Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background and current role?

Hi 👋  I’m Theresa LeBlanc.

I’m the eldest daughter. A mother to a threenager. An Oregonian who has found my forever home in San Diego. I’m a lover of movie theaters, the ocean, live music, sushi, and beach volleyball. 

Today, I’m the Senior Vice President of Client Partnerships at STN Digital. I’ve known since I was in middle school that I wanted to build a professional career in marketing. My dad is a marketer. There were many nights at the dinner table, he would bring me 2 creative mocks for a campaign and ask me which one worked better and why. In high school, I took every single business class my public school offered. My path was crystal clear to me before graduation. 

In college and in my twenties, it became apparent that my personality and skill sets were best suited for the creative agency life. I love variety, learning, and most importantly, connecting with people. Relationships are the primary focus of client partnerships and my current role.

What skills or traits have been most important to your career success?

Being the eldest of three girls, I had plenty of practice in leading others throughout my childhood. If the roadmap didn’t exist, I was more than happy to create it myself. If someone needed to convince my parents, my sisters knew I would step in. 

That confidence was significant when I first started at STN because I didn’t see a ceiling above my role. When a training program didn’t exist, I created one. When a role I wanted wasn’t a part of our org chart, I wrote the job description. When the company was still using an outdated chat platform, I made a pitch to our CEO to switch to Slack. 

This ability to push forward, without permission, was a critical part of the growth I’ve seen throughout my career.

What excites you most about the company right now?

With my role expanding to lead our New Business division, it’s been a joy to dive deeper into our sales and pitch process. Although I have been involved in pitches in the past, it’s been exciting to look behind the curtain and evaluate the path forward for the sales team. I truly believe there is an art to client relationships and not all pitches are won because of the quality of the presentation, but more so the quality of the relationships. And being in this seat gives me a platform I don’t take lightly. I’m excited to reframe what senior leadership looks like for women who want a future in sales and relationship-driven roles.

How do you create a positive and high-performing culture?

It’s essential to start with a personal connection. I build relationships with my team the same way I build them with clients. With curiosity, warmth, and the genuine belief that people do their best work when they feel seen. Although we all have a work persona, I have felt the most connected within a workplace when I can bring my personal joys and setbacks to my team, too. I want to celebrate someone for running their first marathon or having their first child. I want to get in the trenches with my team when we have a late night. That deeper connection is what makes the chaotic, stressful days a little more fun.

What advice would you give to someone early in their career?

I just posted about this on LinkedIn recently. My advice would be to recognize that work/life balance is not one size fits all. Certain seasons in your life will require more from you than others. I personally love that I allowed my career to be the priority during my twenties. I was investing in myself, and I had the energy (or enough iced coffee) to do this! 

What’s the most rewarding part of your work?

The most rewarding part of my work is when we are in a season when we can hire new talent to join our team. I love attending interviews and hearing what candidates think of STN from the outside. It’s such a joy for my team and me to share why we choose to work for the company and brag about the client work we get to do, like covering the Olympics or an award show. It’s a good reminder that STN has built something incredibly special. 

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

You’re on the right track. Keep pushing and advocating for your future. Even on the days when you feel uncertain, trust in the path you created for yourself.  Everything is going to be okay.

How do you define success for yourself and for the company?

For myself, success looks like connecting with people I enjoy, learning something new every day, and finding a good balance between home and work life.

For STN, success looks like a motivated team, fun clients who value our expertise, and new opportunities that help us retain our amazing talent.

How do you stay resilient during high-pressure moments?

In my first corporate job, my client was Dunkin’ Donuts. Every time I felt overwhelmed, my team would say “there is no such thing as a donut emergency.” This sentiment has stuck with me ever since. Working in social media is extremely demanding, but at the end of the day the chaos is temporary. Staying grounded in the reality that my team can handle stress, together, one step at a time always helps.

Theresa’s approach to leadership is a reflection of what STN Digital is built on, genuine connection, a high bar for excellence, and the belief that people do their best work when they feel seen. It’s that same energy that drives the work STN brings to its clients every day.

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