LOS ANGELES, USA // Rona Mercado is a strategic marketer who’s spent the last 16+ years advising and producing industry shifting, culturally impactful, award-winning work for some of the world’s biggest category innovators including Netflix, Taco Bell, Google, Meta, Disney, Warner Media and yes, even the legendary Snoop Dogg. She also helped build the world’s first Culture Agency of Record, Cashmere Agency, as Chief Marketing Officer. Under her leadership, Cashmere earned prestigious accolades, including Ad Age’s A-List Standout Agency (2024, 2021) and Multicultural Agency of the Year (2019). The agency’s groundbreaking campaigns, which garnered multiple Cannes Lions, Clios, and Webby Awards, set new standards for cultural resonance. Through her strategic vision and sales expertise, Rona drove substantial revenue growth, positioning the agency for a successful acquisition.

Rona is celebrated for fostering innovation, collaboration, and diversity within her teams, empowering them to create campaigns that deeply resonate with audiences. Her leadership has earned her personal accolades, including recognition by Billboard’s Women in Music, the Los Angeles Times Inspirational Women in Leadership Awards, and Campaign US’s Female Frontier. Rona leads with curiosity and a genuine desire to connect. She believes the best marketing starts with listening—and that real growth comes from understanding what truly matters to people. Her approach blends heart and strategy, helping brands find their voice and build relationships that last. Beyond her professional achievements, Rona is a dedicated community leader, serving on the board of Street Poets Inc. and the advisory council of Luskin Orthopedic Institute for Children in alliance with UCLA Health, where she contributes her expertise to drive meaningful change.