Next Creative Leaders
Next Creative Leaders is a portfolio competition that identifies, celebrates, and gives a global platform to talented women and non-binary creatives who are making their mark on the world with both their work and a unique point of view on creative leadership.

Next Creative Leaders 2021

Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Art Director / Copywriter
Droga5
New York, NY, United States
Cara Mia Cecchini and Mia Rafowitz (Cara + Mia, for short) are an award-winning creative team out of New York City at Droga5 - recently named Agency of the Decade by Adweek and Ad Age. Together, they’ve been navigating the ever-changing waters of the business as partners for nearly six years, making a name for themselves at top-level agencies.
Their work has been featured at Sundance and SXSW, as well as internationally awarded, recognized by Cannes, D&AD, Adweek, The Webbys, and more. But Cara Mia and Mia share more than a friendship, a work ethic and the same first and middle name. Together, they share the belief that equality across every aspect of marketing should be seen, heard and listened to. This ethos has found it’s way into each campaign they’ve worked on, and they are most excited by the projects that allow marginalized voices to break out of category norms in an honest and irreverent way.
They are looking forward to continuing to grow as creatives and people in today’s landscape by learning, listening and embracing new perspectives around them as they take on larger leadership roles in the coming years.



Award:
2021 NCL Winner's Work NCL Winner
Agency:
Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Client:
NCL 2021 | Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Title:
Adore Me
Category:
NCL 2021
Annual ID:
NCL21_27_10

Award:
2021 NCL Winner's Work NCL Winner
Agency:
Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Client:
NCL 2021 | Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Title:
#LaborDayOn
Category:
NCL 2021
Annual ID:
NCL21_27_20

Award:
2021 NCL Winner's Work NCL Winner
Agency:
Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Client:
NCL 2021 | Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Title:
The Greatest Stories (Re)told
Category:
NCL 2021
Annual ID:
NCL21_27_30

Award:
2021 NCL Winner's Work NCL Winner
Agency:
Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Client:
NCL 2021 | Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Title:
Bose "It's Beautiful Up Here"
Category:
NCL 2021
Annual ID:
NCL21_27_40
North America Regional Winners

Cara Mia Cecchini & Mia Rafowitz
Art Director / Copywriter
Droga5
New York, NY, United States

Michaela McCrink & Raegan Allsbrook
Creatives
Facebook
San Francisco, CA, United States

Pam Danowski
Creative Director
GUT Toronto
Toronto, Canada

Dominique Wynne
Associate Creative Director
Spotify
Los Angeles / New York, United States

Emma Zakes Green
Senior Copywriter
TBWA \ Chiat \ Day
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Latin America Regional Winners

Leticia Rodrigues & Heloisa Ribeiro
Associate Creative Directors
FCB Brazil
São Paulo, Brazil

Paula Essig
Senior Art Director
AKQA
São Paulo, Brazil

Gabi Marcatto
Associate Creative Director
GUT
São Paulo, Brazil

Eduarda Nieto
Senior Designer / Art Director
AKQA Sweden
Rio de janeiro, Brazil
Europe Regional Winners

Laura Aondio & Francesca Vitello
Art Director / Copywriter
Marcel
Paris, France

Jessica Giles
Associate Creative Director
FCB Inferno
Covent Garden, United Kingdom

Sarah Gong-Guy Lefkowith
Creative Director
Creature
London, United Kingdom

Erika Reyes Angel
Art Director
BETC
Paris, France
Middle East/Africa Regional Winners

Nadia Deghayli
Associate Creative Director
Leo Burnett Beirut
San Pedro, Ivory Coast

Teresa Nyamorambo Makori
Associate Creative Director
Isobar - Dentsu Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya

Hyun Seo Yoo
Senior Creative
TikTok
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Asia Pacific Regional Winners

Ellie Dunn
Senior Copywriter
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia

Nopparath Eksuwancharoen
Creative Director / Head of Art
SOUR Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand

Pooja Manek
Creative Director
Dentsu Webchutney
Bengaluru, India
