COLORS Worldwide

Helping flagship event R&B ONLY LIVE scale post CV-19
- 6 National Tours
- 260K Tickets Sold
- Backed 240 live events across 50 N. American Markets
- 80 Events Annually

👉🏽 Digital Ads
 Roll out targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more.

* Platform Expertise: Use each platform’s strengths for optimal ad performance.
* Audience Targeting: Advanced targeting to reach specific demographics.
* Performance Tracking: Real-time monitoring and adjustments.
* Creative Development: Engaging ad creatives to capture attention and are crystal clear for customers.


👉🏽 Media Planning

 Efficiently spend your budget across platforms based on performance.

* Comprehensive Strategy: Holistic media plans including digital, print, and broadcast.
* Budget Optimization: Allocate budget to high-performing channels.
* Performance Analysis: Continuously adjust plans based on metrics.
* Integrated Campaigns: Align all media efforts for a unified campaign.

👉🏽 Consulting

Holistic approach from pricing to post-event analysis.

* Pricing Strategies: Competitive pricing models to maximize revenue.
* Early Bird Offers: Strategies to encourage early ticket sales.
* Event Lifecycle Management: Oversight from planning to post-event.
* Post-Event Analysis: Measure success and identify improvements.

👉🏽 Event Listings

 Optimize Eventbrite listings to boost ticket sales.


* Clear Information: Comprehensive event details.
* SEO Optimization: Improve visibility on search engines.
* Compelling Descriptions: Engaging content to highlight event features.
* Call to Action: Strong prompts for ticket purchases


👉🏽 Clients
R&B ONLY
Amplifying R&B music from past to present. Helped scale flaship event R&B ONLY LIVE to $10M ARR post COVID.

Paid Media Strategist

After years of working with some of the biggest and best in the industry, I have decided to harness those abilities and experiences to support top global marketing firms and Fortune 500 companies with a specialized 360-approach to online marketing and advertising. As someone who is completely obsessed with marketing, I felt compelled to create a no BS system that helps me test ads at a rapid rate to find the strategies and approach that can enable growth, scalability, and results.

In today’s digital era, it’s crucial for a business to develop a strong brand with a plan to enhance and expand its presence. As specialist & master marketer, I come equipped with years of experience and over $15 million dollars generated for businesses by leveraging Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ads.

Some of my key areas of focus include:

✔ Paid Ads Consulting
✔ Paid Ads Execution
✔ Paid Ads Analysis & Optimization
✔ Paid Ads Media Planning
✔ Paid Ads Budget & Forecasting

Paid Media Expert

T. Rowe Price

Paid Media Specialist

iProspect

KEY ACCOUNT: BLUE ANTHEM (FORTUNE 500 INSURANCE COMPANY)

Strategic Planning and Execution:
-Develop and oversee the implementation of comprehensive paid social media strategies to meet client objectives. 
- Manage a monthly advertising budget of $1.2 million, ensuring optimal allocation across platforms to maximize ROI.
- Continuously analyze campaign performance data to adjust strategies as needed, ensuring goals are met or exceeded.

Platform Management:
- Spearhead advertising campaigns across major social platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Snapchat.
- Utilize advanced targeting techniques to reach specific audience segments, enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
- Collaborate with platform representatives to stay ahead of emerging trends and leverage new features and best practices.

Creative Collaboration:
- Work closely with creative teams to develop compelling and effective ad creatives tailored for each platform.
- Ensure that all creative content aligns with the client’s brand identity and messaging guidelines.
- Test different creative approaches to continually refine and optimize the performance of social media advertisements.

Reporting and Analytics:
- Prepare detailed reports on campaign performance including insights into metrics such as reach, engagement, conversion, and spend efficiency.
- Present findings and recommendations to both the client and internal teams to inform future strategies.
- Use advanced analytics tools to delve deep into campaign data, uncovering insights that drive strategic adjustments.

Client Relations and Communication:
- Maintain direct communication with the client to ensure transparency and alignment on campaign goals and expectations.
- Provide expert advice and recommendations based on deep understanding of social media marketing and current market trends.
- Act as a trusted advisor to the client, helping navigate changes in the digital landscape and identifying opportunities for growth.

Sr Associate, Paid Social

Nephila Marketing, Inc.

KEY TECH ACCOUNTS
- XIGNITE
- CERTENT
- AUTHENTIC8
- DDN
-MIST A JUNIPER COMPANY
- OWLER

Continuing on in my career as a marketing expert, I came across an exciting and challenging role as a Lead Generation Specialist at Nephila Marketing, a B2B marketing firm that specializes in SaaS, cloud computing, network IT management, and fintech. Here, I was tasked with managing six-figure monthly budgets across Google and LinkedIn Ads, helping to propel the brand’s engagement and social reach. As a result of these collective efforts, I generated hundreds of quality leads for clients by leveraging key platforms like Google and LinkedIn.

Lead Generation Specialist

N1mble Five

As a versatile leader who is driven by adding value and creating exceptional work, I found myself embarking on a new challenge as a Digital Campaign Manager for N1mble Five, an emerging DTC products & SaaS services company. During my time here, I leveraged my diverse experiences and unique skillset to generate over $10 million in gross revenue and thousands of conversions and leads for clients across an array of industries. On top of that, I also managed a monthly Google and Facebook Ads budget of over $500K, and produced end-to-end media for clients, which included client management, media planning, execution, and data reporting.

Digital Campaign Manager

Babmar Outdoor Furniture

As I progressed in my career across fields like Marketing and E-Commerce, I took on the role of Digital Marketing Manager at Babmar Outdoor Furniture, a DTC luxury furniture brand serving a range of B2C & B2B clientele. During my time here, I played an integral role in leading digital transformation efforts, producing social media calendars, and reducing digital advertising costs by 35% while consistently meeting revenue targets. Additionally, I was responsible for increasing E-Commerce sales by 22% month over month by restructuring marketing campaigns and expanding the brand’s reach across new platforms.

Digital Marketing Manager

Fresh And Fit Meals

Early on in my career, I served as a Digital Marketing Specialist for Fresh And Fit Meals, a DTC meal delivery box service. Here, I was responsible for accelerating the growth of the business by scaling it from $10K/mo in revenue to over $100K/mo in just one short year. Some of these critical initiatives included designing, creating, and delivering innovative marketing programs and plans to support the expansion and growth of the organizations’ products and services.

Digital Marketing Specialist

👨🏽‍🔬Dialing In Paid Ads, Landing Pages, Offers for Touring Events 🎲 Backed +240 events representing 250K attendees 📍 Spanning 40 US cities: NY, LA, CHI, LV, ATL 📞 Consultations start at $400 ⏱️ Mon-Fri 9a - 5p PT

Current Problems Live Event Producers Are Experiencing In 2024 & How I Can Help

- Changes in Consumer Preferences - More attendees are buying tickets last-minute, which requires a flexible and responsive marketing strategy.


Media Planning: Develop strategies to target both early birds and last-minute attendees across different markets.

Real-Time Adjustments: Implement quick-response tactics to capture last-minute sales and adjust campaigns based on real-time data.

- Keeping Detailed Performance Metrics - It's crucial to track performance with target goals per event to ensure success and make informed decisions.

Performance Tracking Dashboard : Maintain detailed performance metrics for each event, comparing against target goals.

Data-Driven Decisions: Use these insights to make data-driven decisions that optimize marketing efforts and improve outcomes.

Key Services Provides
Ad Creativity 🖌️ - I dive deep into what makes your audience tick, turning ads into ticket-sellers.

Landing Page Optimization ✨ - Thinking of different ways to deliver a seamless buying process for customers.

Tech 🧙‍♂️ - Always testing and implementing new tools to drive faster ticket sales.

Marketing Strategy 🧭 - Map out the next big win with clarity and confidence.

Unmistakable Identity 💡 - In this competitive space, carving out a niche is the only way to draw people at scale and across different markets.

Media Planning 📊 - Create efficient spending plans across platforms to target both early birds and last-minute attendees, eliminating COSTLY. guesswork.

Fast Creative Testing ⚡ - Quickly test and iterate on creative assets to shape your overall marketing strategy. This provides crystal clear, data-driven decision-making based on testing results.


Contact Me
- DM Me Directly
- hello@alonsogadea.co
- alonsogadea.co

Alonso Gadea

Catharine Montgomery, MBA

Corporate Communications Manager

Better Together

Better Together is a full-service, Black woman-founded communications agency built for organizations that take action—not just make statements. We help brands, nonprofits, and coalitions use communications to drive real change in policy, culture, and public perception.

The agency built for this moment, Better Together works with clients navigating complex challenges in racial justice, sustainability, health equity, and AI ethics. In a time when organizations face pressure to align their messaging with meaningful action, we develop strategies that build trust, shape narratives, and move people to act.

Our work spans strategic communications, crisis and issues management, executive positioning, public affairs, media relations, and community engagement. We guide organizations through high-stakes moments, helping them strengthen credibility, influence policy, and connect with key audiences.

I founded Better Together because I saw firsthand how bias, inaction, and weak messaging can silence critical conversations. Communications should be a force for change, not a tool for maintaining the status quo. That belief drives everything we do.

Since launching, we have worked with organizations such as ProGeorgia, Giant Food, and NPWH to challenge bias in generative AI, protect voter rights, and support corporate sustainability commitments. We don’t work with just any brand—we partner with those ready to take a stand and back it up with action.

If your organization is ready to use communications to create lasting impact, let’s talk. Visit thebettertogether.agency to learn more.

Founder and CEO

617MediaGroup

• Played a key leadership and thought partner role in the agency. 
• Promoted and ensured the agency demonstrates operational excellence related to business. 
• Responsible for ensuring productive and effective business development.
• Led teams in developing and implementing best practices in client service.
• Determined and developed processes in estimating, contracting, marketing and quality control.
• Ensured the agency is able to consistently provide an industry-leading experience for clients 
• Established and enforced systems that create opportunities for staff to thrive and agency to grow.

Chief Operating Officer

• Responsible for the integrity of our client's journey and ensuring that partners achieve success.
• Helped clients realize their stated goals that are raised during the business development phase. 
• Guided employees on the way toward being successful within the agency 
• Led as the primary curator of career paths such that every employee had a worthwhile experience.

Chief Experience and Success Officer

• Led all business development efforts for the agency.
• Cultivated and managed business leads by developing and implementing strategic plans.
• Implemented strategies and authored/executed campaign plans.
• Managed, created and oversaw campaign and client budgets, work plans and reports.
• Wrote, pitched and strategized placing client stories and op-eds.
• Provided the highest level of media and campaign expertise in service to clients' missions and goals.
• Identified the whole field to cut through the clutter and prioritize what matters effectively.

Executive Vice President

CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association)

• Implemented reputation and crisis communications strategies for the global cruise industry. 
• Managed global industry-level proactive and reactive media relations.
• Provided fact-based messaging, research and collaboration with experts and stakeholders. 
• Coordinated international messaging and response in 15 regional offices worldwide.

Director

Burson-Marsteller

Led team of 7 in development and implementation of strategic communications.

Responsible for more than doubling business through organic growth.

Developed crisis communications plans for clients in financial, transportation, and retail industries. 

Enabled clients to communicate swiftly during crises to maintain confidence in stakeholders. 

Developed strategic internal communications for global $8 billion company.

Maintained client company initiatives.

Increased year-over-year engagement scores among clients' employees.

Helped clients develop company-wide diversity and inclusion program.

Raised Ivy League university’s profile at World Economic Forum through media outreach resulting in 22 top-tier, global interviews and more than 15 placements.

Launched and led Burson-Marsteller Advantage Women, a global offering focused on helping organizations close the gender gap and create opportunities for women.

Conducted vulnerability assessments by identifying and prioritizing reputation-related threats that companies may face leading to a “gap analysis” of existing crisis capabilities and best practices.

Conceptualized and executed live-streamed employee forum across U.S. on policing and race and external panel discussion, “At the Crossroads of Policing, Race and Media” to examine influence of news and social media on Americans’ perceptions about police interactions with African Americans and others; lead company Black Employee Resource Group.

Pursued and developd new business proposals and participate in pitches leading to significant opportunities.

Porter Novelli

Managed team of 13 while providing consultation for all aspects of crisis communications, public affairs and public relations.

Developed proactive, complete crisis communications plans focused on strategically tackling potential crises when they arise in the industrial solutions, energy, biotechnology, food safety and cybersecurity industries.

Actively sought and participated in new business opportunities leading to company growth and development. 

Worked with mainstream, top-tier, local and trade media outlets to foster best possible public image for Bayer CropScience and created opportunities to position executives as expert resources for news media during biotechology crisis situations.

Planned and executed Senate briefing, receptions on the Hill for more than 200 Congressional staff and key stakeholders and nationwide brand reputation campaigns and lobbying efforts related to issues surrounding Bayer CropScience and anti-pesticide activists.

Researched, planned, led and executed nationwide proactive campaigns for Bayer CropScience’s Bee Care Tours, including development of speeches and talking points for CEO and other executive leaders, which provided collaboration among more than 2,500 key stakeholders; secured more than 10 million media impressions, 2,700 website page views, 32 media interviews and an average exhibit experience score of 4.33/5 as well as managed crisis situations involving protests by anti-pesticide activists at Tour stops.

Managed logistics and acted as liaison between internal management, client, authors, illustrator, designer and various vendors for development, production and promotion of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention autism campaign children’s book, Amazing Me, along with strategically seeking out and coordinating logistics with potential sponsors, such as Lysol and Primrose.

(Previously Assistant Account Executive, Account Executive and Senior Account Executive at Porter Novelli during this time period.)

Account Supervisor

KLS Public Relations

Conducted extensive research and provided comprehensive reports to enhance the firm’s trade and industry knowledge, and to inform specific client initiatives.

Consultant

Learned best practices for and leveraged comprehensive industry database to build targeted media lists for media relations campaigns. Received training on and conducted targeted media pitching to secure premium press coverage for clients. Brainstormed and developed newsworthy media pitches for clients. Conducted strategic media relations activities and pitch to key media contacts to secure coverage on behalf of clients.

Helped build and manage comprehensive lists of grassroots marketing contacts and organizations. Conducted grassroots outreach to secure strategic visibility for clients.

Monitored daily and weekly media feeds and publications, and provided bi-weekly reports of relevant news and trends to enhance the firm’s intelligence and to inform client initiatives.

Account Coordinator

ATL2nite.com

Developed strategies and implemented completely new public relations/marketing/advertising for Hitsville the potentially new National Boxing Association, created and produced rate sheets for ATL2nite.com’s email marketing services using Adobe Photoshop, strategically executed the promotion of Blackanomics where attendance at monthly events tripled after first month as intern and aided in the production of monthly television show including casting, promotion and execution

Marketing and Public Relations Intern

HomeVestors

Managed the execution of properties bought and sold including the management of property insurance, utilities, listings on FMLS and GAMLS, and providing HUD-1 forms for each buy/sell closings, created marketing flyers and postings for properties once bought and sold to gain exposure, leading to the successful promotion of Homevestors’ properties, prepared all monthly expenses including monthly bank statements, check stubs, receipts, credit card bills and HVA bills including the collection of all accounts receivables of monthly rental, property closing and Earnest Money checks and supported all general office management tasks and staff including follow-up with in-coming leads to check on the status of their situation, managing all paperwork related to each property buy/sell to ensure smooth closings and communications with Homevestors Corporate office

Office Coordinator

Edelman

Developed, recommended and managed communications strategies through social media and other forms of communication and scheduled meetings to inform the company of activities throughout the office while performing administrative tasks, designed presentations for senior level Edelman executives in Microsoft Movie Maker and Microsoft Office Suite, evaluated blog, video-sharing sites and social networks for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Aflac NASCAR and Quilted Northern, drafted and executed monthly reports and project updates to Edelman CEO, Richard Edelman and developed new business opportunities for Edelman through research of relevant prospects and tracking success rates through innovative recording documents

Communications Assistant

Contribute key skills to more than 15 real estate, corporate communications and consumer current and potential clients. Conduct extensive research for media list, editorial calendars, pitching stories and media audit lists. Wrote social networking proposal for the Orlando Performing Arts Center, conduct blog monitoring for CUH2A and stay abreast of Google Alerts on Wal-Mart, IICRC, 12th & Midtown real estate property and The Fund

Real Estate & Sustainability and Corporate Communications Intern

Auburn University

Recorded and filed media clippings, aided in creating the 2008-09 media guides for the swimming and diving and the men’s golf and basketball teams, assisted media relations directors in secretarial needs and compiled photographs of coaches and players and team and individual game statistics

Auburn Athletic Department Media Relations Intern

Wrote correspondence letters and organized travel for recruitment to assist head coach, aided in distributing financial aid paperwork of incoming players, generated Excel spreadsheets for compliance annual camp audit and organized five basketball camps for 500+ students during summer 2005-2008

Student Assistant

Helping Brands Lead With Purpose, Not Fear.

Not all brands are ready to stand for something. But the ones that do make history.

Today’s political and social landscape makes it harder for organizations to run purpose-driven campaigns without hesitation. Many pause, unsure of the risk. Better Together helps brands push past that fear with communications that drive change.

I didn’t start Better Together because I wanted to run an agency. I started it because I saw what happens when bias and inaction go unchecked.

At a previous job, a colleague was racist toward me. Leadership dismissed it. The culture didn’t change. So I left—and built something better.

Now, we work with brands, nonprofits, and coalitions in education, health, environment, technology, and policy to put equity, sustainability, and justice at the center of their work.

How We Help
✔️ Strategic communications campaigns that move people to act, even when taking a stand is hard
✔️ Media strategies that cut through noise and reach the right audience
✔️ Crisis communications that strengthen credibility under pressure
✔️ Social impact campaigns that drive long-term policy and cultural change
✔️ Industry-first research like our national survey on bias in generative AI

As Founder and CEO of Better Together, I built this agency to make communications a force for action, not just noise.

What That Looks Like in Action
🔥 Bias in Generative AI – Conducted a first-of-its-kind report that forced a conversation about discrimination in technology
🔥 Crisis Communications for Voting Rights – Helped ProGeorgia protect voter access during high-stakes elections
🔥 Climate Action in the Cruise Industry – Led the first-ever industry-wide carbon reduction goal

Our work has been featured in Nasdaq, Feminist Founders, The Advice Pages, and South West Londoner. And we don’t partner with just any brand—we work with those committed to action, from Giant Food to the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

If your brand is ready to lead with purpose, not fear, let’s talk.

📩 Connect with me here on LinkedIn or visit thebettertogether.agency.

Better Together is a full-service, Black woman-founded, and purpose-driven public relations agency. We combine our passion for social change and advocacy to create a more just world.

Walk your talk. Take authentic action that drives long-lasting, impactful change.

Impact without empathy doesn't make an impact.

We talk about AI changing everything, but change starts with us, not an LLM.

I went to the DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week), expecting to hear about the future of technology.

I left thinking about something else entirely.

The panelists spoke about AI in business and how it's being applied to operations, legal work, and customer service.

But the conversations that stuck with me had nothing to do with code or data.

I met so many founders, VCs, and everyone in between. The two founders I learned the most from were Ornsiree Junchaya and Dianna Samuelson. We talked about the hard parts of running a business. The parts no tool can fix. The moments when you have to face yourself, not just your to-do list.

As I attended sessions, Jen Fry, PhD (she/her), said something that I thought about:

"To have moments when you realize that you are handling a situation better than a previous version of yourself would have."

Growth isn't measured by revenue, user count, or tech stack.

Growth is when you face conflict and stay true to yourself, when you handle stress with more patience than you did last year, when you lead with empathy, not just efficiency.

Dr. LaTanya White spoke about empathy-driven valuation. She said the best founders don't chase metrics, they build with care. They lead with heart.

Most people overlook what progress actually looks like.

We obsess over AI's impact. We want constant acceleration.

Speed without empathy keeps you busy without moving forward.

Studies show that companies with empathy-driven cultures outperform those that focus only on efficiency. Teams with empathetic leaders are more resilient, more creative, and less likely to burn out.

The next time you face a hard moment, notice how you handle it. If you do it with more grace than before, that's real progress.

Catharine Montgomery

MBA | Founder & CEO | AI-Forward Communications Strategist | Using Communications to Help Companies Lead Impactful & Values-Driven Campaigns | Crisis & Reputation Management Expert

Two women smiling at the camera during the DC Startup and Tech Week networking event. Catharine Montgomery (left) wearing a black blazer and Ornsiree Junchaya (right) wearing a patterned top at the DC Chamber of Commerce AI in Business forum.

The best conversations happen at happy hour.

And that's a fact. Let me explain.

I found myself at a Washington Network Group (WNG) event. Among other topics, we discussed AI is coming for our jobs, our work, our lives.

I get it. I really do.

I’ve seen tech roll in with big promises. Progress, they said. But for people who look like me, it often meant something else. Lost jobs. Lost trust. Lost ground.

The answer isn’t a shinier ad campaign. No amount of marketing can fix a broken system.

We need better AI. Built by more hands. Tested by more voices. Designed with honesty about what it can and can’t do.

Here’s what works:

→ Show people what they gain. Don’t sugarcoat what they might lose.
→ Build trust with small wins. Don’t ask for a leap of faith on day one.
→ Listen to the people who will use it. Not only the people who build it.

Progress is about proof. It’s about showing up, again and again, and making things a little better for everyone.

That’s how you build trust and buy-in.

And the best part of the night? Someone's name tag got stuck in my hair. So glad someone told me. We laughed. That’s real connection.

AI can’t do that. Not yet.

But if we build it right, maybe one day it can help us get there.

Two people smiling together in an Irish-themed restaurant. Woman in teal blouse making peace sign stands next to man in blazer and glasses. Framed 'Ireland's In Your Court' sign visible on wood-paneled wall behind them.

I spent an evening at the National Press Club with communications leaders and journalists talking about where our industry is headed.

The main debate/discussion: is print making a comeback?

Some said yes. Others, including me, pointed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (the AJC as I know it from my ATL days) ending all print in 2026. It depends on what you're trying to do.

Everyone agreed on one thing. AI is changing how we work. The question is how to use it without losing what makes communications work in the first place.

We talked about AI in journalism, crisis communications, and how to build trust when your tools can create bias. The best conversations happened when we stopped debating old vs. new and started talking about what actually moves people.

My takeaways:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. Good storytelling. Clear strategy. Understanding your audience. AI can help you work faster, but it can't replace your judgment.

𝗔𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜-𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀. Audit it for bias. Keep humans in charge of high-stakes decisions. Build campaigns that serve people, not algorithms.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀. They know when to send a letter and when to launch a campaign. They use AI to analyze data and humans to make sense of it.

Communications is changing. But the goal stays the same. Move people toward action.

Thanks to Aliza Bran, Paul Minehart and many others for these conversations.
, 
How are you using AI in your communications work? What's working? What's not?

Founder and CEO, Better Together Agency | AI ethics communications strategist | Values-driven social impact leader

Group photo of six communications professionals at the National Press Club roundtable dinner. From left to right: a man in a blue Columbia jacket and khaki pants, a woman in a black polka dot top and jeans, a woman in a tan trench coat, a woman in a black outfit with gold buttons, a woman in a red top and white pants, and Catharine Montgomery (Black woman with long dark hair) in a gray blazer. They are standing in front of a framed painting in a room with American flags, blue carpet with gold emblems, and wood paneling.

The basics never change.  
The landscape always does.  
Learning is the only way forward.

Never stop learning. That’s the rule I live by.

I just wrapped up the Outskill's Generative AI Mastermind program. Five sessions. Responsible AI, bias detection, ethical frameworks. The works.

Here’s the truth:  
Building the tech is easy.  
Building trust is the hard part.

Fifteen years in communications.  
Agency founder.  
Team leader.

Still learning.  
Still growing.  
Because the world keeps moving.  
The stakes keep rising.  
And the people I serve deserve better than what I knew yesterday.

If you want to do AI right, you need more than engineers.

You need ethicists.  
You need communicators.  
You need people who have lived through bias and know what it looks like.

You need a team that asks the hard questions before launch, not after harm.

Here’s how I build that team:

→ Mix the right minds  
Bring together tech, ethics, and lived experience.  
No single perspective is enough.

→ Make basics your anchor  
Tech will change.  
Principles won’t.  
Keep coming back to the fundamentals.

→ Build trust, not just tools  
Trust is earned by listening, explaining, and showing your work.  
Transparency beats hype every time.

→ Stay obsessed with learning  
The best teams never think they know it all.  
They keep learning, keep questioning, keep improving.

→ Put people first  
AI is for people.  
If it doesn’t help them, it’s not worth building.

→ Test for bias, early and often  
Don’t wait for problems.  
Find them before they find you.

→ Communicate, communicate, communicate  
Explain what you’re doing.  
Share what you’re learning.  
Invite feedback.

The basics are your compass.  
The landscape is your map.  
Learning is your fuel.

Never stop learning.  
Never stop building trust.  
Never stop putting people first.

Four feature cards on blue background showcasing digital event platform benefits: social impact strategies and case studies, digital-first experience design, flexible on-demand access for busy professionals, and comprehensive speaker Q&A and networking opportunities.

I saw Felicity Menzies’ post about LinkedIn visibility. Thanks for DMing me about it Jennie Blumenthal.

Post at a certain time, don't use hashtags (anymore), put links in the comments, don't tag too many people...

Those are all a joke.

Here's what I know: when I post about strategy or data, it spreads. When I post softer content, it goes nowhere.

This isn't new. Algorithms decide who sees what. LinkedIn uses machine learning to rank content. The system looks at author info, content type, engagement history, and posting patterns.

Bias exists in all forms. AI systems are no different.

LinkedIn's own research on algorithmic fairness shows that machine learning models trained on historical data can reproduce existing patterns of who gets amplified and who doesn't.

I run Better Together Agency (not tagging a second person/company; it could hurt the algorithm!). We study bias in generative AI systems. We survey consumers about fairness. And here's what we're seeing: when people raise concerns about how these systems work, the response is often dismissive.

A decade of building community shouldn't disappear overnight. Subscribers who opted in shouldn't need a paid boost to see your content.

This isn't about one person's experience. It's about how algorithmic systems make decisions that affect professional visibility. And when those decisions have real business consequences, we need transparency about how they're made.

What are you seeing?

I recently judged 50+ media and social media campaigns for the 2025 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

The winners had something in common.

The fundamentals of communications still matter. Strong storytelling and clear strategy backed by data. AI didn't replace any of that. It supported it.

One campaign used AI to speed up content creation but kept humans in charge of strategy and messaging. Millions of impressions and real business outcomes followed.

Another campaign built community through authentic storytelling and human connection. AI helped with research and targeting, but people drove the work.

The pattern was obvious. Winners treated AI as one tool in their process. They built campaigns for real people, not algorithms. They had data to back up their claims, not just creative ideas.

What I took from this:

AI can help us work faster. It can analyze data, draft content, and find patterns we might miss. But it can't replace our judgment, our strategy, or our understanding of what moves people.

Use AI, but use it responsibly. Audit it for bias. Keep humans in the loop for high-stakes decisions. Build campaigns that serve people. Impressing judges is not the goal.

Thanks to April White for recommending me to judge. And thanks to the The Stevie® Awards team for recognizing the work women are doing to move communications forward.

If you're using AI in your campaigns, how are you making sure it supports your work instead of replacing it?

Certificate of appreciation from the Stevie Awards presented to Catharine Montgomery for judging the Media and Social Media Awards Jury in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. The certificate features the Stevie Awards logo in the top left corner, text on a white background on the left side, and a gold Stevie Award trophy statue on a gold background on the right side. The certificate includes a red button with the website stevieawards.com/women, a Verix verification QR code in the bottom left, and a "Learn More" QR code in the bottom right.

AI can be cool and a little scary too.

I joined nonprofit leaders, civic technologists, and funders at DC's! DC Public Library for Cool/Scary AI Sh*t.

It was an honest conversation about AI's risks and rewards.

Dr. Tati Warren Warren reminded us why this work matters. Her message: "Build with us." That's the approach we need when we talk about responsible AI.

A few things stood out.

How easy it is to fall for AI-generated propaganda surprised me more than the technology itself.

We covered four ways to fight back:

1. Inspect media artifacts for signs of AI generation or tampering
2. Cross-check claims with multiple reliable, independent sources
3. Be cautious of accounts without transparency or with recent suspicious activity
4. Practice responsible sharing to reduce the spread of deceptive content

This connects directly to my work on bias in generative AI. We can't build trust in AI systems if we can't spot when bad actors use them to deceive us.

When we pair human judgment with the right tools, we can make smarter decisions without the fear.

Thanks to the entire team for the insightful conference and the host, Benjamin Childers.  

Which of these four steps do you find hardest to practice consistently?

#AI #ResponsibleAI #MediaLiteracy #CivicTech #Nonprofits

Clear acrylic podium with laptop and microphone at Cool/Scary AI Sh!t event at MLK Memorial Library on October 29, 2025. Event agenda visible on podium listing topics including digital inclusion, AI accessibility, and advocacy. Cornershop Creative branding visible in background.

CHANEL's CEO asked ChatGPT to show her leadership team visiting Microsoft .

ChatGPT showed her all men in suits, which I've seen so many times on not only ChatGPT, but Midjourney, Gemini, and all the others.

Leena Nair leads one of the world's most recognizable luxury brands. She's a woman. Her leadership team includes women. But when she tested ChatGPT at Microsoft's headquarters, the AI erased them.

It's a pattern, as I know.

According to ChatGPT, it has a history of underrepresenting women in leadership roles. And it's not alone. Large language models reflect the biases we see in the real world. I tried to generate an image of Maya Angelou, and it generated a white older woman...

I've tracked this through our bias in generative AI research, since February 2023 (two months after ChatGPT was released). The data shows these biases show up in hiring recommendations, marketing materials, and strategic decisions.

Here's what makes this dangerous: most organizations don't test for it.

They integrate AI into workflows. They trust the outputs. They don't question whether the technology is reinforcing the same inequities they're trying to fix.

This is why auditing AI matters. Not after it causes damage. Before you deploy it.

Does this change how you think about AI adoption in your organization? How will you address this?

#AI #GenderBias #Leadership #ResponsibleAI #GenerativeAI

It took $500 million for major foundations to say what many of us have been saying for years.

AI is happening TO people, not WITH them.

Nine foundations just launched Humanity AI, a five-year initiative to build people-centered AI. The goal: include the voices of workers, artists, and communities who will be most affected by this technology.

This matters because right now, AI decisions are made by a handful of companies. Workers wonder if AI will replace them or help them. Artists see their work used without consent. Communities watch as technology reshapes their lives without their input.

I've been tracking bias in generative AI for years (as I hope you already know 😅). The article proves what happens when we build technology without the people it impacts. We get systems that reinforce existing inequities. We get tools that work for some and fail others.

This $500 million investment validates what the research was telling us. But here's the real question: how do we make sure this isn't a one-time story?

How do we move from announcements to action? From funding to follow-through?

The foundations behind this are betting we can build AI differently. I hope they're right. And I hope more organizations follow their lead.

What would people-centered AI look like in your organization?

Doris Duke Foundation | Ford Foundation | Lumina Foundation | Kapor Foundation | MacArthur Foundation | Omidyar Network | The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Mellon Foundation | Siegel Family Endowment 

#AI #HumanCenteredAI #ResponsibleAI #AIEthics #SocialImpact

Quote graphic with terracotta background and white text reading: 'Every day, people learn more about the ways AI is impacting their lives, and it can often feel like this technology is happening to us rather than with us and for us.' Attribution to John Palfrey, President, MacArthur Foundation. Better Together Agency logo in bottom right corner.

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