The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 13, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place virtually Dec. 8.
Next is Marketing Executive of the Year (Private Company) finalist Lisa D’Aromando, senior manager of marketing and communications at Constellis. Here, she talks what has made her successful in her current role, shaping the next generation of industry leaders, proud career moments and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2020/2021?
When I came into this position, a new website had already been in the works for a year, but past attempts failed for one reason or another. Meanwhile, the old websites for our many companies were becoming more dated and prone to issues, and they were not especially useful for marketing or communication purposes.
We had to start from the beginning with most of the content for the new website, learning who we are as a company that has come together over the years. Constellis is in so many different markets, many of our employees did not even know the myriad services we provide. It was a learning effort for us all along the way. We ultimately created the new website with our small marketing team of three and an external developer, and we did it in just six months.
When Constellis began hiring vaccination staff to support our customers distributing COVID-19 vaccines around the United States, we had to ramp up our recruiting efforts quickly. The website and our newly integrated marketing automation technologies allowed us to create campaigns we hadn’t been able to provide previously.
The website helped Constellis recruiters hire 700 clinicians and medical support staff for 28 different vaccination sites in less than 30 days to aide in this critical endeavor.
What has made you successful in your current role?
On a small team, you need to be comfortable learning, doing all aspects of the job, and sometimes just figuring it out as you go. I think my background at a marketing agency helped me here, as we had to handle so many different aspects of marketing. If a client wanted something new, we figured out how to make it happen.
I also found some amazing colleagues at all levels who I learned to lean on for help. A female executive mentored me during my first months of management at Constellis, and many made it a point to reach out and offer guidance as I adjusted in my role. Building relationships is key in any job, and I think we all learned during COVID how vital they are to our sanity as well. We got through 2020 together, and I think we are stronger because of it.
How do you help shape the next generation of government leaders/industry leaders?
I am a strong believer in improving the role of women in leadership. That does not just mean allowing females to lead, but improving the environments that so often hold us back. We need to teach young women confidence and empower them to make decisions and move up in the ranks. We should be praising those who nail the work-life balance, rather. We must ensure our workplaces are safe and respectful and see that all leaders learn and develop greater empathy for the people who spend their days working for them.
My goal is to provide a strong voice and a safe space for my female colleagues at Constellis and women and girls elsewhere through organizations with whom I volunteer, such as the United Women’s Ball Hockey Foundation. I want to help make it possible for women to succeed in both their careers and in their lives outside of the office, and I believe that starts with the women in leadership who have that voice.
What’s the biggest professional risk you’ve ever taken?
After several years feeling unfulfilled in my career, I left my stable job at a marketing agency and became a freelancer, focusing more on writing and design, which I loved and rarely got to do in my prior position. I had to count pennies and take on a part-time job as a server to pay rent, and I spent all of my spare time searching for more work.
I developed a creative portfolio, discovered a passion for writing and even wrote a novel that year, but it was a very stressful time financially. Luckily, that only lasted about a year before a recruiter contacted me for a role at Constellis. I doubt I would have gotten this job had I not spent that time learning new skills and building a portfolio. It was a big risk, and there were times when I felt lost on the journey, but I am happier and better off now because of it.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
Early in my career, I worked in a very toxic environment. I turned down the advances of a powerful person, and my job, my career and my confidence suffered because of it. I thought if I left that job, I would never get another one, so I played down the issues until they began making me physically ill.
The #MeToo movement helped me realize the damage this environment and certain people were causing and that I had to confront them. It was terrifying, but with the support of co-workers and mentors outside of the organization, I got myself out of a bad situation.
It took a few years to get my confidence back and to feel comfortable in my career again, but whenever I think about it, I’m just proud of that girl who finally stood up for herself.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I graduated college, my mother told me something that stuck with me. She said I might find myself in a job that didn’t even exist yet. Sure enough, a year after graduating with my marketing degree, I was a new employee in the advertising department at Virgin Mobile when the 2008 recession hit, and budgets and jobs began to disappear.
As the lowest person on the totem pole, I was concerned. My boss asked me if I knew how to use YouTube and Facebook and suggested we come up with a social media strategy to promote the commercials we had completed and could not pay to air. Fast-forward a year later, and I was speaking at conferences and on panels as one of the experts in this early field of social media.
That potentially devastating time led to a great career opportunity. So, my advice is to keep an open mind. If you do that, who knows where you will end up? It could be somewhere amazing.