Fractional CMOs in New York City Making Things Happen in 2025

NYC Interim Chief Marketing Officers to Know

New York City is one of the world’s most electrifying centers for commerce, culture, and creativity. It’s where legacy brands meet tomorrow’s unicorns. It’s the launchpad for scrappy startups, the home base for global NGOs, and a proving ground for anyone serious about growth. And in a city where everything moves fast, where competition is fierce and expectations are sky-high, the demand for strategic marketing leadership has never been greater. But full-time isn’t always the answer—that’s where Fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) come in.

At Digital Reference, we’re not just tracking titles—we’re telling the stories of how professionals actually make work happen. Fractional CMOs aren’t a trend; they’re a movement. They help businesses pivot, scale, and tell better stories. This blog celebrates the leaders who are redefining how marketing gets done in the city that never sleeps. Whether they’re guiding brand strategy, launching products, building growth teams, or aligning marketing with mission—these professionals are leading the charge as flexible, verified marketing experts.

Our Methodology

To build this curated list of NYC-based Fractional CMOs, we used a consistent methodology that reflects both the rigor of the role and the values of Digital Reference:

• Location: Based in New York City or surrounding areas including Brooklyn, Queens, and nearby hubs like Newark, NJ
• Service Model: Actively offering fractional, part-time, or interim CMO services—typically working across multiple clients
• Credibility: Demonstrated track record of marketing leadership through personal websites, agency platforms, or public portfolios
• Professional Presence: Active on LinkedIn or professional networks with clear value propositions
• Digital Reference Values: Transparency, authenticity, real-world impact, and a reputation-first approach

These are professionals who don’t just “consult”—they embed, lead, and deliver. Let’s meet the CMOs making waves in New York.

Meet the Fractional CMOs in New York City

1. Brystal Balthazar

https://brand-spark.com/

Founder of Brand Spark, Brystal Balthazar is a dynamic branding and marketing strategist who partners with startups and scale-ups to refine their positioning and go-to-market (GTM) strategy. She’s known for her ability to align marketing efforts with business goals and audience psychology.

Why She Stands Out:

• Deep experience with early-stage companies and product launches
• Known for creating visually and verbally cohesive brand systems
• Specializes in brand narrative, demand generation, and digital growth

Brystal is the kind of CMO who understands how to help a founder find their voice—and then scale it.

2. David Shay

http://www.stonesoupcomms.com

As founder of Stone Soup Communications, David Shay brings decades of storytelling, public relations, and communications strategy to his clients. His fractional CMO services focus on connecting brand voice to customer experience in a way that’s authentic and scalable.

Why He Stands Out:

• Strong roots in PR, executive communications, and thought leadership
• Focus on mission-driven brands and founders with a story to tell
• Offers executive visibility strategy, media coaching, and stakeholder engagement

David is an asset for companies seeking to build brand credibility in public-facing or regulated spaces.

3. Matthew Malanga

https://www.linkedin.com/in/malanga/

With CMO roles across tech, media, and B2B platforms, Matthew Malanga brings executive-level strategic thinking to every engagement. As a fractional leader, he helps growth-stage companies develop GTM strategies that are scalable, measurable, and deeply customer-focused.

Why He Stands Out:

• Experience includes roles at early-stage startups and Fortune 500s
• Strong in performance marketing, pipeline acceleration, and customer retention
• Skilled at bridging CMO and CRO functions for revenue alignment

Matthew is ideal for companies ready to professionalize their marketing org and integrate it tightly with sales.

4. Juliana Pereira

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjdpereira/

A growth-focused marketer with a passion for storytelling and team building, Juliana Pereira offers fractional CMO support that combines creativity with metrics. Her approach is rooted in empathy and systems, helping brands scale with intention.

Why She Stands Out:

• Specializes in brand building, messaging frameworks, and audience segmentation
• Known for growing early-stage consumer brands and DTC companies
• Brings strong mentorship and leadership to internal marketing teams

Juliana is a fractional CMO who builds marketing functions from the ground up—then helps them fly.

5. Sonaly Aditya

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonalyaditya/

With a background in strategic communications and marketing transformation, Sonaly Aditya works with mission-driven and enterprise-level organizations to modernize how they go to market. She brings both a global perspective and a knack for internal alignment.

Why She Stands Out:

• Experienced in regulated industries, healthcare, and public-sector marketing
• Strong in change management, brand repositioning, and narrative strategy
• Passionate about helping organizations communicate with clarity and authenticity

Sonaly is an essential asset for companies navigating high-stakes brand transformations.

6. Jay Williams

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayhwilliams/

A modern CMO with experience in both performance marketing and creative direction, Jay Williams blends logic and emotion into one unified marketing system. His background in finance, retail, and SaaS gives him cross-industry versatility.

Why He Stands Out:

• Brings a full-stack marketing approach to fractional leadership
• Expert in campaign development, CX design, and growth operations
• Works hands-on with CEOs to drive alignment across GTM functions

Jay is ideal for scale-ups that want to elevate their storytelling while tightening performance metrics.

7. Jaime Rosenzweig

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimerosenzweig/

With deep experience in nonprofit marketing, education campaigns, and advocacy work, Jaime Rosenzweig brings purpose and precision to her role as a fractional CMO. She helps cause-based organizations elevate their voice while staying grounded in mission.

Why She Stands Out:

• Strong experience with campaigns, community engagement, and grant-funded projects
• Skilled in multilingual and multicultural marketing strategy
• Focused on inclusive storytelling and stakeholder communications

Jaime is the go-to marketing executive for organizations that want their values to show up in their visibility.

8. Madeline Maguire

https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinemaguire/

Founder, strategist, and creative mind, Madeline Maguire works with brands that need a visionary yet practical marketing partner. With experience spanning tech, CPG, and media, she brings clarity to companies navigating growth inflection points.

Why She Stands Out:

• Specializes in brand development, marketing org design, and GTM readiness
• Blends business acumen with creative energy
• Known for creating vision-to-execution playbooks for scaling brands

Madeline helps teams align founder vision, market insights, and execution plans—and builds roadmaps to get there.

9. Christina Hungspruke

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-hungspruke-67b14b/

A communications pro with experience across fashion, tech, and lifestyle, Christina Hungspruke serves as a trusted fractional CMO for brands in the midst of reinvention. She specializes in modernizing brand identity and creating multi-channel resonance.

Why She Stands Out:

• Deep experience in fashion retail, beauty, and wellness sectors
• Skilled in content strategy, campaign rollout, and influencer integration
• Helps brands navigate market shifts with clarity and confidence

Christina is perfect for consumer-focused teams looking to evolve their story without losing their soul.

10. Erika Alonso

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikaalonso/

With roots in journalism, branding, and social impact, Erika Alonso brings powerful storytelling and high-level campaign strategy to the brands she serves. Her fractional CMO work focuses on emotional intelligence, relevance, and human-centered marketing.

Why She Stands Out:

• Expert in brand voice, editorial strategy, and campaign ideation
• Deep understanding of impact communications and brand activism
• Builds marketing strategies that connect at a cultural and emotional level

Erika is a perfect partner for companies who believe marketing should move people, not just products.

11. Eduardo Nunez

https://www.linkedin.com/in/en-fractional-cmo/

A fractional marketing executive with global experience, Eduardo Nunez offers CMO-as-a-service to B2B and enterprise clients navigating digital transformation. His strengths lie in systematizing marketing strategy, managing growth infrastructure, and aligning teams around results.

Why He Stands Out:

• Works across tech, B2B, and SaaS industries
• Focused on scalable campaigns, pipeline creation, and CRM-driven marketing
• Builds repeatable models for demand generation and customer acquisition

Eduardo is a fractional leader for teams that want to tie every dollar to a marketing outcome.

12. Nilton Duque

https://www.linkedin.com/in/niltonduque/

With a sharp eye for data, storytelling, and conversion, Nilton Duque works with startups and enterprise clients to craft GTM strategies that scale. He brings operational structure to creative ambition—ensuring marketing is both inspiring and effective.

Why He Stands Out:

• Background includes brand consulting, growth strategy, and venture-backed startups
• Focuses on audience mapping, funnel strategy, and cross-functional ops
• Believes in metrics with meaning—analytics that serve the story

Nilton is ideal for companies with vision who need a playbook to execute it clearly.

13. Erin Yasgar

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinyasgar/

A seasoned marketing leader with Fortune 100 pedigree, Erin Yasgar now provides fractional CMO services to startups and mission-led organizations. She brings both scale and soul to her work—leading with empathy and rooted in strategy.

Why She Stands Out:

• Former VP/CMO at brands like Disney and Johnson & Johnson
• Experience in consumer insights, marketing innovation, and brand storytelling
• Thoughtful, strategic, and empowering to the teams she leads

Erin is the ultimate blend of executive leadership and heart-forward marketing.

Final Thoughts: New York’s Marketing Future is Fractional

New York City’s culture of hustle, experimentation, and reinvention demands marketing leaders who can meet complexity with clarity. The professionals featured here—Brystal, David, Matthew, Juliana, Sonaly, Jay, Jaime, Madeline, Christina, Erika, Eduardo, Nilton, and Erin—represent a new kind of executive:

• Flexible, but foundational
• Tactical, but visionary
• Independent, but collaborative

At Digital Reference, we’re proud to spotlight these leaders—and to give them the tools to verify their contributions, elevate their reputation, and build meaningful visibility.

When you’re ready to find your next marketing partner or tell your professional story with structure and authenticity—start with Digital Reference.

– The Digital Reference Team

‍