Havas Chicago hired Karen Goodman as group creative director.
In the role, she will be tasked with leading creative on the agency’s Hefty and Reynold’s accounts while reporting to Havas Chicago executive creative director Paul Hirsch.
“The range of experience Karen brings to Havas is invaluable,” Hirsch said in a statement. “We’re building a shop infused with heart and soul and culture. There’s so much opportunity to create and Karen has the chops to run with it.”
“Karen is one of the most elite creative women in the industry. She’s a triple threat, bringing to Havas client and agency experience, exceptional creative thinking and an awesome attitude,” Jason Peterson, who has served as Havas Chicago’s CCO since December of 2012 and was recently named co-chair of Havas’ U.S. Creative division, added. “What is most exciting about her is that she’s a non-traditional thinker – a true maker who fits into my belief that all creatives should be and can be true creators.”
Goodman joins Havas from Under Armour, where she has served as a creative and content director for the brand’s global concepts and strategy division since April of 2015. With Under Armour she worked on digital campaigns featuring athletes such as Misty Copeland, Stephen Curry and Jordan Spieth.
Prior to joining Under Armour, Goodman spent five months as an associate creative director for Pappas Group, following a similarly short stint as a freelance creative. Before that she spent around two and a half years as a senior creative with Johannes Leonardo, working with brands including Nike, Bacardi, Google, YouTube, Diet Coke and Sprite, as well as on new business. That followed three years as an art director with R/GA New York, where she worked with Google, Nike, Walmart and on new business.
A 2008 Future Lions award winner, she held the “world’s most expensive bake sale,” selling cookies for $500 each in order to finance a trip to pick up the award in person. She’s also the founder and director of the D.C. chapter of women’s global networking organization SheSays.