Claire Glisson

What is your role at Brand Federation?

I am a strategic lead, managing teams and resources for client projects.

What work are you doing now and what about it inspires you?

My current Brand Federation project is supporting a non-profit in the children’s education and welfare space. It’s always life-giving to have a chance to turn my brain towards a cause that can make such an impact for kids and their families.

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What superpower do you bring your clients and colleagues?

I’ve always been told I “have a great energy” — I think I’m pretty good at what I do, but so is everyone at Brand Federation. I’m very good at rallying teams and keeping morale high through challenging periods.

Why did you join the Brand Federation team?

Brand Federation launched a few years after I graduated from the VCU Brandcenter, where Kelly O’Keefe was my professor. The organization has always been on my radar because of that connection. I knew the  team was full of smart, inspirational humans — I’m always looking to keep company like that.

Have you read a book lately that you’d recommend?

I’m a HUGE reader but I’ll be honest rather than intellectual with this one. I’ve tried reading business books that keep me on top of my game. They don’t spark joy.  I’m likely overcorrecting following an undergraduate career as an English major reading everything from Chaucer to Faulkner, or, works that are — hot take — very difficult to enjoy. Today I’m a 100% pleasure reader and typically tearing through low-brow psychological thrillers at lightning speeds. When I say lightning speeds, I mean it. I’m a 2-3 book-per- week kinda gal, so if I remember one, it’s a big deal for me. “The Kind Worth Killing” by Peter Swanson is one of the more memorable thrillers I’ve read lately.

What gets your energy and time outside of work?

Filed under work requiring mental separation to prevent insanity & burnout: I’m a cofounder (along with fellow Brand Fed colleague Liz Heinberg) of a bootstrapped tech startup called Ditto. Trying to realize the entrepreneurial dream occupies much of my extracurricular time and energy. Also, I’m an American expat living in Amsterdam. When I’m not (and sometimes when I am) working, my partner Charlie and I aim to travel 1-2x per month exploring new European cities.

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