Advance Women

We are honored to announce Liz (Sarachek) Blacker as Gala Chair of The Resource Foundation Gala 2026. A respected leader in global and multicultural sales and marketing, Liz brings nearly three decades of experience with both corporations and start-ups, bridging Latin America and the U.S. across technology, media, and entertainment. Her work has consistently focused on expanding opportunity and creating solutions for underserved communities. She has led innovative launches at organizations including The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, StarMedia, Yahoo!, iHeartMedia, Telefónica, and TelevisaUnivision, and led a bipartisan non profit in Washington, DC winning a Webby Award for their bilingual Hurricane Katrina website. As Liz shares, "I am thrilled to be Chairing this event honoring and celebrating the important mission of The Resource Foundation". Her leadership, combined with a longstanding commitment to community impact, makes her the ideal Gala Chair for this year’s event. Talent is universal. Opportunity is not. On May 4, 2026, in New York City,  leaders across many industries will come together to celebrate the shared  commitment to expanding opportunity across Latin America and the Caribbean.  Join us for this special evening! Ticket and sponsorship opportunities available here: https://bit.ly/TRFGala2026

Our community spans cities, time zones, and continents - and one of the things we love most is finding ways to bring everyone together, whether that's virtually or in person. In March, we spent #31DaysAdvancingWomen by celebrating 26 women across our LinkedIn community. This month, we're taking it to Miami! 😎 🌴 On April 27th, we're hosting a Leadership Lunch at POSSIBLE, bringing together ~100 senior women at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, in partnership with Possible, Unplugged Collective and New Digital Age. This is our 2nd year at POSSIBLE and we're coming back with more community, more partners, and more energy behind us. Thank you to Screenverse, OpenX, and LG Ad Solutions for making it happen. If you'll be in Miami, come join us. Register here (space is limited): https://lnkd.in/e5bXQenJ #AdvanceWomen #POSSIBLE2026 #WomenInLeadership #WomenInMedia #Community

This month has been one of our favorites! 🎉 We heard from 26 unique women: Executives and rising stars. Familiar faces and new ones. Women from different cities, backgrounds, and corners of the industry - each one taking time out of their busy lives to show up and share something real with this community. We loved every single post. 💜 Thank you to everyone who followed along, commented, and cheered these women on! That's exactly what Advance Women is built on. 26 spotlights is just a fraction of what this community holds. We have over 1,000 members, each with their own story worth hearing and we plan to keep elevating those voices throughout 2026. Interested in joining Advance Women? We'd love to have you! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gf54Aayq #AdvanceWomen #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen

Week 4 is a wrap and this group did not disappoint! This week we heard from seven powerhouses who shared their thoughts about leadership, growth, and how to actually show up for yourself + others. Please join us in celebrating this week's incredible women: 🌟 Djoye Mendy-Grant 🌟 Jessica Silva 🌟 Xhemile Poley 🌟 Hannah Kasoff 🌟 Amelia Tran 🌟 Dayna Moon 🌟 Priti Powell 📣 If you haven't already - check out all of this month's spotlights. 26 women shared honest and insightful perspectives. We welcome you to follow them, engage with their posts, and show them some love. #AdvanceWomen #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen

Day 28 | Priti Powell, Co-Founder at Advance Women ✨ Coloring Outside of the Lines: Connector. Builder. World Traveler. ✨ 💬 What's one piece of advice you would give to the next generation of women? "Be intentional about what you say yes to. Early in your career, it's tempting to take on everything - and there's value in that phase. But at some point, more stops being the answer. The clearer you get on the work that energizes you, the problems you gravitate toward, and where you consistently add value, the more deliberate you can be about what you pursue. Burnout is real - especially for high-achieving women who are often handed more without the resources to match. Build your own roadmap. If a company needs you to lead multiple projects and responsibilities, ask for the team to support it. You don't have to do it all alone - and if they expect you to, that's a conversation worth having. That intentionality builds something that experience alone doesn't - self-awareness. And once you have that, confidence in advocating for yourself and making decisions about what comes next gets a lot easier." 💬 What has been a significant influence in your life and career? "Travel has been a constant in my life - personally and professionally. I value taking time off to travel with friends, family, and going on solo trips. What draws me in is being somewhere completely unfamiliar. Learning how people live, how food, history, religion, and customs shape culture and community. In those environments, I can't default to what I know. I have to adapt, figure things out, and engage with people on their terms. Over time, it's taught me to lead with curiosity before judgment. To sit with ambiguity longer than most people are comfortable with. And to actually listen - not just to what people are saying, but to what they value, how they build trust, and what they're not saying. When you can't rely on shared assumptions or cultural shorthand, you learn to pay attention differently. That shows up in how I lead, how I build relationships, and how I think about bringing people together - whether that's across a table in a different country or across a room full of people who don't yet know each other." 💬 Name one woman in our industry we should be watching and why. "Julia (Sullivan) Rotondo is someone to watch. What stands out is how she leads. She balances accountability with empathy in a way that's genuinely rare. Her background spans both the agency and publisher sides, which gives her a sharp and unique perspective. She's intentional about growing as a leader - constantly refining how she supports her team and builds structure to drive meaningful results. She's doing the hard work behind the scenes and is someone I admire as she continues to grow in her career." #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen #AdvanceWomen

Day 27 | Dayna Moon, CEO at Lunar Communications & CCO at FouAnalytics "see Fou yourself" ✨ Trust matters more than title. ✨ 💬 What is one belief that has shaped the way you lead? "One belief that has shaped the way I lead is that trust matters more than title. People don't follow someone just because they have a senior title. The leaders who have made the greatest impact on me showed up the same way in every room - with integrity, clear, reliable, direct, and willing to do the work alongside the team. I try to create environments where people know where they stand, know their contributions matter, and know they do not have to perform perfection to earn respect. Leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about creating momentum, removing friction, and helping people move with more confidence than they had before." 💬 Who (or what) has been a significant influence in your life and career? "Without question, my dad. Also known as 'The Big Kahuna' or 'Pops,' depending on the day. He's been one of the biggest influences in both my life and my career because he has always had this rare combination of steadiness, perspective, and honesty. He's the person I can call when I need real advice, not just reassurance. He'll listen, give me an objective view, and usually help me cut through whatever noise or emotion is clouding the situation. He's never been someone who tells me what I want to hear just to make me feel better. He tells me the truth, but in a way that makes me stronger and clearer. Over time, that has shaped how I make decisions, how I handle challenges, and how I lead. Having someone like that in your corner changes you. It gives you confidence, but it also gives you balance - and that has meant a lot to me throughout my journey." 💬 What's one piece of advice would you give to the next generation of women? "Stop waiting to be ready. Ready is a moving target, and if you keep chasing it, you'll spend years over-preparing while someone far less capable is already in the room making decisions. Confidence is not always something you feel first. Sometimes it is something you build by acting before certainty arrives. Ambition and kindness are not opposites. Build substance. Build relationships. Build your name carefully. And remember that the goal is not just to succeed within the system as it is - it is to help reshape it for the women coming behind you. Do not confuse being approachable with being small. The goal is not just to earn a seat at the table. It is to say something worth hearing when you get there." #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen #LunarCommunications #FouAnalytics

Day 26 | Amelia Tran, Head of Activations & Hannah Kasoff, Client Partner at Marketecture Media ✨ Showing up. Speaking up. Holding the door. ✨ 💬 What is one belief that has shaped the way you lead? 🎙️ Amelia: A belief that has shaped how I lead is that how you do things matters just as much as what you achieve. Results come and go, but the way you show up, how you treat people, how you handle pressure, how you bring others along - that's what actually builds something lasting. I lead with a high bar for execution, but equally high standards for trust, ownership, and care. The best teams I've been part of weren't just effective, they were aligned, supportive, and proud of how they worked together. That's the environment I aim to create and foster. 🎙️ Hannah: A core belief of mine is to show up as myself no matter where I am. I never believed in switching back and forth from 'work self' to 'personal self.' From marketing, to PR, to sales, people have always felt that consistency from me. I care about results - but I care just as much about staying true to myself along the way. That shows up in how I lead: people first. When you show up like a real human, you build stronger teams, better client relationships, and longer-term results. 💬 What motivates you to break barriers and enter new rooms? 🎙️ Amelia: I've always been motivated by building things that don't exist yet and stepping into spaces where I know I can contribute something meaningful. Early in my career, I realized that waiting to feel 'ready' is a trap. The rooms that shape your growth are usually the ones that feel a little uncomfortable at first. Over time, that discomfort became a signal that I was exactly where I needed to be. What keeps me going is knowing that my perspective is making an impact - not only in a business sense but with the people I come across. And just as important, creating space for others to step into those rooms too: When I win, we all win! 🎙️ Hannah: I was always a natural leader - yes, I was the kid who insisted on being the teacher when playing school. But when I entered the corporate world, the imposter syndrome hit: Do I say this out loud? Am I actually the one who can suggest we do this differently? What I learned early on is that those moments don't need to be so overthought. I keep walking into new rooms because I trust in my intelligence and point of view - because I truly believe that I have things to say that people should hear. And, I always hold the door :) #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen #MarketectureMedia

Day 25 | Xhemile Poley, VP, Global Head of Events at LG Ad Solutions ✨ Excellence. Loyalty. Partnerships. Impact. ✨ 💬 What is one belief that has shaped the way you lead? "Leadership is about creating the right rooms - and empowering your team to thrive in them. I lead with intention around who we bring together, what conversations we prioritize, and the outcomes we are driving. Whether it's 20 executives or 2,000 partners, every moment should reflect our values and move the business forward. I push my team to always ask: What are we creating, and which relationships are we strengthening? That mindset turns everyday moments into meaningful opportunities that create momentum." 💬 What motivates you to break barriers and enter new rooms? "The opportunity to open doors - not just for myself, but for others. The most important conversations happen where strategy and relationships intersect. Being in those rooms - and bringing others along - turns moments into progress and partnerships into impact. Preparation, consistency, and results open doors. Trust keeps them open and creates space to widen the circle for others." 💬 What's one piece of advice you would give to the next generation of women? "Be all in. Hard work still matters. There is no substitute for showing up fully, understanding your business, and delivering results people can rely on. Be intentional about the relationships you build, surround yourself with people who raise your standards, and over time people will notice who consistently delivers. Be that person." #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen #LGAdSolutions

Day 24 | Jessica Silva, Chief Operating Officer at Screenverse ✨ Builder of teams, revenue, and opportunity. Opening doors, disrupting markets, and proving what strong people and bold ideas can accomplish together. ✨ 💬 What is one belief that has shaped the way you lead? "The philosophy of servant leadership. Great leaders do not rule by control - they lead by trust. I have never endeavored to be the smartest person in the room. My focus has always been on building a team of people who are those things and creating the environment where they can thrive. Leadership is not about standing above others. It is about standing beside them. When people feel trusted, they take ownership. When they feel supported, they dare to take risks. And when both exist, extraordinary things happen. No matter how priorities shift or how difficult the road becomes, my people come first. My responsibility is to clear the path when I can, fight for them when I must, and make sure they have what they need to succeed. I welcome having my thinking challenged. Some of the most important conversations I have are the simplest ones: sitting down without distractions and asking, 'How can I help?' and then always following through." 💬 What motivates you to break barriers and enter new rooms? "I remember struggling to afford my first $20 pair of high heels so I could look like I belonged in my first real meeting. Early in my career, I often found myself in rooms where I was the youngest person, the only woman, or the one whose ideas were questioned before they were even heard. Over time, I realized breaking barriers is not about proving you belong. It is about refusing to let someone else decide where you are allowed to stand. So I keep walking into new rooms - not quietly, and not just to observe. I walk in to challenge assumptions, contribute ideas, and make the door wider for the people who will come next. Because somewhere out there is someone stepping into their first big meeting in their first pair of heels. And the rooms we build today should make sure she never has to wonder if she belongs there." 💬 What's one piece of advice you would give to the next generation of women? "Do not wait for permission. And do not mistake a closed door for the end of your story. Some doors will close in your face. Let them. Then find another way in - or find another door entirely. Confidence rarely comes before the moment. It is built through action, persistence, and trial and error. Be relentless in discovering what you are capable of. Step into the rooms that scare you. And fight like hell for the ideas that matter." #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen #Screenverse

Day 23 | Djoye Mendy-Grant, HR Director at OpenWeb ✨ Strategic. Human-centered. Decisive. Thoughtful. ✨ 💬 What is one belief that has shaped the way you lead? "My guiding belief is to lead in the way I would want to be led: with honesty, trust, and a commitment to doing the right thing, even when it's hard. I hold myself to the same standard I set for others, because accountability has to start at the top. And through it all, I try to stay relatable and grounded. That, I think, is my special touch." 💬 What motivates you to break barriers and enter new rooms? "Creating visibility for younger generations who are still figuring out where they belong, showing them they can be in any room they aspire to fill. It is also about proving to myself that I am exactly where I am supposed to be, every step of the way." 💬 Can you describe the difference in how you show up when you started your career vs. now? "Early on, I was very apologetic about being in the room before I realized that my input and opinions not only mattered, but made an impact. I treated every opportunity that came my way as a stroke of luck rather than a reward for hard work and dedication. In short, self-confidence is what changed the way I approach my career today." #WomensHistoryMonth #31DaysOfAdvancingWomen #AdvanceWomen #OpenWeb