Liz McDonnell is Managing Director, Strategy & Insights at The New York Times since July 2016. Previously Liz Worked as Director of marketing  overseeing everything from marketing new mobile ad products and branded content partnerships to leading more consumer-focused efforts like @MyNYTimes on Instagram and has been of the spearheads behind the success of the native ad unit, T Brand Studio. The T Brand Studio is a result of the massive interest from advertisers looking to market their brands through the NYT platform. She never thought that her after-hours gig in improv comedy and performances in New York theaters would be her secret weapon for success in facing challenges in leadership and innovation.