Publicis Groupe director Brielle Colavita spotlights empathetic leadership and talent development

Brielle Colavita, director of program management at Publicis Groupe, says her career has been built on operational excellence, cross-functional collaboration and mentoring future leaders. She also points to a long-term goal of becoming a chief operating officer while helping develop the next generation of marketing talent.

Why it matters: - Brielle Colavita’s approach reflects how marketing teams are being asked to work now: faster, more cross-functional and more dependent on strong operations. - Her focus on mentorship and psychological safety highlights a leadership model that affects both campaign performance and employee retention. - Her long-term aim to move into a chief operating officer role signals how program management can serve as a path to broader business leadership.

What happened: - Brielle Colavita was profiled by Influential Women as a director of program management at Publicis Groupe. - Colavita leads cross-functional teams that build and execute strategic marketing campaigns. - Her work brings together creative, strategy, media and operations teams. - The profile was published on November 11, 2026. - A public profile for Colavita is available through her Influential Women profile.

The details: - Colavita has more than a decade of experience across advertising production, media, creative and pharmaceutical marketing. - She earned a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Marketing and Advertising from the University of Pittsburgh. - Her career started in advertising production, where she built a foundation in project management. - She later worked in media as a project management lead on programmatic, planning and technology initiatives. - She then moved into creative work and later into pharmaceutical marketing. - Her specialties include program management, cross-functional team leadership, campaign strategy and execution, pharmaceutical brand marketing, marketing operations, advertising and media, process improvement, operational strategy, leadership development and talent mentorship. - Colavita has focused on building systems and processes that improve workflow and client experience. - She has also led high-performing teams and managed complex programs.

Between the lines: - Colavita credits mentors Amanda Kelly and Kelley Doonan with teaching her to lead with empathy, build psychological safety and speak up with confidence. - She also credits her mother, Linda Colavita, with encouraging her to share opinions and make her voice heard from an early age. - Her comments point to a common challenge in marketing: technical execution matters, but so does creating teams where people feel safe to contribute ideas. - Her emphasis on asking difficult questions suggests she sees curiosity as a competitive advantage, not just a soft skill. - Her leadership philosophy centers on compassion, accountability and respect for diverse perspectives.

What's next: - Colavita says she wants to keep growing as a leader and expand her impact. - She has set a long-term goal of becoming a chief operating officer. - She also wants to keep mentoring emerging talent and helping shape future industry leaders. - Outside work, Colavita enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.

The bottom line: - Colavita’s profile frames modern marketing leadership as a blend of operational rigor, empathy and talent development.