AD Club of New York's Gina Grillo: Balancing AI Innovation with Creativity-First Values

Starting a career at MTV gives you perspective on how much—and how little—an industry can change. Gina Grillo has watched agencies merge, rebrand, and evolve, but her biggest observation isn't about corporate transformations. It's about how quickly we forget what matters: the humans behind the work.

From junior roles to leading NYC's advertising community at the Ad Club, Gina's journey reveals something urgent about balancing cutting-edge innovation with fundamental human connection. Her approach to AI integration and talent development demonstrates why some industry leaders become memory keepers—the ones who remind us that creativity and community aren't just nice-to-haves, but essential for survival. Plus, her surprisingly simple solution to industry burnout will make you reconsider your next team gathering.

Gina Grillo: The Journey from MTV Junior to Ad Club Community Builder 🛠️

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🚀 The Agency Evolution Tracker: From MTV Networks to the agency world at Young & Rubicam, before finding her entrepreneurial home at the Ad Club.

🤝 The Community Builder Extraordinaire: Creating entrepreneurial experiences working WITH the best in business (not for them) while building NYC's advertising and marketing community.

🤖 The AI Training Pioneer: Leading thought leadership conversations and offering AI certificates through Creative AI Academy, but keeping creativity at the center of everything.

💛 The People-First Memory Keeper: Believes the industry has a "short memory" about what matters most—the people and talent—and wishes we'd pay attention to caring for colleagues longer term.

🏖️ The Beach Party Relaxation Expert: Her ideal gathering? Everyone goes to the beach—the only place she truly relaxes and where she's made her best life memories.