You know, what is so interesting about the dichotomy between being in Europe and being in America is that when you're in Europe, people are like, what country are you from? And then in America, you're just black. Like, there's really no distinction whatsoever. We'll discuss race and how it

plays a factor, and how we didn't even talk about this topic, because we were afraid. A Black Executive Perspective. We're coming to you live from the new BEP Studio for another Thought. Provoking episode of a black executive perspective, podcasts, a safe space where we discuss all matters related to race, culture, and those uncomfortable topics that we tend to avoid. I'm your host, Tony Tidbit. So before we get started, I want everyone to remember to check out our partners, Code M Magazine, whose mission is to save the black family by first saving the black man. So definitely check them out at CodeMMagazine. com. That is Code M Magazine. So today we are joined in our studio by Rebecca Deng, commercial advisor to TripleLift and principal board member of the Women in Programmatic Network. She's here to share her journey and early life in Europe. to becoming a trailblazer in media and programmatic advertising. We'll discuss her career milestones, the impact work advocating for gender parity, and her advice for aspiring professionals in the industry. So let me tell you a little bit about Rebecca. Rebecca Deng, uh, is the commercial advisor to the chief revenue officer at Triple F. In that capacity, she collaborates closely with the CRO, revenue leadership team. Executive leadership team and various cross functional teams to shape revenue strategies. She refined helps refine the company's policies and optimize their operational systems. Additionally, she holds positions as a U. S. principal board member for the woman in programmatic network. Since its inception in 2020. The network has championed initiatives to advance the industry, offering networking events, speaking platforms, and discussions on emerging trends while leaDeng efforts to close the gender pay gap. Rebecca Deng, welcome to a Black Executive Perspective Podcast, my sister.

Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be here.

Well, thank you for being here. And look, you've, I mean, it's amazing. You've done a lot of stuff. And let's be fair. You've only been on the planet a short period of time. So, so excited that you were able to come in. And join us here in the studio to talk about your journey. And more importantly, talk about the things in terms of how you are really looking to make the difference in the tech industry. And then more importantly, how you're looking to help others. But before we get started, tell us a little bit about where you currently live in that and a little bit about your family.

Thanks for having me again. So I actually live on the Upper East Side, best side, in my opinion, was born in New York. Um, my family's here, my grandmother's here, though we're a little bit spread out across the U. S. New York is pretty much home and we spend a lot of time here.

Got it, got it, got it. And let me ask you this. Look, you're working for a major organization in the ad tech. You're working with the leadership in terms of helping them from a revenue standpoint, drive revenue, optimize revenue for this organization. You've got a lot on your plate. You're traveling, traveling a lot. So the question I have, why did you want to come to the BEP studios today to talk about and share your journey?

Well, I wanted to come and discuss my journey because I think. You know, having looked at the back catalog of the people that you've spoken to, I think that there's an opportunity to share stories. Um, and I think especially as a black executive, you know, those stories can be lacking and so it's a great opportunity to be able to share with other people.

Well, we appreciate that you're willing to be open and open and sharing, so. You ready to talk about it? I am. All right. So let's talk about it. So look, you have a, you've, it's, it's been a, um, a journey, your early life, right? So talk to us a little bit about, you know, How your early life influenced to where you are today. You grew up in, you lived in other, in other countries in Europe. Your father had a very significant role. Talk a little bit about, share a little bit with us on that.

Sure. So I was born in New York. Um, but my father was an ambassador from the Sudan before it split to the Netherlands and to Germany. So in the process of that, we lived a little bit. of everywhere. Um, my mother is a Jamaican citizen, but she's naturalized American. So every time. She would have the baby, she would come back home. So we were born here, and then we would continue on the road to wherever, um, my family was stationed. So

hold on one second, how many brothers and sisters do you have?

I'm the youngest of four.

Okay, alright, so just so I'm clear here. Yes, yes, yes. When your mother had, when she got pregnant, she came back. She came home. Right? Had the baby. Stayed with family a little bit. And then went back to Europe where you guys were, okay. And we hit the road.

So we lived a little bit of everywhere because my dad also studied in between at Oxford and Cambridge. So we lived in London, we lived in Paris, we lived in Berlin, we lived in Bonn before the capital moved to Berlin. Um, Um, lived in the Hague. Like I said, a little bit of everywhere.

Wow. I mean, so number one, now, how old were you when you were living in all these places?

Up until seven. So I was young, but I have really clear memories of the different houses, like the different furniture, the different rugs. Um, yeah, it was, uh. It was a lot of movement, but I really enjoyed doing it as a family. And I think that's what keeps, you know, the memories clear. Like we were doing family things together.

Now your father didn't just have any job. He was an ambassador to Sudan. Am I correct?

Yeah. So from the Sudan, from the

Sudan to

the Netherlands, to

the Netherlands and then to Germany. So he was an ambassador. Okay. Which that's not, you know, uh, a regular job. Right. So tell us a little bit about him being an ambassador and, and, and what, what type of lifestyle did you guys live as you were traveling all of all of Europe?

Yeah. So when you live. Um, and that type of setup, luckily certain things are paid for, your home's paid for, you get a cook, a chauffeur, a nanny, but you get the opportunity to do lots of travel. So, as my dad would move, we would move, my mom would have her relatives come and visit, um, you kind of have your own springboard around Europe, essentially. Um, but what I would say was really, you know, interesting about that role is there is the tension between You know what you as an individual might think and then what your government thinks like it is pretty much a political role So there are you know The times when you don't necessarily agree. Um, but nevertheless, like you're a family, you're a union, you, um, you know, entertain people. You are representatives of your country wherever you're hosted, essentially.

Right. So, just so I'm clear though, 'cause you just got finished saying that there are times when you may not agree, uh, and I'm basically, this is from your father's standpoint of being an ambassador, right? Mm-hmm That he may not agree about certain things. Gimme some examples, like specifically like what does that mean?

Yeah. So from a policy perspective, um, you know, the stance that your particular country might have towards another, um, I think human rights, like those types of things where you might not necessarily agree. Um, and then my father was also, um, a Christian at the time when, you know, the Sudan, when it was one country was, um, Is still today. Majority Muslim. And then he himself was from a, um, minority community when the Sudan was one country. So like, those are the types of tensions.

Got it. Got it. Got it. But you still, he's still got to be the ambassador for the country. Right. Regardless of what his feelings or he may not agree with their political stances, but he still represents the country. Right. And then you guys still had to be a part of that as well. Yeah. Right. Which, you know, obviously in good times when everybody's happy, it can be great. And then obviously when there's a little tension, it can definitely play a part. Cause I would imagine, and again, you are young, but you know, like today, if somebody lives, moves to same situation, their parent is a ambassador, uh, uh, from the United States to the Netherlands. So wherever the case may be, right. And then there could be certain policy things that people in Netherlands don't like about here in the United States. And then. You're, you know, your father, you're, that's your father and you're going to school and then some kids could spring that up like you believe in or your country. So did you run into anything of that before? And I know you were young, so probably not.

No, I mean, I think what I ran into mostly, um, were just seeing differences in general, um, I mean, I, the place where I went to school for the longest period of time was in Germany. And so in terms of the population, it was very much majority white. And then pretty much anyone who wasn't was from the international community.

So,

um, it was more of just seeing. The differences, but a lot of us all came from that background of our parents were from somewhere else from somewhere else, right?

And then so talk a little bit about how did your mother because that's not an average upbringing no, okay, and then going to school in different countries and and obviously the the attention in terms of you know, you're Uh, uh, uh, uh, ambassador's daughter, right? And your family. So there's limos, there's events, there's all these things. There's houses. Like you were saying earlier, all these things that when you grow up and you look at it, I'm like, wow, we got it made. So how did your mother, how does your family keep you guys grounded? And when those things happen?

Yeah. I mean, I would say that my mother has been my greatest advocate, but in general, what she did that was a little bit different is she took us everywhere. So she doesn't know how to drive. But wherever we were, if she wanted to take us to a museum, she would take us herself. You know, if she, uh, felt like we were behind with reaDeng because we were moving all the time, she would tutor us, she would find a tutor, and she very much led things. Um, especially, you know, from her perspective, she was not from the same country my dad was from. And so there was even tension there, um, between, you know, the expectations of that background, um, and, you know. Um, even as simple as like how many children you're expected to have 10, you know, and my mom wasn't doing that. Uh, she really wasn't, but it's one of those things where, you know, you take what you have and, um, you make the best of it.

So, and look, that's no different than any family, right? No matter where you live at. Right. So thanks for sharing that. So where did you go to high school? Did you go to high school in Europe? Or did you go to high school here?

No. So I went to high school in, Um, Milton, uh, sorry, Milton Academy. So it's eight miles outside of Boston. So I was a boarDeng student.

So talk a little bit about the transition. Um, you've been in Europe for a lot of your time. You go in all these different schools and different countries. Now you're coming here to the United States. Talk a little bit about that transition.

Yeah. I mean, I think, um, you know, what is so interesting about the dichotomy between being in Europe. and being in America is that when you're in Europe, people are like, what country are you from? And then in America, you're just black. Like, there's really no distinction whatsoever. Um, so the community where we lived, like when we moved back to the U. S., we had, you know, Caribbeans, we had black people, we had people from everywhere. Um, and I think being there in that community and, um, you know, seeing kind of like the petty squabbles that we all had with each other, you wouldn't necessarily realize that black is not a monolith, right? That there are different communities with different backgrounds and things. So it was interesting coming to boarding school and kind of seeing that, you know, all of, all of that nuance was a little bit lost.

Well, I, I, and I can imagine that was a culture shock in a way. Right? Yeah. Because to your point, it was more about you representing a country versus your skin color. Okay. Which I would imagine, like, what are they talking about? Right? How are they just, Taking that, you know, I grew up, my mother is Jamaican and my father is a Sudan, Sudanese, right? And now I can, everywhere I've been at, I've been that. And then when I come here, I'm just black.

Yeah. And, uh, it's kind of like, uh, like the multi dimension is just

Squoze. They put you in a box. Yes. You just become one. There is no multi dimension. You're in a box, right? Just based on your skin color. So Obviously, you know, you've done very, very well. Now you attended, if I remember correctly, you went to KORU, right? Yes. Talk a little bit about, number one, what is KORU? Mm hmm. And then tell us a little bit about how it influenced you and helped you in terms of your endeavors moving forward.

Sure. So, KORU is a, at the time, it was a program that helped people, um, students who didn't necessarily know what they wanted to do to prepare for their life after college. And so, I got my degree at KORU. In ancient Greek and Latin. And I was convinced I was going to get a PhD, but then I had friends who were in the process of doing that. And I took classes with them. And they were all broke. And I was like, that's just not for me. So I, hold on one second. So, so I mean, it's true. So that's

number one, right? Yeah. Is that, and I hope for the young students who's, you know, thinking about what career they want to get involved in, okay. Is that, yes, it may sound great that you want to get a degree in Oceanic, uh, uh, uh, exploratory stuff, but at the end of the day, you also gotta be able to be, make a living and make money too, right? So that. Once you saw that, that woke you up a little bit. Is that what I'm hearing?

Yeah. And I was like, this is not going to work. Um, and actually if I had done that, I would have. started on the job market, like in the middle of the pandemic, which would have been horrific.

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Um, but anyway, um, so I did that program and I was just unsure about what I wanted to do, but we had the opportunity at the time to work with different, um, host companies. So on the West Coast, they could work with, um, brands like Facebook. I was able to work with HubSpot and essentially we would go through the KORU program and we would do a capstone project for. The corporate sponsor. So we did a project for HubSpot. We showed them our learnings, but at the same time, you're able to learn about the company, learn about like, how do you present yourself? Well, how do you interview also just like the basics of like Excel functions? Like, can you do a VBA macro for your first day of work?

Right. Right. You

know, like the types of things that really. Make a difference and and give you a leg up as you're on your path to your first job

And and so that introduced you to media.

Yeah, so I had the opportunity to interview with essence digital Um, at the time, now Essence Media Com, at the end of the KORU program. So they helped place, uh, KORU helped place students at Essence Digital. And so I got my first job in September of 2015. And it was really interesting because it was a rotational role as a media executive. So I did a little bit of everything. My first job was in Ad Ops. Which was amazing and really taught me like the fundamentals because how many people actually know what an ad call is?

Um,

and then from there I moved into account management for Google because we were agency of record at the time, I was able to do biddable media, do search, do planning, do a little bit of everything.

So it was a way for you to understand the back end.

Yeah.

Of digital ad campaigns, how they worked, working with clients, uh, account management, all those things. Right. To give you more of an education in terms of when you go to a website, you see an ad, you're like, Oh, there it goes. Right. But there's a lot more to it. Right. So. You know, as, as you started, this was your first job into the ad tech field, what made you, number one, think that this is something I like, I'm interested in versus I was going to get a PhD. All right. And then number two, what made you decide that this is something I want to continue to grow?

I think when your agency side, you have the opportunity to see things happen real time. You get to see clients come and go, but you also see vendors come in and there was so much happening. You know, when I started working, that was, you know, homepage, takeovers were everything. Um, and then programmatic,

the evolution, it kept growing. It was growing tech, new technology.

Yeah. And you could see just the changes in how people were buying, what people were interested in. And it, you know, gave me assurance that there was something here.

Got it. Got it. You know, it's interesting. Cause you know, I started my career in TV advertising and selling local television advertising, and then eventually, you know, I decided that I was going to stay in the advertising field. And then I went to print and the two thing that, although they're different media vehicles, they were similar because once you learn them. That was it. All right. There was nothing new. You know, once you learn how a TV ad runs and how to sell it and this and now, and I, there was nothing new to it. Once you understand a print ad, a quarter page, half page, full page ad, then it was nothing new, right? But when I came to the digital side, to your point. And you, you never could feel comfortable because you were always learning something new because the technology continued to evolve. And that was the exciting part of being on on the forefront of how people engage in advertising from a digital standpoint. Now, you've been Essence Digital, Samba TV. L'Oreal and now TripleLift, right? Tell me a little bit of highlights, share with us some of the highlights of those roles. You already talked about Essence Digital. Tell us some of the other highlights that you had working at Samba, L'Oreal and TripleLift as well.

Sure. I mean, I think, I think really the highlight for me in all of these, um, career moves has just been kind of checking the trends and following the market and really trying to. Get the best experience of, of what that changes. So when I was at essence, I really saw the move towards programmatic and I wanted the opportunity to like, from the inside, figure out what's going on. So I had the opportunity to move to Samba and actually run managed service campaigns and like be in the trade desk, be in oath, be in all these different platforms and actually be hands on keys. And I think that has just been so invaluable for me. Long term to understand, you know, not just talk about what it means to be a media buyer, but actually buying that media. Um, and then when I was at Samba, I kind of started to see the shift away from managed service towards more data usage. And I was thinking, Hmm, it's really interesting to see, like, what, what would this look like on the other side, on the client side? Um, and I moved over to L'Oreal and from there I had the opportunity. To use those audiences to build different types of campaigns to think a little bit differently as the brand, um, you know, how are we going to segment our consumers? How are we going to market to them? And it was an interesting role because it was kind of a little bit of being hands on keys, but then also having different L'Oreal brands as internal clients, particularly, um, people who are more print or TV focused. So it wasn't just running campaigns. It was. Explaining this is how digital media works. This is how we can take your print strategy or what you're doing on TV and take those spots and think about what it looks like to do this programmatically. So I think coming full circle, being able to chart that change, um, and particularly the experience at L'Oreal was so formative because there is the element of doing the work, but then also. You know, when you're in ad tech, typically all of your colleagues know what's going on, but it was this unique experience where it wasn't just selling the thing. It was being a team with the person you were selling to.

Right. Right. So number one, having that holistic view, most people don't get that, right. Which is fantastic because now you can see the full circle, how things work from an ad stamp. Excuse me, from an agency standpoint, brand standpoint, as well as from a vendor standpoint. Let me ask you this, you know, being at those different organizations, talk a little bit about the challenges that you faced as being, um, a person of color, as well as a woman, right. At those organizations in the industry.

I think what I have struggled with is, you know, when something happens and you're like, did something really happen? Did it not as in terms of. If, you know, there's an opportunity that you want that you get passed up on, maybe someone makes a comment and you're constantly thinking, did they say what I think they said? Or, or, you know, was it just a passing comment? So sometimes for me, what I've struggled with is trying to understand, like, am I necessarily facing discrimination? Am I necessarily You know, being passed over, or am I just so activated that I'm spiraling a little bit? Like, how real is what I'm really encountering? Um, and to be honest, like, I think that can be just as debilitating as,

as

something truly happening. Um, but there's, there's never, there hasn't been anything in particular that stands out, but I think just even constantly second guessing yourself. You know, when I Um, and I think it's really important for people to understand that, you know, when you're trying to achieve something, do people, you know, really see me as being the owner of that achievement? Like, um, even when I was in boarding school, I remember when, um, we got our college acceptances and, you know, people who were legacies, their family had been going to Brown since donkey years, since the day Brown opened, would say of my, you know, classmates, Oh, well, so and so only got in because. They were black. And I'm like, do people think that way about me? And, and that carries with you.

Right, right. Let me ask you this because number one, thanks for sharing that. I think that's something that a lot of, um, people of color deal with. Even though we try to ignore it, even though we try to, you know, walk with, um, one shoe in front of the other. We just try to assimilate with everybody else. We see ourselves as part of this team, company. Um, we're trying to be an asset at the organization. We're trying to make a difference. We want to grow and stuff of that nature, right? But that must be very, that can be very stressful. Mm hmm. To, as much as you try to ignore it, little things come up and then you tend to kind of let them go. But then they keep adding up and then to your point, sometimes, you know, sometimes you may overthink things because now this thing that you've tried to ignore and you try to be like everyone else, it won't let you, you know, they won't let you do that. Okay. So talk a little bit about that, because here's the thing. When you wake, when you wake up in the morning and you. So when you come to work, you're thinking about, Oh, like everybody else, Oh man, I got this to do. I got that to do. I got that. Oh, I got this meeting. I do this. Oh, I hope they like what I put together. Blah, blah, blah. Like Joe or Harry or, or Samantha or whatever. But then when you throw this other thing on top of that, it becomes like an extra weight that you or we have to carry that other people don't. So can you speak to a little bit about that?

Yeah, I mean. I think it's one of those things where, like you said, you don't necessarily notice the burden of it until something cracks and then you realize how much of it you've been carrying or how many, just how many things mentally you're trying to keep hold of, like, you know, if you have a presentation, you obviously want to prepare, you want to get your notes together, you want to get the slides looking good, but then you also think, You know, even the genesis of the opportunity to give the presentation or being able to, to go on a certain business trip or to do certain things, you wonder, how am I perceived? And I think in certain instances, I solve that by over preparing, by wanting to be even better, by wanting to do even more. Um, because you don't necessarily want there to be any comment about, like, the quality of the work that you're, So there'll be certain instances where it feels like the load of preparation is probably, you know, higher than it needs to be more intricately wrought, perhaps more, more overthought than it needs to be. But it's kind of like, this is my insurance policy for people to know that what I do. Is good because I am good,

right? Right. Which is a big, which is something everybody wants. Right. You know, I, it reminds me of, um, and I can relate because it reminds me, um, of several instances. And, but I had a guest on the show, um, and she talked about it a little bit. And, you know, at the end of the day, you again, put one foot in front of the other, right? You just want to be the best you and you want to assimilate and just people to see you for what you bring to the table, what personality you have, what's your character, those things that should matter, right? And so, but then at the end, you're not thinking about race. No, no, I mean, not primarily you just live in your life, right? You live in your life You're not even thinking about these things, but then like she said then the world reminds you yes They bring up race. Mm-hmm You know, like you were saying earlier about when you were getting your college acceptance, you know, you, oh, I'm going to Georgetown, or I'm going to Princeton. Or she only got her thing because she was black. Mm-hmm I mean, why can't you just, why can't it just be you wasn't thinking now, you were just like, I'm excited and I'm, and I'm saying this generally for everyone, right? It's just, unfortunately these things come up and then all of a sudden when you think that you're just as equal as everybody else, then the world brings things to you, right? And then all of a sudden you gotta say, well, where did this come from? Have you experienced that at all?

Yeah, I mean, I've, I've had some, I would say some of these experiences I've had, interestingly, were in Europe. So I. Studied abroad in high school for a year. I lived with a host family in Italy. Most amazing experience of my life. But I moved there in 2009 and just before I got there the Italian government was trying to make being an illegal immigrant a crime and it was honestly a little bit nuts because I lived in a place that was kind of like off the beaten track kind of in the middle of nowhere and um I always was treated, even to this day when I go to Europe, like an immigrant. Like people will ask me for directions right away when I get off the plane, people will have an expectation of language skills I don't have, but people assume that I'm from there. Um, and so I never really get the experience of being a guest. And I think that's one of, um, one of those experiences for me where you know, when you book a trip, when you go somewhere, you're just looking at like, what sites can I see? Like, you know, what paintings are on offer? Like what, what, what will be available for me to do? And then you get off the plane. And then everyone's like, Well, where's this? Where's that? You know, I, I, people will, I gotten off the plane at Amsterdam before people asked me to sign petitions. I'm like, what are you talking about? Like, I'm not from here, but there's no, I guess there's no separation, no understanDeng that like, if I didn't present the way that I did, like it would, would you necessarily consider me to be, you know, um, someone who's here. But it's kind of like in the way that like the only expats that you ever meet are white. You know, like, oh, okay.

Got it, got it, got it, got it. Got, you know, like there, there's just like no. So you can't be from the United States.

Exactly.

Alright, so, so I, so I think I understand where you're coming from now, right? Yeah. When you go there, you know, um, people don't see you as an American No. They see you as an immigrant of that country. Yes. Right. That from wherever. From wherever. Right. Um, which is interesting. I mean, and I never even, and that's a good point about the expats, um, 'cause I never even thought of that before. And so. Here's the thing, you've done a tremendous job, you know, in your early part of your, because you still got a lot of things to do, and you're gonna, there's a ton of stuff success that you're going to have, and you're gonna, you know, o there's a lot of doors that are gonna open for you. So regardless of that, you still have been very successful in your career. Talk a little bit about how you created the role. Not at triple lift because that role wasn't something that was on a job board. Okay. And, um, based on your tenacity and your forward thinking, you were able to create nothing, something out of nothing.

Yeah. So I think what I would say just in general, when you're thinking about what your next step is, I think there's an element of like doing the research, seeing what's available, but then also just the brass tacks of like. So I had the opportunity to work with the CRO in my previous role, and I was just thinking about like, you know, how could I add more value to him, to his day? Um, and then I had the opportunity to work, uh, sorry, to, to attend a conference and I met a woman who said that her job, like in the course of the discussion was chief of staff to the CRO. And then I was like, that's interesting. So I walked up to her and I was like, I think I maybe want to do that. And she was like, great, here's my number. Um, we met, we had a couple of calls and she was like, you know, if this is what you want to do, think about, you know, job descriptions like this or like that. But I think there's, you know, there's more than to it than just coming up with a job description. It's like really putting it into practice. So thinking about, okay, by the time that I potentially pitch this role to someone, I want them to already think it's a given. I want to think about what are the ways in my current day to day I can come up with strategies. I can do things that kind of just like insert yourself, but in a positive way. So that by the time you come around and you say, Hey, I'm thinking about X, Y, Z, role, what are your thoughts? And then they look at the job description, they're like, well, you've already been doing this.

I love it. I love it because that's the, you know, there's, uh, somebody taught me this years ago, act as if

manifest,

right? Manifest, right? And when you just do it without saying you got to pay me more for me to do that, or, you know, I, I'm, yeah, just do it. Right? Manifest. Act as if because you're creating opportunities for yourself without even recognizing it. And here's the kicker. This worked out well for you at TripleLift. However, even if it didn't, you're still doing things and setting yourself up for the opportunities at another company. Right? Because you've already been acting as if so. I think that is fantastic. Talk a little bit about, you know, the women in the programmatic network. How did you create? Talk a little bit about that and what you guys are doing.

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Yeah, so I actually chatted with a friend who I used to work with. L'oréal and I said, since agency time. It's like when I was working agency side, I just don't really know what's going on. Um, I feel like when you're at the agency, people are coming in and out. You know what? You know, the bleeDeng edge, so to speak. And I told them like, I just don't really know what's going on in the industry. I only really know about what's happening with, you know, SSPs. And he said, well, there's this great group called the women in programmatic network. They're based in London, but they do some things in New York. You should check them out. So I checked them out, went to their LinkedIn page, checked out their website, saw what they were doing. And then there was a volunteer opportunity to be a regional lead and to essentially, you know, start bringing the programmatic network. To the U. S. And it originally started at the beginning of the pandemic when our two co founders went to an ad tech conference, and they were only women. And they're like, all right, enough is enough. So they started the group for women to get together, basically to create a platform to elevate women. And we really think about what we do around three major piece, um, to increase the power, pay and parity of women in ad tech. And so, um, Over the past couple of years, I've been blessed with a volunteer team. We've been able to build them out. We do, um, Um, and so we've done a cornerstone event every year with different sponsors. So we've done, um, our international women's day event in March of last this year. It's still 2024 with the trade desk. We just did, um, an event with double verify with cognitive, where we put on panels, where we create opportunities for women to speak about the work that they're doing. And it's been really rewarding. And the number of women who have said to me, I wish I had this 10 years ago is like, really astounDeng. And I will also say the number of men who have just been so excited to be allies, to do things, to sponsor, to tell the women in their lives in ad tech to check us out has really been humbling.

That is awesome. I love it. I love anything. Any, in, have you guys seen any increases in terms of. You know, pay equity, uh, power, is it just more of more, just making people aware of these situations?

Well, what we would like to do, cause this has been our like first full year in the U. S., what we would like to do moving into the next year is really focus on like some key areas where we can make an impact really quickly. So we have our own, um, collection of speakers on our website, but then, you know, you're out in the wild and then you see like a manhole. a panel full of men. So like maybe there's an opportunity there where perhaps, you know, we can take our network and, and, um, let those people know that, you know, we have this pool of women available. Um, we haven't really started collecting stats like in terms of pay, but, uh, in the new year, we would really love to start doing some type of. mentorship where we can create those one on one relationships with people so they can talk about those types of things because so much of advocating for yourself, especially, you know, when you're a woman or you feel like you're from an underrepresented group is wanting to do it tactfully and, and knowing, you know, that you're doing the right thing. Exactly, exactly. And you only get that from. Um, you know, discussion from, from mentorship, from one on one, like understanDeng, like, can you really ask for that much? Can you really do that? And then someone comes along and they're like, yes, right. And so we want to facilitate that.

How can companies or individuals get involved or be assist, provide assistance?

Yeah. So we have, um, a website called the women in programmatic. Um, you can attend our events in New York, get involved. We are just in the process of opening a chapter in Denver. We, we would love to go nationwide. Uh, feel free to volunteer. There's plenty of work. Don't put a

cap on it. Right. Don't, you know, we are going to, we're going, we're going,

we're going nationwide. There we go. Um, yeah, I mean, there are so many women who are interested, like you, you can feel the need. Um, and that's what I would definitely say, that like, there is need, there is desire, um, and that in and of itself is like what makes. I'm going to be doing this work. Exciting.

Wow. Wow. Now exciting. In talking about impact. You became a finalist for the Givsly award, right? Which is a major award industry award from the company called Givsly. Talk a little bit about that. And how did you feel about becoming a finalist?

Yeah. So it's so interesting because I went to a awards dinner with one of my colleagues and we were like watching everyone go up and she turns to me and she was like, Mary, my, my friend Mary. And she's like, we should be up there. And I was like, what do you mean? And she was like, no, no, no, I'm making a list. And she was just making a list of all the things. And she was like, next year you're applying. I'm applying this. We're all applying. Yeah. And I was like, okay. Um, and then I actually heard about the Givsly Award in our Women in Programmatic Network WhatsApp group. Someone just posted it in there and was like, sign up, apply, nominate yourselves. And I was like, okay, why not? And, um, I kind of put it off, put it off, and then finally, like, you know, how it is, 3 a. m., you finally do the submission. And it's like, okay, I've done it. Um, and I was just so excited when it ended up working out. And it was really Less about me, but more of just a vehicle to talk about the network, what we've been doing, but it was one of those Situations that made it very clear to me that like it's not just about doing the work You got to talk about the work and you got to put yourself out there And I've had a couple of colleagues come up to me and say oh like that nomination was so cool Like how did you get it? And I was like, well, I did it myself and they're like, huh? I'm like you too Can do that for yourself.

Right, right. What, so what category were you a finalists in

for rising rookies. So people with under 10 years of experience in the OR at 10 years of experience in ad tech, just doing cool things.

That's awesome. That is awesome. How did that make you feel?

I was very proud of my team. I was very proud of the recognition and actually what it made me think about were all of the things that we could be doing. To, uh, promote the network even more.

Mm-hmm Like,

you know, next time around, we can think about ways that we, from like a marketing content perspective, are submitting the network.

Right? Right.

How can I, you know, the next time I get an opportunity to apply for something, think about passing that along to a colleague. Right. How can we rise, you know, the tides of all boats with these opportunities.

Right, right. Well, number one, that's awesome. Number two. You're always thinking of, you know, how to give back. Sometimes it's good just to take a deep breath and say, You know what? I am making an impact. You know, I, you know, the things that I do bring to the table, people are recognizing it. Because if you don't, you just got finished saying something a minute ago, right? That you had to learn it, you have to, we all have to learn how to advocate for ourselves, right? Yeah. But we also gotta sometimes Sit back and smell the roses a little bit. Enjoy it. And enjoy it, right? I mean, obviously people don't want to do it because they don't want it to go to their head. I don't want to feel, you know, that I'm, you know, this or that. But no, the effort that you put in, right, people recognize it. Your company, TripleLift. Recognizes it. And so, and we'd fight our way up, right? And then so when you get that recognition, um, it's always important to say, you know what? I think I'm going to have a glass of wine. I think I'm gonna, you know, just like, wow, this is cool. Right? And there's nothing wrong with that. So I love that. So. So you're, you know, when we think of people of color in the ad tech industry, uh, I don't know the exact percentage, but it's low. Okay. Especially at the agency. I mean, look at all sides, the vendors, brands, and the agencies. You broke in by going to Cora and getting that. I don't want to say internship, but starting to work with brands and stuff to that nature and it opened your eyes that maybe this is something I want to get involved with. What advice would you give other young people of color or just anybody in terms of how to break into the industry? And then more importantly, not just breaking in, but making an impact.

Yeah, I mean, I would say. LinkedIn is your friend, know it well, know who's on there, follow the trends. So

when you say LinkedIn is your friend, what do you mean by that?

So just, well, first of all, see who's talking, see what the trends are, see what, you know, is going on from a mergers and acquisitions standpoint. Understand.

I thought you said murders and acquisitions. Oh no.

Mergers. I

watch ID all the time. Same. Okay.

But just, I guess. You know, I would say personally what I have found to be the catalyst of my success in terms of job opportunities is just like really having a pulse on where the market is. So that is what I would say like longterm career planning would be helpful. I would say in terms of breaking in, thinking about those. I'm not going to say non traditional opportunities, but you know, there could be, um, particular programs where, you know, companies do mentorship opportunities where, you know, at Barnard, um, we have, um, opportunities as alums to like, Bring a student to work for a day and I actually went to YouTube's offices and spent the whole day trailing Barnard alum as she was like running around doing all these cool things and that really opened my eyes to the different opportunities So I would say, you know doing things like that, but then like when we think about like longer term planning, you know I feel very strongly anyone can have a job and like do a job well but it takes like a level of like planning and ownership to have a And you just got to, you got to be strategic. You got to be thinking two steps ahead. You got to be thinking, you know, short term, long term, are you learning something? Are you earning good money? And if not, what from this experience are you going to leverage to get you to the next thing? So it's not just about where are you, but are you maximizing every opportunity where you are? Is there a learning stipend at your company? Are there opportunities for you to go? You know, to add week to go to these different venues where you can meet people, where you can learn things, um, you have to, you have to go on the company wiki and you have to make sure every stone is turned. You really have to see what's available. Right,

right. And, and the easy thing, raise your hand, right? Raise your hand. Hey, I want to go there. Hey, I want to check this out. Hey, I want to learn more. Hey, can I come over and learn more about what you're doing?

And I will say like the number of. Um, women executives who have told me, you know, the difference they see in men asking for things and women asking for things is stark. And she said, and it's usually the men who are just like, interested, passing, maybe the least qualified, but they're asking for it. Whereas there are women who are, you know, totally poised to take these opportunities on, but aren't putting themselves forward.

Right. Right. Right. Excellent point. You know, I want to put a cap on our conversation that we had in the middle of this segment, when we talked about. The uncomfortable feeling that people of color have when they're just trying to do their jobs. And then all of a sudden, like, did I hear that? Or, you know, do they see me as an equal? Or, you know, did I get this promotion or did I get passed over because of these issues? Blah, blah, blah. So the question I want to ask you is, You know, what steps can companies take to, you know, you just stuff is talking about, and it's one of the things I always believe playing chess, not checkers, they can a couple of steps ahead instead of being reactive and waiting for something to come up. So what could companies do to play chess here when it comes to these issues and making sure that their employees, regardless of gender, religion, sexuality, ethnicity, race. to think about those things. They can just move forward and be the best person that they can be within that organization. What advice would you give?

So I actually just read a HBR article about DE& I and essentially what it says is move the focus away from people as in specific groups of people and think about systems as a company, when you do, you know, your recruitment. Where are you actually going? Like, are you just putting things up on LinkedIn? Are you going to colleges? Are you just going to a certain subset of colleges? Are you really maximizing your system to capture all of the available people who could do this job? And so I think sometimes like switching it from person or group based thinking to systems, how do we maximize the system so that, you know, in terms of the marketing funnel, we're capturing as many people. To work at our company or even internally when you're thinking about who do we send on this trip? Who do we send here like for these different opportunities? How are you maximizing the pool of people internally who feel like they can take up this opportunity? And I think that you know, a lot of it is just about access to opportunities and then people feeling like they Can apply like people feeling like they do belong

right, right, you know, so number one. Thanks for that number two You know, I learned this a long time ago if I was and my mother taught me this if I was Deaf, and I couldn't hear my mother say, I love you. I would know she loves me by her actions, right? So you don't have to say it. It's by what you do that, you know, there's an old saying, what you do speak so loudly that what you say, I can't hear. And I think a lot of times companies say. We're, we believe in this, so we believe in that, and we're inclusive organization and this and that. And then they don't need to say those things, they just need to do it. Right? And then people will see it. And, and look, there's a lot of companies that are doing the right things. But, you know, I really appreciate your feedback and, and your perspective on this as well. So, final thoughts. What do you want to leave the audience today based on your journey, your background, and the things that you're looking to do?

I think. Um, what I would say, um, best advice that I have heard recently. So two things, an Obama interview where he was actually chatting with someone about advice for people in the workplace, like new grads. And he said, prioritize doing things like actually saying what you're going to do and doing them, not just thinking, not just, you know, waxing poetic, do things. Um, and then I actually was watching an interview with Issa Rae. Where she talked about networking and I think that it's so easy to say to people, especially people who are early in their career. Network up, look for a mentor, but it's so important to network across because like this group is going to be your future cohort. This is going to be your cast of co conspirators for the next moves that you make in your career. And it's just as important, you know, to maybe know the hiring manager as it is to know the person who will give you that referral, right. Long term. So I would say network, but don't just, uh, Go up, go across.

Well, I'm glad you and I networked together, right? And I'm glad you came in. And we are blessed that you shared your perspective today on the Black Executive Perspective Podcast. So we want to thank you, Rebecca Deng. We wish you nothing but mad success. We're going to have you come back on. At some point down the road, so you can share next when you become CEO or whether the case may be, you know, well, when you like, ah, maybe I'll come to that, that podcast. We'll see, but love you a lot. And so excited. And I want you to stay right there because you're going to help us with our call to action. Okay. So I think it's now time for Tony's tidbit. So the tidbit today is always about what we discuss, uh, in our episodes. And the tidbit is, and I quote, leadership isn't about titles. It's about impact. True leaders empower others to rise, innovate, and create lasting change. Success is not just about climbing the ladder. It's about holDeng it steady for others to follow. When diversity is celebrated and equity becomes the norm, we unlock the power to transform industries and inspire future generations. And so, so excited that Rebecca Deng came on today and she expired us, uh, and we have a lot to look forward to our future generations. So just a friendly reminder, don't miss this week's Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton on the Black Executive Perspective podcast. Dr. Burton dives into the timely and crucial topics that shape our community and world. She just keeps us up to date on what's going on. So you want to gain insights and deepen your understanDeng, visit Don't forget to check her out every Thursday on a black executive perspective podcast. You do not want to miss it. So now it's time. For BEP's call to action, and for those, if this is your first time, uh, listening or watching a Black Executive Perspective podcast, our goal is to eliminate all forms of discrimination. And to achieve this, we've come up with this acronym, and we want everyone to embrace it and do it. It's called LESS. L E S S. So Rebecca is going to help us with this today. Rebecca, kick us off.

So the L stands for Learn. Educate yourself on racial and cultural nuances. I think this is a great opportunity to, you know, if you're questioning yourself, what you're doing, are you wrong? Are you saying the wrong thing to give yourself some grace and to assume positive intent from someone, if they want clarification.

Absolutely. And then the E stands for empathy. All right. Always be open to understand diverse perspectives. And one of the things that's very important, we want to make sure that we understand where the other person is coming from. So after we've learned, now we should have more, we should be more empathetic to what they go through and have a better understanDeng because we've put ourselves in their shoes.

And the S stands for share, share your insights to enlighten others. I think the Black Executive Podcast is a perfect example of. What it means to share your experiences so that people can hear about them and create more empathy for them.

Awesome. And then the final S stands for stop. You want to stop discrimination as it walks in your path. So if uncle Joe says something at the Thanksgiving table or the Christmas table or the Sunday table, and it's inappropriate, you say, uncle Joe, we don't believe that we ain't doing that. And you stop it immediately. So if everyone can incorporate less. L E S S will build a more fair, more understanDeng world, and we'll all be able to see the change that we want to see because less will become more. Okay. How do you like that? Less. That was good. Oh, I thought, well, I appreciate that. I love it a lot. Right. And I hope you appreciated this episode of a black executive perspective podcast. Please don't forget to go to our website, sign up for our newsletter. Give us some feedback. Did you like Rebecca? Was she awesome? Did I, did I ask her all the questions that you wanted me to ask her? I didn't give us some feedback because our goal is always to get better. You can follow or listen or watch a black executive perspective podcast on link, excuse me, on, uh, YouTube, Apple and Spotify or wherever you get your podcast. And you can follow a black executive perspective podcast on LinkedIn, YouTube, uh, X, uh, Facebook. Instagram, and Tik TOK at a black exec for our fabulous guests. And her nickname is rad R A D. I told her I wasn't going to call it at Rebecca. Then we want to thank her for joining a black executive perspective podcast. Guess what? We were able to talk about it with her. We learned about it today with her. We love you. And guess what? We're out a black executive perspective.