Two Perspectives, One Experience

This ongoing series bringing together leaders from Jack Morton  to learn from one another as we build what’s next. Each episode offers a different perspective, but a shared belief in the power of experience, collaboration, and curiosity to move our industry forward. 

A Conversation with Natalie Ackerman and Christine Cenicola 

As agencies integrate, scale, and adapt to seismic shifts, from AI to evolving expectations of leadership, the question isn’t just how we grow, but how we lead while doing it. 

In this conversation, held during Women’s History Month, Natalie Ackerman, Chief Operations Officer, and Christine Cenicola, EVP, People, at Jack Morton, reflect on leadership shaped by global experience, moments of transformation, and the women who helped them find their footing when the path forward wasn’t clearly defined. 

On Global Perspective, Leadership, and Opportunity 

Christine Cenicola:
What did working overseas teach you about how gender, leadership, and opportunity show up differently and what should global agencies carry forward as we integrate and grow? 

Natalie Ackerman:
Working in Hong Kong and Shanghai really changed how I think about leadership and opportunity. There’s often a deep respect for leadership, but also a strong sense of hierarchy and that creates very different dynamics, especially for women early in their careers. 

What stayed with me most was how important visible allyship and role modeling were. Lifting voices, sharing your own story, and being openly encouraging can make a real difference. I also learned that confidence isn’t one size fits all. Directness can be seen as strength in one culture and sharpness in another, so listening, truly listening, became one of my most important leadership tools. 

I noticed that in smaller markets, people often have more room to stretch and grow. In larger, global organizations, we have to be much more intentional about widening access to opportunity. If we’re not, it naturally defaults to the same familiar circle. 

The lesson I carry forward is simple but important: opportunity doesn’t just happen, it has to be designed. And allyship has to be active, especially as global organizations grow and come together. 

On Protecting What Matters While Reinventing How We Work 

Natalie Ackerman:
As agencies come together while the industry is being reshaped by AI and shifting expectations, what feels most important to protect and what feels most urgent to reinvent? 

Christine Cenicola:
What feels most important to protect is the human side of the business. That’s always been the part I’m most committed to building cultures where people can do great work, grow through change, and stay connected to a larger purpose. Especially in experiential, human connection is still the heart of what we do. 

What feels most urgent to reinvent is how we work around that. Clients want more speed, more scale, and more measurable impact, and we need operating models, tools, and ways of working that support that reality. 

A big part of my career has been helping organizations through growth and transformation, and I’ve seen firsthand that progress works best when it strengthens the people experience rather than sidelines it. The real opportunity is protecting the humanity of the work while modernizing the systems that help it thrive. 

On How Women Lead Change When the Path Isn’t Clear 

Natalie Ackerman:
You’ve built your career by stepping into moments of transformation, not just maintaining what exists. In honor of this month? Women’s History Month, what has that taught you about how women lead change? 

Christine Cenicola:
It’s taught me that women often lead change by being both grounded and forward-looking at the same time. We may not always have a perfect roadmap, but we know how to listen, read what’s needed, and keep moving with intention. 

Some of the most meaningful opportunities I’ve taken on were moments of transformation and those moments rarely come with complete clarity. I also think women are especially strong at leading change in a way that brings people with us. 

We can hold the strategic and the human at the same time. To me, that’s one of the most powerful forms of leadership: not just navigating change, but helping others feel steady enough to move through it, too. 

On the Women Who Shaped Their Leadership 

Natalie Ackerman:
Is there a woman who had a defining impact on your career and what’s one lesson from her leadership that still guides how you show up today? 

Christine Cenicola:
Yes, my mentor Pam Bilash, who was my CHRO early in my career. She recognized my potential early and gave me stretch opportunities that were beyond my experience at the time. 

We were in a period of transformation that feels very similar to where Jack Morton is now redefining the value proposition of the business with M&A at the center, in a people-first organization where how we led through change was critical. 

Pam balanced empathy with clarity and accountability. She showed me that during moments of change, people need to feel both supported and guided. That lesson has stayed with me and continues to shape how I lead today by creating access, building community, and trusting people to stretch into their potential, sometimes before they fully see it themselves. 

Christine Cenicola:
In the spirit of International Women’s Day, is there a woman who had a defining impact on your career? 

Natalie Ackerman:
I’ve been lucky to have learned from many women, but two stand out. 

Marybeth Hall was a manager who was incredibly decisive and smart, but also a lot of fun. She had an incredible ability to draw people and clients toward her. Watching her taught me that leadership doesn’t have to be top-down to be effective. Creating energy, enjoying the work, and bringing people with you really matters, especially in this industry. 

Outside of work, I also had a coach, Angie Wong, who had a profound impact on me. She helped me stop comparing myself to others and questioning whether I deserved the seat I was in. She taught me how to show up fully, not apologetically. That shift made me a calmer, more present leader, and ultimately a better manager to the people around me. 

Accelerating Action 

Natalie Ackerman:
Finish this sentence: “I will accelerate action by…” 

Christine Cenicola:
I will accelerate action by using this pivotal moment in our organization bringing two exceptional agencies together to create real opportunities for women to step into broader leadership roles. Moments like this are rare, and I want to be intentional about using it to elevate talent and expand visibility. 

Christine Cenicola:
Finish this sentence: “I will accelerate action by…” 

Natalie Ackerman:
I will accelerate action by continuing to listen, to support, and to be an active ally. Not just in words, but in how I create space for women’s voices and open up opportunities. For me, it always comes back to that: encouraging, backing people when they’re ready to step forward, and being intentional about who gets access to opportunity. That’s where real progress happens.