📍 New York 🇫🇷 Paris 🇵🇭 Manila
My first life and home in Manila.
👋 I’m a brand marketing leader who drives top-of-funnel growth through social and consumer PR. I’m Director of Brand Creative at Glassdoor, part of Indeed. I shape how millions of job seekers and professionals perceive and experience our brands at the intersection of work & life.
🐟 I joined Fishbowl as employee #5 in 2019, built the brand from the ground up, and helped position it for acquisition by Glassdoor & Indeed’s parent company in 2021. Since then, I’ve scaled its content strategy to 800,000+ followers across Glassdoor and Fishbowl, delivering viral social campaigns for Fishbowl with 80M+ organic views in a single year, doubling app downloads, and steadily increasing Glassdoor's reach.
🎨 Before moving brand-side, I spent 15 years as a Creative Director at agencies like AKQA, BETC Paris, 72andSunny, McCann, and Grey, creating global work for Nike, Starbucks, Evian, McDonald’s, and Kenzo.
🚀 I’ve also launched entrepreneurial projects featured in The New York Times, represented by WME, and backed by the Girlboss Foundation and Rent the Runway x UBS accelerator.
🏆 Recognition: Cannes Lions “See It Be It” alum, One Club “Next Creative Leader,” Mashable Rising Star in Advertising, CampaignLive Top 10 Women in Advertising, and ex-O1 visa recipient as “alien with extraordinary ability" turned American citizen. Proud immigrant.
Some highlights
Advertising Accolades
✦ Cannes Lions 'See it, Be it' alum: 12 women from around the world are chosen yearly to participate in a mentorship and networking program
✦ Next Creative Leader by 3% Conference and the One Club for Creativity
✦ One of Mashable’s Rising Stars in Advertising
✦ One of 10 brilliant women in advertising by Campaign magazine
✦ One of 200 Women Redefining the Creative Industry by The Dots UK
✦ Ad agencies (2005-2018): BETC Paris, DDB Toronto, AKQA New York, 72andSunny/Sundae, and freelance at McCann and Grey.
Entrepreneurship Accolades
✦ Girlboss Foundation Winner (rewarding the 1st of 1,000 applicants)
✦ Represented by William Morris/WME
✦ Project Entrepreneur Winner by the Rent The Runway Foundation, rewarding 12 of 700 applicants.
✦ Apple’s “Apps We Love” for Secret Code’s AR coding game
Keynotes
SxSW panel, Facebook Women In Leadership kickoff keynote, 3% Conference morning kickoff keynote, Gritty Conference San Diego ending keynote, Hong Kong Designer's Association keynote, Ad Summit Philippines ending keynote, Art Director’s Club New York panel, Interactive Day San Diego keynote.
Judge
One Show, Cannes Future Lions, Hong Kong Global Design Awards, Art Director’s Club Canada, Webby's Portfolios, Next Creative Leader.
“Mara exceeds expectations every time. She is also a breath of fresh air—intelligent, inclusive, strong, caring, well-rounded and limitlessly talented.”
Felicia Zhang
VP of Marketing, Zip Co (ex-Nike & R/GA)
“Mara is a true inspiration and the most hard-working person I know. She is not only an amazing creative but also a caring teacher and leader. Mara is a vicarious advocate for women, passionately speaking out to empower and support them.”
Dinushi Perera
Creative Director, EMI Music