NU Advisory Partners Recruits Chief Marketing Officer for Paula’s Choice

November 3, 2026 – NU Advisory Partners has placed Sheila Shekar Pollak as chief marketing officer of Paula’s Choice. The search was led by Libby Naumes, Penina Remler, and Kelsey Kelly.

Ms. Shekar Pollak brings more than 20 years of marketing and brand leadership experience across consumer, beauty, apparel, and outdoor brands. Most recently, she served as chief marketing officer of Madison Reed, after previously serving as chief brand experience officer at Orvis and senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Biossance. Earlier, Ms. Shekar Pollak spent 16 years with Gap Inc., including a decade at Athleta, where she rose to chief marketing officer and helped lead the brand’s evolution into an omnichannel business while supporting initiatives including the Power of She platform.

Paula’s Choice is a global skincare brand known for its research-driven approach to product development and emphasis on ingredient transparency. Founded in 1995 by Paula Begoun, the company offers a range of skincare products, including cleansers, exfoliants, serums, moisturizers, and sunscreens, designed to address various skin types and concerns. Headquartered in Seattle, WA, Paula’s Choice distributes its products through e-commerce platforms and retail partners in markets worldwide. The company was acquired by Unilever in 2021 and operates as part of its beauty and personal care portfolio.

In 2023, NU Advisory Partners was launched by former Russell Reynolds Associates recruiters Mar Hernandez, Ms. Naumes, Meredith Rosenberg, and Nada Usina. NU takes an AI-native approach to executive recruiting, leveraging technology and data to make search smarter, faster, and more aligned with how businesses operate today.

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Ms. Hernandez is a trusted advisor to top executives and a global expert in corporate officer placements (CHRO, CFO, GC) across financial services, fintech, telecom, and hospitality. Prior to co-founding NU, she was a senior leader in the corporate officers, DE&I, and financial services practice at Russell Reynolds Associates, where she co-led the Hispanic Board Initiative. With over a decade in search and prior leadership roles in global firms, she has partnered with private equity firms and Fortune 500 companies to build high-performing leadership teams.

Ms. Naumes specializes in placing go-to-market and commercial leaders across sports, media, entertainment, technology, consumer, retail, and marketplace industries. Prior to co-founding NU, she spent 11 years at Russell Reynolds Associates, where she built the consumer digital practice and co-led the global sports practice, working with major brands and leagues worldwide. Previously, she was director of marketing and communications for NASDAQ’s Global Corporate Solutions Group.

Ms. Rosenberg is a market-leading voice in edTech, where she leverages over 25 years of experience in the education sector. A recognized leader, she is known for her innovative approach and commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. At NU, Ms. Rosenberg guides public and private companies, investors, universities, and nonprofits in navigating the evolving education landscape.

Before co-founding NU, Ms. Rosenberg led the global edTech practice at Russell Reynolds Associates. Her career is marked by her ability to challenge conventional thinking. She has held key roles at a number of tech and edTech-focused companies and she holds several board roles including The Perkins School, Cornell University Brooks School of Public Policy, and The Fletcher School at Tufts. She is also a former trustee of Cornell University. Her thought leadership and advocacy are informative as well as transformative, driving meaningful conversations about the future of work and education at industry events.

Ms. Usina is a recognized industry leader in board, CEO, and C-suite placements across technology, sports, media, entertainment, and industrial sectors. Prior to co-founding NU, she was on the executive committee at Russell Reynolds Associates, where she led the global technology, media, entertainment, and sports practices, shaping leadership across these industries. With over 15 years in executive search, Ms. Usina is a trusted advisor to leading PE and VC firms, Fortune 500 companies, CEOs, and boards on leadership, succession planning, and board composition. She’s held executive roles at Nokia, broadcast.com—which IPOed and was acquired by Yahoo!, where she later held an executive role—and Comcast Ventures-backed XOS Technologies, which she successfully sold and merged with NeuLion. Ms. Usina also played key leadership roles with the Florida Sports Foundation, the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, and Florida State University Athletics.

Ms. Remler is an associate partner at NU Advisory Partners, specializing in consumer digital transformation, media, entertainment, education, and enterprise technology. She’s known as a passionate, curious, and people-centric thought partner. She was most recently a member of Google’s in-house executive recruiting team, supporting consumer hardware initiatives within the Devices & Services group, as well as for AI, AR, and VR innovation across Google Labs.

Ms. Kelly is an associate at NU Advisory Partners, bringing experience across technology, consumer, sports, media, and entertainment. She primarily works with PE-backed and growth-stage businesses. Known for her competitive drive, direct approach, and curiosity, she thrives in fast-paced environments. Before joining NU, Ms. Kelly was a senior recruiter at Meta, where she hired executive-level talent within the tech and product functions.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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