Famed literary agent, co-creator of the “Together Live” tour, the latest leader to partner with the Association of National Advertisers’ (ANA) movement for gender equality
Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, head of the worldwide literary department at William Morris Endeavor (WME) and co-creator of the groundbreaking women’s conference “Together Live,” has joined the #SeeHer advisory board. #SeeHer is ANA’s influential movement for gender equality in advertising and media in the U.S. Walsh becomes the fifth powerhouse marketing and media figure on the advisory board, joining award-winning journalist and author Katie Couric; WNBA President Lisa Borders; Academy Award-winning actor and gender rights activist Geena Davis; and Laura Brown, editor-in-chief of InStyle Magazine.
Walsh has propelled the literary careers of Nobel, Pulitzer, and National Book Award-winning authors, including Alice Munro, Arianna Huffington, Sheryl Sandberg, Ann Brashares, Sue Monk Kidd, Jeannette Walls, Ken Burns, Curtis Sittenfeld, Amy Bloom, Chris Matthews, Howard Schultz, and Brené Brown. Under her leadership, WME has become the largest literary agency presence on international and national bestseller lists. The youngest person and first woman in William Morris Agency’s 100-year history, she played a key role in its merger with Endeavor to form WME in 2009. For five consecutive years, Walsh has been named to the Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment list.
She launched WME’s conference and speakers divisions, and her conferences and tours connect and inspire women across the country. They include Oprah Winfrey’s “The Life You Want Weekend” tour, Arianna Huffington’s “Thrive,” and Cosmopolitan’s “Fun Fearless Life” and, most recently, the national “Together Live” tour, which brings together thought leaders, activists, and celebrities for a night of storytelling and conversation focused on finding purpose and community.
“Jennifer is one of the nation’s most-accomplished storytellers, and her ability to bring people together around women’s stories is unparalleled,” says Gail Tifford, #SeeHer co-founder and chief brand officer of Weight Watchers. “Our mission depends on exceptional women like her because without their passion and expertise, we cannot reach our goal of a gender-equal society.”
The ANA launched the #SeeHer movement in 2016 with The Girl’s Lounge (now The Female Quotient, TFQ) to see accurate portrayals of women and girls in advertising and media rise 20 percent by 2020 — the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Since then, it has become global in reach and its influence has spread throughout the marketing, media, and entertainment ecosystems. The collective unites more than 70 of the nation’s top marketers, including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Ford, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg’s, L’Oreal, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Verizon, and Walmart. For the first time U.S. advertisers have joined together in a unified effort to address this critical challenge for positive change.
“I am honored to join forces with this team who are shining the light forward for girls and women. I believe in my core that storytelling has the power to transform what we believe about ourselves and others,” added Walsh. “By changing the stories we tell to include the representation of intersectional and inclusive voices, #SeeHer is making sure that every girl can one day see herself and feel like she belongs. Especially during divided times, connecting through authentic storytelling is a magic cure.”
“Everywhere we take our gender equality message, we find enthusiastic supporters and new allies eager to do their part,” concludes Bob Liodice, ANA CEO. “Each addition amplifies our voice and extends our reach. With the addition of Jennifer to our effort, we add the potent impact of the literary world to our growing community of leaders committed to bringing gender equality to media, advertising, and all forms of storytelling.”