#WeLeadComms: Samantha Cocove

Philadelphia-based communication communication leader Samantha Cocove is today’s #WeLeadComms honoree.

In her words:

“My first job was running a Facebook page for my parents’ small garden nursery when I was fifteen. I didn’t have the language for it then, but that was the beginning of what I’ve cared about ever since. I was helping a small business figure out who it was and how to say it out loud so the people in our town could see themselves in it and walk through the door. Even then, I understood the story was never about the business itself, but about the people it served.

“That idea has followed me across many different worlds, from a $3B global philanthropic organization to a Fortune 10 pharma solutions brand. The industries could not be more different, but the work behind both has always been the same. The people on the receiving end of our messages are what matters most, and everything we do should keep them at the center. Our job as communicators is to be the translators. We take what’s complicated and important and make it simple enough that people understand it and know what to do next.

“I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a communicator at the dawn of AI. Used well, AI gives us the space to be more human, at a scale we’ve never had before. For example, most recently, my work has been in highly regulated settings, where getting it right matters and there is little room for error. I’ve been building AI tools and frameworks that help teams use AI responsibly, with the right guardrails, so it speeds up good work and avoids additional risk. I’ve been using the time saved to do what only people with their unique gifts can do, like bringing judgment and voice to the message, partnering with colleagues on an entirely new comms approach, or learning more about the landscape in which the business sits.

“Personally, I’m just as passionate about food and wine. For years, I moonlighted as a server at a wine bar, and I’ve even worked on their vineyard. There’s something special about being close to the food and the people you build something with that draws me in. Ultimately, I believe, at my core, that human connection is everything and will outlast whatever technology comes next.”

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