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Lauren Hirsch-Williams
has a unique blend of backgrounds—from being a Fortune 100 corporate executive to entrepreneur and consultant. Her expertise lies in understanding the creative path to best reach consumers and motivate them to action. With over 30 years of experience in brand strategy, creative execution, and production excellence, she brings a wealth of knowledge to consumer-driven projects.

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After starting her career in the advertising agency media world, Lauren became Worldwide Director of Advertising and Consumer Communications at PepsiCo—an elite role held by only a handful of individuals. She was accountable for overseeing brand and corporate advertising for Frito-Lay’s 15+ brands, including Doritos, Tostitos, Lays, Ruffles, and Cheetos, among dozens of others. Her scope of work included strategic and creative direction across more than 40 countries.

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In that role, she was part of the pioneering team that introduced product placement to the entertainment industry as an innovative alternative to traditional advertising. This began with her Hollywood studio-related work on high-profile, Oscar-nominated films such as Rainman (featuring Cheetos as Dustin Hoffman’s “crutch” in the film) and Back to the Future, which prominently featured Pepsi and Doritos products.

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She was responsible for over $250 million in production budgets supporting $1B+ in media spending and spearheaded a massively successful advertising platform credited with an 11% increase on a billion-dollar brand—Doritos. Lauren also led aggressive and creative marketing campaigns for both large-scale and niche businesses with excellence in consumer communications including packaging design, PR, outdoor media, and traditional TV, print, and radio.

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As an entrepreneur, Lauren co-founded and launched MovieHatch.com in 2007, a pioneering online crowdsourcing platform addressing a longstanding challenge in the film industry—greenlighting projects based on guesswork. By securing audience feedback before production investment, MovieHatch enhanced project ROI and built strong digital communities. Today, it offers more than 10 training programs to help aspiring creatives master the business side of entertainment.

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In her consulting career, Lauren has provided strategic guidance in consumer insights and communications across a wide range of industries—spanning online gaming, consumer packaged goods, tech, and artificial intelligence. She has continuously bridged the gap between storytelling, innovation, and actionable results in both digital and traditional spaces.

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Now, with her deep background in brand influence, media innovation, and storytelling that moves audiences, Lauren Hirsch-Williams is a powerful asset to The Light Must Unite – Opioid Awareness Foundation. Her expertise is instrumental in shaping compelling national campaigns, designing high-impact awareness strategies, and guiding public service messaging to reach communities most affected by addiction. With a heart for purpose and a mind for powerful communication, she supports the Foundation’s mission to awaken, educate, and inspire change across generations.