Rewriting the infrastructure: why this moment matters
There’s a shift happening in ad tech, and it’s not just technical. It’s human.
For decades, leadership in infrastructure, identity, and optimization has been dominated by men. Today, women are building the pipes, guiding the strategies, and designing the platforms that shape how the entire digital economy functions.
In the UK, women now represent 60% of the ad tech workforce, yet hold just 46% of executive roles (All In UK Advertising Census 2025, IPA). It’s progress (up from 39% in 2023), but also a reminder that visibility, equity, and support remain urgent priorities.
That’s why we created this list.
The 10 women highlighted here aren’t just breaking ceilings. They’re rewriting the architecture. From redefining how identity works without cookies to optimizing real-time bidding systems, they’re building the future of advertising from the inside out. They are engineers, innovators, operators, and strategists who show us what inclusion actually looks like when it’s rooted in infrastructure, innovation, and impact.
Meet the women leading the shift
Professional background
Amaia Del Olmo brings over 12 years of ad tech experience to her role as Vice President of Demand Partnerships EMEA at Nexxen. She leads demand-side strategy across the region, working with agencies, DSPs, and publishers to expand access to premium inventory. Her leadership has been instrumental in Nexxen’s ability to adapt to new market demands, including the launch of ACR data to enhance targeting and measurement.
She is also a board member of The Women in Programmatic Network, where she helps champion inclusion and mentorship across the industry.
Track record
Amaia has shared her expertise publicly, speaking at the Programmatic Pioneers Summit and contributing to the webinar Tech Trends Powering Publishers’ Programmatic Revenue. These contributions underscore her role as both a builder and an educator in programmatic innovation.
Expertise & impact
Amaia combines technical fluency with market vision. Her strengths include:
- Demand-side partnership strategy in EMEA
- Signal innovation through ACR and contextual data
- Expertise in omnichannel, including CTV
- Agility and resilience in high-pressure, fast-changing environments
Amaia’s advice to the next generation
“Gain a deep understanding of the technology. The more familiar you are with the ecosystem, the more opportunities you’ll uncover both within your organization and with clients.”
Professional background
Eden Rosenthal leads with code and conviction. As R&D Team Lead at Intent IQ, Eden sits at the center of one of ad tech’s thorniest challenges: building privacy-first identity infrastructure that works without third-party cookies. With more than six years of experience designing scalable systems, her journey includes time at Salt Security and Addressable.io, where she sharpened her skills in software architecture, privacy engineering, and API performance.
Track record
At Intent IQ, Eden’s leadership has powered the delivery of over 2 billion cookieless ad impressions per day.
She played a critical role in the company’s recognition as the “Best Identity Technology” winner at the 2023 AdExchanger Awards, an honor that reflects both technical excellence and industry trust.
Expertise & impact
Eden is more than a backend expert. She’s shaping the ethical evolution of ad tech. Her work enables publishers and advertisers to maintain performance without violating user trust (a rare and valuable balance).
Her core expertise includes:
- Scalable architecture for ID resolution
- Performance optimization at the API layer
- Data privacy modeling at the systems level
“Privacy isn’t a limitation anymore. It’s the driver of smarter identity, measurement, and targeting.”
Eden’s advice to the next generation
“Bridge the gap. Don’t just know the tech. Understand the market. The most impactful leaders are translators.”
Professional background
Rada Ouchakova lives at the intersection of engineering and enablement. As Manager of Solutions Engineering at Sovrn, she guides publisher partners through the technical layers of programmatic monetization: SDKs, APIs, header bidding, and more. Rada is considered a “pillar” inside Sovrn, especially by the publisher teams that rely on her infrastructure knowledge. Her journey began in technical account management, but her current role goes far deeper: shaping how Sovrn’s tools work in the real world.
Track record
- Spearheaded technical onboarding for dozens of mobile and web publishers
- Designed scalable templates for integration workflows that improved time-to-value
- Known internally as a “translator” between platform, product, and publisher
Expertise & impact
Rada’s gift is her ability to humanize tech without oversimplifying it. She brings an engineer’s mindset to publisher experience.
Strengths include:
- Yield optimization through data layering
- Header bidding configuration and troubleshooting
- Cross-functional collaboration in product feedback loops
“We’re moving toward an ecosystem where transparency and collaboration are not just ideals, they’re business imperatives. My journey has taught me that while technical expertise matters, empathy and strong communication are what turn that expertise into real-world impact.”
Professional background
Terricka brings clarity to global complexity. As VP, Head of Services, International at TripleLift, she leads partner and client success across global markets. With over 2 decades of experience at Yahoo (BrightRoll), Chango, Dstillery, and more, she’s been at the center of DSP-SSP evolution from its earliest days.
Track record
- Built and scaled TripleLift’s international services team from the ground up
- Helped merge paid media with creative ops, crafting holistic outcomes for advertisers and publishers
Expertise & impact
Terricka is equal parts strategist and mentor. Her client-first mindset powers measurable results, while her leadership style fosters culture and cohesion.
Her specialties:
- Creative-led monetization strategy
- Partner success at enterprise scale
- DEI-driven leadership in global teams
“Terricka leads with intelligence and humanity.” (Marco Dohmen, Country Manager Germany, TripleLift)
Professional background
Ashley Font Wheeler is not only a leader in the programmatic industry but has also played a crucial role in shaping it. As SVP of DV+ at Magnite, she leads one of the industry’s most powerful omnichannel SSP platforms. Her journey spans over a decade, including pivotal roles at Rubicon Project before it merged into Magnite.
Ashley’s career is built on bridging complexity with clarity. Whether it’s structuring private marketplaces, aligning SSP and DSP expectations, or scaling supply ops across display, CTV, and audio, she brings deep ecosystem fluency.
Ashley is a highly respected peer and a strong advocate of Magnite’s company culture. She consistently embodies and promotes the values that define the organization. She is approachable and supportive, creating an inclusive environment where Magnites feel comfortable seeking guidance and collaborating openly. Her deep knowledge and expertise make her a trusted resource across teams, and she willingly shares her insights to help others grow and succeed. She leads by example, fostering teamwork, accountability, and innovation.
Track record
- Spearheaded DV+ growth into a top-tier SSP offering premium inventory across all formats.
- Key executive during the Rubicon-Telaria merger, ensuring publisher trust and continuity.
- Consistently pushes the platform toward smarter monetization without adding more noise.
- Frequent contributor to industry publications, podcasts, and conferences.
Expertise & impact
Ashley is a master of marketplace design. Her approach combines dynamic deal structures with infrastructure strategy, always keeping both the buy and sell sides in mind.
Specialties include:
- Deal curation & real-time optimization
- Seller-first platform innovation
- Omnichannel strategy (CTV, display, in-app)
Professional background
Lindsey Blue is a quiet force in programmatic advertising. An equal parts strategic and operational. Currently serving as Director of Advertising Solutions at PubMatic, Lindsey began her journey in 2017 and steadily rose through the ranks. With past roles at Bloomberg, AMC Networks, and The Wall Street Journal, she brings a hybrid background in media sales and data-driven campaign design.
Track record
- Named one of Cynopsis’ 2024 Ad Sales Superstars.
- Included in Business Insider’s “Rising Stars of Ad Tech” in 2024.
- Helped drive nearly 20% female representation in PubMatic’s technical teams, a rare feat in engineering-heavy environments.
Expertise & impact
Lindsey brings heart to infrastructure. She leads client strategy with technical fluency, ensuring PubMatic’s platform delivers not just scale, but relevance.
Her standout skills include:
- DSP alignment and programmatic consulting
- Campaign optimization through first-party insights
- Internal DE&I advocacy and enablement
“Seeing women grow in both sales and tech roles shows the impact of intentional, culture-led action.”
Professional background
Amanda is a blueprint builder. As VP of Product Management at PulsePoint, she drives privacy-compliant, data-first programmatic tools specifically for healthcare marketing. Her past roles at Epsilon, IgnitionOne, and Madison Logic formed a foundation in both scale and strategy, allowing her to lead the development of attribution tools tailored to one of the industry’s most complex verticals.
Track record
- Guided the evolution of PulsePoint’s HCP365 platform, which won “Best Marketing Attribution Solution” at the 2020 MarTech Breakthrough Awards
- Built product pipelines that balance patient privacy, clinical compliance, and performance marketing
Expertise & impact
Amanda’s rare superpower is translating regulatory-heavy markets into ad tech innovation. She blends empathy, precision, and leadership across cross-functional teams. Her strengths include:
- Privacy-first product strategy
- Cross-channel attribution modeling
- Leading agile teams through technical innovation
Professional background
Morwenna is one of the ecosystem’s most respected voices in identity. As VP of Publisher Development at ID5, she spearheads publisher relationships and promotes scalable identity frameworks across a fragmented post-cookie world. Her career began in media strategy before scaling to global account leadership at Rubicon Project (now Magnite).
Track record
- Built trusted pipelines between ID5 and leading publishers across EMEA
- Moderated and participated in high-profile industry events, including “Addressability in CTV” and “Solving the CTV Measurement Riddle”
Expertise & impact
Morwenna operates with a future-first mindset, ensuring that addressability doesn’t lag behind innovation. Her ability to forge partnerships has transformed identity from theory to application.
Her specialties include:
- CTV addressability infrastructure
- Identity resolution strategies
- Monetization via interoperable IDs
“CTV measurement only works when identity works. We have to solve both at once. And we’re just getting started.”
Professional background
Elli builds what’s next. As Head of Ad Product Strategy & Innovation at Media.net, she leads the charge across podcasting, programmatic audio, and CTV monetization. Her resume includes product innovation roles at Acast and traditional media groups, positioning her to bridge old formats with new delivery logic.
Track record
- Honored as a TWIM’s Tech Trailblazer at Acast in 2021
- Named Data Demystifiers at AdExchanger & AdMonsters’ Top Women in Media & Ad Tech 2023
- Delivered automation-driven monetization models that now power contextual podcast ad delivery at scale
Expertise & impact
Elli is a systems thinker and a product futurist. She’s driving ad tech into underexplored channels like voice, audio search, and immersive formats.
Her strengths include:
- Multi-channel innovation frameworks
- Ad tech for audio and podcast ecosystems
- Cross-platform ad format strategy
“Change almost always goes hand-in-hand with resistance. Even from those who understand it’s needed.”
Professional background
Rachel Paeper plays a leading role in Unity’s Grow Programmatic Solutions, where she drives global business development and strategic partnerships. Unity, following its merger with IronSource in 2022, has become a powerhouse in mobile monetization, offering publishers one of the most widely adopted ad mediation and in-app advertising platforms. Rachel’s work is centered on expanding Unity’s programmatic footprint, deepening demand-side relationships, and ensuring publishers gain access to premium inventory and performance-driven tools.
Track record
As part of Unity’s programmatic leadership, Rachel has contributed to initiatives that connect app developers with scalable revenue opportunities across Unity’s exchange and mediation products. Unity’s Grow division has been central to launches like ad exchange enhancements and performance optimization tools that help publishers maximize yield. Rachel’s role places her at the nexus of agency and DSP partnerships, ensuring Unity’s supply ecosystem aligns with advertiser demand in a privacy-first, signal-rich environment.
Expertise & impact
Rachel combines partnership strategy with a sharp understanding of monetization mechanics. Her expertise spans:
- Demand partnerships and ecosystem growth across global markets
- Programmatic monetization strategy in mobile and in-app environments
- Integration of supply and demand in the wake of major mergers and industry consolidation
Through her leadership, Unity continues to strengthen its role as a key monetization partner for app publishers and advertisers navigating a fast-changing programmatic landscape.
A radically human ecosystem
What emerges from these 10 profiles isn’t just influence. It’s architecture.
We see a striking concentration of VP and executive leadership, proof that women are no longer just participating in ad tech but directing it. These leaders are redefining every layer of the ecosystem: from identity resolution (Eden, Morwenna) to SSP innovation (Ashley, Lindsey) to product and infrastructure design (Amanda, Elli, Terricka).
There’s also a notable technical depth among the cohort. Several profiles highlight not only strategic vision but also code-level fluency, engineering leadership, and architectural design. That balance challenges the assumption that women in ad tech primarily occupy support or business-only roles.
These women aren’t edge cases. They’re building the edge, turning fragmentation into opportunity and complexity into clarity.
Closing reflection: the future of ad tech isn’t neutral. It’s built
We know what it feels like to be the only woman in the room. We also know how powerful it is when you are not.
When more women are in the room, more questions get asked. Different problems get solved. Culture gets shaped, not just scaled.
Each of the 10 women featured here is shaping the ad tech industry in ways that go beyond code. They’re not just participating in programmatic. They’re rebuilding its foundation. Infrastructure, identity, monetization, innovation. These are not neutral systems. They reflect the priorities and perspectives of the companies that build them.
We believe that inclusion is not a hiring metric, but an infrastructure choice. And it shows up in every decision, every product, every partnership.
To the women climbing the ladder: this ecosystem needs your voice.
To those building the ladder: make sure there is room on every rung.
We see you. We celebrate you. We’re proud to build alongside you.
~ Melisa and Alexa