Education
BSJ, Ohio University
Bio
Cathy McPhillips is Chief Marketing Officer at SmarterX, the parent brand of Marketing AI Institute, where she leads marketing, brand, and communications strategy across the organization’s media, events, and education divisions—including flagship initiatives like MAICON (Marketing AI Conference), AI Academy, and The Artificial Intelligence Show. In her role, Cathy helps executives, marketers, and educators navigate and accelerate their AI transformation journeys by connecting them with trusted knowledge, practical training, and visionary thought leadership.
Her career spans more than three decades of strategic marketing leadership, including serving as Vice President of Marketing at Content Marketing Institute, where she led marketing for Content Marketing World, one of the world’s largest marketing conferences. Cathy also managed national community engagement and activation for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, helping grow and mobilize a passionate community around childhood hunger. Earlier in her career, she founded and ran her own digital marketing consultancy and worked at two leading Cleveland-based advertising agencies.
Cathy has been recognized as a Folio: Top Women in Media, a MarTechExec Woman You Need to Know in Martech, and a 2024 Crain’s Cleveland Business Notable Leader in Communications. She has served as an Ohio University Jerry L. Sloan Visiting Professional in Public Relations and remains actively engaged in mentoring and speaking with students and professionals at the intersection of marketing, technology, and AI innovation. Cathy has held executive board positions with Community of Hope, the Orange Effect Foundation, and the OU College of Business Professional Advisory Board, reflecting her deep commitment to education, access, and community impact.
Cathy is deeply committed to fostering collaboration, continuous learning, and ethical leadership in the evolving AI landscape, bringing both practical expertise and strategic vision to her advisory roles.
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathymcphillips/