Her Story
About Tricia
Tricia Aldridge is a results-driven leader in digital advertising operations, currently serving as Director of News12 Digital Ad Ops at Optimum Media in the New York City Metropolitan Area. In this role, she leads the monetization strategy for News12’s digital properties and OTT streaming platform, News 12 New York. Tricia ensures seamless campaign execution for display, video, and CTV, while focusing on operational efficiency. She manages a team of ad operations professionals while overseeing strategic partnerships with SSPs and key vendors, and has recently led initiatives to automate inventory backfilling—resulting in meaningful revenue gains. Known for her ability to translate complex tech into clear business value, Tricia is analytical, yet personable. She collaborates with sales, legal, and engineering teams to ensure product offerings are marketable, privacy compliant, and scalable. Tricia’s career journey reflects continuous growth and transformation. She began her professional path in finance before making a pivotal transition into ad tech and media in 2017 through MediaMath’s highly selective Marketing Engineer Program. That immersive experience provided a rare blend of technical depth and strategic vision, sparking her passion for programmatic advertising. Tricia was fascinated by the innovative, new media landscape and the possibility that she could combine two of her passions, math and psychology. She went on to build her expertise at Townsquare Media, where she spent over two years focused on programmatic media buying for hyper-local and regional clients in various verticals. Seeking broader exposure, she joined Amnet Programmatic Experts for Dentsu Aegis Network as a Senior Manager, where she supported large-scale initiatives for The Home Depot account, further deepening her industry knowledge. Over the past six and a half years at Optimum Media, Tricia has advanced through multiple leadership roles across programmatic and media buying, including Director of Programmatic Strategy, where she oversaw and optimized more than $40 million in annual spend across B2C, B2B, and mobile channels. She leads high-performing teams and consistently delivers data-driven solutions that align business goals with market opportunities. Tricia holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Connecticut School of Business and brings a global perspective to her work, complemented by a semester abroad in Italy and genuine interest in other cultures.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tricia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to staying hungry and eager to learn, while constantly reassessing opportunity areas. Just because something has been done one way, that does not mean it's the best way. My former consulting experience really instilled this mindset. You should always try to provide value and be able to quantify that value. I've learned a lot about juggling and priorities, especially over the past five years, and I believe that staying adaptable and willing to take initiative has played a major role in my professional growth.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Some of the most valuable pieces of career advice I’ve received came from two of my mentors, Adam Yamaguchi and Jim Hoffman, who both played significant roles in shaping my professional growth. They emphasized the importance of staying intentional about my development—seeking out opportunities to learn, being open to feedback, and consistently challenging myself to grow beyond my comfort zone. Doing right by my employees, the company mission, and myself was something they always enforced as well. Their guidance taught me that success is not just about technical skills, but also about building strong relationships, maintaining integrity, and approaching each opportunity with purpose and accountability.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would urge young women to constantly stay curious. If you don't know what your colleagues do on a day to day basis, find out. Does it make sense for you to collaborate? I think there is always room for improvement with cross-collaboration. So my advice is to stay curious and don't be afraid to challenge the status quo.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think it's just a challenging workplace for a lot of people in general. The consolidation aspect in the media industry, as well as tech and other fields, is daunting and scary to a lot of people, myself included. The increasing utilization of AI is exciting, but not fully 'known'. I think there is also opportunity in this. It opens up new partnerships and collaborations with other companies and vendors. There's always room for people to benefit from each other and contribute to a larger goal, so I see it as both a challenge and an opportunity at the same time.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
At work, inclusion is incredibly important to me. Everyone can learn from someone else. As leaders, we need to create environments where our teams can thrive. Personally, family is incredibly important to me. I have two young children, ages 2 and 5, and they keep my husband and I busy. We love to be outdoors and go on mini trips and adventures. I value staying active and have always been very into sports. One of my personal goals is to get into a more concrete exercise routine. I'm in that busy season with my kids but prioritize making sure I'm present for my family while also pursuing professional growth.
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