Cindy F Machles (COM’80)

Cindy has long been a leader and a pioneer. In the corporate world, she adopted an entrepreneurial mindset, becoming one of the first to apply marketing principles from consumer-packaged goods to healthcare. This forward-thinking approach uncovered an unmet need, prompting her to create and lead an independent unit within WPP that developed branding for prescription products. In parallel, she was appointed as Grey Healthcare Group’s Global Practice Leader, where she raised the bar for strategic thinking and delivery across the group’s global offices within 24 months.

Driven to further disrupt the industry, Cindy partnered with longtime collaborator Alan Rothenberg to launch Glue Advertising and Public Relations in 2014. They reimagined the agency model, making it more strategic, innovative, nimble, and accountable. Under their leadership, Glue has been a top 20 NYC agency since 2017 and a recognized global digital agency. Cindy herself was named a top-100 entrepreneur and innovator in 2022.

In 2019, Cindy embraced the cutting-edge trend of AI, joining SQREEM as a US consultant for the Singapore-based media company. The following year, she became the Chief Marketing Officer of SecureCHEK AI, leveraging AI to streamline MLR processes in the life sciences and medical devices sectors, thereby boosting efficiency and profitability. Cindy also serves on the board of Cheista, a private company that utilizes AI to automate reimbursement and enhance commercial and patient outcomes.

A trailblazer for women’s empowerment, Cindy was featured in “Surrounded by Awesome Women” and “Founded by Women” and has spoken at the “Founded by Women” Conference on personal branding. As a mentor and board member for the Chicago Booth Angels Network in Chicago and New York, and an advisor to startups within the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center and at Springboard Enterprises, Cindy is committed to helping new ventures thrive.

With a summa cum laude BS from Boston University and an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, Cindy’s career spans both agency and client-side roles, starting with brand management at Revlon, Clorox, and Johnson & Johnson. She has remained involved in academia as a guest lecturer in branding and marketing at NYU and Columbia University.