Smartly Executive and Leadership Team

Melissa Cheals, the Chief Executive Officer at Smartly, directs the overarching corporate strategy and long-term vision for digital advertising automation. Overseeing global market expansion, the Chief Executive Officer ensures alignment between product innovation and the evolving needs of international brands. This leadership role involves constant collaboration with the Board to maintain competitive positioning within the ad-tech landscape. By driving operational excellence across all departments, Melissa Cheals directly impacts the company's ability to scale complex advertising workflows. The Chief Executive Officer prioritizes sustainable growth while fostering a culture of technical agility. Through rigorous oversight of financial performance and market penetration, Cheals secures the company's status as a leader in automated campaign management. This executive leadership ensures that every strategic initiative supports the core mission of simplifying multi-platform advertising for enterprise clients worldwide.

Kelly Uphoff, the Chief Technology Officer at Smartly, architects the scalable infrastructure required to automate and optimize digital advertising campaigns. Managing the engineering teams, the Chief Technology Officer drives the development of proprietary algorithms that enhance ad performance across multiple platforms. This role involves close coordination with product leadership to integrate cutting-edge machine learning capabilities into the existing software suite. By overseeing the technical roadmap, Kelly Uphoff ensures that the platform remains robust enough to handle massive data volumes for global clients. The Chief Technology Officer maintains high standards for system reliability and security, which are critical for maintaining client trust in the ad-tech sector. Uphoff continuously evaluates emerging technologies to keep the company at the forefront of digital advertising innovation. Through technical leadership, Uphoff supports the company's commitment to delivering high-performance automation tools.

Mayda Saldana, the Product Chief of Staff at Smartly, coordinates cross-functional initiatives to streamline the product development lifecycle. Managing internal workflows, the Product Chief of Staff ensures that engineering and design teams remain synchronized with the broader company vision for advertising automation. This role involves facilitating communication between executive leadership and product managers to prioritize feature releases that drive maximum value for brands. By optimizing operational processes, Mayda Saldana directly impacts the speed and efficiency of product delivery. The Product Chief of Staff monitors key performance indicators to assess the success of new product launches and identifies areas for continuous improvement. Saldana maintains a focus on aligning product capabilities with the specific needs of the global advertising market. Through meticulous project management, Saldana ensures that the company consistently delivers high-quality solutions that simplify complex multi-platform campaign management.

Kate Barney, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Smartly, directs the talent acquisition and organizational development strategies necessary to support a high-growth tech company. Overseeing global recruitment and employee engagement, the Chief Human Resources Officer ensures that the workforce possesses the specialized skills required to innovate in the digital advertising space. This leadership role involves designing comprehensive training programs that foster technical expertise and professional growth. By cultivating a high-performance culture, Kate Barney directly impacts the company's ability to attract and retain top-tier talent across international regions. The Chief Human Resources Officer collaborates with other executives to align human capital strategies with the company's long-term business objectives. Barney manages complex organizational structures to maintain operational efficiency as the company scales. Through strategic workforce planning, Barney ensures that the organization remains agile and capable of meeting the demands of the competitive ad-tech industry.