Shauna Smith — Marketing Executive & Consultant

Cincinnati, OH · Available remotely · Willing to travel

About

The strategic layer
most companies are missing.

I've spent 12 years inside some of the most demanding marketing organizations in tech — building teams, scaling, and turning marketing functions into revenue engines. At Amazon Web Services I built a 14-person team from the ground up. At Elastic I scaled a global virtual events program into the company's #2 revenue-generating marketing channel. At The Knot Worldwide I delivered $90M in attributed revenue while consistently hitting 100%+ of pipeline goals.

What I've learned is that most growing B2B SaaS companies don't need more marketing execution — they need someone who has been in the room, who can connect marketing to a board-level growth narrative, and who knows what "great" looks like because they've seen it built at scale.

That's what I bring as a marketing strategist and advisor: enterprise-level marketing leadership with a specific focus on demand generation, pipeline marketing, and building the operational foundations that let teams scale.

Education

MBA · Ohio University
MS, Sport Administration · Ohio University
BS, Sport Administration · University of Cincinnati

Specialty

Demand Generation & Revenue Marketing · Business Strategy · Growth Marketing · Leadership

Industries

B2B SaaS · Tech · Marketplaces

Engagement type

Fractional · Interim · Advisory · Consulting · Contract

Results

What it looks like
when marketing works.

The Knot Worldwide

$90M

Marketing-attributed new business revenue

Led B2B demand generation across 40+ integrated campaigns combining paid search, paid social, email, SEO, webinars, and events. Consistently achieved 100%+ of MQL and pipeline goals from 2023–2025.

Demand genPipelineTeam leadership

Elastic

$500M

Pipeline influenced as Global Director

Transformed the virtual events function into Elastic's #2 revenue-generating channel — 30% of total marketing-sourced results. Scaled to 200+ webinars annually across AMER, EMEA, and APAC.

Virtual eventsGlobal scaleRevenue channel

Amazon Web Services

$14M

Pipeline from a single redesigned program

Redesigned the Solution-Focused Immersion Day program, enabling 175+ events and a 30% YoY pipeline increase with 50% cost savings. Built and led a 14-person team from scratch.

Field marketingTeam buildingEfficiency

The Knot Worldwide

400%

YoY website traffic after SEO-led relaunch

Led the relaunch of the WeddingPro website with improved UX and SEO architecture, driving 215% MoM traffic growth post-launch and 400% YoY — transforming it into a consistent inbound channel.

SEOWeb strategyInbound

The Knot Worldwide

$3.3M

Influenced pipeline from email nurture alone

Launched an email nurture series that drove $2.6M in closed-won revenue with a 12.8% MQA-to-close rate — 73% above benchmark. Lifecycle marketing tied directly to revenue outcomes.

Email marketingLifecycleConversion

Amazon Web Services

360K+

Attendees from virtual pivot in 2020

Led the AMER pivot to virtual programming: 214K engaged leads (+95% YoY), 37.7K MQLs (+150% YoY), and 1.8K SQLs (+185% YoY). Launched Exec Connect which drove $8.5M in pipeline.

Virtual eventsMQL growthExecutive programs

What colleagues say

Trusted by the people
who've seen it firsthand.

The Knot Worldwide

Shauna brings a rare combination of strategic clarity, deep B2B expertise, and calm operational excellence that elevates every team and initiative she touches. Any organization would be lucky to have Shauna leading growth and championing the level of alignment, thoughtfulness, and excellence she brings to every role.

Katie Miller Bero

Marketing Strategy & Operations Leader · Advisor to CMOs & Executives

The Knot Worldwide

When it comes to demand generation, Shauna is a force. She consistently delivers programs that move the needle — bringing in the right audiences, improving funnel performance, and driving meaningful revenue impact. Her ability to combine creativity with rigorous analysis makes her an invaluable strategic partner.

Jordan Sullins (Fanelli)

Director, Vendor Marketing Operations · The Knot Worldwide

Elastic

Shauna is one of the most talented marketing professionals I've had the pleasure to work with. She is known as a customer-focused, strategic thinker who effectively grasps the big picture and skillfully builds strategies aligned with business goals. Shauna is an invaluable addition to any marketing organization who is lucky enough to have her.

Tabitha Scatena

Senior Director, Global Campaigns · Yext (reported to Shauna at Elastic)

The Knot Worldwide

Shauna is deeply data-driven — she dives into the numbers to optimize campaigns, refine strategies, and make smarter, faster decisions that directly impact pipeline growth. Her ability to balance strategy with execution, vision with detail, and leadership with approachability truly sets her apart.

Caroline Chaves

Demand Generation Marketing · Olo (reported to Shauna directly)

The Knot Worldwide

Shauna helped the team see around corners, identifying the right opportunities and shaping B2B strategies that not only drive measurable results but also elevate the organization's long-term trajectory. Her collaborative leadership style builds trust across functions and aligns stakeholders around a shared goal.

Michelle Carswell, MBA, PMP

Research & Insights Leader · Corporate Strategy (worked alongside Shauna)

The Knot Worldwide

Working for Shauna has been one of the most refreshing experiences of my career. She is a leader that will always have your back, creating an environment where you feel both supported and empowered. Her compassion, understanding, and empathy make her not only an exceptional manager, but an inspiring example of a people-first leader.

Gabrielle Wells

Senior Integrated Marketing Manager · WeddingPro (reported to Shauna)

The Knot Worldwide

Among the many kind words I have for Shauna, one particularly stands out: "Strategic." Her ability to create strategies implemented by entire teams, establish cross-channel playbooks, and leverage business results make Shauna a gifted and skilled marketer. Her warmth, consistency, kindness, and clarity make her a wonderful colleague.

Esther Lee

Editorial Director · The Knot Worldwide (mentored by Shauna)

Elastic

If you're looking for a fierce leader to revolutionize your webinar and virtual event strategy, it's Shauna. I watched her build a successful and scalable program across multiple regions with a very small and mighty team. She's a brilliant and inspiring individual who is a great advocate for her team.

Rachel Sebastian

Growth Marketing and Campaigns Leader (worked alongside Shauna at Elastic)

Amazon Web Services

Shauna is an incredible leader. During my time on her team, her leadership allowed me to develop exponentially and her in-depth experience in the marketing space made me a much stronger marketer. She fostered a collaborative, results-driven environment and allowed her team to shine as we surpassed our goals.

Sydney Edmundson

Events & Experiences · Stripe (reported to Shauna at AWS)