Professional Services: KRISTEN CAVALLO
CEO, THE MARTIN AGENCY, RICHMOND
Published
Formerly the ad agency’s senior vice president of planning and development, Cavallo returned to Martin in 2017 as its first female CEO, leading the agency to back-to-back wins as Adweek’s U.S. Agency of the Year in 2020 and 2021.
Cavallo, who was previously president and chief strategy and growth officer of MullenLowe U.S., also has ushered in an era of growth and increased leadership diversity at Martin, which counts among its clients Geico, UPS, Old Navy and Axe.
Cavallo wrote on LinkedIn after the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade that the agency, which has 432 employees in Virginia, will cover expenses for employees’ reproductive health procedures, adding, “I believe when and if you become a parent is up to you.”
BEST ADVICE FOR OTHERS: Don’t be conflict averse; that’s where you can make the biggest difference.
FIRST JOB: I stocked shelves at KB Toys during Christmas.
WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: I work in an imaginative industry. We start by seeing beyond what currently exists. The key ingredients are hope and optimism, and a belief that norms and stereotypes can change.
