MEET OUR 2023 JUDGES
The Women in Content Marketing Awards (WICMAs) are judged by an esteemed panel of industry leaders and experts in content marketing. Learn more about our judges!
Naba Ahmed
Content Editor
Prezi
Naba is a marketer and virtual speaker who is passionate about helping her audience find their authentic stories. She is a leader at the intersection of content and tech, combining her experience in journalism and marketing to create memorable content. As a Content Editor at Prezi and a former newsroom editor, she shares storytelling tips that can be used to deliver stronger presentations.
Jessica Bergmann
Vice President, Content & Customer Marketing
Salesforce
Jessica Bergmann is an award-winning marketer known for uniting global teams around purpose-driven content strategy. With a passion for both captivating storytelling and efficient workflows, she lives by the motto "no random acts of content."
As the VP of Global Content & Social Marketing, Jessica leads Salesforce's worldwide brand content and social media channels, including The 360 Blog and Vantage Point magazine. Her team's exceptional work on Salesforce+ earned them Content Marketing Insitute's 2022 Best Content Marketing Program award, along with the 2021 Project of the Year accolade for the series Leading through Change. Before joining Salesforce, Jessica pioneered content marketing at Demandware, an ecommerce company, and established the first global content hub for the acclaimed Dove Campaign for Real Beauty during her tenure at Edelman in Hamburg, Germany.
Jo Cameron
Director of Content Marketing
Moz
Jo Cameron is the Head of Content at Moz. Moz, a widely recognized search analytics company, specializes in developing tools that streamline SEO, inbound marketing, link building, and content marketing through software, community, and education. With over a decade of experience, Jo assembles and grows high-performing teams. Empowering them to educate diverse audiences on complex topics and at all levels of expertise.
Collaborating with industry specialists and experts, Jo fosters an environment that encourages the creation of accessible, valuable, and captivating content, aligning seamlessly with Moz's renowned brand ethos of TAGFEE: Transparency, Accountability, Generosity, Fun, Empathy, and Exceptional quality.
Jennifer Clemente
Sr. Manager, Content Creator for CXO Comms & Company Narrative
VMware
Jennifer Clemente has been an influential catalyst for change since her notable journalistic work in Eastern Europe during the 1990s. After a decade of documenting technology’s impact in the area, she transitioned to IBM, advocating for open-source initiatives, and integrating customer perspectives at the dawn of cloud and AI. More now than ever, she’s driven to analyze both the promises and perils of AI, and has spent the past year at VMware, helping elevate the company’s reputation for dynamic, engaging thought-leadership content. She excels at telling customer stories as they undertake a bold, new journey.
Diane di Costanzo
Chief Content Officer
Dotdash
Diane di Costanzo is the Chief Content Officer at Foundry 360, the branded content division at Dotdash Meredith. For this work, she was named the 2022 Content Marketer of the Year by the Content Marketing Institute. Diane is also the Editor in Chief of Millie magazine, all about women and money, and has worked as an editor, writer, and reporter for more than 25 years. Diane started her career at Esquire magazine and has held staff positions at Self, Martha Stewart Living and Hearst’s Healthy Living magazines. She has written for The New York Times, Vogue, InStyle, People and many other media brands. Her favorite side project: She serves as an on-court reporter at the U.S. Open (tennis) every year. She is also an adjunct professor teaching media studies at NYU.
Monika Cross
Head of Storytelling, North America Marketing
Meta
Monika Cross has spent 20+ years developing her craft of storytelling and thought leadership. As the Head of Storytelling for Global Customer Marketing at Meta, she has helped executives across various industries and backgrounds give speeches that inspire crowds and compel them to act. She leads the groundbreaking New Voices initiative at Meta, which aims to bring more diversity to speakership rosters across the advertising industry. Previous to Meta, Monika held leadership roles in media marketing both for consumer and in B2B audiences. She has a passion for politics, pop culture and persuasion.
Megan Gilbert
Vice President, FORTUNE Brand Studio
Fortune Media
Megan Gilbert is Vice President of the award-winning FORTUNE Brand Studio, a division of Fortune Media. She drives the editorial direction, strategy, and production of all branded content, co-leading the creative studio team in digital, audio, video, social, and print storytelling for high-profile clients such as Salesforce, PayPal, Zurich Insurance, AWS, Boston Consulting Group, and more. Her varied and lengthy career in branded content includes positions at Gawker, VICE, Slate, The Washington Post, and Univision.
Megan is a graduate of Boston University and earned her M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. She teaches a graduate-level Branded Content course at New York University (NYU). She was named Content Marketer of the Year in 2022 by Masthead Media. She is a Telly Awards and AIVA/W3 Awards judge and will attend 2023 Elevate, Sundance Institute & Brand Storytelling's annual invite-only conference.
Lauren Gimlett
Managing Director, Head of B2B Marketing Morgan Stanley at Work
Morgan Stanley
Blending a resourceful and scrappy approach to growing and scaling businesses with an outcomes-focused deliberateness, Lauren has spent over fifteen years working in the financial services industry. Her experience spans digital marketing, growth strategy and business development in both start-up and corporate environments at Goldman Sachs, American Express and Betterment.
Since joining the Morgan Stanley in 2018, Lauren has applied her passion for driving growth of technology-led solutions, addressing customer needs and building teams to the Morgan Stanley at Work business.
Lauren holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Columbia University. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
Jennifer Goforth Gregory
Freelancers
Freelancer
Jennifer Goforth Gregory has owned her own freelance content marketing business for the past 15 years. Her clients include IBM, Adobe, Google, HPE, Verizon, Meta/Facebook, Franklin Covey, IEEE and Microsoft. She also wrote the best selling book The Freelance Content Marketing Writer. She also founded and manages the Freelance Content Marketing Writer Facebook group, which is the largest community for freelance content marketing writers with over 8K members from across the globe.
Laura Goldstein
VP, Content and Communications
Saatva
Laura Goldstein oversees content marketing, social media, public relations, and internal communications for luxury e-commerce brand Saatva. Prior to getting her start in content marketing, she spent more than 20 years as a print and digital editor at media companies including the Washington Post, AOL/HuffPost, and Time Inc.
In 2018, Laura launched Saatva’s Sleep Enlightened blog, with the goal of answering any question a consumer might have about the confusing and often frustrating world of mattress shopping. Five years and more than 900 articles later, the blog is a performance channel that drives significant revenue for the company and has a higher return on investment than any other marketing channel. Quality content has been a key to building audience and elevating the brand above others in the space.
Laura was pleased to be a 2020 WICMA Award finalist.
Ikram Guerd
Vice President Global Marketing - Managing Director US
Aspivix
Ikram Guerd is Vice President of Global Marketing for the innovative FemTech, Aspivix, which mission is to make gynecology now modern with gentle in mind. She leads the global strategic marketing and communications strategy to raise awareness around innovative solution to reduce pain for women and is also in charge of running operations in the US.
As a seasoned healthcare marketing expert with 18+ years of international career in Europe and the USA, she is a proven award-winning marketing leader with a full set of experience in leading successful teams, managing products lifecycle, building impactful marketing strategies including content generation processes, getting things done and driving growth and culture.
She has been invited to participate as a moderator and speaker in marketing expert talks, as well as being a marketing awards judge several times.
Passionate about women’s empowerment, she advocates for them and provides mentoring and coaching for young girls and women at early stages in their careers, as well as mid-level managers. She’s part of the Board of Directors of the non-profit organization, Inspiring Girls USA, which mission is to inspire young girls and break down gender stereotypes by introducing girls to role models and meaningful conversations about their future and to a broad scope of jobs they could do.
She holds a Master’s in Strategical Marketing & Communication from ISG Business School in Paris (France).
She has a passion for travel, cooking, and photography. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, giving back to the community, and learning new skills.
Karla Hesterberg
Director of Content Marketing
HubSpot
Karla Hesterberg is the Director of Content Marketing at HubSpot. She has worked in content marketing for nearly a decade as a writer, editor, content strategist, and people manager, and currently oversees HubSpot's Blog Network, Historical Content Optimization, and Content Growth teams.
After receiving her degree in Rhetoric from Bates College, Karla worked in public relations and political communications before starting at HubSpot as a customer service representative. While working full-time at HubSpot she received her Master's in Corporate Communications from Northeastern University, and was hired on HubSpot's Content Marketing team as a Staff Writer for the blog. She was promoted to Director of Content Marketing in 2023 after leading the Blog Network team for five years.
When she's not working on content at HubSpot, Karla is a mixed-media artist.
Ruksana Hussain
Freelancer
Freelance
Ruksana Hussain is an award-winning journalist, writer, and editor with bylines in print and digital publications regionally and internationally. She is also the publisher of Traveler and Tourist, a subscriber-driven monthly digital travel and lifestyle publication attracting a global readership. Her repertoire as a features generalist includes diverse topics and industries, including but not limited to travel and lifestyle, education, construction, technology, and diversity & inclusion.
Hussain is a panelist and speaker, and she shares her experiences as a woman of color in the media publishing space and travel industry via webinars and podcasts. She has been quoted in mainstream media for her travel expertise and has also served as a judge at industry competitions for students and professionals. Her journalistic work has garnered several awards and diversity fellowships.
Born in India and raised in Oman, Hussain now calls Los Angeles home. Reach her on www.ruksanawrites.com
Alison Jarris
Global Demand Content Lead
Google Cloud
Alison Jarris leads global executive content marketing for Google Cloud. She brings over a decade of experience building and leading content marketing teams to generate demand and increase brand awareness for Fortune 500 brands including Google Cloud, Salesforce, MuleSoft, Booz Allen, and Talkdesk.
Alison is an expert in understanding the audience needs and aligning corporate business priorities to digital touch points to drive demand and convert to quality leads. Her B2B content programs have been recognized by company and industry awards including WICMAs, PRSA, Webby, and Digiday for creating innovative cross-channel content experiences that deliver the right message to the right audiences at the right time.
Jennifer Kroog Rosenberg
Vice President of Marketing Communications
The Honest Company
Jennifer Kroog Rosenberg is Vice President of Marketing Communications and Corporate Affairs for The Honest Company. Serving in this leadership role since January 2018, she oversees internal and external communications and is also a founding member of Honest’s ESG Council and serves as executive sponsor of Honest’s H.O.L.A. (Honest Orgulloso Latine & Allies) employee resource group.
A seasoned marketing professional, she has served on the marketing team at Honest for 11+ years and previously spent time in the marketing departments of Juicy Couture and Kooba Handbags. In 2022, she was named Content Marketer of the Year by the Women in Content Marketing Awards and received The Stevie Award for Communications Professional of the Year in 2021.
Outside of work, Kroog Rosenberg is a founding member of Chief, a private network designed specifically for women leaders. She holds a B.S. degree from The George Washington University.
Natalie Lambert
Global Director, Storytelling for Google Cloud
Natalie Lambert is on the Google marketing leadership team responsible for Google Cloud's content strategy and storytelling. Prior to that, she was the Chief Marketing Officer at Instart, an enterprise security company acquired by Akamai. Before joining Instart, Natalie served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Sapho, an enterprise productivity company acquired by Citrix. Previously, she spent seven years at Citrix, where she held multiple product marketing leadership positions, including having responsibility for the company’s multi-product solutions, thought leadership efforts, and positioning Citrix as a leader in digital workplace technologies. Natalie began her career at Forrester Research where she was a principal analyst covering end user computing. In that role, she advised clients on technology investments and best practices surrounding the enterprise computing environment. Natalie has been widely quoted in the press, including outlets such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and has written for Wired, Forbes and CIO.com.
Shannon Shelton Miller
Freelancer
Freelance
Shannon Shelton Miller has been a writer, journalist and editor for nearly 30 years, publishing articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Cosmopolitan and other national newspapers, magazines and websites. She's also written content for multiple financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Lending Tree, Synchrony Bank, American Century and Experian.
Alicia Parker
Chief Marketing Officer
Tishman Speyer
Alicia Parker joined Tishman Speyer in 2021 as Chief Marketing Officer to oversee Tishman Speyer’s global marketing, customer, and communications strategies across the firm’s diverse portfolio of businesses. She leverages her background in tech, fashion, travel, music, hospitality, retail, beauty, and financial services to guide Tishman Speyer’s strategic brand development. She held previous marketing and sales positions at Casper Sleep, The Peninsula Hotels, and Ralph Lauren. Prior to her in-house roles, Alicia worked on the agency side with global brands including Samsung, Sony, MTV Games, and Mastercard. Alicia holds a BS in Business from Babson College, serves on the Board of Directors for The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership, and has served as an Advisor to start-ups ranging from fintech to consumers goods.
Valerie Rains
Director of Brand Editorial
Etsy
As the Director of Brand Editorial at Etsy, Valerie leads a team of content strategists, writers, and editors in bringing Etsy’s brand and values to life across a range of B2B and B2C channels, with a focus on highlighting the most compelling stories from Etsy’s millions-strong community of creative entrepreneurs. Before joining Etsy, Valerie held editorial positions at Hearst, Time Inc., Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, Budget Living, and Yahoo!; edited or co-authored books for Country Living, Real Simple, and Apartment Therapy; and covered travel, interiors, how-tos, and lifestyle topics for dozens of print and digital publications.
Robyn Rawlings
Director, Integrated Campaigns & Content
Webex
Robyn is a successful content marketing leader with over 20 years of experience in enterprise software and software-as-a-service (SaaS). Robyn is currently Director of Campaigns and Content Marketing at Webex by Cisco, a leader in cloud calling, collaboration, and customer experience solutions. In her current role, Robyn drives content strategy and execution for integrated campaigns, digital marketing, and demand programs. Previous to Cisco, Robyn held leadership positions at CA Technologies and various start-ups where she drove content programs in online marketing, thought leadership, corporate marketing, product marketing, and customer advocacy.
Mallory Russell
VP, Global Content & Web
Square
Mallory Russell is the Global Head of Content Marketing & Web for Square, overseeing content marketing strategy as well as Square’s content, social media, organic discovery, and web functions. In her role, she builds content experiences and journeys that educate and inspire businesses of all sizes and help grow the brand and the business. She previously led content marketing at Change.org, where she used social and editorial channels to tell stories of people making change all over the world. Before working in tech, Mallory reported on the world of marketing at Advertising Age and Business Insider and worked at some of San Francisco’s most storied ad agencies. Mallory holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Southern California and an M.A. in Business and Economic Journalism from New York University.
Amalia Safran
Brand Communications Manager
OXO
With almost a decade of experience, Amalia Safran works on the marketing team at OXO, a New York based housewares brand. Amalia has been with OXO for seven years, focusing on bringing the brand to life through onsite content, influencer marketing, brand partnerships and retail marketing. She spent the last few years living in Zurich, Switzerland, where she got to ski, travel, and eat her way through Europe. Prior to OXO, Amalia worked at a public relations agency working on clients in the lifestyle, health and home industries. When she’s not thinking about food or chefs on her 9-5, she’s thinking about it on her 5-9.
Stephanie Stahl
General Manager
Content Marketing Institute
As General Manager of CMI, Stephanie Stahl leads the brand’s event and digital operations – and get to work with the best team on the planet! Previously, Stephanie served as VP of Content Marketing for UBM’s Technology portfolio, providing strategic guidance on content development, content optimization, audience engagement, and go-to-market platforms for our technology clients. She’s worked for Informa (previously UBM), for nearly three decades, helping shape new multimedia content and event offerings. Stephanie lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband and they enjoy spending time taking care of their many pets and visiting their two daughters in different parts of the country.
Janice Tennant
Chief Marketing Officer
Wolverine Worldwide
Janice Tennant is a senior global executive with over 15 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies, who strives each day to help people and brands reach their potential. In 2022, she was named Marketing Leader of the Year by the Women in Content Marketing Awards – leading the Merrell team to be named Brand of the Year by the Footwear News Achievement Awards. She has been listed as one of Forbes Magazine’s “CMO NEXT 2021: 50 Innovative Marketers Transforming Business” and AdAge’s “2021 Leading Women”.
Amanda Todorovich
Executive Director, Content Marketing
Cleveland Clinic
Amanda Todorovich is the Executive Director of Digital Marketing at Cleveland Clinic. In her role, she leads a team of 100+ caregivers responsible for the web site, blog, social media, video, podcasts, email and more. The Cleveland Clinic web site is among the top 50 most-visited sites in the world. Amanda joined Cleveland Clinic in 2013. In 2016, she was named Content Marketer of the Year by Content Marketing Institute. She is also an inductee of the Healthcare Internet Hall of Fame Innovative Individuals. Previously, she was the Chief Content Officer and co-founder of MedCity News. Amanda holds a bachelor’s in public relations from Ohio Northern University and a master’s in communication from The University of Akron.
Kristina Villarini
VP, Content
J.P. Morgan
Kristina Villarini has spent over 15 years building and managing teams. She created award-winning, strategic digital programs across numerous causes and issue areas, and has served as advisor to some of the world’s biggest companies. Her knowledge across digital, communications, and marketing makes her a sought-after expert on building dynamic user experiences and journeys for diverse constituencies. She currently is the head of digital content strategy for J.P. Morgan Payments and serves on the board of Hello Future, She lives in New York City with her wife.
Sara Wallace
Global Marketing Lead
Sara Gessner Wallace is a global business leader with 20+ years of experience developing integrated B2B and B2C marketing strategies for brands across CPG and technology. Currently at Google, she leads global executive marketing, building and influencing the most important business executives via content strategy, integrated campaigns, and flagship events. Prior to Google, she held senior positions at multinational companies leading strategic and creative development of well-known brands such as Tide, Pantene, and Kellogg’s cereals.
Sara is a resident of Boulder, a CHIEF member, and sits on several non-profit boards.
Lauren Wegner
Senior Director, Content Marketing
Bright Horizons
Lauren is a content marketing and strategy leader with over 15 years of multinational experience at brands in the US and UK. Currently, she is the Senior Director, Content Marketing across three business lines at Bright Horizons, the world’s most trusted education and care company. Before leading a team of nine content strategists to cultivate and progress an integrated enterprise-wide content strategy, Lauren paid her dues at luxury fashion house Michael Kors, Clinique at The Estée Lauder Companies, InStyle, Vanity Fair, and Signet Jewelers, where she has worked in Omnichannel platforms that include TV, e-commerce, mobile, social media, video, podcasts, webinars, livestreams and experiential brand events. She holds an MBA from The University of Westminster’s Business School in London and was formerly the president of the American Society of Magazine Editors’ junior board, ASME Next.