Bio

Growing up in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, made it easy to fall in love with storytelling. I learned early on what separates an enthralling story from one that merely echoes the words on the page. That’s why I’m passionate about crafting compelling stories that fuel disruptive go-to-market strategies, engage audiences and amplify brands. Today, as CMO for Accenture North America, a $20B business, I use storytelling to personalize and humanize our mission and to bring to life disruptive strategies that drive ROI. For 30 years, I’ve guided M&C for some of the world’s most prominent global companies. The cast of characters was eclectic, as was the work, running the gamut from brand strategy, CEO coaching, crisis management to lead generation and omni-channel marketing. Likewise, variety has been the name of the game in my nearly 15-year tenure at Accenture, where I’ve led marketing for cloud, cybersecurity, technology, operations and our innovation and thought leadership agendas. Having lived in London, Paris, Barcelona, Munich and NYC before calling the Bay-area home, I’ve a keen appreciation of cultural nuances and I believe in empowering my team members to bring their own “voice” to their work and experience a sense of belonging. I started in tech at a time when very few tech giants had female executives, so I’m committed to forging paths for women’s careers and creating more opportunities to bring young women into technology. I’m the #1 fan of our apprenticeship program and a fierce advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. I’m fortunate to work with colleagues who feel the same way. Together, we’ve helped Accenture earn top spots on many rankings including #1 on DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity list and #6 on Fortune’s 100 Great Companies to Work For. Knowing firsthand how music helps children develop confidence and critical thinking, I’ve served for 13 years as board director and VP of marketing and strategy for San Francisco Opera Guild to help its education programs reach 200+ schools and 64K kids. As a single mom with two young sons, balancing work with family life is a top priority. Our home often feels like a Comedy of Errors as we juggle school, sports, long workdays and a puppy who cries like a baby when the boys leave his sight. I believe in teaching my boys the importance of doing what you love, and being present and mindful, especially at home. That means we all leave the electronics at the charging station before dinner, cherish our weekend activities and take time to notice the small things.