Ileana Lagares is a marketing leader who builds brands, campaigns and experiences at the intersection of culture, audience and storytelling.

With more than 15 years of experience in entertainment and multicultural marketing, she has developed integrated strategies that connect brand, media, creative, partnerships, social and experiential to reach audiences in meaningful and measurable ways.

As Vice President, Multicultural Marketing at HBO and HBO Max, Ileana helped build HBO’s Multicultural Marketing department into an award-winning, industry-leading organization. She led a 10-person team and managed a $32 million annual marketing budget, overseeing strategy and execution across series, films, documentaries, specials and brand initiatives. Her work spanned some of HBO’s most culturally influential properties, including Insecure, Watchmen, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Los Espookys.

Ileana’s work is grounded in the belief that the strongest marketing does more than generate awareness. It creates connection and gives audiences a reason to participate. She spearheaded InsecureFest, transforming a television premiere into an immersive cultural experience, and led the campaign for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which resulted in the commissioning of the only known portrait of Lacks by artist Kadir Nelson, now part of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

Beyond individual campaigns, Ileana has built long-term brand platforms and audience initiatives including Scene in Black, Our Stories to Tell and the APA Visionaries short film competition. These programs brought together audience strategy, content, media, partnerships, talent, community and experiential marketing to build lasting relationships between brands and the people they serve.

What distinguishes Ileana is her ability to move fluidly between the big picture and the details required to make it happen. She brings together cultural insight, strategic rigor and creative thinking with the operational discipline to lead complex, cross-functional work at scale. Her experience spans integrated marketing, media strategy, audience development, cultural marketing, partnerships and experiential activation.

Today, Ileana partners with companies, community organizations and creators on brand strategy, cultural marketing, audience engagement and integrated campaigns. She is particularly interested in work that brings people together, elevates compelling stories and creates experiences that become part of the culture itself.

AWARDS

2018: American Advertising Federation, Mosaic Media Image Award - Gold, Alternative Media Form - The HeLa Project, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

2018: National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, EMMA, Gold - Insecuritea Podcast series, Insecure

2020: Biz Bash Best Events of the Decade: Best Cultural/ Multicultural Event - Our Stories to Tell: Los Angeles

2021: Webby Award - Podcasts Television & Film - Insecure, InsecuriTEA

2021: Webby Award - Podcasts Entertainment (Limited Series & Specials), People’s Voice - Insecure, InsecuriTEA

2022: Shorty Award -, Multiplatform Campaign, Multicultural Community Engagement - Asian Pacific American Visionaries Short Film Competition

2023: National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, Luminary

2023: Biz Bash Award, Best Virtual Cultural/Multicultural Campaign - AAPI “Champion the Bold”