You don’t have to look far to recognize the cultural impact and change women are leading in 2023. Women supporting women-led artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are uplifting entire cities’ economies. The “Barbie” movie has become the highest-grossing film of 2023, as well as the highest-grossing film by a female director of all time, in part fueled by the vast, powerful and relatable marketing campaign that accompanied it.

Women have also faced numerous challenges in the marketing industry this year, especially when striving to rise to the top. Global data provided by LinkedIn shows women account for nearly 42% of the workforce in 2023, yet the share of women in senior leadership positions is at just over 32%, and only 25% in the C-suite. In Ragan’s most recent Salary and Workplace Culture Survey, the average base salary of women is $109,148, which is $9,136 less than their male counterparts. While this is progress over the past, it’s clear that there is still much work to be done to break through barriers and biases that women often encounter.

To support the women who are shattering glass ceilings, leveling playing fields and creating opportunities for those following in their footsteps Ragan has launched the PR Daily Top Women in Marketing Awards. These honorees have impacted the performance, reach and awareness of their organizations and inspired those in their professional circles. They work tirelessly to advance the profession while empowering their teams to do their best work and accelerating growth for their organizations.

Judges selected nearly 100 women in nine categories including Agency Leaders, Social Media Marketers and Data/Analytics Leaders to develop a premier list of women leaders who were honored at an in-person event at New York City’s City Winery on Oct. 26.

Congratulations to all of the honorees of our inaugural Top Women in Marketing awards. Let us all continue to support their great efforts in being leaders and their great efforts in moving the industry forward.

Read about just a few of the impressive professionals who made this year’s list:

Alana Visconti

Marking and Communications Director, Publishing and Distribution Strategy, Nasdaq

Alana Visconti embraces change and fuels innovation in marketing. Although she was recently promoted to her marketing and communications role, Visconti spent two years leading Nasdaq’s social media strategy. In just her first year, she expanded content production by 64%, creating more than 4,300 posts that reached 2 billion users. She positioned Nasdaq as a Web3 trailblazer by holding Nasdaq’s historic bell ceremony in the Metaverse, and by leading the launch of an NFT collection, aligned with the tech conference Silicon Slopes 2022. Today she continues to focus on advancing Nasdaq’s partnerships, strategically exploring emerging trends like AI and leading social content with a purpose, all while seeking opportunities to advance ESG initiatives.

Leadership Advice from Visconti: “Dream big! Seek opportunities that are aligned with you and help to support your dreams. Commit to never stop learning and evolving. Always look for ways to take projects, work streams, or roles to a new level.”

Alejandra Caceres

Director of Social Media, Crumbl Cookies

Under Alejandra Caceres’ leadership, Crumbl Cookies’ social media presence has flourished, boosting brand perception, awareness, partnership excitement and, of course, cookie sales. In just six months, her work led to the brand amassing 3.2 million new followers across 14 social media accounts on nine platforms. Also in that time, she spearheaded more than 15 successful social media campaigns, focusing on alignment with target demographics and team collaboration. Caceras’ approach focuses on tailoring content to specific platforms, ensuring that the brand’s content meets consumers where they are, speaks their language and reflects their preferences for engaging with brand accounts.

Lindsay Morgan

Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut U.S.

In a bid to revitalize Pizza Hut’s image and brand in the U.S., 15-year marketing veteran Lindsay Morgan launched a 360-degree marketing campaign that included messaging aimed at younger audiences, contemporary packaging, new food photography and a push into a new category with the introduction of “Melts,” a folded pizza product intended for a single customer. The new product was accompanied by advertising and social media content focused on empowering the individual: Customers were invited to “go solo” and embrace the “World of Me.” The campaign generated more than two billion media impressions across publications, including the websites for Business Insider, CNN, the New York Post and more, and it helped drive a 5% systemwide sales increase for Q4 of 2022.

Maya Wasserman

Head of Marketing and Director of Marketing Communication, Home Entertainment and Sound, Sony Electronics

With more than 12 years at Sony Electronics, Maya Wasserman is no stranger to launching new products, creative storytelling and digital marketing, but her recent work on the launch of LinkBuds headphones and gaming gear brand INZONE shines for its forward-thinking approach and exploration of new channels. For LinkBuds in particular, she developed a mobile-first campaign that spanned social media and the metaverse and incorporated an augmented reality unboxing experience, as well as partnerships with more than 100 influencers, and rising artist Lucky Daye, who worked with the brand to develop an NFT unlocking prizes and real-life experiences. As a result of her work Sony TIME Magazine’s Best Invention of the Year for LinkBuds and a Washington Post Feature surrounding INZONE.

Leadership Advice from Wasserman: “Lead with authenticity and lean into your strengths. Find your own leadership style that works. Also, allow your team to fail and foster an environment of curiosity. Build a culture of ‘test and try’ and let them know it is okay to take calculated risks, and fail, as long as there are learnings from your failures.”

Vanessa Mbonu

Vice President of Digital Marketing and Communications, NAACP

At just 28 years old, Vanessa Mbonu has emerged as a leader at the NAACP and a model for other women in marketing. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, before emigrating to Maryland, Mbonu is an advocate for equity and seeks to uplift women’s voices in her impactful work. She co-produced “UNPCKD,” a virtual event series created in partnership with The Webby Awards that addresses critical issues facing communities of color in online spaces and aims to create a more inclusive internet. Her team’s digital marketing strategy expanded viewership of the NAACP annual Image Awards by more than 70% year over year and increased individual donor contributions. Her work has also resulted in an increase in email list subscribers of more than 30%.

Leadership advice from Vanessa: “Nobody knows exactly how to win 100% of the time. But the few people who have mastered the art of failing fast and pivoting graciously typically end up being the most successful.”

Abby Nelson

Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist, Ascension

Ascension, a prominent non-profit and Catholic health system operating across 19 states with 2,600 care sites, is fortunate to have Abby Nelson on its team. Since her arrival in 2019, Nelson swiftly ascended to a role of immense responsibility as senior marketing and communications specialist. She masterminds marketing strategies for crucial lines of business, such as heart and vascular, brain and spine, orthopedics, sports medicine, and oncology. Nelson’s contributions include the creation of Ascension’s first-ever integrated oncology campaign. Titled “With a plan, comes hope,” this campaign personalized the cancer care journey and highlighted Ascension’s patient-centered approach. It not only aligned with recovery metrics but by December 2022, the campaign garnered 145 million impressions, resulting in more than 8,000 patient engagements. Furthermore, Nelson’s expertise extends to cardiovascular care, where she’s spearheaded a comprehensive campaign spanning TV, online video, and paid search. Her campaigns consistently target high-risk patients and contribute significantly to Ascension’s $28 billion healthcare brand. Her skillful execution, innovative strategies, and patient-centric focus make Nelson a standout figure in the world of healthcare marketing.

Adrienne Cadena

CEO, Havas Street

Adrienne Cadena’s two-decade tenure has driven Havas Street’s growth and reputation. Appointed CEO in 2023, she leads diverse capabilities from large-scale events to sampling campaigns. In 2022, as president, Cadena excelled in creative development and led activations for brands such as Nike, PepsiCo, JPMorgan Chase and LEGO. Notable projects include Merrell’s “More Less” wellness pop-up and a multi-sensory lounge for Norwegian Cruise Line, reaching 18,000 attendees and generating 25,000 social media impressions. The “Welcoming Spirit” campaign for Jim Beam welcomed 70,000 guests at 51 events. Beyond campaigns, Cadena champions diversity and inclusion and has innovative projects in the pipeline. She’s a force outside the office, launching “Run the World Athletics” to empower girls and contributes to The Center for PR. With her strategic leadership and passion, Cadena continues to shape Havas Street’s success in creating meaningful brand experiences.

Kelly Higgins

CMO, Doremus+Co

Under Kelly Higgins’ leadership, Doremus+Co thrives, successfully attracting companies facing transformative change, gaining 10 new clients in the last year, including Meta, AMD and J&J. She spearheaded a successful agency rebrand with a playful visual identity, a new website, and the tagline “Good Company for Complex Brands” while her strategic ads during Advertising Week in Manhattan reinforced Doremus+Co as “Your B2B BFF.” She values empathy in business and focuses on the right opportunities, reducing team stress by focusing on the best prospects best for the company. Higgins ensured Doremus+Co’s presence in a vital Interbrand partnership, contributing to a sector report highlighting B2B brand growth. She was also instrumental in getting Doremus+Co President and Chief Creative Officer Paul Hirsch picked for the prestigious role of Jury President for the first-ever B2B Creative Lions award category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2022. She then made sure he was quoted widely on the creativity and momentum B2B brands are showing around the world. With her B2C approach, Doremus+Co has earned industry accolades, cementing Higgins as a top woman in marketing.

Leadership Advice from Higgins: “It’s a real honor to be recognized as a Top Woman in Marketing. This is a tough industry, often made tougher as a woman. But with the right mix of grit, ingenuity and self-confidence, you’d be amazed at what you can accomplish. It’s been a privilege to build my career working with incredibly talented people to help solve big client challenges. And with all the changes on the horizon — in culture, in tech, in my life — I’m excited to continue this journey.”

Rachel Barek

CEO and co-founder, Said Differently

Rachel Barek of Said Differently has taken an innovative approach to her agency model. After departing from a major marketing firm, Barek expanded Said Differently’s freelance network to 3,000 professionals within a year. She introduced a dynamic approach, focusing on shorter, better-matched talent placements, enhancing client satisfaction. Said Differently’s collaboration with Neiman Marcus led to a remarkable mobile app transformation, improving its rating from 2.5 to 4.5 stars in six months. Due to its success, Falfurrias Capital Partners made a significant investment in Said Differently in September 2022, underscoring the agency’s groundbreaking model. As an openly LGBTQ+ CEO, Barek actively mentors emerging leaders and advocates for reshaping the agency landscape to serve talent better and yield superior results. Her trailblazing spirit and industry impact make her a standout figure in marketing.

Leadership Advice from Barek: “For way too long, agency-side talent has been working within a model that was designed by boomer men. This antiquated design dictated their options for work-life balance. Said Differently’s distributed model is all about trusting and empowering our talent to choose their relationship to work. That means working when they want, the way they want, where they want and on the types of projects that give them the greatest professional satisfaction. Our flexible model is great for women, who over-index as working parents and caregivers. It turns out that when you empower talent to be their best, it’s a win-win for both the talent and the client 100% of the time.”

Sue Burkett

Strategic Marketing Leader, Owens Corning

With more than 40 years of experience in the building materials industry, Sue Burkett’s remarkable achievements go beyond qualifications. She’s championed female consumers’ voices in roofing choices, recognizing their unique preferences. Burkett reshaped the roofing industry by introducing vibrant shingle formulations like Merlot and Aged Copper, appealing to women’s design sensibilities. She created the Shingle Color of the Year, with 2023’s Midnight Plum as the market’s sole purple shingle, lauded by homeowners and contractors alike. Under her leadership, Owens Corning Roofing has earned the Women’s Choice Award for six consecutive years, signifying it as America’s Most Recommended roofing products. Burkett’s strategies in a male-dominated industry have revolutionized the roofing conversation, bridging the gap between roofing and design for women. Her dedication and transformative marketing strategies make her a standout in the field.

Check out all the Top Women in Marketing Profiles.

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In the ever-evolving world of communications, individuals who adapt and push boundaries are uniquely positioned to cut through the noise and make a difference. Deborah Hyman, senior vice president, head of employee communications and employer brand at Wells Fargo, is a seasoned communications professional passionate about simplifying complex topics — and one such trailblazer. With a background that spans reporting, public relations and internal communications, Hyman has embarked on a journey marked by innovation, advocacy and a relentless commitment to diversifying and advancing the field of communications.

Deborah’s career began in journalism, where she honed her love for writing and making complex subjects accessible. During her tenure at a nuclear physics research laboratory, she transitioned into internal communications, pioneering a newsletter to bridge gaps in communication. This early venture laid the foundation for her future in employee experience.

“They needed a newsletter way back then before employee comms was a thing,” Hyman said. “It all started there. I just love influencing the masses. Such a positive thing. Something that makes their lives better and their work experience better. That’s been the journey.”

One of her achievements at this organization was bringing innovative communication techniques to her workplace, including new tools, software and technology. She soon developed a knack for improving existing systems and thinking outside the corporate box, an attribute that continues to define her career.

“I was bringing in new innovations to the lab when it came to communications very early on, and that’s been really the track for my career,” added Hyman. “How do you come in and make things better? How do you work outside of the box that you get put into in corporate America and kind of do things in a fun and interesting way?”

At this year’s Ragan’s CSR & Diversity awards in September, Hyman was the recipient of the 2023 Ragan’s Outstanding Service to the Industry (OSI) Award. Her focus is not just on what she does but on how she supports, uplifts and advances the industry and its professionals. Her involvement in organizations such as Chief, Page Up, Diversity Action Alliance and the National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS) exemplifies her commitment to this cause.

Shelley Spector, founder and director of the Museum of Public Relations, founder and president of Spector & Associates and last year’s OSI recipient, presented the award this year.

“This is an award for those individuals who go above and beyond their official work duties to achieve more equity and fairness in our industry,” said Spector while presenting the award. “Who take it upon themselves to make change happen, to do it on their own time, maybe even, on their own dime. They break molds, go against the rules, find new ways of achieving that which must be achieved. One such person is Deborah Hyman, the quintessential builder of communities inside and outside the workplace — communities that help individuals grow and flourish, whatever stage of their career in which they happen to be.”

Service to the industry and beyond

One organization Hyman has committed her time to is Chief, which is dedicated to uplifting executive women across various industries. It resonates with Hyman’s mission to promote diversity and inclusivity; through it, she actively engages in forums and networking opportunities to advance women in leadership roles.

Another is Page Up, a branch of the Arthur Page Society, which serves as Hyman’s platform for contributing to the future of public relations and communications. Serving as a member for over a year, she volunteers on the conference planning committee to foster industry diversity and explore topics like employee and internal communications.

However, Hyman’s commitment to impact extends well beyond her professional life. She also serves on the board of directors for Cloud Cares, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of underserved youth in New Jersey. Her fundraising efforts ensure that these young individuals receive the support they need, whether it’s through gifts at Christmas or essential educational resources throughout the year.

Hyman’s involvement with the NBPRS, which recently partnered with the Diversity Action Alliance, demonstrates her unwavering commitment to advancing diversity within the industry. Through the organization, she contributes to actionable plans to diversify the field and holds industry stakeholders accountable for their role in promoting inclusivity.

“We recently held a summit to diversify the industry,” explained Hyman. “To develop an action plan that would be hard-hitting, actionable and work toward the diversifying industry, holding industry partners accountable for diversity and advancing minorities in their companies.”

As a past president of the organization, Hyman is passionate about fostering leadership among Black professionals in the communications field. She aims to transform the NBPRS into an advocacy powerhouse, dedicated to advancing the careers of black individuals in public relations.

Throughout her career, Hyman has often faced situations where she the only person of color in leadership roles, an experience that Hyman believes underscores the importance of mentorship tailored to the unique challenges faced by minorities. Her support of initiatives such as internships, boot camps and mentorship programs for Black students are her way of helping diversify the industry and create opportunities for professionals of color.

“To be in a leadership role and not having mentors or people above me to look up to — that has probably been the biggest challenge,” said Hyman. “Because you can’t be it if you can’t see it. What I’ve had to look at were not people of color I’ve followed and been mentored by. That’s fine, but I do think people of color need to be mentored differently. Because there are different challenges that we face as we’re going through our career journey.”

Looking to the future of communications, Hyman sees endless possibilities. She highlights the significance of being an exceptional writer and the ability to think outside the box. In a rapidly changing landscape, these core skills remain crucial. She emphasizes that communication professionals must be versatile and adaptable to continue driving change effectively.

“Our being communicators, it’s important that we have diverse voices at the table and that we have diverse perspectives weighing in on content visuals, approaches and strategy,” added Hyman. “There must be a diverse mix. It’s important for our future, and its importance is the success of these corporations and firms.”

Hyman’s journey in the world of communication is marked by innovation, dedication, and a commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Her tireless efforts, professionally and in the nonprofit sector, exemplify her passion for uplifting others and advancing the industry. As communication evolves, her advocacy and innovative thinking serve as a guiding light for the profession’s future.

MORE FACTS

Favorite quote: “Seek first to understand than to be understood.” – Stephen Covey

Best early advice received: Dress for the position that you want, not the position you’re in.

Favorite professional development book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Best skill to have: “The ability to be a great writer. That’s the basic skill I was told I needed 30 years ago and it still remains. That’s a core skill that will take you places.”

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Listen to stakeholders and build from there.

That strategy paid off big time for Penn Medicine Princeton Health Center’s 2022 “Get Back to Being You” multimedia marketing campaign. The campaign focused on addressing patients’ needs and pain points with relatable ads.

The objective of “Get Back to Being You” was to increase the number of patients selecting the center for spine care. Its target audience included consumers aged 25-70 in central New Jersey, patients who already had spine, neck or back work at PHC in the past year, and at-risk patients.

Their team was a marketing campaign winner in PR Daily’s Social Media & Digital Awards this past June.

Here’s what you can learn from the campaign:

Listen first

The PR teams behind the campaign did not work in a silo. They engaged their in-house clinical teams to learn what mattered to patients.

“(The clinical teams) have so much insight into the patient population and just talking to them in a very kind of engaging way about the scenarios and types of patients they care for (helped),” Amy Franco, director of marketing & public affairs at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, said.

Franco said that her team asked the team about patients’ most common concerns and incorporated the themes into the campaign.

“We learned that the approach of being aspirational and being positive can really resonate with people,” Franco said.

She added that other hospitals within the system provide similar levels of medical care and acted as a valuable resource.

“That was incredibly insightful and it really also helped save time, conserve resources and (helped us) hit the ground running,” Franco said. “If there’s an opportunity in your own healthcare system or within the broader healthcare marketing community, to partner on a campaign … that’s really helpful.”

Crafting a relatable message

Radio was one of the primary mediums for reaching target audiences.

Franco said that her team brainstormed and landed on an ad about an “active grandmother” with chronic back pain that kept her from spending quality time with her grandchild.

“We wanted to create a character that individuals across our target market could potentially relate to. We reinforced this by introducing a child’s voice, as the child could just as easily be your child or your grandchild,” Franco said. “

The 60-second radio ad spots ran on the area’s top-rated Top 40 radio stations and streaming audio. Their efforts earned them 965,877 radio impressions and 1 million streaming audio impressions.

Share your wins

A major event shaped PHC’s campaign including the formal launch of PHC’s new Center for Spine Care.

The marketing team created a section on the PHC website dedicated to the new center, drafted articles on spine health for Princeton Health magazine and shared the news about the Joint Commission’s recognition through its monthly Physician EMemo. Plus, the team drafted a column on spine conditions for the local newspaper.

Since the beginning of the campaign, 271 patients have had spine surgery at PHC, an increase of 9.2% from the previous year.

Entity Marketing Officer Carol Norris-Smith of Penn Medicine’s corporate marketing team said in an internal newsletter that the campaign resonated with people because it “ultimately focused not on us but on the people whose lives we make better.”

“We learned that the approach of being aspirational and being positive can really resonate with people.”

Sherri Kolade is a writer at PR Daily. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. This includes, more than occasionally, finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

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Keeping up with the breakneck pace of change in digital communications is no easy feat—but it’s essential if you want to reach the massive audiences on these crucial communications channels.

PR Daily’s 2019 Digital Marketing & Social Media Awards will recognize the digital communicators who are on the cutting edge of innovation in the industry. We’re searching for the maestros of all things social media and wizards of the digital landscape.

Show us (and the rest of the world) how your campaigns and projects cultivated brand ambassadors and earned massive media coverage and buzz for your clients or organization across the expansive digital universe.

This year’s program features more than 30 categories, covering such topics as digital and social media activity, use of digital and social media, campaigns, use of specific social media platforms and our grand prize categories.

Here is a sampling of the many categories featured:

• Blog
• *NEW* Social listening and real-time response
• Brand awareness
• Employee engagement and recruitment
• *NEW* Data-driven PR campaign
• Digital marketing campaign
• *NEW* Best use of Instagram Stories
• Best use of Twitter
• Grand Prize: Digital PR Campaign of the Year
• Grand Prize: Social Media Campaign of the Year

Wondering what winning work looks like? Check out our list of past winners, which includes Microsoft, Aflac, Cisco, The Coca-Cola Company and M&M’s.

Ready to add a shiny trophy to your display case (and possibly get that promotion you’ve been eyeing)? Enter PR Daily’s 2019 Digital Marketing and Social Media Awards.

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