Carla Ellison

Newly-appointed chief equity officer Elise James-Decruise is The Ad Council’s first-ever. She brings more than 20 years of experience across the tech and advertising industries from Thomson Reuters, Macys.com, and MediaMath where she founded the company-wide education services organization named New Marketing Institute. As she embarks on her new role with The Ad Council, she is hopeful for the future ahead and tells Marcom Weekly where the industry can expect to see growth.

It’s often said that a setback is a key ingredient for a great success story. For Javid Louis, senior vice president, digital strategy at DKC, no phrase is a better summary when looking back at his career trajectory. Mentored by arguably one of the most influential marketers of today, Steve Stoute, Louis quickly found early success. Upon graduating from Rutgers University, Louis joined Interscope Records as an intern where he met Stoute who served as executive vice president at the time.

When Amani Al-Khatahtbeh set out to create MuslimGirl.com, an online platform dedicated to amplifying the stories and experiences of young Muslim women, she did not imagine it achieving the level of influence it has amassed today. Launched in 2009, Muslim Girl’s original mission was to be a stepping stone for young Muslim women. After 11 years, Al-Khatahtbeh reminisces with Marcom Weekly about how the platform was a stepping stone for her as well.