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Elisa Peebles has joined creative marketing agency 19th & Park as head of strategy, the company said this week. Meanwhile, Markia Erickson has been promoted to vice president, client services, and Leslie Alexander to associate vice president, client services at the New York City-based agency.
“As 19th & Park continues to grow and expand our services as a full-service agency focused on creating advertising solutions for those that are not of the majority, our commitment to our clients and staff remains top of mind,” said Whitney Headen, 19th & Park co-founder and CEO, in a statement. “By bringing and advancing key leadership roles, we are able to continue providing the white-glove customer service we’re known for while still being able to push the envelope with our innovative creative, first-to-market strategies, and expanded client services. These three women have not only shown exemplary leadership across all of those categories but they’ve also proven that the future of advertising and workplace development lies in the hands of its leaders.”
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Peebles comes to 19th & Park after working with such international brands as Nike, Fenty Beauty, Beats by Dre, JBL, Levi’s, Audible, American Express and Ad Council. For her work developing the Nike NBA Connected jersey, she won a Clio Sports Gold award in product innovation and partnerships and innovation. The artist and activist originally hails from Buffalo, N.Y.
“In all of my work, my core goal is to ask, ‘how do we inject a sense of connectivity and magic into this product or campaign?’” said Peebles. “At 19th & Park, I’m most interested in mentorship and development, and helping to build a place that can incubate diverse talent and the future thinkers and makers of this industry.”
Peebles comes to 19th Park from creative digital agency Barbarian, where she served as group strategy director, overseeing campaigns for Northwestern Mutual and Fenty Beauty. She also provided interim leadership for the company’s entire strategy department after the departure of its previous chief strategy officer. Prior to that, she held roles at I&CO and AKQA.
“I’m a storyteller at heart – the format just changes,” Peebles said. “I always try to connect back to that original nugget of me at 21 years old, wanting to tell stories that usually wouldn’t get to be heard, and seeing great promise in the intersection of art, technology and commerce to provide new stages.”
Markia “Kia” Erickson has worked on campaigns for such brands as Starbucks, HBO, Pepsi, Revlon, Skechers, Avon and Lucky Brand Jeans. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she’s held positions at Havas (formerly Euro RSCG Worldwide), BBDO, ELA Advertising and Agency ETA.
During her three years at 19th & Park, Erickson has helped build the agency’s client services department that she will now oversee as vice president.
“Internally, I’m known for setting and managing expectations,” said Erickson. “I believe the ability to say ‘no’ is an asset. It’s about being responsible and accountable to our clients and team, and knowing how to add value. 19th does its best work when it serves as a creative partner versus being a vendor. Our ability to embody and incorporate our authentic selves into our work only increases the quality of said work. Authenticity is championed here.”
Erickson lives in Long Beach, Calif., with her husband, Shelby, and daughters, Zuri and Marlo. Besides her work for 19th and Park, she’s also working towards becoming a registered behavioral therapist.
Prior to joining 19th and Park, Leslie Alexander worked in advertising and project management at such companies as Verizon, Droga5 and Saks Off Fifth. While at Saks, she co-founded the Black Employee Resource Group, which culminated in the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr., Day, Black History Month and more. She also helped manage the brand’s integration of former competitor Barney’s.
Through her career, she has delivered campaigns for such clients as Saks Off Fifth, AT&T, Gillette, Chase, Verizon, CNBC and Mailchimp, for which she won the Cannes Lions Cyber Grand Prix. Alexander is originally from New York City.
Since joining 19th & Park, Alexander has played a key role in shifting the agency’s project management operations into the current client services department.
“The needs of the business have changed, and we’re integral assets in spearheading that evolution,” said Alexander. “Through my tenure, I have seen the shift from an isolated project management department to the collaborative dynamic that is now in place. Consolidating the operation makes it much easier for the whole team to coordinate, which allows us to better serve the client.”
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