SPOTLIGHT: GAIL GRIFFIN
Gail is the Chief Membership Officer of New York Women in Communications and today serves as Head of Digital Platforms for the U.S. Intermediaries division of T. Rowe Price.
Previously, Gail spent 10 years at Barron’s, where she ran the digital business and product development. Prior to Barron’s, Gail was the GM of The Wall Street Journal Online and SmartMoney.com, and VP/product development for TheStreet.com. She started her career as a newspaper copy editor after graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Gail lives in Sunnyside, Queens, with her husband and two children.
Why she does what she does…
“I love leading a team to develop digital products and features, bringing everyone together to create something new. My job involves working with nearly every group across the company — from software developers to customer service reps, from journalists to ad salespeople, and many more. I like connecting the dots between all the disparate parts of the business.”
Drawn to NYWICI…
“I love the diversity of women I’ve met through NYWICI, especially getting to know women of all ages and many different career paths. Also, NYWICI is filled with upbeat, encouraging women — and we can all use more people like that in our lives.”
My favorite social media platform…
“I discipline myself to stay off social media most of the time except for work purposes. It’s so seductive and can easily consume way too much time. When I’m stuck in a line or otherwise have time to kill, I’ll go to Tumblr — where I follow artists and writers — or Rex, an app where people recommend their favorite things, from books to podcasts to anything else.”
Media’s biggest challenge…
“The reluctance of consumers to pay for quality content. Real journalism cannot survive unless media outlets are able to charge for subscriptions. I’ve been lucky to work for publications that have charged for content since the beginning of the Internet era. But for many publications, it’s so much harder to make the subscription model work.”
At the top of my trend-watching list is…
“The continued commercialization and growth of virtual reality and the transformational effect it’s going to have on many industries, including our own.”
Off the clock, really…
“I spend time with my husband and kids — Benjamin, 11, and Mara, 8 — and with my friends. I’m also a big reader (mostly of novels) and solver of word puzzles.”
Gail’s nirvana…
“We just came back from vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and I’m ready to move. Huge blue sky, desert, mountains…and a great French bakery. Perfection.”
Did you know…
“My husband and I are building a house in Nicaragua, about 15 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. We plan to rent it out when it’s done, and maybe, someday, escape from New York permanently.”
Day to relive…
“Not any specific day, but many summer or fall days hanging out at Sunnyside Gardens Park, right near my house in Queens. Sunnyside is a tight-knit community where everyone knows each other, at least by sight. The kids run around and play while the adults just hang out, relax and talk.”
Words to live by…
“It’s often cited, but I’m a big fan of the Arthur Ashe quote ‘Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.’ We all can do good with whatever we have to offer.”
