When Thayer Lavielle joined Wasserman, she recognized an opportunity to drive change from within one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment agencies. What began as a conversation about how to better support women across industries became The Collective—a global initiative dedicated to advancing the power of women through data, strategy, and storytelling.

As Managing Director, Thayer has helped transform how brands and organizations view women’s impact as consumers, fans, and leaders. In this episode, she discusses the evolution of women’s sports, the cultural moments fueling its momentum, and why authentic influence starts with service and purpose.

Episode Highlights

• The inspiration behind The Collective and how it’s elevating women across sports, music, and entertainment
• Research-driven insights revealing the true scale of women’s fandom and purchasing power
• Key cultural milestones that have shifted public perception of women’s sports
• The challenges and rewards of building a new brand within a global agency
• Lessons from Thayer’s early career in journalism and beauty that shaped her leadership approach
• What influence really means and how it’s best expressed through service and authenticity

Thayer’s perspective offers a thoughtful look at how advocacy, business, and storytelling can come together to create lasting impact for women everywhere.

Links and Resources

Connect with Thayer Lavielle on LinkedIn

Connect with Wasserman on LinkedIn

Learn more about The Collective

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When Diana Thomas became one of the first women in the United States to give birth through donor egg IVF in 1996, there were no guidelines, agencies, or contracts. It was determination and uncharted territory. Today, as Founder and CEO of The World Egg and Sperm Bank, she is on a mission to bring transparency, ethics, and rigorous standards to a rapidly growing and often misunderstood industry.

Episode Highlights

• Diana’s groundbreaking 15-year journey through infertility and how it shaped her mission to protect and empower future families
• Eye-opening truths about the global egg donation landscape, including trafficking, exploitation, and overlooked legislative gaps
• Why transparency and rigorous screening are critical—and the essential questions every hopeful parent should ask their clinic
• Practical advice for women navigating fertility challenges, including how to advocate for themselves in an emotional and complex process

Whether you are navigating fertility yourself or want to understand an industry that touches millions, Diana’s insights are both eye opening and inspiring.

Links and Resources

Connect with Diana Thomas on LinkedIn

Connect with the The World Egg and Sperm Bank on LinkedIn

Learn more about The World Egg and Sperm Bank

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Rikki Marler, Vice President of Client Development at Pēq, joins Women of Influence to share how she helps brands move beyond surface-level metrics to understand the true incremental impact of their campaigns. With a background in shopper marketing and lessons learned from early mentors, Rikki talks about why today’s marketers need real-time insights, how transparency has guided her career, and the importance of staying curious when navigating change.

Episode Highlights:

• The shift from proof of performance to proof of value in marketing.
• Why in-flight optimization is essential as budgets tighten.
• Lessons in transparency from early career mentorship under Walmart’s first COO.
• Staying curious and using an “advisory board” to navigate career twists.
• Influence as making people feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Links and Resources

Connect with Rikki Marler on LinkedIn

Connect with Pēq on LinkedIn

Learn more about Pēq

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Ad fraud and data privacy are changing the way advertisers and consumers interact. In this episode of Women of Influence, Nina Talcott, Director of Research Communications and Media Engagement at Pixalate, explains how fraud drains billions from the industry, what new privacy laws mean for consumers, and why transparency is critical. She also shares her perspective on influence, the value of mentorship, and the advice she would give her younger self.

Episode Highlights:

• How Pixalate combats ad fraud and protects consumer data.
• Billions lost to bots, spoofing, and fake apps on connected TV.
• Why consumer privacy and new data laws matter.
• Influence built through one-on-one connections.
• Advice to her younger self: be authentic and embrace individuality.

Links and Resources

Connect with Nina Talcott on LinkedIn

Connect with Pixalate on LinkedIn

Learn More about Pixalate

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Retail media is rewriting the rules of marketing, and Cyndi Loza is here to break it all down.

As Senior Editor at Path to Purchase Institute, she shares what brands need to know about AI, shopper behavior, and why in-store still matters more than you think. Cyndi also reflects on her journalism roots, defining influence, and navigating work-life balance as a parent and professional.

Episode Highlights

• How retail media is reshaping the marketing funnel
• What shoppers really want in-store
• The role of AI in measurement and optimization
• Why social content is showing up in TV ads
• Advice on career growth, failure, and finding your voice

Connect with Cyndi Loza on LinkedIn

Connect with Path to Purchase Institute on LinkedIn

Learn more about Path to Purchase Institute

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Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications, breaks down one of the year’s most viral PR moments—the Coldplay concert “Crisis Cam”—and shares what brands should do when leadership missteps play out in public.

She also reflects on becoming Ragan’s first female CEO, why internal communications is more important than ever, and how leaders can build trust, influence, and confidence at every level. From the value of in-person connection to what today’s employees want most, this episode delivers practical insights for communicators navigating a changing workplace.

Episode Highlights

• How Diane would’ve handled the “Crisis Cam” fallout.
• The enduring value of in-person community.
• Why flexibility, recognition, and transparency matter most to employees.
• Advice for speaking up, building influence, and bouncing back from failure.
• What leadership really looks like behind the scenes.

Links and Resources

Connect with Diane Schwartz on LinkedIn

Connect with Ragan Communications on LinkedIn

Learn more about Ragan Communications

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OLLY's presence in-store is powerful. It's digital strategy? Even more so—and Jennifer Peters is making it all click.

As Director of DTC, Martech, + Digital Compliance at OLLY, Jennifer Peters is helping one of the most recognizable wellness brands deepen its relationship with consumers—both online and off. In this episode, she shares how OLLY is bridging the gap between shelf and screen, redefining loyalty in a retail-first world, and keeping customer empathy at the center of it all.

Jennifer also reflects on her 13 years at Barnes & Noble, how tech is transforming customer feedback into action, and the advice she gives every rising professional looking to build a meaningful, long-term career.

Episode Highlights

• Why DTC is especially challenging for retail-first CPG brands—and how OLLY is making it work.
• What receipt scanning reveals about today’s hybrid shopper.
• Why loyalty means more than points—and who it’s really for.
• What “being where your customer shops” really means in 2025.
• Her advice for building influence and nurturing the next generation of talent.

This episode is packed with practical advice, big-brand insights, and career lessons you’ll actually use.

Links and Resources

Connect with Jennifer Peters on LinkedIn

Connect with OLLY on Linkedin

Learn more about OLLY

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In this episode, we’re joined by Amberle Thompson, Senior Sales Director for Walmart and Sam’s Club at The Heineken Company, overseeing a team that helps ensure products make it to shelves across the country.

Amberle shares her journey into the CPG and alcohol industry, demystifies how distribution works in the U.S., and explores how data and consumer trends drive innovation. She also reflects on raising three daughters while building her career, the power of networks, and why influence is knowing when you have it—and when you need to build it.

Episode Highlights

• How Amberle uses real-time data and consumer trends to guide product innovation, like Dos Equis Lime & Salt Zero.
• The unique challenges of alcohol distribution and why the U.S. three-tier system matters for brands like Heineken.
• The “COVID bump” in alcohol sales—and how the industry is right-sizing post-pandemic.
• Why looking at data and trends is Amberle’s favorite part of leading in CPG.
• Amberle’s perspective on raising daughters while modeling leadership and career growth.
• Why building your network is critical—and the advice Amberle gives young professionals about picking up the phone.
• A fresh take on influence: knowing where you have it, where you need it, and how to leverage your network to create meaningful change.
• Why Amberle believes that to lead effectively, you can’t—and shouldn’t—do it alone.

Amberle shares real-world insights for navigating leadership and driving innovation within and outside the CPG industry.

Links and Resources

Connect with Amberle Thompson on LinkedIn

Learn more about The Heineken Company

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