# Ellen Faulkner

> Ellen Praytor Faulkner is the partner and CEO of Lewis, the independent marketing agency where she began as an account coordinator around 1990 and became the first woman CEO in its history in 2022. A Mobile native and Auburn-trained visual communicator, she built her career by joining creative instinct to sales, operations and measurable business growth. Her leadership philosophy centers on service, candor, accountability and the difficult art of letting other people run.

- **Role:** Partner and Chief Executive Officer at Lewis
- **Organizations:** Lewis, OwnIt, ICOM, American Association of Advertising Agencies, McKemie Place, Advertising Federation of Greater Mobile, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Junior League of Mobile
- **From:** Mobile, United States
- **Education:** Bachelor's degree in visual communications, Auburn University
- **Known for:** Became the first woman CEO in Lewis's history in 2022., Rose from account coordinator to running Lewis's Mobile office within about ten years., Managed the Mobile office for more than two decades before becoming CEO.

## Career timeline

- **1980s** — After an internship in Washington, D.C., travel in Europe and work at the beach, joined Mobile Bay Monthly as an account executive; later became art director and then director of sales and marketing.
- **c. 1990** — Joined Lewis as an account coordinator, accepting a position that paid half her previous salary in order to learn the agency business.
- **c. 2000** — Within roughly ten years of joining Lewis, began running the agency's Mobile office.
- **2000s-2022** — Served for more than 20 years in senior leadership, including senior vice president and managing director, with responsibility for profitability and growth.
- **2022** — Selected by the incoming shareholder group as Lewis's fourth CEO and the first woman to hold the role.
- **2025** — Represented Lewis at Cannes Lions and discussed leading agencies through transition on The Innovative Agency podcast.

## Achievements

- Became the first woman CEO in Lewis's history in 2022.
- Rose from account coordinator to running Lewis's Mobile office within about ten years.
- Managed the Mobile office for more than two decades before becoming CEO.
- Received a national March of Dimes award after leading a regional Teen Action Program at age 16.
- Helped shape Lewis's shift from a primarily creative and branding firm toward marketing tied to measurable business results.
- Participates in OwnIt to advocate for and mentor women in advertising-agency ownership.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Published a LinkedIn reflection arguing that AI-created speed should produce more room for judgment, strategy, empathy, taste and informed risk rather than simply more output.
- **2025-07** — Discussed Lewis's roughly 100-person, three-office operation, its new downtown Mobile office, its use of AI throughout the business and her goal of preparing the next generation to lead the agency.
- **2025-06** — Attended Cannes Lions with two Lewis colleagues after the agency entered work for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in the awards.
- **2025-05** — Appeared on The Innovative Agency podcast to discuss leading an established agency through post-pandemic, economic and technological change.
- **2025-02** — Appeared in Indie Agency News's Meet an Indie Agency interview with Lewis executive Jennifer Carter.

## Links

- Website: https://www.lewiscommunications.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenpraytorfaulkner
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LewisIdeas
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_BYb8DinHA
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LewisCommunications/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LewisCommunications/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ellen-faulkner
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-22