The ANA has revealed the 2021 recipients of its Rising Marketing Star Awards. The four honorees, all age 30 or under, were nominated by senior executives at their companies for having met the following criteria: Made valuable contributions to the overall excellence/effectiveness of their marketing organization; demonstrated leadership, innovation, creativity, and accountability in executing their marketing responsibilities; exemplified skill in integrating marketing disciplines and working with other professionals; and exhibited knowledge of current issues in advertising and familiarity with the tools marketers are using to reach their audiences.
This year’s award recipients are:
- Georgie Manera, associate brand manager, Listerine Professional, Johnson & Johnson Consumer. Manera has six years of professional experience in marketing and sales across the project management, financial services, and consumer goods industries. Her co-op experiences fueled her passion for brand management in CPG, especially within skincare. After graduating from Drexel University, she joined Johnson & Johnson’s Marketing Leadership Development Program and has worked in the company’s Florida, California, and New Jersey offices.
- Simmy Bhargava, director of content, dentsu good. Bhargava joined dentsu in 2017 as the content associate director on Microsoft and was promoted to director of content at dentsu good due to her extensive client work and efforts on launching and developing dentsu’s audio program, More Than That with Gia Peppers. She also serves as a Multicultural Advertising intern program coach, manages communications for The Code mentorship program, and is a member of the Multicultural BRG.
- Mary Myles, VP, digital marketing, BlackRock. Myles is a vice president in BlackRock’s Global Digital Marketing Group and is currently serving as the COO of the digital team, managing strategy and operations for a team of 85 people across seven offices globally. Prior to BlackRock, she was a Teach For America teacher in Harlem, N.Y. and South Oak Cliff, Texas. She is currently pursuing her M.B.A. from Columbia Business School with an expected graduation of May 2022.
- Elysia Cook McDermott, copywriting manager, Dexcom. Cook McDermott manages copy strategy and output at Dexcom, where she was the first writer hired for the brand’s global marketing division. She spearheaded the development of healthcare provider-focused multimedia content, leading to a broadened role including creative direction and end-to-end photo shoot and video production. She has collaborated with the National Institute of Health, Walgreens, and Vitamin Angels, and is committed to using her skills to promote health equity.
