IAPI has announced the names of this year’s recipients of the Female Futures Fund Programme.
Now in its fifth year, the Female Futures Fund Programme is dedicated to nurturing, retaining, and propelling outstanding female talent within the advertising, media, and communications industry into leadership roles and is sponsored by Diageo. The recipients will participate in a series of three full-day workshops facilitated by Danica Murphy, founder of PRISM Leadership & Change Consulting, later this year.
The recipients of the 2024 programme are:
Adrienne Hudspeth, Global Programme Director, OLIVER Ireland
Alenna Schneider, Senior Account Manager, Spark Foundry
Catherine Marley, Account Director, PHD Media
Clara Traynor, Senior Copywriter, TBWA/Dublin
Deirdre O’Sullivan, Strategic Content Director, Pluto
Elaine Cashen, Video Investment Director, Core
Emily Turner, Senior Brand Designer, Dynamo
Grainne Earley, Global Experience Director, Fuel
Hazel Byrne, Account and Production Director, Verve | Showrunner
Isabel Harvey, Creative Copywriter, Publicis Dublin
Ivona Poljak, Art Director, Publicis Dublin
Johanna Torwesten, Head of Social, Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin
Karla Whelan, Senior Account Manager, Connelly Partners Dublin
Lydia Ward, Design Researcher, Droga5 Dublin
Larah Burke, Account Director, dentsu
Mariana Nevado, Account Director, The Public House
Naomi Frew, Experience Director, Catapult
Niamh Purcell, Senior Environmental Designer, Verve
Orla Byrne, Art Director, Folk VML
Pia Schuster, Account Director, Boys + Girls
Rachel Costello, Business Director, EssenceMediacom Ireland
Rebecca Walsh, Senior Digital Client Manager, Starcom Ireland
Shelly Farrell, Senior Frontend Developer, DEPT
Sinead Brennan, Account Director, Goosebump
Sarah Flannery, Account Director, OMD Ireland
Vivian Huynh, Social and Content Director, Folk VML
Zoe Powderly, Account Director, Group M Ireland
“I couldn’t be more thrilled that our Female Futures Fund programme is making such an impact on the lives of the future leaders in our industry and yet again, we have an outstanding group of women selected for the 2024 programme. However, for those of us judging, it’s popularity is a double-edged sword”, says Charley Stoney, CEO, IAPI. “It is wonderful to see so many strong applicants but also incredibly difficult to whittle it down to the final selection. It can come down to the smallest thing when you’re having to select the recipients as the vast majority of applicants would be worthy recipients. All I would say to those not chosen this year is, please apply again, make it as personal and individual as you are comfortable with, and be very explicit about why you need the programme.”
“We extend our congratulations to all the recipients this year. I was honoured to be involved in the two rounds of judging in this year’s IAPI Female Futures Fund. The standard was incredibly high, making it a really difficult decision to narrow it down. Every one of the applicants is deserving of the bursary in some way and I would encourage anyone who doesn’t make it through this year to apply again next year,” ads Linda Bradley, head of planning and insights, DIageo Ireland.
“Diageo is incredibly proud to sponsor the programme in its fifth year and see the partnership evolve and the real difference it is making to equip women with the tools and support needed to ascend into leadership roles in the advertising, media, and communications industry.”
Chris Cashen, IAPI Vice President & Managing Partner, Strategy at Mindshare Ireland adds: “Like most, I have seen first-hand the benefits of the Female Futures Fund from previous recipients. Judging has given me a richer respect for the program, and I was sincerely blown away by the calibre of the candidates. The industry should commend IAPI and the sponsors for what lies ahead for the successful recipients, which will undoubtedly influence our industry for many years.”
