Rising Stars: Dawn Reese and Jessica Klein from Omnicom Media

Mentorship can change the trajectory of a career. Rising Stars is a special edition of Pass the Mic that explores the impact of mentorship, highlighting the leaders who inspire growth and the rising talent following in their footsteps that are helping shape the future of our industry. 

For this interview, Jocelyn Hudak, Senior Director, Content and Digital Marketing, and Morgan James, Content Marketing Specialist at SiriusXM Media, sat down with Dawn Reese and her rising star, Jessica Klein, to discuss the mentors who shaped their careers, the leadership lessons they’ve learned along the way, and how they’re helping develop the next generation of female leaders. Their conversation is a reminder that growth starts with curiosity, trust, and a willingness to embrace opportunities beyond your comfort zone.

Listen to the full interview and check out some key takeaways from the conversation highlighted below.

Meet Dawn Reese, President of Omnicom Media’s Content Collective, where she leads creative, content strategy, and production for some of the industry’s most iconic brands, including Ulta Beauty, GEICO, US Postal Service, American Express and General Mills. Under her leadership, the studio has evolved into a culturally fluent, entertainment-led operation that develops work across digital, experiential, social, and emerging platforms. A recognized business leader and passionate advocate for women in media, Dawn is committed to mentoring the next generation of talent and helping future leaders grow both personally and professionally.

Stay curious.

Highlight: “Stay curious. Don't ever just stay in one space and think that you are going to achieve your goals that way. Just constantly be curious. Don't stop learning. I think that's really, really important. And I think it's really important to give back… You can help guide, particularly women, by just sharing your experiences. And so I do think it's really important to remember where you came from in that way and constantly give back.” - Dawn Reese

You have to be a little uncomfortable at times.

Highlight: “Part of the reason why it's so important for me to be a mentor is because I had incredible mentors as well coming up in my career. And they pushed me in ways that I didn't realize at the time was way outside of my comfort zone, because they believed in me more than I believed in myself…. You have to be a little uncomfortable at times if you want to grow and to become a leader.” - Dawn Reese

Don’t underestimate the power of listening.

Highlight: “I think people underestimate the power of listening, and not waiting to talk listening, but actually listening to what people are saying. And I think it's a skill that people should really cherish and practice.” - Dawn Reese

Share your mistakes.

Highlight: “Just be yourself and be real and share your vulnerabilities, share your mistakes. I learned so much from my mentors who told me their mistakes, who said, ‘This is what I did and why I did it and I regret it,’ or ‘I should have done it.’ Just having that honest dialog has been so important and I learned so much.” - Dawn Reese

Meet Jessica Klein, Head of Content and Entertainment at Omnicom Media’s Content Collective, where she oversees Entertainment & Partnerships across more than 25 brand portfolios. With nearly two decades of experience leading strategic collaborations for global brands, Jessica develops integrated programs that connect brands with entertainment, talent, and culture through meaningful partnerships. Driven by the power of collaboration, she is passionate about fostering creative storytelling, building strong relationships, and helping teams unlock their full potential.

Go for it.

Highlight: “When I was in media in the beginning of my career, I had a mentor who was from the brand side, and she taught me brand building and marketing fundamentals and pushed me outside of the media world and said, ‘Forget that the brief is for this. What would you do? Push it towards something you want to do and will excite you and will be meaningful for the brand.’ And I think that, married with current mentors I have now who are replicating that in terms of like, ‘Yeah, go for it,’ is what I also try to push my team to do because ultimately if they're happy with the work that they're doing and they're excited by the work it's going to be good work and everyone's going to win.” - Jessica Klein

Watch and absorb.

Highlight: “Reading the room and reading the people that you're dealing with is such a big skill in this industry and adapting to that. I was thinking before we came here about my first boss ever…He insisted that I was present in the room, and he would say, ‘Don't talk. Just watch, just absorb.’ And absorbing for a year and a half in those rooms was so meaningful because I could see how this brand leader spoke to people, how he managed people, what he did to push their buttons and get reactions out of them… Absorbing and watching and just being able to understand how different people are and different leaders engage is probably a big skill set that helps you have that confidence.” - Jessica Klein

Recognize that everyone has different strengths.

Highlight: “As people, both male and female, grow into their leadership roles, remember to recognize everybody has different strengths and to push on those and not expect your model employee to match one another, because I think it's something that you learn along the way. When you uncover the strength of one person and you learn how to reward them in that space, it just explodes into so many more things.” - Jessica Klein

Dawn and Jessica’s conversation shows that great leadership is built through curiosity, trust, and the willingness to help others grow in their own way. Whether it’s stepping outside your comfort zone, listening deeply, leading with honesty, or recognizing each person’s unique strengths, their advice is a reminder that mentorship doesn’t have to be formal to be impactful. Ready for more insights on mentorship and female leadership? Check out the Pass the Mic page.  

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