16 Creative Leaders Shaping the Future of Financial Storytelling and Purpose-Driven Communications
New York Festivals Advertising Awards® (NYFA) is thrilled to unveil the 2026 Financial and PR & Purpose Specialty Executive Jury panels.
These esteemed Financial and PR & Purpose Executive Juries bring together respected industry leaders to evaluate work that navigates complexity, builds trust, and drives impact across highly scrutinized and purpose-driven sectors.
Financial, honors creativity and integrity in one of the most regulated and high-trust industries in the world. Led by Jury Chair Pete Gosselin, CCO & Co-Founder at Cape, this jury will evaluate work that educates, persuades, and reassures. Winning campaigns demonstrate clear strategy, originality, and brand purpose across any medium, from traditional banking and insurance to next-generation fintech and crypto innovation.
PR & Purpose, led by Jury Chair Josh Budd, CCO, NA, at Citizen Relations unites two disciplines grounded in influence, reputation, and impact.
PR categories recognize excellence in reputation management, creative communications, and brand storytelling that drives positive perception and goodwill, including corporate branding, crisis management, events, and public service advertising.
NYF’s Purpose categories honor work that uses creative communication to inspire meaningful changes in attitudes, perceptions, or behavior, with the goal of making a positive impact on people, communities, animals, or the environment. Each entry is evaluated through the lens of impact, with jurors seeking work where purpose is authentically embedded clearly articulated, guiding business decisions, and delivering measurable outcomes for both organizations and the communities they serve.
Together, these juries reflect a powerful intersection of strategy, storytelling, and social responsibility, recognizing work that not only performs, but matters.
2026 Financial Executive Jury
Recognizing bold financial storytelling that earns trust in a highly regulated world.
Jury Chair – Pete Gosselin, CCO / Co-Founder, Cape
Jill Applebaum, Chief Creative Officer, Public Inc.
Kim Baskinger, Chief Creative Officer, Crispin
Israel Garber, Creative Managing Director, Havas NY
Kathryn Harvey, Executive Director, McKinney
Tim Maleeny, President | Chief Strategy Officer, Quad
Jamie Massam, Head of Creative | NY & London, Big Spaceship
Jess Wittebort, VP, Experience Design, Aruliden
2026 PR & Purpose Executive Jury
Honoring the power of creative communications to shape perception, build reputation, and drive meaningful change.
Jury Chair – Josh Budd, CCO, NA, Citizen Relations
Robyn Adelson, Chief Strategy Officer, Weber Shandwick
AG Bevilaqua Chief Creative Officer, Managing Director M Booth
Maya McDonald, Senior Director, Always on Consumer and Campaigns, Walmart
Angie Sell, Communications Manager, Nature’s Path
Indy Selvarajah, Executive Creative Director, Ketchum UK
Max Sollisch, Creative Director/Copywriter, Freelance
Abeer Verma, VP, Creative Director, Edelman
“These Executive Juries reflect where creativity matters most today,” said Scott Rose, President, New York Festivals. “From financial communications that earn trust in high-stakes environments to PR and Purpose-driven work that shapes culture and drives impact, these juries bring the insight and experience to recognize ideas that truly resonate.”
For the 2026 season, New York Festivals continues to elevate its judging experience through an expanded in-person program developed in partnership with the 4A’s, reinforcing its commitment to thoughtful, peer-driven judging. Specialty Executive Jury sessions will be held in May 2026.
Trophy winners will then be selected by the 2026 Executive Jury. Executive Jury sessions will take place in early June at New York City’s Crosby Hotel’s state-of-the-art screening room. Specialty Executive Juries will judge their designated categories.
The deadline for entering the 2026 NYF Advertising Awards is April 23, 2026. To enter the 2026 NYF Advertising Awards or for more information on categories, rules, and regulations, visit HERE.
