Icons in the Making
A podcast that goes inside the brands shaping our world
Icons in the Making is a new podcast series hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Heather Stern. In each episode, we talk with the leaders and change agents on the inside who are working toward building a more exciting, more equitable and more meaningful future. You'll hear stories of transformation—both personal and professional—and the surprising lessons learned along the way. Start streaming all 12 episodes on Spotify, Apple, Google, iHeart and Stitcher.
Episode
Being unapologetic with NYC Pride
Heritage of Pride, a nonprofit born from the events of the Stonewall Uprising, has cemented itself over the last 30+ years as the foremost LGBTQIA+ Pride organization. In this episode, we talk to NYC Pride Co-Chair André Thomas about the significance of this year’s theme ‘Unapologetically Us,’ their new inclusive brand identity, designed by Lippincott, and how brands can authentically show up in June—and beyond.
Building the consumer banking platform of the future with Goldman Sachs
A marketing superstar and industry disruptor, Arianna Orpello has been a change agent in financial services for more than a decade. The Head of Marketing, Consumer Bank/Marcus by Goldman Sachs shares her honest perspectives on being a woman in a male-dominated industry, the future of banking and the secret to owning what makes you different.
Moving sport forward with the WNBA
On the heels of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s most historical season yet, we sit down with the league’s first-ever Chief Marketing Officer and 20+ year Nike veteran, Phil Cook. From exponential growth in viewership and social engagement to unique partnerships with Google, Amazon Prime and Coinbase, the WNBA is on fire—yet is only getting started.
Branding in the metaverse with Roblox
The metaverse has taken the world by storm in the last year, but that’s nothing new for Roblox. In this episode, we talk to Christina Wootton, Vice President of Brand Partnerships at Roblox, about the power of community and her advice to brands looking to authentically come onto the platform.
Modernizing a media icon with PBS
Ira Rubenstein is a media industry pioneer. While at Sony, he established Movielink, a first-of-its-kind on-demand service. At Marvel, he launched the first comic book app, earning the approval of Steve Jobs himself. And now, as Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at PBS, Rubenstein is leading the heritage brand’s digital revolution. In this episode, he discusses the daunting task of spearheading a brand transformation and the importance of trust and integrity in today’s media and arts landscape.
Building a more inclusive platform at Twitter
As a designer, Lara Mendonça passionately believes in the power of design to change our relationship to technology. And in her career, she has done just that, having been lauded for her work as Bumble’s Head of Product Design in the leadup to the company's blockbuster IPO. In this episode, Lara shares how she’s bringing her philosophy of designing for inclusivity and safety to her role at Twitter.
Doubling down on blockchain with Walmart
Archana Sristy is at the forefront of blockchain as the leader of Walmart’s Blockchain Platform, where she and her team leverage cutting-edge technologies to build transparent supply chains. In this episode, Archana shares the practical ways in which Walmart is leveraging blockchain for the benefit of the customer, one piece of fruit at a time.
Changing the face of medicine with Moderna
Imagine being on the inside of Moderna in 2020? Lavina Talukdar, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations at Moderna, talks the race to the COVID-19 vaccine, how she landed her dream role with zero prior investor-relations experience and what the future holds for the biotech firm that is changing the face of medicine.
Designing for diversity with IBM
Oen Michael Hammonds has conquered design from every angle—graphic, service, information, interactive and environmental design. As a Design Principal at IBM, he brings design thinking to the HR department. In this episode, Oen talks the art of designing impactful employee experiences and building a culture of conscious inclusion so innovation can thrive.
Demystifying the world of NFTs
NFTs have exploded in the last year, with sales volume surging to more than 10 billion and brands across the board jumping on the bandwagon. We sit down with Maria Shen, a top NFT thought leader and partner at venture-capital firm, Electric Capital where she unpacks the growth of the crypto industry, how brands can tackle NFTs and her predictions for the future—which is closer than we think.
Recruiting in the digital age with TikTok
In this episode, we sit down with Kate Barney—global citizen, entrepreneur, new mom and Head of HR for TikTok’s Global Business Solutions in the United States and EMEA. Hear her perspectives on amplifying corporate culture in a virtual world, combating the Great Resignation and attracting the next generation of talent.
The path to decarbonizing aviation
Is hydrogen-powered aviation in our future? According to Jason Chua, co-founder of Universal Hydrogen, carbon-free flight will be a reality sooner than we think. In this episode, Jason talks about how Universal Hydrogen is tackling the issue of hydrogen distribution by doing for clean fuel what Nespresso did for coffee. He also shares his experiences leading agile teams at United Technologies, Airbus, Google and elsewhere.
Starting a brand from scratch
Kristen Tomlan, Lippincott alum and founder and CEO of DŌ Cookie Dough Confection, shares how she pivoted from a career in branding to founding a company that quickly went viral. Listeners will be inspired by Kristen’s endless optimism and her mission to spread joy—one sweet bite at a time.
Meet our host
As Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Business Development at Lippincott, Heather ignites brands, develops winning client partnerships and inspires teams to drive growth. A cultivator of industry trends, she spearheaded the firm’s award-winning thought leadership campaign, "The Customer of the Future," as well as the original exhibition, "Like me: our bond with brands," appearing at the London Design Museum and One World Trade Center in New York. She’s a natural connector, a passionate advocate of women’s leadership, an avid music lover and a proud mom of two boys.
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