As the daughter and granddaughter of veterinarians, it’s no surprise that Katie Nauman ended up in a job that deals with animals. Recently promoted to chief marketing officer of Petco, she has been instrumental in the retailer’s transformation beyond a store selling pet products into a full-scale health and wellness brand rooted in improving the lives of the furriest family members.

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That mission, underway before Nauman joined the San Diego-based company in early 2020 after a decade at HP, has accelerated during the pandemic, which saw pet adoption explode in popularity. A new brand story, “It’s What We’d Want If We Were Pets,” unveiled earlier this year with Petco’s new agency of record Droga5, has paved the way for a host of branch campaigns.

“It’s the first chapter in a multi-chapter story,” says Nauman, 39, who recently led a push into mental health awareness for animals as owners returned to office work. “It puts people in the place of pets to help develop empathy.”

Along with such exterior-facing storytelling, Nauman has worked on improving Petco’s interior marketing structure, including creating an integrated marketing model for her 130 staffers. Each channel, such as social media and email, now ladders up to one singular strategy, she says, comparing her work to that of a general contractor working with various specialists.

“So much about marketing is selling ideas,” says Nauman. “There’s a piece of me that likes the sales aspect of it—selling ideas internally, getting people excited within our company—but then also creating something externally people will respond to.”

If you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Meghan Markle. I respect how she’s handled everything that’s been thrown at her. She seems like a really strong woman.

What are the top two social media sites you use on a regular basis?

Instagram and Facebook.

What’s currently on your bedside reading list?

I’m just about to start a new book called “The Obstacle Is the Way.”

What was the last show you binge-watched?

“Outlander.”

At what age do you hope to retire?

50.

See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees.