Spotlighting Senior Account Director Zesha Skop
Why do you love working with Zesha?
Zesha sees the big picture and is happy to work through details in the weeds. She cares very deeply about upskilling her team and delivering quality work for her clients.
—Michele Shiroma, VP Account Director
Zesha is an incredible leader and expert in customer excellence and client management. She always puts her team first and ensures everyone has the training and resources they need.
—Melissa Pisciotta, Sr. Account Executive
I am a big fan of Zesha. She has been a great leader and mentor to me, taking me under her wing and ensuring my success from day one. She has an incredible can-do attitude and champions our entire team and the work we do to support our clients.
—Melissa Perry, VP Client Services
What’s something Zesha does better than anyone else?
One of Zesha’s biggest strengths is relationship-building. The client trusts her completely to bring success to their business. Zesha lives and breathes a “get it done” lifestyle. Her solution-focused mindset allows her to tackle any challenge she faces.
—Melissa Pisciotta
Despite constant demands on her time, she makes it a point to be available for her team and to train them on the best tools for our clients.
—Melissa Perry
How does Zesha make AUC better?
She values her team’s input, encouraging new ideas and forward thinking while championing change. Her knowledge of the business and ability to lead large cross-functional teams drive results.
—Melissa Perry
Zesha exemplifies one of AUC’s core values: leading with heart. In every conversation, meeting and presentation, it’s obvious how much she cares about her client’s business and her team’s success. She is passionate about putting everyone she works with in a position to succeed across direct reports, counterparts and clients.
—Josh Lebowitz, Group Creative Director
From Zesha
What’s your secret advantage at work?
To problem solve for brands, I use the methodology I learned in college when I was an aspiring epidemiologist. Inspiring change with minimal friction and maximum adoption in socially and culturally relevant ways unlocks solutions that drive populations to desire them.
Understanding the fundamentals of ecology, etiology and epidemiology, and experiencing the effects of this methodology, have profoundly shaped me. I continually challenge myself to leverage this way of thinking in solving marketing challenges and building brands.
What professional lesson or advice do you return to time and again?
"Suos Cultores Scientia Coronat," Knowledge crowns those who seek her.
What makes you good at your job?
I’m insatiably curious, quick to fail forward, and fearless to take the more difficult path if its beneficial.
What about your life today would make your younger self proud?
That I didn't allow my stutter to define me. That a combination of my perseveration, passion for inspiring change, and strength to be vulnerable have freed me to find my voice. I was in intensive speech therapy my entire adolescence. My college essay was a declaration to overcome this barrier. Throughout my life and career, my stutter has been a reminder to embrace the power of support in working to overcome insecurities. I am most proud of my perseverance that, at this moment, is not an acknowledgement of my inability to speak, but of my ability to inspire. The King's Speech, a movie about King George VI’s journey with a speech impediment, said it best: "Don't let the limitations of your speech define your worth."
Any hidden talents?
I graduated from Clown College as "Chunk," a non-verbal clown, who specialized in magic, balloons, and hand tricks. Chunk entertained children at events like Make-A-Wish Children's Leukemia outing and SPCA adopt-a-pet events.
