Mashari Perry ’02 knows what she wants and goes after it full speed. She has her life mapped out on a white board — beginning at age 21 when she graduated from JWU and continuing through age 40 when she plans on retiring. So far, she says, she’s right on track.
In the work world, Perry climbed the ladder from account coordinator for Publicis Dialog in New York to her current position as senior account manager at Radarworks in Seattle. There were other ad agency stops along the way. “I’ve moved around quite a bit. It’s really helped me move up quickly.” Her impressive list of clients includes Microsoft, Nike, REI and United Way. Perry realized while in high school that she wanted an advertising career. She joined DECA and the American Marketing Association and met people in the industry. “I kind of just fell in love with marketing and advertising… I just knew exactly what I wanted to do.”
Her educational and career accomplishments since have been impressive. She graduated with a 3.82 GPA, finished her B.S. in marketing communications in three years, and in 2002 was chosen as one of the American Advertising Federation’s “Most Promising Minority Students.”
Perry’s advice for anyone who wants to get ahead in advertising is to join industry-related clubs, and network. She has served on the Ad Club Seattle Board of Directors since 2004 and developed Future Advertising Professionals, an urban high school outreach program. Perry thinks students should do as many internships as possible to gain real life experience. “By the time I graduated I had done about four different internships that really built up my résumé. It allows you to gain that experience so you can be above the competition when it comes time to interview.”