Lauren Simonis, Ad 2 Madison President
To say I “drank the kool-aid” as we say during our national conferences, is an understatement. I’ve been part of Ad 2 Madison for over 4 years now. I’ve held 5 positions on our board, currently serving as president. As someone who has been deeply involved with the organization, let me tell you #whyAd2:
This is (partly) why I joined Ad 2 Madison in the first place. Madison and Dane County as a whole is just such an awesome community and beautiful place to live. The heart of our organization is helping our community through our professional skills. Every year we put on a pro-bono marketing campaign for a local nonprofit. Whether you’re looking to grow and learn new skills or just use your power for good, our Public Service campaign is by far one of my favorite parts of being an Ad 2 Madison member.
National Network
As part of Ad 2 Madison, you are not only meeting professionals just like you in the Madison area, you are also instantly connected to professionals across the U.S. Why does that matter? Well, maybe you have your eyes set on leaving Madison at some point. Fancy moving to Denver? Minneapolis? San Diego? Austin? D.C.? Las Vegas? We have chapters in 23 cities which means we have a TON of connections everywhere. Plus, if you’re even looking to travel to a city, you always have someone cool to show you around (I just saw an Ad 2 Orlando member meet up with an Ad 2 Las Vegas member who never even met before. Now that’s the power of #whyAd2)
Leadership Opportunities
Joining the board of Ad 2 Madison was one of the best decisions I have made as a young professional. I have gained real-world leadership skills that I can actually speak to during interviews. And because we are a relatively small organization, if you want a leadership opportunity, we probably have one available. I mean, where else are you going to get that resume builder?
Professional Growth
The people who first met me when I joined Ad 2 Madison knew me as being shy until I was sipping a beer at one of our happy hours. But after all of the years I’ve been in the organization, I have grown into a confident professional who isn’t afraid to voice my opinion, or even have an opinion in the first place. I’m comfortable with networking even if I still would rather do it with a beer in my hand (I just like beer, okay?). I’ve planned an entire fundraising event as Public Service Chair that the nonprofit is still throwing 3 years later. I’ve taught fellow public service committee members how to use Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics. I’ve learned SO much from our regular education events, hearing from professionals at local agencies and in-house teams. If you’re looking to grow in any manner as a young professional in the advertising/marketing/communications/creative industry, you can accomplish your goals in this organization.
Lifelong Friends
Okay, here’s where it gets cheesey 🧀 (sorry not sorry). The second reason I joined Ad 2 Madison was because when I graduated from UW-Madison, all of my friends moved away for jobs or to pursue secondary degrees. I needed a place to make friends in the city and I knew I would at least have something in common with these strangers. I’ve met some really great people that I am proud to call my friends.
Have I convinced you yet? Need more convincing? Come to our next event. I’d love to chat with you to see how you could benefit from becoming a member of Ad 2 Madison. Can’t make it? Shoot me an email [laurenesimonis AT gmail DOT com] and I’ll find a time to meet with you.
