WomenHeard

"If you feel adjacent, go into it wholeheartedly... what's meant for you will not pass you by."

If negotiating your next role is top of mind, you won't want to miss this episode! WomenHeard host Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich sits down with Vicki Salemi, former corporate recruiter turned career expert, to clarify expectations and goals. It's hard to land the "ideal" job if you don't know exactly what you're seeking! Listen to this episode to audit your skills, find what needs to be accelerated, and identify what you're actually working toward. 

You'll hear a preview of insights attendees will receive at NYWICI's Communications Career Bootcamp on Thursday, November 12. This half-day event includes panels with industry leaders, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities with others in communications, marketing, advertising, public relations, and other dynamic industries. Register for your ticket here!

"No great career is built alone." 

The future of communications is shaped in this room and now you get a chance to listen! The NYWICI Trailblazer Awards, hosted at the iconic Forbes on Fifth, recognizes the next generation of innovators, storytellers, strategists, and creators. The four 2026 honorees are Ariel Nathanson, Executive Vice President/Executive & Brand Strategy (Full Picture); Christa Robinson, Senior Vice President/Media Relations Executive (Adobe); Elise O'Neil, Chief of Staff, CMO & Brand Communications (Adobe); and Lauren Prescott, Senior Vice President of Marketing (Pepsico). 

Selected by a distinguished panel of NYWICI Past Presidents and Board members, each honoree is recognized alongside the influential leaders who helped guide and inspire their journeys: Moira Forbes, Executive Vice President (Forbes Media) / President & Publisher (ForbesWomen); Lisa Caputo, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience Officer (The Travelers Companies); Talia Bender Small, President (The Female Quotient); and Nancy Reyes, Global President and CEO (BBDO Worldwide). This event was moderated by Cindy Hsu, Anchor & Reporter (CBS News). 

Carla Serrano, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe 

"Not being risky is more risk than actually just going out there." 

Ask for what you want and you may just get it! WomenHeard host Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich sat down with Carla Serrano, 2026 Matrix honoree and Chief Strategy Officer at the Publicis Groupe. They kick off the conversation with how research and a bold request got Carla her first job in account planning. In this episode, you'll hear the career advice that's been most impactful to her and how she stays grounded. 

"Pay attention to the job you're becoming capable of doing." 

In this episode, we hear from Ariel Nathanson, an honoree of the 2026 NYWICI Trailblazers! The Trailblazer Awards celebrate emerging professionals making a significant impact within their organizations and communities. Nominated by respected industry leaders, colleagues, and past Matrix honorees, these individuals represent the next generation of executives, storytellers, strategists, and creators. This year's Trailblazer Awards will be held on September 29, 2026. 

Ariel shares how she added value to a role that wasn't a good fit (within a company that was!) and how being "human-centric" is part of her AI methodology. Plus, how the combination of a nose ring and pearls became part of her interview success. 

"How do you bring people into your story?" 

In this special episode, our WomenHeard guest host is Linda Descano! A former NYWICI president and current Chief Global Integration & Marketing Officer at Havas Red Agency, she explores the evolving landscape of Chief Communications/Marketing officers with two women at the forefront of the strategic shift.

Jennifer O'Neill leads communications for the Americas region at Reckitt, a global hygiene and health consumer products company known for Lysol and more. She recently completed the Reckitt Catalyst Innovator Bootcamp, which scales start-ups founded by women and under-represented entrepreneurs (in collaboration with Serena Williams, the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence!) Sangeeta Prasad is the first CMO at Slalom, a global technology consulting company, who spoke at 2026 Cannes Lions about how digital transformation and the AI revolution have enhanced her team's impact as a growth engine. Listen to this episode for how they build trust, maintain authenticity, and share their perspectives on what's shaping marketing and communications success today. Plus, they discuss how men and women are approaching AI with different lenses - and what that could mean for their career development. 

"You should always be kind. But pushing to be likeable can sometimes mean that you don't have the courage to say the thing that needs to be said." 

In this episode, WomenHeard host Julie Hochheiser Ilkvovich speaks with Diana Haussling, a 2026 Matrix Honoree and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) powerhouse! Her background spans Hershey, General Mills, Campbell and Colgate-Palmolive. As the CEO of Hello Products, a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, Diana sits at the intersection of marketing technology and digital operations. 

How quickly are you able to rebound from a conflict? Diana challenges listeners to determine their "plastic balls" of lower priority that can bounce and protect "glass balls" of high priority that can't be dropped. Plus, you'll hear Diana's method to evaluate feedback and learn two of our favorite phrases: "Leverage 'no' as a complete sentence!" and "Get rid of the little hater in your head!" 

The Matrix Awards is NYWICI's flagship event recognizing rising talent in the communications industry. In this episode, you'll hear from some of our scholarship honorees on their incredible accomplishments so far and what they're most looking forward to next! Sarah Ng, three-time NYWICI Scholarship recipient, interviewed this year's recipients on the red carpet.

The Matrix Awards by NYWICI serves as our opportunity to recognize exceptional leaders in the communications industry. This year’s theme is The Butterfly Effect: Women Who Transform the World and Inspire the Future! Sarah Ng, three-time NYWICI Scholarship recipient, interviewed award-winners on the red carpet of this star-studded event. 

Listen to this episode for insights from emcee Sheinelle Jones, co-host of TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle! You’ll also hear from our honorees: Tamsen Fadal, Emmy Award-winning journalist;, Debra OConnell, Chairman, Disney Entertainment Television; Khartoon Weiss, VP Global Customer Solutions, Google; Diana Haussling, CEO, hello Products; Abbey Klaassen, CEO, Tinuiti; Carla Serrano, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe; and Ashley Miles, former NYWICI president and founder/CEO at Franklyn West.

In this special interview, we hear from 2021 Matrix honoree Marisa Thalberg who's presenting Ashley Miles as an honoree at the 2026 Matrix Awards! The Matrix Awards is a prestigious event honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of women in communications and the arts, starting with its inaugural honoree, Gloria Steinem. WomenHeard host Georgia Galanoudis chats with them about their friendship and career journeys leading up to this milestone moment. Listen in for pragmatic perspectives about authenticity, generosity, and AI integration. 

Join us for this special episode honoring the legacy of Beverly Wettenstein: an award-winning journalist, author and women’s advocate! Creative production leader and NYWICI podcast committee member Leisel Kober interviewed a range of speakers, panelists, and leaders at this March event, whose work has influenced sports, hospitality, and media. 

You'll hear insights from a Paula Ngon, PR & Brand Communications Strategist at the NFL; Tiffany Townsend, Executive Vice President Global Communications at NYC Tourism & Conventions; Maneet Ahuja, Editor-at-Large at Forbes and the Iconoclast Summit; Emily K. Graham, Global Chief Inclusion & Impact Officer at Omnicom; Rachel Carr, Executive Director at Dan Klores Communications; Youmie Jean Francois, founder of Flex-n-Fly; Sara Baiyu Porritt, Chief Inclusion & Impact Officer at Omnicom; and Lauren Kaufman, Managing Director of Public Relations at MMGY.