Programmatic Power Players companies were chosen from the hundreds of submissions received from across the globe. AdExchanger’s editors evaluated each entry based on the strength and breadth of its offerings and its documented case studies.

See the full list HERE

Jame's LinkedIn

Ashley is a VP, Director who has a dual role, leading content Campaigns for a retail client and overseeing Strategy for one of the brands. Caitlyn is an Analytics Director for a QSR client. Ashley’s worked at Spark for ten years, but the best have been the last five while Caitlyn has also worked there. 

Where did you both go to college?

We met at Indiana University, while we were both studying at the Kelley School of Business. We graduated together in 2011 with the same double majors in Marketing and International Business. Ashley went back to also get her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in 2019. 

What’s it like working with your best friend at the same agency? 

CG: This was one of the main selling points when I switched agencies a few years back! When we were in the office regularly it was always nice to take a snack or coffee break together to get a few steps in. We have always been each other’s biggest cheerleader outside of the workplace and now we get to brag about and celebrate each other’s success at work as well! I am waiting for the day we get to work on a pitch or client presentation together – if you saw us play Heads Up!, you would know how seamless that presentation would flow. 

AD: To add on, our individual account teams have adopted each other as honorary team members, so it’s also given us an opportunity to expand our relationships and networks within the agency. It’s also funny to see double takes from people around the agency who may recognize one of us from the other’s Instagram posts. 

What’s your favorite memory while working together? 

AD: Caitlyn’s husband makes fun of us for being so similar – it shocked him that even our keychains look alike. So, it’s no surprise that we have a lot of similar clothes. It only took 155 days into Caitlyn’s career at Spark for us to accidentally wear the same outfit to work and that wasn’t the only time that it’s happened.

Besides working together at Spark for the past five years, what else are you involved in together? 

We met through our professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, while at Indiana University, so involvement in organizations has been part of our entire friendship. When we moved to Chicago, we began volunteering as soccer coaches with Urban Initiatives and have served on their Associate Board for the past nine years. Fitness is a big part of our friendship and we used to play on a few rec league soccer teams around the city (until a few knee injuries ended Ashley’s career). Now, we’re usually at the gym or taking Title Boxing classes together. 

We’ve also been fortunate to travel all over the world and experience new cultures together. Maybe that pitch Caitlyn is waiting for us to work on together one day will be a global assignment (hint, Spark team). 

With all of these different activities, do you ever see your networks overlap?

It’s one of our favorite things to have our networks overlap. With Urban Initiatives, we’ve received so much support from our connections across the industry, be it through donations or volunteering. We also saw soccer collide with advertising when we both played (at that time against each other!) in the Ad League and often see our Spark colleagues at Title. It’s amazing how interconnected our industry is, so having opportunities through CIMA to uncover who may also be involved or interested in our other activities is a huge plus. 

What would you two do (for a career) if you weren’t doing what you were doing? 

We talk about this all the time! We would love to combine our passion for fitness and activity with what we love to do at our jobs. Whether that’s helping boutique fitness studios effectively market themselves locally or opening our own fitness company, we’re not sure yet. 

Besides working together, what's on your work bucket list?

AD: Sipping champagne on a yacht in the south of France with a Cannes Lion in hand for a winning campaign that included Maluma as our talent. 

CG: Establish myself as a marketing analytics leader in Chicago while demonstrating a healthy work life balance for my daughter. 

Looking back on everything you’ve experienced, what’s one thing you would tell your younger self? 

CG: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Early on in my career I had this idea that if I asked a team member or boss for help it would display a lack of knowledge, strength, self-sufficiency… the list goes on. After a prolonged time period where I often found myself in the office after the lights went off, I realized this was not sustainable and found the courage to ask my boss for help. My work-life balance improved, as well as my ability to produce as I started getting outside perspectives and increased collaboration with teammates. 

AD: Find mentors from all of your networks and make sure to act on their kindness and generosity when they offer their time, advice, connections, etc. There were times I would feel insecure about scheduling the weekly coffee chats or following up on the offer for an email introduction because I was worried that I would be interrupting their busy schedules. People genuinely want to help each other rise up. Your mentors also don’t have to fit a specific profile or check certain boxes either and meetings don’t have to take place in formal settings. Continue to meet and connect with as many people as you can because there is always something to learn from anyone you meet. 

Agency Spotlight is recognizing agency all-stars in the Chicago marketplace.  Know someone you want to nominate? Reach out to Kevin DeScaaf and Nicole Long.