McKinney President Gretchen Walsh Named to Ad Age’s Leading Women 2024

May 20, 2024

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Ask for advice from everyone. It is the best way to get feedback. Just because someone gives you advice doesn’t mean you must act on it. Consider it, but always follow your gut.

What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

Staying at the same agency for almost 20 years in an industry where you are often rewarded for moving around. But that risk has been advantageous as I moved from Media to working in Strategy to running Account Management. As President, I get to put all that experience to work as we continue expanding and integrating the various divisions of McKinney’s growing business.

If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you be doing and why?

I have loved sports, from the physical aspect to the competition, since I was a kid. As an adult, running, functional fitness, and general exercise are all passions of mine. Most recently, I have been fascinated by how we care for our bodies and minds – through training, rest, meditation, nutrition, etc. – impacts every aspect of our lives. If I had to do it over again, working to help people live healthy lives would be where I would focus my energy.

What should the industry do to encourage more women and people of color into its ranks?

As an industry, we’ve placed focus on the numbers, which are essential, and that has certainly had some positive impact. But along with those numbers, we need more waymakers.  I went to a fireside chat with Tara Jaye Frank, author of The Waymakers, a couple of years ago.  It resonated with me that being an ally isn’t enough. We need more people to open doors and remove barriers. That takes time and commitment, but if we are purposeful and start by putting equity at the forefront of everything we do, we can make this an industry that more women and people of color will choose and thrive in.

How will AI impact your job in the future?

AI is impacting our jobs every day. I think of it as an accelerant, currently more so for productivity, which benefits us and our clients, but also for creativity. That said, AI will never replace human creativity, but when used responsibly, it can enhance it.

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