Rising Star Award
This award represents the next generation in content marketing. The nominee should be admired by their peers, they should foster and encourage collaboration. They should be actively involved in the content marketing industry.
To enter for the 2017 award, click here>>
2016 Winner: Katie Sehl, Editor, Spafax
'I'm inspired by, and a little bit jealous of, those rare and lucky
people who have found their groove – that thing that makes them tick – and put the necessary hard work in to excelling at it. Fortunately, I'm in an industry and a
position where I meet inspiring people often – whether it's an aircraft seat designer so transfixed with problem solving that they apply it to their every day lives (you'd
be surprised, as I was, to learn what an airplane seat has to do with the length of a canteen line), or a psychologist whose eyes light up when you ask them about their research. I want
to be around people who find a way to be curious, hungry and passionate where others have become jaded, cynical or greedy.
Those who manage to apply kindness to their practice inspire me even further. Learning about an aviation systems technology expert volunteering countless (mostly thankless) hours to sharing his expertise in order to make in-flight entertainment more accessible for deaf and visually impaired passengers is one example. Outside work, Mary Beard, a historian who applies her knowledge to offer critical insight into women's public voice over time, is another example of a role model that inspires me. I am still searching for my best offer and contribution, and will continue to draw inspiration from examples such as these.'
2015 Winner: Bree Sposato, Senior Editor, Story Worldwide
As a Senior Editor at Story
Worldwide, Bree Sposato curates content for RCI's two flagship publications—Endless Vacation magazine and RCI Ventures magazine—across multiple platforms,
including print, tablet, and social media. Bree was previously an editor at Travel + Leisure magazine and worked at Jetsetter.com and New York magazine. She writes for Money,
Bloomberg Businessweek, Art News, and other outlets.
Bree is passionate about travel and knows the industry well, having held editor positions at Travel + Leisure and Jetsetter before joining the team at Story Worldwide. She has a unique ability to bring her traditional travel editor background to new and emerging technologies in a way that helps RCI reach a variety of audiences (both B2C and B2B), grow its business, and achieve its objectives.
2014 Winner: Andrew Hanelly, SVP of Strategy, McMURRY/TMG
Andrew is SVP, Strategy at McMURRY/TMG, the nation's largest independent content marketing agency. He has successfully led the development and execution of award-winning digital strategies for brands in a wide variety of verticals and industries including travel, entertainment and lifestyle, hospitality, technology, healthcare, finance, associations and many more.
Andrew is passionate about earning audiences, creating community, and achieving business objectives for organizations by harnessing the power of content, social media and technology. His work has appeared in publications such as The Economist, Forbes, and AdAge. Andrew is a student of pop culture and an obsessively engaged creature of the Internet. He has spoken at SXSW, iStrategy, DMA and many other leading industry events.