Leadership Team
Founder, President
Chief Executive of the LUCY venture, Lillian brings her 25+ years’ executive-level marketing, media, and branding expertise to LUCY.
Recognized as a serial pioneer in the development and launching of revolutionary branding and marketing initiatives in digital and traditional media for leading marketers and media partners.
Longtime champion and advocate for career women marginalized by ageism and gender bias.
Developed LUCY as the first and only community platform dedicated exclusively to the timely and worthy mission of shattering age discrimination, gender bias and racial injustice.
Lillian is delighted to be a member of the IADAS (International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences), and a Juror for the prestigious 2023 Anthem Awards.
EVP, Executive Producer
Emmy Award-winning film and television producer and director of film and television.
Prolific producer of peer-recognized programs for PBS, CBS and Europe’s ARTE Channel.
Awards include an Emmy, a Columbia DuPont, the Humanitas Prize, Cine Gold Eagles, several Golden Hugo awards, a Gracie Award and an Aurora Award, among others.
Serves as Executive Producer of the LUCY Café Series, The Screening Room and the LUCY Podcast segments.
EVP, Corporate and Legal Affairs
Howard Becker spent nearly 20 years as a corporate attorney at the New York City offices of such prestigious law firms as Skadden Arps, Milbank Tweed and Kaye Scholer, specializing in business reorganizations and corporate restructurings.
Mr. Becker left his law practice in the early 2000’s to form Becker Advisors, Ltd., a boutique management consulting firm based in San Francisco. Clients have ranged from start-ups and early stage companies to more mature businesses in both the public and private sector.
Mr. Becker is an alumnus of Tufts University and the University of Michigan Law School.
VP, Branding & Design
Founded SML Design, Brand and Communications in 2009, with a desire to help clients build their businesses and add value through design.
With a career spanning across some of the world’s best design consultancies in Australia, London & New York, Vanessa’s extensive experience delivers a global viewpoint and expertise across a wide range of industries.
Whether creating and launching new entrepreneurial brands or reinvigorating established Corporates, Vanessa’s purpose is to create Standout Meaningful & Loved brands that genuinely connect.
Brings her expert branding, communications and design talents to LUCY, where she is serving as VP, Branding and Design.
Chief Digital Officer
Award-winning product developer, media distributor, and start-up strategist with recognized expertise in reaching and building audience for major brands in the digital age.
Founded AmpLive, a leader in live video distribution and audience growth strategies.
Spearheading the overall distribution and audience growth strategy for LUCY, with responsibility for building LUCY’s Distribution Network and reaching and attracting Active Women 50+ from the top income DMAs.
Efforts include identifying, reaching and driving audience for LUCY cross-platform; collecting and analyzing data and metrics related to website traffic and live events; and developing and implementing live production and technology partnerships for LUCY’s global distribution network
VP Communications
Began his career at FORBES and TIME Magazines, with a long career as a Madison Avenue copywriter and creative director, working in media, education, pharmaceuticals, technology, packaged goods, automotive, real estate and other areas.
With LUCY’s founder, Lillian Gilden, Mark created the internet’s first advertiser-sponsored episodic entertainment for America Online and The Microsoft Network.
Oversees promotion, messaging, and outreach for LUCY, with additional responsibilities for project content and communication with LUCY’s audience, underwriters, sponsors, and content partners.
Leader, Equality & Talent
Audrey Smaltz’s insights and inventiveness led her to become one of the fashion industry’s most innovative entrepreneurs across her 60-year career.
She founded The Ground Crew® to manage backstage operations for fashion shows, an industry first. The Ground Crew has worked for top designers including Giorgio Armani, Jason Wu, Donna Karan, Victoria’s Secret, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Michael Kors, and Vera Wang, among others.
Her revolutionary approach to fashion has paved the way for other entrepreneurs and given valuable exposure to aspiring makeup artists and stylists.
At LUCY, Audrey applies her great eye to talent recruitment. In addition, Audrey will work closely with her wife, Gail Marquis, to guide LUCY’s efforts to support racial justice and to help remedy the many institutional and structural inequities that regularly confront members of the African American, LGBTQ+ and other minority communities.
Leader, Equality & Finance
Gail A. Marquis serves as the Director of Development for the William J. Maxwell College of Arts & Sciences at New Jersey City University (NJCU).
Gail is a U.S. Olympic Champion and Silver Medalist in basketball, earning a place in history as a member of the first U.S.A. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team.
Marquis took her competitive prowess from the Olympics to Wall Street, joining several banks and financial institutions including J.P. Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, UBS PaineWebber and Mass Mutual Finance & Insurance Services. She eventually started her own financial Services firm, G. Marquis World Financial Services, which focused on introducing investments, savings and the benefits of home ownership to women, minorities and the LGBTQ communities.
At LUCY, Gail will join forces with her wife, Audrey Smaltz, to address the pervasive challenges and injustices faced by of the African American, LGBTQ+ and other minority communities who are so disproportionately denied opportunities in all areas of the economy, including health, housing, education and employment.
Project Manager
Jessica Gilden is the former President of G5 Enterprises, LLC, a minority, woman-owned general construction and management firm, specializing in general contracting, design build, bid build, renovations and repairs.
As a former international flight attendant, Jessica faced both racial and gender bias in her work. But through her strength, determination and perseverance, she was able to transcend these obstacles and continue to work in her chosen profession. These challenging experiences served her well as she moved into the traditionally male-dominated world of construction.
Jessica brings her energy, project management expertise and social media savvy to the LUCY team where she is responsible for developing and executing LUCY’s social media strategy and supporting content creation.