Digital agency R/GA named Julie Andrews as its new leader for its Portland office.
Andrews replaces Tara Moss, who had led the office since 2018. The Portland outpost for the New York-based firm has more than 50 employees and has been around for eight years. Moss left to start something new, according to the company.
Andrews was most recently executive production director at R/GA’s San Francisco office. While there she helped integrate the agency’s San Francisco and Los Angeles offices into one California production team.
“Julie has been an instrumental leader at R/GA for several years,” said David Corns, executive vice president and managing director of the U.S. for R/GA, in a written statement. “Julie built new models and approaches to allow R/GA California to manage its significant growth and new business wins, led multiple client engagements and helped shape the culture and thinking.”
R/GA works with brands on innovation, brand design, organizational design, experience and marketing. The company first opened in Portland to serve Nike, one of its major clients. The office has since expanded to serve other clients as well.
It has also launched two of its studio programs out of its Portland office. These are similar to an accelerator and works with startups to refine ideas and products for wider launch. In 2018, R/GA launched Leap Venture Studio, a program aimed at pet care startups. That same year, it announced the Oregon Enterprise Blockchain Studio, designed to create expertise around blockchain technology here in Oregon.
“The talent in the Portland office is absolutely phenomenal,” Andrews said in a written statement. “For a city that was especially hit hard last year by civil unrest and protests during the pandemic, the team put out work that has so much heart and soul that I’m encouraged and inspired. I plan to relocate with my family in September.”
Within R/GA, Andrews co-founded and chairs the firm’s Black Leadership Coalition. She is the first LGBTQIA+ and Black executive to lead an office within the R/GA global network, the company said.
