Talent Champion – Lynn Pina

Talent Champion Spotlight

2023 Talent Champion - Lynn Pina

Lynn Pina
Chief Marketing Officer
GeoBlue

In her role as Chief Marketing Officer, Lynn oversees GeoBlue’s product, marketing and customer experience functions and is responsible for shaping and managing the company’s message, value proposition and visibility.

With nearly 30 years’ experience, Lynn began her career in progressively senior account management roles at an award-winning advertising agency and then worked in advertising sales and campaign management at AOL, USA Today and XM Satellite Radio. She then went on to work in global and regional marketing leadership roles for Europ Assistance, a French medical assistance company.

Lynn’s Board of Directors experience includes Girls Inc. of the Metropolitan Washington, DC Area (Girls Inc. DC) and the National Kidney Foundation. Lynn also serves in a leadership role on the small and mid-sized company CMO Growth Council of the ANA, is an advisory board member for marketing agency SalientMG, and is also a founding member of the DC chapter of CHIEF.

What prompted you to get involved with the AEF?

I’ve been very fortunate to have great mentors and resources made available to me early in my career and feel a responsibility to give back (and pay it forward). As a life-long learner, getting involved in the AEF is another opportunity for me to continue my own learning by engaging with future leaders in our industry, meeting bright and talented young people and building my own cross-generational fluency.

Why are you passionate about the future of the industry?

It’s an exciting time to be in marketing. The purview and responsibility of marketers has grown dramatically over the past few years and many more companies understand that brand value goes well beyond the traditional definition of marketing. Marketers now have the opportunity to contribute more broadly and deeply across the business — from employee experience to customer experience, from product to sales to retention — versus being siloed into the “department of painting and drawing” as one of my former bosses used to call it. Strategic marketers can play a role that touches nearly every aspect of a business and it’s exciting to know the impact we as marketers can have across the business. Additionally, with consumers today demanding more of brands, especially younger consumers, we have an opportunity and responsibility to contribute more to society beyond what is measured by the balance sheet. Marketers have led the charge on ESG, diversity and inclusivity and many other important societal issues and I hope we as an industry continue to lead on these fronts.

What is the best career advice you've ever received?

Most of the best tips I have weren’t explicitly told to me but have come as lessons learned and/or through watching others I admire. One I think that’s helpful for those early in their career is to build your personal “board of advisors” – a trusted network that can help you see and address your blind spots, challenge you and be your cheerleader and advocate, especially to others and when you’re not in the room. That said, this board of advisors is useless if you are also not coachable. You must have a growth mindset and be willing to take constructive feedback to learn and grow. Remember if it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you!

Why do you feel it is so important to inspire the next generation of diverse talent?

Marketing plays a central role in our culture. The work we create, especially the advertising we produce, is a mirror of our society and often has been at the forefront of societal norms. Our industry therefore must lead when it comes to living, modeling and reflecting diversity. Finally, we all know that diversity fuels innovation and creativity, both of which are the lifeblood of marketing.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love that I can be analytical and creative in marketing; it’s truly a discipline that is both art and science. I love the creative aspect of my job — the words, the visuals, creating an experience, a feeling — but also appreciate the data-driven logical aspects of marketing. Ultimately good marketing is about building connections with people and telling impactful stories that drive towards a goal, both of which I enjoy doing! At this stage of my career, I also very much enjoy managing and leading teams. As much as I give to support the personal and professional development of my team, I gain even more in terms of the reward of seeing them succeed and grow. All of these are what excite me about the work I do.

What advice would you give to students as they consider entering the industry?

While marketing has become very complex and multi-disciplinary and the functions that fall within marketing have grown, make sure you understand the fundamentals – know your audience, the marketing problem and how to develop a differentiating brand positioning. It’s easy to get focused on the next shiny thing (social media, AI, etc.) but the basics still matter as they make the difference between activity and impact.

2023 Talent Champions

"Our future marketing and advertising leaders are not just looking for a job, they are looking for a meaningful career that will make a positive impact on society."
— Gord McLean, President and CEO at ANA Educational Foundation