Senior Account Executive, Integrated Digital Specialist, WWLP-22News; Age 35

Kelly McGiverin’s involvement in Western Mass. can be traced back to the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round — and she has certainly grabbed the brass ring.

She worked at the merry-go-round through high school and while getting her bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at Elms College. During her senior year of college, she took an internship at WWLP-22News, which was the jumping-off point into her marketing career.

Indeed, McGiverin soon joined the marketing and public-relations firm Market Mentors, where she gained considerable experience in marketing, advertising, and the digital industry, including backend digital-platform development.

“I decided to take a leap into a marketing agency; I went over to Market Mentors, and that is where I really fell in love with the area,” she said. “I was able to meet so many different clients, attend a lot of different networking events, expand beyond the digital to learn all about the TV, the print, the radio, the billboards — helping clients run events and really do everything I love, and getting involved in so many different local businesses.”

Now, McGiverin is back at WWLP-22News working her “dream job” as senior account executive. She coordinates media buys for digital and TV campaigns, among other duties.

Outside of her business accomplishments, she is dedicated when it comes to community service in the city of Holyoke. After years of consideration, she followed in her grandfather’s footsteps and joined the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Committee in 2015. She has played a critical role ever since — she organized and chairs the Battle of the Bars, a top fundraising event, and acts as a liaison between the parade and WWLP-22News.

“The passion behind that comes from the history of my Irish heritage and my family growing up watching the parade,” she said. “My grandfather sitting outside of our house on a stool talking to everyone, my Nana baking corned beef every parade morning … just everything about it is, again, where that passion drives from sitting on the parade committee.”

Her civic leadership doesn’t stop there. She recently returned to the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round by joining its operations committee, volunteering her time to work with committee members to work on their social-media presence. Additionally, she is a board member of the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club as well as secretary for its executive committee.

It’s clear to see that McGiverin is a true leader — in all areas of her life.

 

— Elizabeth Sears