Her Story
About Judi
I've dedicated my entire 35-year career to marketing communications because to me, marketing was always a dream job. I love how marketing, advertising, and communications all interconnect. Currently, I serve as Vice President of Communications and Business Development at Higginbotham, where I've been for about two and a half years after they recruited me from Lockton. I oversee 5 teams totaling about 60 people. My communication team executed over 8,500 jobs in 2025 and is on track for 9,500 this year. The business development team I created from the ground up has brought in about $20 million in new business since we started. I also implemented a full-scale print shop at Higginbotham, giving us complete control over how everything looks and when it's printed. Before joining Higginbotham, I spent nine and a half years at Lockton as VP of Employee Engagement, Communications, and Business Development, managing conferences, internal events, business development and communications. I made the move to Higginbotham during a difficult personal time after losing my dad to COVID and my mother to dementia, seeking a role that would allow me to care for her. My typical day involves checking in with all my teams every morning, then I might write or edit content, design materials, or meet with leadership to ensure we're on track. My main expertise is creativity in finding new and exciting ways of connecting with employees, clients, and prospects.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Judi
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to luck, 100%. Really, I don't think that I'm smarter than anybody else. You know, there's always somebody smarter or more creative, but I really work hard. I really, really work hard. And that's really it, just working harder than, I think, the next person. I hire people based on what I think their potential is, not what they've done or how well they interviewed. If I feel like their resume or discussion is built on work ethic, that's usually who I hire, and I think that making sure you hire people that work hard has helped with the success. I think it's the team that makes the victories.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
To oneself be true, like, just be the best version of yourself. I mean, it's a male-dominated industry, so you have to be just focused on your job and not letting anything get in your way. Working really hard is such an easy thing to say, it's a really hard thing to do. So work smart, work hard, you know, be as honest as you can. It's a lot easier to remember the truth than a fib. Keep your integrity.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge is making sure that our clients and their employees are treated fairly, and that we're giving them the best that they can give. Trying to communicate that is such a challenge, because a lot of people say those things, but they don't really mean those things. With AI and this new way of communication, I think just making sure that we stay on top of everybody and everything, being honest and transparent. On the opportunities side, I think when you're honest with people, it helps to win business and creates partnerships. It's more than just winning business, it's creating relationships and partnerships and helping people have better benefits for their employees, and I think those opportunities are there through communications, probably utilizing AI to do all that.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, values are transparency, work ethic, and fairness. Being fair is critical. I believe in cutting out the noise and getting right to the point. I don't play politics at all, not even a little bit. I'm very transparent in everything I do.
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