Editor’s Note: Supporting women should not be limited to a month. So at Reel 360 News, we have decided to amplify and promote dynamic women’s voices all year long. Today, let us introduce you to American Haiku Head of Operations, Christine DiStasio.
Christine is an accomplished advertising professional with over a decade of experience in digital media, project management, and creative operations. A graduate of NYU with a double major in Cinema Studies and Journalism, Christine began her career in digital media, honing her skills in various roles from writer to editorial/executive assistant with a focus on Entertainment content before making her transition into advertising in 2018.
Her journey in advertising led her to Droga5, where she made significant contributions as a Group Project Manager, particularly in leading the Meta Olympics campaign in 2021. She’s played an integral role in managing campaigns for major brands like HBO, J.P. Morgan Chase, and HP, while also focusing on supporting the growth of new project managers. She also served as the New Business PM lead at Droga5 for nearly three years, helping to shape project plans and proposals during the agency pitch process.
In late 2024, Christine joined creative agency American Haiku as Head of Operations where she leads agency operations and growth. She also manages the Yahoo client relationship and recently led development and launch of the agency’s first Super Bowl campaign with the brand ‘Email Bill’.
Let’s meet Christine!
What’s your origin story?
I grew up in the Hudson Valley, NY and have been lucky to be raised by parents who have always gone above and beyond to support and cheer me on. Including but not limited to being there for seven high school musical and drama productions and letting me commute to NYC alone to take acting lessons, not panicking when I decided in the eighth grade that I was going to go to NYU and not really considering anywhere else (this was, against all odds, a successful strategy), to when I decided last year to leave my job at a big company and take the jump into my current role for an opportunity to build something new and exciting. I was always extremely determined and focused on pushing myself and I still am today.
How did you break into advertising?
I found my way to Advertising and, specifically, project management/operations almost by accident. My first job out of college was at a very early-stage digital media startup for millennial women, where I started as an Editorial/Executive Assistant and wrote, and then moved into an editor role when they launched their own app.
After a few years, while I was managing partnership takeovers for the app with talent and brands and considering what might be next for me, one of my friends suggested that I look into advertising project management roles because I was already doing that type of work.
My big break? I responded to a Facebook post about an open PM role at a small agency called Deep Focus, got an interview, and shortly after got the job. I joined the team on their HBO account, which at the time was focused on developing their brand voice on social – it was really fun work and a great team and client that wasn’t afraid to take risks. The rest is history.
Who were your mentors, and how did they influence your journey?
I feel very lucky to have always been surrounded by incredible mentors and talented peers. Having spent a lot of my career in a project management role, I’ve been able to learn from people across all of the agency disciplines. Working closely with people and seeing how they lead teams, their approaches to building relationships, and how they embrace what they bring to the room informed how I created space for myself in that context and how I began to think about my future professionally.
I also have so many close friends who really embody the concept of betting on yourself and have confidence in their intuition when it comes to making career moves. When I was making the decision to move into my current role, they were some of the best mentors (and supporters) I could’ve hoped for.
What fuels your creativity? (What keeps you pushing boundaries in your work?)
Being surrounded by and working with people who inspire me – whether it be professional or seeing friends and family pursue their careers or hobbies.
What’s the biggest myth about women in your field?
That we can be pushovers and it’s hard for us to stand up for ourselves. We may not break easily, but that doesn’t mean we don’t each have our own set of boundaries and limits.
Name a creative risk you took that paid off.
Maybe not an overtly creative risk, but deciding to leave a big agency last year and taking on my new role at American Haiku. I knew it was the right time, but took some soul searching and confidence on a personal level to make the move.
The creative part of it came once I started doing the work, taking on new responsibilities, and learning how to leverage information and skills that I already had differently. My job is different every day and I get to play a lot of roles at this stage of the company’s growth which is exciting and creatively stimulating for me.
What’s your take on the rise of AI?
It’s here to stay, and we’ll have to make peace with that. From the handful of times I’ve used it, I can acknowledge that it hasthe potential to be incredibly helpful. I just hope it can continue to be a complementary tool and not a replacement for certain skill sets, specifically in the creative world.
What’s a piece of advice from another woman you carry with you?
My mom always tells me, “don’t make yourself sick over it.” I’m learning (slowly) that succeeding doesn’t have to mean perfection in every situation.
Are you rebooting Soul Train, American Bandstand or MTV Spring Break?
American Bandstand 100%
How do you balance ambition with self-care?
I’m not sure I’ve perfected the balance just yet, but I’m trying. Since I’ve been working full time from home, one thing I’ve been intentional about is getting outside every morning for fresh air and a walk around my neighborhood. It’s not groundbreaking, but it helps clear and wake up my mind before I start the day.
You’re writing a memoir. What’s the title?
Can I Just Say One Thing…
Go to Karaoke song.
People are always very surprised to learn that I absolutely love karaoke (probably the former high school theater kid in me) so I have a long list of go-tos, but top of the list will always be Cher’s If I Could Turn Back Time.
In 10 years, what do you hope to look back and say you changed?
I’d like to look back and say that I was able to grow and adapt gracefully to whatever the industry looks like in ten years. And to have been able to mentor and provide opportunities for the next generation of women because of it.
Christine’s Socials:
Instagram: @ChristineDistasio, @American.Haiku
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-distasio/,
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