Fractional CMOs in San Diego Making Things Happen in 2025

San Diego Interim Chief Marketing Officers to Know

From oceanfront startups to biotech powerhouses, San Diego is a city defined by innovation and lifestyle—a place where ambition meets authenticity. Whether you’re scaling a digital health platform, launching a DTC product, or repositioning your nonprofit for the next stage of impact, one constant remains: you need marketing leadership that fits the moment. That’s why more organizations in Southern California are turning to fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs)—high-level marketing professionals who deliver executive guidance without the full-time overhead.

At Digital Reference, we believe that work should speak for itself—and that professionals deserve a platform that shows not only what they do but how they do it. Fractional CMOs embody that belief. They build strategy, lead teams, and get results—often behind the scenes. This blog highlights a curated list of fractional CMOs based in San Diego and surrounding cities, giving visibility to the marketing minds helping Southern California businesses grow smarter.

Our Methodology

To curate this list of standout fractional CMOs, we focused on several key criteria:

• Location: Based in San Diego or actively working with organizations across the greater Southern California region
• Role Type: Offering fractional, part-time, or interim CMO services—often through independent practices
• Track Record: Proven experience in leading marketing teams, campaigns, or brand transformations
• Professional Transparency: Public profiles, websites, or portfolios that align with Digital Reference’s mission of radical authenticity
• Impact Alignment: Demonstrated ability to drive strategic clarity, brand elevation, or measurable growth

These are not just consultants—they are strategic partners who embed with leadership teams, shape the narrative, and deliver results that move the needle.

Meet the Fractional CMOs in San Diego Making Things Happen

1. Clare Bennett

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

With a career that spans both startup scrappiness and enterprise polish, Clare Bennett is a fractional marketing leader who knows how to translate brand vision into scalable systems. As a CMO-for-hire, she works with organizations that need a strong marketing foundation—fast.

Why She Stands Out:

• Expertise in brand development, growth marketing, and customer lifecycle strategy
• Experience across sectors including healthcare, tech, and professional services
• Balances creative storytelling with data-driven execution

Clare is known for her ability to jump into complex environments, find the marketing gaps, and build systems that work. Her approach is grounded, intentional, and always audience-focused. If you’re looking for someone who can lead your team through brand evolution, campaign optimization, or cross-functional alignment—Clare is your fractional CMO.

2. Christa Martin

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

A marketing strategist, brand builder, and fractional executive, Christa Martin brings a sophisticated approach to marketing leadership. Her superpower? Aligning marketing efforts with business objectives in a way that elevates both brand and revenue.

Why She Stands Out:

• Strong focus on B2B and tech startups, including SaaS and healthcare platforms
• Specializes in go-to-market (GTM) strategy, positioning, and marketing infrastructure
• Known for bridging the gap between marketing, sales, and product teams

Christa is the kind of CMO who brings not only strategic vision but executional clarity. She thrives in environments where founders or executives need a partner to organize the marketing function from scratch or refine it to operate at scale. Her approach is equal parts analytical and empathetic—a rare blend in high-growth environments.

3. Leslie Myrell

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

With roots in both corporate communications and brand marketing, Leslie Myrell is a fractional CMO known for creating consistent, customer-focused narratives that elevate visibility and engagement. Her portfolio spans mission-driven nonprofits, local businesses, and early-stage companies.

Why She Stands Out:

• Deep expertise in brand strategy, PR, and integrated marketing communications
• Strong history of work in nonprofit and purpose-led organizations
• Known for her calm presence, strategic thinking, and hands-on collaboration

Leslie is ideal for organizations that need someone who can create emotional resonance while maintaining strategic discipline. Whether it’s a rebrand, a media campaign, or aligning marketing with organizational values, Leslie’s work is thoughtful, polished, and effective.

Why San Diego Is Ripe for Fractional Leadership

San Diego is home to a unique mix of industries—biotech, health tech, education, lifestyle brands, nonprofits—and an entrepreneurial culture that thrives on experimentation and mission alignment. That blend creates a growing need for flexible leadership, especially in marketing.

Fractional CMOs offer several advantages to San Diego-based companies:

• Immediate strategic insight, without the cost of a full-time CMO
• Flexibility to scale leadership as business needs evolve
• Access to seasoned professionals with cross-industry experience
• An outside perspective grounded in results, not internal politics

As the city grows, so too does the need for marketing leaders who can lead with both head and heart. These CMOs step in, align the team, clarify the message, and build the systems needed to grow.

The Digital Reference Approach

At Digital Reference, we’re building a new standard for how professionals showcase their work. It’s not just about titles or company names—it’s about real outcomes, real references, and real stories.

For fractional leaders like the CMOs featured here, that means:

• Building structured portfolios of verified marketing achievements
• Capturing testimonials and performance outcomes from clients
• Making credibility portable and transparent

We believe marketing leaders deserve to be seen for the strategic and cultural impact they make. That’s why our platform gives professionals the tools to document, validate, and grow their reputation—no matter where they work or how they’re hired.

What Makes a Great Fractional CMO?

Across industries, the best fractional CMOs share a few things in common:

• They lead with strategy. They’re not just executors; they shape the big picture.
• They understand growth. Whether it’s top-of-funnel acquisition or lifecycle marketing, they build systems that scale.
• They build trust fast. Great fractional CMOs embed quickly, listen deeply, and move with purpose.
• They’re outcome-driven. Every campaign, team decision, and budget allocation is tied to measurable goals.

Perhaps most importantly, they help teams market with intention—not just motion.

Final Thoughts

The San Diego professionals featured here—Clare Bennett, Christa Martin, and Leslie Myrell—are part of a new wave of marketing leadership. They don’t just consult from the sidelines—they step into the work, guide teams with clarity, and create lasting operational and creative impact.

As the demand for flexible, expert-level leadership continues to grow, fractional CMOs will play an increasingly essential role in helping organizations define their brand, sharpen their strategy, and reach their audience.

If you’re ready to bring in that kind of leadership—or if you are a marketing leader ready to showcase your own impact—start with Digital Reference.

– The Digital Reference Team

‍