100 Women We Love: Valerie Madden

You may not know Val Madden, but you have definitely seen her work. As Creative Director at NBC, she led the marketing efforts for over 216 televisions shows, including Will & Grace, Law & Order SVU, Parenthood, The Office and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also co-led NBCUniversal's LGBT/Straight employee alliance group, OUT@NBCUniversal, one of the largest LGBT employee groups in the entertainment industry. Striving to "be true to myself and live authentically every day," she shepherded the alliance to a 175 percent increase in membership (with a big jump among female employees) during her two years at the helm. Over time, Madden felt her creative values evolving. Instead of engaging consumers to watch, purchase or follow network programming, she now uses her branding experience and skills to help individuals and organizations strategically market their ideas for positive change. It's this passion for community building, crafting compelling campaigns for change, and creating opportunities for visibility that moves Madden to devote time and energy to LGBT causes like the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's "An Evening With Women" gala, and the Outfest Board Of Directors, where she’s an officer. -DN