Fuse Green once said…

“you can’t fake fresh.”

Shannon Washington is an
award-winning creative director, creative business leader, brand builder and culturist.

Shannon Washington builds brands that move culture—and she's who leaders call when they're trying to figure out what's next.

As Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner of 11 Ounces, Shannon is redefining how sports, entertainment, and brand storytelling collide. She advises teams, athletes, and companies at inflection points—the ones ready to take creative risks and reimagine what they're building. "After two decades of folks betting on me to win for them, I bet on myself," she says of her move to the independent agency world.

Shannon is known for turning organizations around—culturally, creatively, and commercially. As the New York Creative Leader turned US Chief Creative Officer at R/GA, she reshaped the flagship office during the pandemic and reduced attrition while winning over $30M in new business—including TurboTax, IPG's second-largest win in 2023. At Gotham/McCann, she transformed a 30-year beauty specialist into a full-stack creative powerhouse, delivering the agency's first Webby and Clio Awards while opening new categories and revenue streams.

Fast Company calls her "a go-to creative mind for corporate brands that want to weave no-nonsense, inclusive messaging into their campaigns." The AdAge jury that named her 2023 Chief Creative Officer of the Year praised her ability to create work that "puts people at the center" and addresses "an emotional need." Her work—from the Ad Council's "The Gentle Giant" to Sephora's "Black Beauty is Beauty"—demonstrates her gift for distilling complex cultural conversations into campaigns that actually land.

Beyond creative excellence, Shannon creates new ways of working for independent brands, advises fellow leaders on creative operations and serves as an independent beauty, finance and cultural SME for brands and agencies alike.

Howard University graduate. New Yorker in suburban exile.

Selected Recognition

  • AICP Curator. 2025, 2023

  • ANDY Global Jury. 2024, 2026

  • AdAge Chief Creative Officer of The Year. 2023

  • Cannes Lions Jury President, Mobile. 2023

  • Cannes Lions Juror, Mobile. 2022

  • Fast Company, Most Creative People. 2022

  • AdWeek 100, 2020

  • ADCOLOR + One Club Creative of The Year, 2018

Notable Features