EXPERIENCE
Kristi Daraban is a seasoned marketing executive with experience spanning brand strategy, social media, integrated marketing, and creative campaign development across iconic global brands. From launching Wonka Ice Cream for Nestlé to driving cultural relevance for Disney’s award-winning franchises like Descendants, Gravity Falls, and Austin & Ally, Kristi’s work demonstrates a rare ability to connect brands to audiences with emotional resonance and measurable impact. Her tenure with Hollister and Abercrombie showcased her strategic fluency in influencer marketing and Gen Z engagement, building robust micro-influencer networks, and pioneering digital-first experiences like Instagram shopping integrations and immersive live events. She’s consistently driven brand equity while balancing business goals across retail, CPG, financial services, healthcare and entertainment verticals.
At Nationwide, Kristi rose to the level of AVP of Social Media, where she shaped the brand’s digital voice, led crisis response strategies, and spearheaded award-winning customer experience initiatives that positioned the brand as culturally relevant yet authentic. Her thought leadership is recognized across the industry, frequently speaking at the Association of National Advertisers, Socialmedia.org, the Social Shake-Up conferences and more.
Kristi brings an unmatched ability to guide cross-functional teams, shape storytelling that resonates, and elevate brand, creative, and social media into powerful strategic growth levers. Her leadership blends emotional intelligence with data-driven insight, resulting in campaigns that connect authentically with audiences while delivering measurable business results. She excels at building meaningful customer relationships, driving cultural relevance, and fostering brand loyalty across a wide range of industries.
With a track record of success spanning global brands, Kristi’s experience is both deeply adaptable and built to scale. She thrives in fast-paced environments where innovation, creativity, and cross-platform integration are essential. Whether launching a new product, redefining a brand voice, or navigating moments of crisis, she leads with clarity, empathy, and vision—making her a powerful asset to any organization.
APPROACH
Kristi’s approach is rooted in the belief that brand success starts with understanding people, how they feel, what they value, and where they engage. She combines thoughtful audience insights with bold creative strategy to craft campaigns that feel personal, timely, and culturally relevant. Her process centers on collaboration across disciplines uniting creative, data, media, and strategy teams to build cohesive, high impact brand experiences.
She leads with a balance of intuition and analytics, ensuring every idea is emotionally resonant and backed by clear objectives. Whether launching a new product, building social personas, or steering through a brand crisis, Kristi approaches each challenge with empathy, agility, and a commitment to making brands genuinely matter in people’s lives.