In her first six months on the job as NPR's first CMO, Emma Carrasco created and hired two new positions in her department, helped to launch a pilot ad campaign in four cities and oversaw a branding effort that is rolling out soon.

Her aim is to grow and diversify the already large NPR audience of 26 million radio listeners every week, a task she plans to complete by upholding the principles of NPR's "enormously important brand value" -- its journalism. "People are hungry for good, reliable content and that's what NPR provides," said Ms. Carrasco.

Carving out a new position at NPR suits Ms. Carrasco, who said a running theme in her career is being the first person to take on a new role or overcome a challenge. "As a woman, and a Hispanic, I've always known I was going to have to prove myself in ways others didn't, and understand that double standards would be a part of my reality," she said, offering this advice: "Work twice as hard as everyone else -- leverage that work ethic and your skill set to find ways to adapt."

Twitter:
@emmacarrasco

Home:
Washington, D.C., and Miami

Do you have kids?
No, but my tribe of nieces and nephews more than makes up for that!

Ever worked at an agency?
Yes! My first job out of college was with Fleishman-Hillard and, prior to joining NPR, I was with the cross-cultural agency Republica..

What was your first job?
A hostess at the McDonald's in Santa Barbara. It was owned by the creator of the Egg McMuffin, Herb Peterson, and he wanted to ensure a welcoming experience for the then brand-new Breakfast day part.