It’s been said that people don’t get promoted for doing their jobs really well; they get promoted by demonstrating their potential to do more. And our six employees who have been elevated in their respective departments — Ashley Foster (agency management and public relations), Laura Wright (account management), Jess Brown (content), Paul Prudhomme (creative), Chris Seagle (creative) and Mary Reynolds Lipscomb (media) — certainly have the know-how and expertise to continue to thrive, and do more, as their careers at Big evolve.
“I am super proud of the Big team and always celebrate when an employee advances in her or his skillset,” said John Montgomery, CEO and Founder. “2021 is going to be a fantastic one for our agency, and I look forward to watching each of these folks’ success as new tactical challenges and opportunities arise.”
Read on for more information on the women and men making Big’s latest internal moves.
Ashley Foster, APR
New Title: Director of Strategic Communications
Previous Title(s): PR Lead, Senior PR Account Executive
Years at Big: 7
Role: Serve as a member of the agency’s management team. Oversee the continued success and growth of Big’s longstanding public relations service line.
About: Birmingham PR veteran with 20 years of experience in strategy and execution of public relations campaigns across a number of industries. Received her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2007. 2019 Birmingham Business Journal Top 40 Under 40. Board member for both Alabama PRSA and REV Birmingham. Recipient of multiple local, regional and national industry awards for overall PR strategy and tactical execution, including the recent PRNEWS Platinum Award in the Community Relations category. Current mentor for agency’s Big Growth program.
Jess Brown
New Title: Content Director
Previous Title(s): Content and Strategy Lead, Content Strategist
Years at Big: 5
Role: Lead all client content strategy and execution, including social media, web and influencer activations. Manage five-person content team.
About: 14 years of industry experience. Previous professional career spent in motorsports, managing public relations and marketing efforts for Mars Incorporated, Anheuser-Busch and Interstate Batteries in NASCAR and Formula One. Participant of the 2019 City of Birmingham Academy of Civic Engagement (ACE) initiative aimed at seeing the community unite and grow beyond its troubled past and providing individuals with a deeper understanding of how the City is working for residents — and how one can plug into a variety of opportunities to act, serve and lead. Awarded the ‘Renaissance Woman’ Biggie for being a consummate and well-rounded team member and professional. Current mentor for agency’s Big Growth program.
Paul Prudhomme
New Title: Senior Art Director
Previous Title(s): Art Director, Junior Art Director
Years at Big: 5
Role: Enhanced responsibilities as a vital member of the creative team, designing visual elements and executing campaigns for multiple Big clients, including Valvoline, Alabama Gulf Seafood and TNT Fireworks, among others.
About: Second promotion at Big, joining the agency as a junior art director in 2016 and elevated to art director in 2018. Recipient of two Gold Addy awards for his work with both Valvoline and TNT Fireworks , as well a the 2019 Biggie Award for ‘Anonymous Anomaly.’ Past member of both the agency’s Big Growth mentor/mentee program and Big Culture Club.
Chris Seagle
New Title: Senior Art Director
Previous Title(s): Art Director
Years at Big: 3
Role: Enhanced creative team responsibilities, designing visual elements and executing campaigns for multiple Big clients, such as the Alabama State Department of Education, the Alabama Department of Commerce, Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), America’s First Credit Union and Alabama Power, among others.
About: A five-year industry professional originally hired by Big in 2018. Recipient of both Gold and Silver ADDY awards for outdoor, city branding and website design. Two-time Big Employee of the Month. Past member of agency’s Big Growth mentor/mentee program.
Mary Reynolds Lipscomb
New Title: Media Planner/Buyer
Previous Title(s): Media Traffic Coordinator
Years at Big: 5
Role: Develop and implement media plans, campaign budgets and results. Collaborate with agency departments to develop and present consumer research and insights, media strategy and optimization tactics to enhance campaign reach.
About: Joined Big in 2016 and brings a combined six years of experience to her new position. In-house expert on LinkedIn and YouTube with broader specializations in both social media amplification and digital media execution. Holds Google Certifications in Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display and Google Ads Video. Selected as Big Employee of the Month during 2019. Current mentor for agency’s Big Growth program and past member of Big Culture Club.