Meet Katie Settos, a force of curiosity, creativity, and energy in everything she does. As a Senior CSM, she thrives on variety, with one day strategizing with partners, the next coordinating with Product and Engineering to keep complex campaigns running seamlessly. She loves solving unique challenges, exploring new ideas, and learning something new every day. Outside the office, Katie brings the same adventurous spirit to life.
Read to learn more about this month’s Brain Behind Our Brand.
Pronouns: She/her
Role: Senior Client Success Manager, Platforms
Team: Business Development
How Long Have You Been at Cognitiv: 2.5 years
Inside The Office
What does a typical day in your role look like?
My job is to guide clients through the entire campaign lifecycle, so each day looks a little different based on their needs. Typically, I’m meeting with partners, reviewing performance insights and helping to strategize next steps. A lot of my time is spent coordinating with Product and Engineering to keep integrations and projects moving, while making sure clients have the clarity and support they need along the way.
What do you love most about your role?
It’s cliché - but I love that no two days are the same and that I am always learning. When you’re a part of a company that is constantly innovating, there’s a lot of firsts. That ambiguity can be challenging, but also, it’s incredibly stimulating and rewarding.
On the business development team, every partnership is unique. How do we accelerate our partners' success? How do we make two different technologies work seamlessly together? I love the collaborative and explorative nature of figuring out new, creative solutions — how could you ever be bored?
What's one thing you think will change in adtech in the next 5 years?
I’m eager to see how agentic AI transforms the campaign lifecycle. I think we’ll see chat- and prompt-based tools become even more prevalent. Then eventually, we’ll have true agents handling entire pieces of the process, like building media plans to generate insights, before we even ask.
That can feel a little daunting from a job security perspective, but I think it will also give us back time to be strategic, innovative, and build relationships.
What advice would you give to someone joining #TeamCognitiv?
Tap into the people around you, even if you don’t need to understand their work.
I think it’s rare to be at a company where even the most senior people value your opinion and never make you feel less than asking questions. If you reach out, they’ll find time in their busy schedules to teach you something new and you'll get exposure to areas you never expected. I’m extremely grateful for this unique culture.
Outside The Office
Is there a quote or piece of advice that has stuck with you throughout your career?
My boss, Jana, suggested that I cut bangs like Sabrina Carpenter. I took her advice and let her cut my hair in the bathroom at work. I will never take that advice again. I did not look like Sabrina Carpenter.
In all seriousness, it’s Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle. Starting with the why allows you to clarify your purpose and establish common ground much quicker.
If you could switch roles with someone at Cognitiv for a day, who would it be and why?
Jennifer Newman, our Director of Product. Jennifer has a really strong understanding of what the industry is demanding right now, and she knows how to shape our products accordingly. She's incredibly creative, so I would love to watch her process of iterating ideas and working with engineering to build products like ContextGPT and Personas.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love good food, camping, mysteries, board games, and theme parties.
What's a skill or hobby you've learned recently?
Whist. It’s a 4-person card game played in pairs where you bet how many hands you’ll win as a team… without knowing each other's cards.
Rapid-Fire Questions
- Coffee or tea? Coffee
- Morning person or night owl? Neither. I’m always tired!
- Favorite vacation spot? Costa Rica
- Favorite book or movie? Kill Bill
Team Shoutouts
“Katie has been with Cognitiv for just over two years, though it feels like she’s been a core part of the team for much longer. Her humor, positivity, and sharp thinking elevate everything she touches. Most recently, she brings this energy to the Business Development team, supporting our custom and strategic partnerships. She’s become truly invaluable and the team and clients all love working with her.” —Jana Jakovljevic, SVP, Partnerships
“Katie was an incredible manager who consistently supported my growth and confidence. She taught me crucial skills that strengthened both my work and my mindset, and I always felt like she was genuinely in my corner. Her impact on our team, and on me personally, was truly positive and lasting.” —Radvile Vaiciulyte, Sr. Associate Client Success Manager
