Robin Koval

Robin Koval is the CEO and president of Truth Initiative, the national public health organization dedicated to achieving a culture where all youth and young adults reject tobacco. A leader in the world of advertising and marketing, and a New York Times best-selling author, Koval joined the organization in 2013. She re-launched its award-winning truth® youth tobacco prevention campaign and refocused its world-class research and activism programs to speak, seek and spread the truth about tobacco. The truth “Finish It” effort has already earned a Clio and Cannes Lion for enlisting Generation Z to use new channels of communications to spread their influence and become the generation that finishes the tobacco epidemic. More importantly, youth smoking rates are now at an all-time low of 7%. Koval has deep roots in advertising and marketing. A co-founder and CEO of the Kaplan Thaler Group, she grew that company from a start-up in 1997 to a billion-dollar agency working with Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Aflac and other cherished brands. She led the agency’s integration with Publicis and was named CEO of Publicis Kaplan Thaler - New York’s fifth largest advertising agency. She and Linda Kaplan Thaler are co-authors of several best-selling books. Their most recent book – Grit to Great: How Perseverance, Passion and Pluck Take You from Ordinary to Extraordinary – was released in September 2015. A sought-after expert on advertising, media, youth culture and tobacco control, Koval regularly appears on television, contributes commentary to print and online outlets and speaks at conferences and colloquia for business, government and media audiences.