 11% of the industry, Gordon and the industry acknowledge there is still substantial progress to be made. In our conversation, a number of topics are covered. Getting enough sleep (she’s a big fan and takes it seriously), non-conformity (she suggests a wonderful book by Adam Grant), avoiding the trap of popularity contests (counterproductive, she men

Accountability can be a rare commodity anywhere. Under the searing hot light of creative expectation and expression, advertising and marketing, in particular, can sometimes miss the mark. Keri Elmsly, executive creative director of Second Story in Portland, Oregon takes the other view — that accountability is serious. She embraces the challenge of breaking through the noise — and it shows in her work and leadership. Elmsly’s point of view allows for experience and thoughtful wandering to lead the way — with unexpected moments catalyzing breakthrough thinking. Her work is steeped in the idea that limits constrain beauty and effectiveness. An advocate for testing, she knows that the right adjustments, even when work is “almost done,” can be transformative. The word “immersive” often gets thrown about. But, in Elsmsly’s view, legitimate immersion is not a word — it’s a mission — and knowing when to trust those internally around her and outside of the industry is a key secret weapon that allows people to make

From growing up in India to making her way to the middle of Illinois for graduate school, Seema Miller, chief strategist for David&Goliath, has made it her business to embrace vulnerability and naïveté. Miller’s path is filled with awakenings. Determining what she was willing (and not willing) to give up, the myth of “having it all,” and learning to “do something that scares the living shit out of you” are just a few pieces of sage wisdom for not just women, but anyone in the industry. Enjoy our conversation filled with surprise, candor, some interesting takes on cognitive dissonance — and a point of view that is certain to inspire.

"Fearless," in the dictionary, should include a picture of Margaret Johnson, ECD/Partner at Goodby Silverstein & Partners in SF. From early days cold-calling creative departments to breakthrough work that makes a difference, Johnson is a forward-looking leader who embraces what makes unbridled creativity so great. Enjoy this inspiring, wide-ranging discussion that touches on: the importance of the side hustle (which led to an important piece of work from the agency), Sundance, Burning Man, midday karaoke, getting past the paralyzing nature of fear and more.