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Michael Kaye is a communications and marketing executive with 12+ years of experience��
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Michael Kaye reposted thisTwo months in, and I’m getting to do exactly what I hoped I would at Canva: tell great customer stories. When interviewing at Canva for this role with Ali Rae Hunt, I was excited by the chance to tell stories like this one. I have always believed that there is nothing more powerful than customer storytelling. Canva has the ability to help ANYONE tap into their creativity whether you are a novice like me making party invites or one of the most fun and exciting brands in travel, 🚢 Virgin Voyages. Thank you, Michael Kaye, for showing how brand governance and giving partners more freedom can go hand in hand. It’s a great read, with takeaways for any marketer or comms pro: https://lnkd.in/g29unD6w. Shoutout to Michelle (George) Norden and the VV team for their incredible partnership on this! And to Mel Cornford for the case study and video that go deeper: https://lnkd.in/gUfCWQi5. Warning: they’ll make you want to grab a pina colada and get creative. 🍹Virgin Voyages Tripled Its Creative Output by Getting Out of Its Own WayVirgin Voyages Tripled Its Creative Output by Getting Out of Its Own Way
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Michael Kaye shared thisAlicia Fields and I recently chatted for Blurring The Lines, where she shared that the best communications leaders don’t just know how to tell a good story. They understand the business behind it. In our conversation, Fields discussed what she’s learned from moving across different corners of the industry, how brands can earn the right to speak on sensitive issues, what effective localization actually requires, and the skills communicators should develop if they want to become strategic partners to the business. Full interview is now on Substack: https://lnkd.in/eyJgx4iwBlurring The Lines with Global Communications Leader Alicia FieldsBlurring The Lines with Global Communications Leader Alicia Fields
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Michael Kaye reposted thisMichael Kaye is one of the most important voices in communications today - I follow his work religiously, and it's an honor to be featured by him on his Substack! Thank you, Michael!Scoop: Betches and Tubi Alums Launch Maeve CommunicationsScoop: Betches and Tubi Alums Launch Maeve Communications
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Michael Kaye shared thisAs a communications leader, I see protecting the brand as a really important part of my job. And giving others—agency partners, colleagues, vendors—more autonomy can feel uncomfortable at first. That was the focus of my latest Inc. Magazine article (that I worked on with Austin Prosser!), which explores how Virgin Voyages approached that challenge through its collaboration with Canva. And it's a pretty interesting case study for brands. Virgin says it reduced creative requests by 95% after its initial rollout to travel advisors. Its internal creative team subsequently tripled output without adding headcount. Three takeaways for communications and marketing leaders: ⛵ Build brand standards into the tools people use. Virgin embedded fonts, colors, logos, and core design elements into templates, giving advisors room to customize materials for their customers. ⛵ Make following the brand easy. If getting approved assets takes too long, people will find their own. Accessible templates help partners move quickly and represent the company consistently. ⛵ Start with the work people repeat. Turn your three or four most common requests into resources people can adapt independently, freeing your team to focus on decisions that need its judgment. Protecting a brand also means giving people the resources and trust to represent it well. You can read the full story now in Inc. Magazine: https://lnkd.in/gJ4uiSjA #Brand #Canva #Creative #Marketing #VirginVoyagesVirgin Voyages Tripled Its Creative Output by Getting Out of Its Own WayVirgin Voyages Tripled Its Creative Output by Getting Out of Its Own Way
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Michael Kaye shared thisThis week I caught up with Laura Puig and Michelle Ciciyasvili about launching Maeve Communications! The two founders talked about building cultural relevance, setting honest expectations, and knowing when a client needs publicity or a different kind of support. Our conversation is now up on my Substack! Read here: https://lnkd.in/gN__nYjwScoop: Betches and Tubi Alums Launch Maeve CommunicationsScoop: Betches and Tubi Alums Launch Maeve Communications
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Michael Kaye posted thisI'm working on an upcoming piece for Blurring The Lines about the evolving media landscape, and I'm looking to speak with a few people who have firsthand experience navigating these changes. Specifically, I'd love to connect with: 👀 Independent journalists who have left traditional newsrooms to launch their own publications or newsletters on beehiiv, Substack, or elsewhere. 👀 Media executives who work in audience development, editorial strategy, or media business development. I'm particularly interested in how the relationship between journalists, publishers, and audiences is changing, and what that could mean for the future of media. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, please comment below or message me!
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Michael Kaye posted thisSo why am I telling you this? Caty Gordon shared that President Clinton often asks that question during his speeches. It’s a useful editing prompt for anyone working in communications: Have we explained why this matters to the audience? And it came up in Caty's discussion with my students at New York University this morning, which focused on speechwriting, executive communications and thought leadership. A few takeaways I’m bringing back to my own work: ✍ Use shared goals to navigate executive pushback. When a leader is attached to a story that won’t connect with the audience, return to the outcome: What do we want people to do? That gives you a concrete basis for recommending a different approach. ✍ Capture voice before drafting. Ask the same question a few different ways. Listen for recurring stories, cadence, words they use and words they avoid. When access is limited, study interviews and podcasts, and speak with their team. ✍ Pressure-test the point of view before choosing the platform. A Substack, podcast or conference appearance needs something worth saying. Look for real expertise, a strong argument and tension that gives the audience a reason to pay attention. ✍ Give brand guidelines room to respond to the moment. A clear voice makes communications easier. But in a crisis, assess whether those guidelines allow for the response the situation requires. ✍ Make editing part of how you develop your team. Caty recalled a manager spending two hours helping her cut every sentence in a draft in half. That investment stayed with her. For those of us leading teams, it’s a reminder to make time to show people how to sharpen their work. I invite guest speakers to help my students see how communications works in practice, and I always appreciate leaving with ideas I can use, too. Thanks, Caty!
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Michael Kaye shared thisWhat makes an audience willing to pay and gives them a reason to stay? This week I spoke with Allison Yazdian at Uscreen for Blurring The Lines about what brands can learn from creators building subscription businesses. We covered knowing your audience, testing what people will pay for, and building a community worth coming back to. Plus, why brands should give creator partners more room to tell the story. Read the conversation and subscribe to Blurring The Lines for more perspectives on where culture, communications, marketing, and media meet: https://lnkd.in/gsUfVgusBlurring The Lines with Allison Yazdian at UscreenBlurring The Lines with Allison Yazdian at Uscreen
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Michael Kaye liked thisMichael Kaye liked thisA group of Business Insider journalists gathered today to prep for our big event on Thursday in NYC, The Long Play, about leadership and business transformation. We've got a star-studded guest list for business hounds, including Nadia Carlsten, PhD, Smartbird; Barry Diller, all around media mogul; Ashley Graham, supermodel and entrepreneur; Cristina Junqueira of Nubank; Zachariah Reitano of Ro; John C. Santora of WeWork; Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Gotham FC and the NY Giants; and Strauss Zelnick, Take Two Interactive aka Grand Theft Auto. And a special guest, I'll be interviewing Noa Argamani, who survived Hamas captivity and is now pursuing venture capital at Vine Ventures. If you'd like to join us at the Perelmen center downtown for this great conversation and networking, please see the link in the comments!
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Michael Kaye reacted on thisMichael Kaye reacted on thisI’m so stinkin proud. We spent months on it and it shows. Two days and three rooms full of people I’m grateful for. 🗽 Tuesday morning was breakfast at @M Booth's new offices with Off the Record members. Thank you to Gab Ferree Meredith Klein and Margo Jones for the opportunity to share Muck Rack and Generative Pulse's new What is AI Reading? research. Tuesday night was the speaker dinner. Packed table, and Matt Dzugan. is the only co-host I want to host with. I had the privilege to open the Generative Pulse Summit by welcoming over 120 Communications leaders on Wednesday. My remarks drew on my time at The New York Times and the bet on trust that carried us through, because AI leans on the same thing when it decides who to believe about your company. I can't thank our incredible speakers for letting us dig into their brilliant minds Senka Hadzimuratovic Elana Widmann Alyssa Bernstein Michael Brito Emma Cosgrove Gabby Del Prete Jesse Dwyer Margot Edelman Gab Ferree Michael Lamp Jason Malatesta Molly McPherson Ellen Murphy Steve Rubel Alem Tedeneke. You made this event everything it was. David Tilove unmatched. The production and content and quality of this event blew my mind. Couldn't have done it without Alex A. Jessica Andrews Andrew Flynn Natan Edelsburg Gregory Galant Brian Maehl Vanessa Neurohr Lou Ciniglia Bailey (Self) Mark To every speaker, partner and guest, thank you. 👏 I'm so grateful to be a part of this comms community. 🫶
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Michael Kaye reacted on thisMichael Kaye reacted on thisI’m so excited to be stepping into a new role as PR Manager for SONIC! 💙✨ There’s so much I’m looking forward to, from bringing national campaigns to life to growing the brand's local PR efforts and finding new ways to create buzz, tap into culture, and give people even more reasons to love SONIC. A huge thank you to Sophie Merven and the Inspire PR Team for all of the support, encouragement, and guidance along the way. I’ve learned so much from this team and feel very grateful to have such amazing people in my corner. So excited for this next chapter! 🥤 🍔 🍒 🌭
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Michael Kaye reacted on thisMichael Kaye reacted on thisLast month, my position at NBCUniversal was eliminated, bringing an incredible chapter of my career to a close. Over the past 3 years, I've had the opportunity to work with some mega talented people across Access Hollywood, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Karamo, Wilkos, Maury and Jerry Springer. Together, we built new programming, experimented with creators and formats, grew audiences, and found new ways to turn awesome content into meaningful business results. I'm super proud of the teams I led and the creative risks we took along the way. While the entertainment industry seems to be imploding, what I love doing hasn't changed: figuring out what audiences care about, creating programming that connects with them, and building the teams and strategies that make it all happen. I'm excited to bring that experience to whatever comes next, whether that's building a creator-first media brand, developing original programming, or helping an established company rethink how it connects with audiences. And to my NBC peeps, thank you. It was an epic ride.
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Michael Kaye liked thisMichael Kaye liked thisCongratulations to the Rivian team and thank you to our new owners on a great Q3: Revenue up 38%, deliveries up 46% with R2 already our best selling vehicle in the quarter and raising guidance across all metrics! https://lnkd.in/gNcvQuy3Rivian reports upbeat Q3 results, boosts full-year guidance as R2 sales ramp upRivian reports upbeat Q3 results, boosts full-year guidance as R2 sales ramp up
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Michael Kaye liked thisMichael Kaye liked thisFour years ago on Halloween, I took a leap into the future of electric adventure with Rivian —and I’ve been breathing fire (or rather, regenerating volts) ever since! Halloween is my 4th Rivianniversary 🎃 ⚡ To celebrate, my dragon costume is on, my R1S and R2 are powered up, and I’m grateful for what an incredible ride it’s been so far. 🎃 When I first joined the Rivian family, the brand was a bold new frontier. Four years later, it’s amazing to see how the company & owner communities have grown, how our technology continues to evolve, and just how many of these incredible vehicles are now out on the road. 🎃 From daily drives to epic road trips, these vehicles have handled every adventure like absolute beasts. There’s truly nothing like the thrill of the performance, especially when you have the utility to match any wild idea (or costume!) you throw at it. 🎃 To all the awesome teams at Rivian (with a special shout out to the Comms team), the amazing owner communities, and the media who have helped us share the story of Rivian externally: THANK YOU for an epic four years & counting 🧡 Here’s to many more miles, more volts, and always keeping the adventures fun ⚡ #Rivianniversary #Rivian #Halloween
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Michael Kaye liked thisMichael Kaye liked thisOne of my favorite things about Lyft is that some of the smartest people I know are also the ones who bring the most joy to work. Case in point, Halloween. 🎃 🩷
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Michael Kaye reacted on thisMichael Kaye reacted on thisWhen I think about the last 3 years, I think about the people. The team we’ve built, the leaders I’ve partnered with, and the colleagues who have challenged my thinking and made the work a lot more fun. Leading technical and executive recruiting has given me a front-row seat to what makes this place special: smart, humble people tackling hard problems—and real opportunities to grow alongside them. Recently, that’s meant a new chapter for me, too: a promotion to Senior Director, Executive Recruiting & Talent Management! I’m excited to build on our executive recruiting work and help our leaders see—and pursue—what’s possible at Upstart. A particular thank-you to Taina Oquendo, Caroline Gundersen, and Rebecca (Gelenberg) Kidder—for your partnership, candor, encouragement, and trust. I’ve learned so much working with you, and I’m grateful for the ways you’ve helped me grow and take on this next chapter. I spend a good deal of time yapping with folks internally and externally about why Upstart is a great place to build a career. 3 years in, I get to speak from experience! Grateful for this team, proud of what we’ve built together, and excited for what’s ahead! Want to join? We're hiring :) https://lnkd.in/eSaX7QaA
Experience & Education
Volunteer Experience
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Community Member
Mixing Board, powered by Axios
- Present 4 years 1 month
Mixing Board is a community of communications and brand leaders that share knowledge with each other and organizations that can benefit from accessing members' expertise, experience and mentorship.
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Glass Leadership Institute Fellow
Anti-Defamation League
- 8 months
Civil Rights and Social Action
The Glass Leadership Institute (GLI) is the cornerstone leadership development program at ADL. GLI empowers young professionals to fight antisemitism and hate in their own communities and provides unique opportunities to explore ADL’s core mission, “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all.”
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Federal Club Member
Human Rights Campaign
- 5 years 5 months
Human Rights
Digital Communications Volunteer (2018-2018), Steering Committee Co-Chair (2018-2021), Board of Governors (2021-2023)
Honors & Awards
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Global In-House Professional of the Year Nominee
PRWeek
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Business Insider's Top PR Pro in Tech
Business Insider
https://www.businessinsider.com/top-public-relations-experts-in-the-technology-industry-2020-11?utmSource=twitter&utmContent=referral&utmTerm=topbar&referrer=twitter
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PRSA-NY 15 Under 35 Honorable Mention 2020
PRSA-NY
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Dinah Alobeid
One of my favorite conversations from our recent Outsmart Brooklyn event was a panel led by @Visier Inc.'s Chief Customer Officer and Chief Evangelist @Paul Rubenstein, where leaders from @Merck, @Prudential Financial and the analyst community dug into what the human side of AI really looks like heading into 2026. And not just because @Kyle Lagunas and the rest of the speakers kept the energy so high to close out an awesome day of learning. Paul just published a recap of that discussion, and a few themes have been sticking with me: 1️⃣ Managers are becoming the “last mile” of performance As AI takes routine work off the plate, managers aren’t managing tasks anymore. Instead, they’re coaching, prioritizing, and translating strategy into action. But most managers still don’t have the data or tools to do that well. The insight that hit home is if we want better employee experiences, we have to start by enabling better manager experiences. 2️⃣ AI works best as a partner, not a replacement The panel was clear that AI delivers real value when it’s embedded directly into the flow of work by answering questions, surfacing insights, and freeing up time, while humans stay accountable for judgment and outcomes. Governance and clarity around use cases are what turn AI from a “toy” into a trusted tool. 3️⃣ Workforce planning is no longer optional With roles changing faster than orgs can react, planning by skills, and not just headcount, is becoming essential. The idea of reframing workforce planning in business language really resonated as a way to make this capability stick.If you’re thinking about how to lead through AI-driven change without losing the human core of work, this is a thoughtful read. 👉 Read Paul’s full recap here: https://okt.to/nM8cCD CHROs and HR leaders: What trend are you most focused on as you plan for 2026?
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