LIA Announces 2025 Creative Strategy and Creativity in PR Juries

​LIA will continue to set the standard for creativity in 2025 with its stellar juries. This year, the Creative Strategy and Creativity in PR juries will convene at Encore @ Wynn in Las Vegas to deliberate on every piece of work, from the initial in and out stage through to the final statue discussions. Judging sessions will begin from 25th September through 3rd October.

​Sandi Preston, chief strategy officer, Translation – Division of United Masters, Brooklyn has assumed the role of LIA jury president for Creative Strategy. Every great campaign begins by having a strong creative strategy. A well-planned and well executed creative strategy is what helps brands stand out from competitors. Ultimately, it is the backbone of a memorable campaign.

As a 15-year veteran at her company, who is responsible for running the strategic engine of the agency, Sandi Preston, in accepting her role as jury president, said, “Early in my career as a strategist, I was given a piece of advice that has stayed with me: one of the true marks of a great leader is the ability to bring people along with you. I’ve come to understand this not merely as a lesson in persuasion, but as a lesson in attunement - creating a connection so that others feel inspired by, and a part of, the direction that I'm guiding. This wisdom has been central to my work every day in my role as chief strategy officer at Translation, as well as, in countless other areas of my life when relating to and motivating people is at the heart of what I do. With great enthusiasm, I look forward to applying this wisdom as the 2025 LIA jury president for Creative Strategy.”

Heading this year’s Creativity in PR Jury is Judy John. Judy joined Edelman in 2019 becoming the first ever global chief creative officer. In 2024, Judy led Edelman to #1 Independent Agency of the Year for the Good Track and #2 Independent Network of the Year in Cannes and LIA’s Regional PR Network of the Year for Europe, Regional PR Company of the Year in Europe for Edelman, London and Regional PR Company of the Year in Asia for Edelman, Bangkok. Edelman was also named as Ad Age Stand Out Agency 2024, #1 in Provoke Global Creative Index 2023 and Contagious Best & Bravest 2021 and 2019.

Judy John said, “Honoured to be named jury president for the PR Jury at LIA. There’s something special about LIA - smaller juries, deeper conversations, and an intentional focus on mentorship and growing the next generation of talent. It’s not just about awarding the best ideas in the world - it’s about helping shape the future of our industry.”

Creativity in PR is pivotal, especially in an industry that is fast changing. Original and effective ideas do not only solve the client’s problems, they will always get attention and differentiate the brand to make a greater connection with the target audience.

​Barbara Levy, president of LIA, said, “Successful campaigns are those that bring fresh perspective to the table. There is strategic thinking coupled with tactical executions carried out flawlessly. We have on our juries the best Strategists and PR professionals. They know how to weed out the uninteresting, the unsurprising and the undistinguished. The work that survives their vigilant scrutiny will be work that deserves to be celebrated.”

2025 Creative Strategy Jury:

• ​Sandi Preston, CSO, Translation - Division of United Masters, Brooklyn -Jury President
  
• ​Anthony Chelvanathan, global creative partner/chief creative officer, Edelman Canada, Toronto
  
• ​Andrea Diquez, global CEO, GUT
  
• Esther Franklin, chief strategy officer, Publicis Media, Chicago
  
• ​Maria Galleriu, executive strategy director, 72andSunny, Paris
  
• James Keng Lim, creative director (APAC), Burson APAC
  
• Simon Langley, group chief creative officer, Bastion, Sydney
  
• ​Menaka Menon, president / managing partner – growth and strategy, DDB Mudra Group, Bangalore
  
• ​Suzanne Powers, founder / CEO, Powers Creativity and All&, New York
  
• Haem Roy, head of enterprise marketing Canada / LATAM, Amazon Ads, Toronto
  
• ​Max Schöngen, global creative lead, Mediaplus Group
  
• ​Ben Williams, global chief creative, experience officer, TBWA\Worldwide
  

2025 Creativity in PR Jury:

• ​Judy John, global chief creative officer, Edelman - Jury President
  
• ​Rafa Antón, global CCO at LLYC / creative partner at CHINA – Part of LLYC, Madrid
  
• ​Mohamed Bareche, executive creative director, Horizon FCB, Dubai
  
• Dwayna A. Haley, EVP, consumer brands, MSL, Atlanta
  
• Alethya Heras, creative director, The Juju, Mexico City
  
• Tetsuya Honda, CEO, Honda Office, Tokyo
  
• ​Madeleine Page, head of consumer and brand PR, Dentsu Creative Public Relations, Melbourne
  
• ​Taj Reid, global chief creative officer, Burson
  
• ​Ciro Sarmiento, chief creative officer, Colle McVoy, Minneapolis
  
• ​Indy Selvarajah, chief creative officer, Ketchum, London
  
• Daniela Varela, group creative director, Weber Shandwick, New York