Jess Kirkman is an award-winning creative executive with over 20 years of experience shaping global brands at the intersection of culture, design, and storytelling. As Global Head of Brand Creative at Mattel, she leads the creative vision for both the Mattel Masterbrand and Mattel Creations, the company’s direct-to-consumer platform for adult collectors, bringing to life collaborations, drops, and experiences that connect with fans in unexpected ways.
Her career spans both agency and in-house leadership, with past roles including Executive Creative Director at Taco Bell, where she helped redefine the brand through culture-driven work, and earlier leadership positions at Publicis agencies, creating for clients like Google, Visa, and JetBlue. Across her work, she is known for building brand systems that scale globally while still feeling emotionally resonant and culturally relevant.
Jess is equally passionate about how creative work gets made. She is known for cultivating environments where teams feel inspired, supported, and empowered to bring bold ideas to the table.
Outside of her role, she is a visual artist with a daily studio practice. Working in alcohol inks, resin, and encaustic wax, she creates abstract, expressive pieces and shares her process with a community of over 65K creatives, encouraging others to trust their instincts and create more freely.