WomenHeard

Hosted by New York Women in Communications

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Episodes

113

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Presented by New York Women in Communications, WomenHeard is a career-focused podcast where women across the communications industry share personal stories and practical advice. Hosted by career expert Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich and NYWICI Past President Georgia Galanoudis, the series explores career growth, equity, and the pivotal moments that shape confident, effective leadership. Real Stories. Real Advice. Real Talk.

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60 recent

September 3, 2026Episode 11533 min

Ariel Nathanson, Executive Vice President, Executive & Brand Strategy, Full Picture

"Pay attention to the job you're becoming capable of doing." In this episode, we hear from Ariel Nathanson, an honoree of the 2026 NYWICI Trailblazers! The Trailblazer Awards celebrate emerging professionals making a significant impact within their organizations and communities. Nominated by respected industry leaders, colleagues, and past Matrix honorees, these individuals represent the next generation of executives, storytellers, strategists, and creators. This year's Trailblazer Awards will be held on September 29, 2026. Ariel shares how she added value to a role that wasn't a good fit (within a company that was !) and how being "human-centric" is part of her AI methodology. Plus, how the combination of a nose ring and pearls became part of her interview success.

August 13, 2026Episode 11431 min

Jennifer O'Neill, Head of Communications & Corporate Affairs Americas, Reckitt and Sangeeta Prasad, CMO, Slalom

"How do you bring people into your story?" In this special episode, our WomenHeard guest host is Linda Descano! A former NYWICI president and current Chief Global Integration & Marketing Officer at Havas Red Agency, she explores the evolving landscape of Chief Communications/Marketing officers with two women at the forefront of the strategic shift. Jennifer O'Neill leads communications for the Americas region at Reckitt, a global hygiene and health consumer products company known for Lysol and more. She recently completed the Reckitt Catalyst Innovator Bootcamp, which scales start-ups founded by women and under-represented entrepreneurs (in collaboration with Serena Williams, the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence!) Sangeeta Prasad is the first CMO at Slalom, a global technology consulting company, who spoke at 2026 Cannes Lions about how digital transformation and the AI revolution have enhanced her team's impact as a growth engine. Listen to this episode for how they build trust, maintain authenticity, and share their perspectives on what's shaping marketing and communications success today. Plus, they discuss how men and women are approaching AI with different lenses - and what that could mean for their career development.

July 23, 2026Episode 11344 min

Diana Haussling, CEO, Hello Products

"You should always be kind. But pushing to be likeable can sometimes mean that you don't have the courage to say the thing that needs to be said." In this episode, WomenHeard host Julie Hochheiser Ilkvovich speaks with Diana Haussling, a 2026 Matrix Honoree and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) powerhouse! Her background spans Hershey, General Mills, Campbell and Colgate-Palmolive. As the CEO of Hello Products, a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, Diana sits at the intersection of marketing technology and digital operations. How quickly are you able to rebound from a conflict? Diana challenges listeners to determine their "plastic balls" of lower priority that can bounce and protect "glass balls" of high priority that can't be dropped. Plus, you'll hear Diana's method to evaluate feedback and learn two of our favorite phrases: "Leverage 'no' as a complete sentence!" and "Get rid of the little hater in your head!"

June 18, 2026Episode 1128 min

56th Annual Matrix Awards: Scholarship Recipients

The Matrix Awards is NYWICI's flagship event recognizing rising talent in the communications industry. In this episode, you'll hear from some of our scholarship honorees on their incredible accomplishments so far and what they're most looking forward to next! Sarah Ng, three-time NYWICI Scholarship recipient, interviewed this year's recipients on the red carpet.

June 5, 2026Episode 11116 min

56th Annual Matrix Awards: Red Carpet Recap

The Matrix Awards by NYWICI serves as our opportunity to recognize exceptional leaders in the communications industry. This year’s theme is The Butterfly Effect: Women Who Transform the World and Inspire the Future! Sarah Ng, three-time NYWICI Scholarship recipient, interviewed award-winners on the red carpet of this star-studded event. Listen to this episode for insights from emcee Sheinelle Jones, co-host of TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle! You’ll also hear from our honorees: Tamsen Fadal, Emmy Award-winning journalist;, Debra OConnell, Chairman, Disney Entertainment Television; Khartoon Weiss, VP Global Customer Solutions, Google; Diana Haussling, CEO, hello Products; Abbey Klaassen, CEO, Tinuiti; Carla Serrano, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe; and Ashley Miles, former NYWICI president and founder/CEO at Franklyn West.

May 8, 2026Episode 11034 min

Marisa Thalberg, EVP & Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, Catalyst Brands LLC and Ashley Miles, CEO, Franklyn West & Former NYWICI President

In this special interview, we hear from 2021 Matrix honoree Marisa Thalberg who's presenting Ashley Miles as an honoree at the 2026 Matrix Awards ! The Matrix Awards is a prestigious event honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of women in communications and the arts, starting with its inaugural honoree, Gloria Steinem. WomenHeard host Georgia Galanoudis chats with them about their friendship and career journeys leading up to this milestone moment. Listen in for pragmatic perspectives about authenticity, generosity, and AI integration.

April 16, 2026Episode 10941 min

Celebrating Women’s History Month & Beverly Wettenstein

Join us for this special episode honoring the legacy of Beverly Wettenstein: an award-winning journalist, author and women’s advocate! Creative production leader and NYWICI podcast committee member Leisel Kober interviewed a range of speakers, panelists, and leaders at this March event, whose work has influenced sports, hospitality, and media. You'll hear insights from a Paula Ngon, PR & Brand Communications Strategist at the NFL; Tiffany Townsend, Executive Vice President Global Communications at NYC Tourism & Conventions; Maneet Ahuja, Editor-at-Large at Forbes and the Iconoclast Summit; Emily K. Graham, Global Chief Inclusion & Impact Officer at Omnicom; Rachel Carr, Executive Director at Dan Klores Communications; Youmie Jean Francois, founder of Flex-n-Fly; Sara Baiyu Porritt, Chief Inclusion & Impact Officer at Omnicom; and Lauren Kaufman, Managing Director of Public Relations at MMGY.

April 2, 2026Episode 10836 min

Emily K. Graham, Global Chief Inclusion & Impact Officer, Omnicom

"Don't forget the other women. Don't forget to be an advocate, a champion, a kind voice when feedback is needed." In this episode, WomenHeard host Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich speaks with Emily K. Graham at Omnicom, a global marketing and sales company with over 100K employees! She oversees thoughtful systems and empathetic strategies to ensure the employee experience is one that welcomes diverse perspectives and contributions. This level of care extends to Omnicom's clients and a unified team approach within the agency, requiring a breadth of corporate communications expertise. Listen to this episode for why Emily thinks of herself as the "check engine" light and why impact equals action.

March 17, 2026Episode 10734 min

Paula Ngon, PR & Brand Communications Strategist, NFL

"There's so much content and so many opportunities for storytelling. If one thing doesn't work, we'll try again, pivot to the next thing, or expand!" In this episode, WomenHeard host Georgia Galanoudis speaks with PR powerhouse Paula Ngon. Paula established her communications expertise in a wide range of well-known brands: People, Vanity Fair, GQ and GQ Sports, as well as The Estée Lauder Companies. After attending the Super Bowl live, she loved the sheer joy of the fandom and was intrigued by working in the sports industry. At the NFL, she puts on some of the biggest events in the world and intersects her experience and passion for media, events, entertainment and public relations. Recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, an ADCOLOR Future Honoree and a Black Pioneer by PR News, Paula drives cultural moments that reach millions. Listen to this episode for the importance of hands-on learning and finding balance after facing a serious health challenge.

February 24, 2026Episode 10646 min

Caitlin Girouard, Head of Crisis Communications & Director of Corporate Communications, PayPal

"If you're young [in your career] and something is of interest to you, take the chance and just do it because you never know." In this episode, WomenHeard host Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich interviews Caitlin Girouard at PayPal, a fintech company revolutionizing online payments and commerce infrastructure. Caitlin started out with strong interests in politics and law, transferring her skills in conflict resolution to crisis communications. Julie and Caitlin talk about how her line of work is actually "anti hair on fire" and the value of building a strong foundation of trust to maintain a company's mission. Plus, you'll hear the advantages of "learning by osmosis" and the value of taking a risk.