SheSpeaks: Women of Influence

Few people have experienced the retail industry from as many angles as Anne Mezzenga. With more than 25 years of experience spanning journalism, retail, marketing, and technology, she's held leadership roles at Target, co-founded the influential retail podcast Omni Talk, and now leads Retail Field Report, where she uncovers the people and ideas shaping the future of commerce. In this episode,...

Mary Matyas has spent twenty-five years moving across every layer of the digital media ecosystem — from operating leadership at Criteo, The Trade Desk, and MediaMath, to the deal table as COO and Managing Partner at Ironbound Group, a boutique M&A advisory firm specializing in FinTech, AdTech, and MarTech. What sets her apart from most advisors: she's been the operator on the other side o...

Amy Vollet has spent her career at the intersection of media, commerce, and retail — watching the entire landscape transform around her. Now leading the digital commerce practice at Saatchi X, part of Publicis Commerce, she brings together media planning and buying, data and analytics, and e-commerce into one end-to-end approach that reflects how consumers actually shop today. In this episode, Amy...

When Sarah Centrella hit a breaking point in her life, she was left with uncertainty, pressure, and no clear path forward. In that moment, a simple shift in thinking opened the door to something new: the idea that her future could be shaped by what she chose to believe. As an author, speaker, and coach, and the author of multiple books including her newest release Think It, Sarah has spent over a...

When Thayer Lavielle joined Wasserman, she recognized an opportunity to drive change from within one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment agencies. What began as a conversation about how to better support women across industries became The Collective —a global initiative dedicated to advancing the power of women through data, strategy, and storytelling. As Managing Director, Thayer has...

When Diana Thomas became one of the first women in the United States to give birth through donor egg IVF in 1996, there were no guidelines, agencies, or contracts. It was determination and uncharted territory. Today, as Founder and CEO of The World Egg and Sperm Bank, she is on a mission to bring transparency, ethics, and rigorous standards to a rapidly growing and often misunderstood industry. Ep...

Rikki Marler, Vice President of Client Development at Pēq , joins Women of Influence to share how she helps brands move beyond surface-level metrics to understand the true incremental impact of their campaigns. With a background in shopper marketing and lessons learned from early mentors, Rikki talks about why today’s marketers need real-time insights, how transparency has guided her career, and t...

Ad fraud and data privacy are changing the way advertisers and consumers interact. In this episode of Women of Influence , Nina Talcott , Director of Research Communications and Media Engagement at Pixalate , explains how fraud drains billions from the industry, what new privacy laws mean for consumers, and why transparency is critical. She also shares her perspective on influence, the value of me...

Retail media is rewriting the rules of marketing, and Cyndi Loza is here to break it all down. As Senior Editor at Path to Purchase Institute , she shares what brands need to know about AI, shopper behavior, and why in-store still matters more than you think. Cyndi also reflects on her journalism roots, defining influence, and navigating work-life balance as a parent and professional. Episode High...

Diane Schwartz , CEO of Ragan Communications , breaks down one of the year’s most viral PR moments—the Coldplay concert “Crisis Cam”—and shares what brands should do when leadership missteps play out in public. She also reflects on becoming Ragan’s first female CEO, why internal communications is more important than ever, and how leaders can build trust, influence, and confidence at every level. F...

OLLY 's presence in-store is powerful. It's digital strategy? Even more so—and Jennifer Peters is making it all click.   As Director of DTC, Martech, + Digital Compliance at OLLY, Jennifer Peters is helping one of the most recognizable wellness brands deepen its relationship with consumers —both online and off. In this episode, she shares how OLLY is bridging the gap between shelf and sc...

In this episode, we’re joined by Amberle Thompson , Senior Sales Director for Walmart and Sam’s Club at The Heineken Company , overseeing a team that helps ensure products make it to shelves across the country. Amberle shares her journey into the CPG and alcohol industry , demystifies how distribution works in the U.S., and explores how data and consumer trends drive innovation. She also reflects...

In this episode, we’re joined by Aimee Baller , Head of Partnerships, West & Central at Overwolf —the engine behind the gaming creator ecosystem that’s reshaping how brands connect with modern audiences.  Aimee reflects on her path into gaming as the first female leader on Overwolf’s Brand Partnerships team, exploring the power of in-game advertising, why brands can’t ignore gaming culture, an...

In this episode, we’re joined by Shaquana Joseph , Strategic Account Director at Group Black , a media collective dedicated to bridging the gap between today’s most influential consumers and the brands that want to reach them. Shaquana shares her inspiring journey from college radio at Howard University to leading game-changing brand partnerships at Group Black. She unpacks how Gen Z is rewriting...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Chase Cooper , omnichannel marketing leader at Dorel Juvenile , one of the largest baby product companies in the world (behind brands like Safety 1st, Maxi-Cosi, Tiny Love, and Walmart’s exclusive Monbébé).  Chase shares her remarkable journey from starting out in the agency world to now leading U.S. media efforts across Dorel's brands — and how she’s weavi...

In this episode, we welcome Erica Lockheimer. Known for her remarkable career in tech, Erica shares insights from her career  journey at LinkedIn, where she not only played a crucial role in the growth of the platform, but also founded the Women in Tech initiative. Erica shares her story and challenges she faced as one of the few women in her field.  We discuss the pivotal moments that led her to...

In this episode, we sit down with PR powerhouse Heidi Krupp, a master publicist and brand strategist with decades of experience shaping bestselling books and personal brands. From working at ABC’s 20/20 to launching her own successful agency, she shares her journey, the art of storytelling in PR, and what it takes to craft a message that resonates. We also dive into the current media buzz surround...

In this episode, we sit down with Terri Cole, a best-selling author, licensed psychotherapist, relationship expert, and empowerment coach. We discuss Terri's career transition, her work (and first book) on setting boundaries, and her expertise in high-functioning codependency. You will learn what is high-functioning codependency (HFC) and learn how you can recognize and address your own codep...

In this episode, we dive into a world of storytelling, resilience, and sports with Jamie Mittelman, the voice behind the award-winning podcast Flamebearers . Flamebearers amplifies the stories of women Olympians and Paralympians from around the world, shining a light on the intersection of sports, gender equity, and human perseverance.  Jamie shares how her Harvard experience and passion for ampli...

In this episode, we hear from Kendra Adachi, the bestselling author of The Lazy Genius Way to discuss compassionate time management. Kendra shares her journey from perfectionism to finding balance, introducing her transformative framework: "Be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t."  We explore actionable strategies for prioritizing what truly matters...

The college admissions process has changed drastically, and so has the reality of what students face once they’re admitted. In this episode, our guest Jennifer shares her expert insights into the challenges of the modern education landscape, the post-pandemic impact on students, and what parents can do to set their kids up for success—not just in college, but in life. We cover practical strategies...

In this episode, we sit down with Laura Brusca, the Chief Communications Officer at Forbes and President of New York Women in Communications (NYWICI). Laura shares her inspiring journey from her early days in communications to becoming a leader in the industry. We dive into her career path, the challenges she’s faced, and the lessons she’s learned. She offers advice for young professionals enterin...

Did you know that Latina women earn only 53 cents to every dollar compared to men and hold a mere 2% of executive positions despite being 9% of the U.S. population? In this episode of Women of Influence, we welcome Cynthia Kleinbaum Milner and Claudia Romo Edelman, two powerhouse Latinas championing the cause for Latina representation in leadership roles. With a lack of visible role models and ade...

In this fun episode, our guest Laurie Schacht, the President & Chief Toy Officer at Toy Insider, gives us an inside look into the toy industry and how she got her start. Laurie shares her unique story, from growing up rooted in the toy business to unexpectedly taking over her father's business, reestablishing The Toy Book and launching The Toy Insider. Laurie discusses the evolution of to...

Over the past 2 years, the SheSpeaks podcast has shared the stories of amazing women. Recently, we announced a new name, Women of Influence.  We’re excited about this shift as we feel it defines best what we have always done and continue to do, amplify the stories and experiences of amazing women.  We realized the common thread through our conversations was women using their influence to build, to...