Diva of the Month: September 2010

Sheila Darcey

What is your role in digital/media?

Throughout my 6.5 years with SapientNitro, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of our business including Business Development, Workshop Facilitation, Program Management, Account Management, and more recently, Human Resources.

For the past 4 months, I transitioned into a new role as the West Coast People Strategist. This is an internal role that focuses on our people, culture, and West Coast community.  My goal is to find the common thread that keeps our teams motivated, engaged, and focused around our company’s vision and purpose.

Prior to this role, I was a Delivery Lead (PMO) across a number of projects and industries including automotive, entertainment, travel, financial services, and retail.

What is your hidden talent?

During my college days, I used to earn money by painting murals of scenes from Michelangelo’s, The Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately, most people who know me now, barely know that I can draw let alone paint.

How do you give back (to your friends, family, community)?

Being part of philanthropic efforts in my office, affords me the joy of giving on a much larger scale. This includes Habitat for Humanity, Adopt an Angel, annual toy and school supply drives, beach clean-ups, and fundraisers.

However, it is the random and unexpected moments of giving that I find the most rewarding. Whether it is in the workplace, home, or daily grind, I’ve learned that the art of listening speaks volumes to many. We can give others our time, money, and even things, but more often than not, it is the giving of ourselves that people appreciate most. This includes being there for when your family and friends need you the most, listening without judgment, lending a helping a hand in your community, and actively participating in people’s lives.

How do you feed your soul?

I feed my soul by being true to myself in every interaction and situation that comes my way. My optimism and genuine belief that, for the most part, people are good, is fulfilling in its own way. I am fortunate enough to know that life lessons do not always have to be experienced, but can be learned through observing others. It is this truth that allows me to grow.

What exemplifies a Diva?

Just say the word ‘Diva’ and the feeling of empowerment overwhelms you. Suddenly your posture straightens and you have that extra lift in your step that your heels could never quite match.

Being a diva is a state of mind. It is self confidence, fortitude, and attitude mixed into one. It is the presence that walks into the room before you do. It is a force of nature not to be reckoned with, because once a diva sets her mind to something, she will absolutely make it happen.

Previous Diva of the Months

Lori Kuhn

Tremor Media, Regional Sales Manager, South West

Lori joined Tremor Media, Inc. in April of 2009 as Regional Sales Manager specializing in the automotive category, bringing with her a wealth of experience in the digital media arena. Not only is she a digital diva, her skill set is complimented by her work experience as a Summer vacation property and business owner.

Lori developed a 4Es methodology that measures Exposure, Engagement, Experience, and Efficiency in response to her clients needs to integrate awareness with actionable metrics. Lori´s passion for Digital Marketing goes “beyond the banner” by utilizing expertise in Emerging Media, 360 Marketing (online & offline events) and Broadcast Media. She is excited about leveraging the digital medium to develop unique solution driven interactive programs with high brand impact.

Most recently Lori was Regional Sales Manager, with NBC Universal’s broadcast team for The Oxygen Network in Burbank, CA. In the year prior, while working on NBC’s iVillage digital team, Lori pitched the concept of the “first cross-media sales person” to executive management and was given the opportunity to join the broadcast team with the specific responsibility of developing new business partnerships through sponsorship sales while encouraging cross-media opportunities through education and awareness.

As a graduate of Philadelphia University, Lori began her career in New York’s fashion industry where she designed and produced private label lines for Guess Leather, Folette Design, DKNY, Loehmann’s, Victoria’s Secret and London Fog Men’s outerwear.

In 1997, with the launch of new media, Lori changed careers and moved across country to the center of the digital revolution. She launched v.2 of her career with Salon.com in San Francisco where she assisted in bringing the company public before transitioning to Sales Manager for the Southern region.

While working with a wide variety of clients, Lori became passionate about the entertainment and automotive industries and dedicated her focus to developing media strategy and optimization recommendations which ultimately lead to her relocation in Los Angeles. In the past 7 years, Lori has launched the media sales department for CarsDirect.com and further harnessed her knowledge of the automotive industry for Lycos where she was Director of Sales and as a national team leader for Strategic Accounts and Development with Microsoft’s MSN Auto division.

As a consultant, Lori contributes her knowledge of the interactive industry for Pacific Crest Securities Mosaic Expert Network. Locally, Lori is a member of Digital Diva Connection, ThinkLA, Blankets4Buddies.org, Step Up Women’s Network, and ASmallWorld.

Originally from New York, Lori enjoys global travel with her family, including China, the Amazon basin, Australia & New Zealand. Lori is very active in her community and focused primarily on education, culture, and the arts. As the founder of Playa Vista Neighborhood News & Updates, she publishes a weekly e-mail update for the community.  In her spare time, Lori enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, with friends, gardening and at the beach with her two rescue pups, Lala and Bleu.

Anita Manglani Mawji

Anita’s first yoga class was in middle school in Mumbai, India.  She lived in India for the first 13 years of her life with her parents and two siblings.  She studied the local languages in India as well as Indian classical dance.  She moved to the United States with her sister in 1985.

After graduating from Rutgers Business School, she spent 6 years working in Banking and Finance in NY at Bankers Trust and ABN Amro, and another 5 years in Online Advertising and Sales at About.com and Yahoo.

Anita currently teaches group and private classes ranging from Pre/Post Natal, Adult to Kids Yoga.  Students and private clients range from athletes, to women with osteoporosis, to women and children from inner-city shelters to Hollywood celebrities.

Anita is also working on writing and publishing a series of children books and is working on launching a T-shirt line.  Consider Me is a clothing line that provides drops of consciousness inscribed on T-shirts that bring positive statements to the forefront.  20% of all proceeds go towards providing food, shelter, or environmental education to underprivileged children and families.