Meet McKenzie Telthorst
McKenzie Telthorst is a dynamic leader with a career rooted in advertising and agency work. Originally from Texas, McKenzie attended the University of Missouri to study journalism, initially aspiring to be a broadcast news anchor. However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that the world of news wasn’t where her true passion lay. She discovered her love for the investigative side of journalism—gathering diverse perspectives and telling powerful stories. This realization prompted her to shift her focus to strategic communication, a field where she could continue to leverage her natural curiosity and storytelling abilities while carving out a space where creativity met business strategy.
Her early career journey took her back to Dallas, where she worked at an advertising agency. It was here that McKenzie first fell in love with the fast-paced, ever-changing world of agency work, an environment where new challenges and opportunities arose every day. This fast pace, combined with her drive to build strong client relationships, motivated her to develop skills in problem-solving and brand strategy, two pillars that continue to shape her leadership style today. As someone who thrives on collaboration and teamwork, McKenzie quickly learned that understanding clients' needs and fostering a sense of trust and openness was key to delivering impactful solutions.
After a few years in Dallas, McKenzie moved to St. Louis, a decision influenced by both personal and professional factors. The city offered more opportunities for career growth, and with her network of college friends already established there, it seemed like a natural fit. Settling in St. Louis with her husband, McKenzie joined UPBrand, a young and growing agency at the time, where she quickly rose through the ranks. Over her 12 years with the company, she became a pivotal figure in building the agency’s digital and brand strategy teams. Now, she serves as the President.
Now at the helm of UPBrand, McKenzie leads with a human-centric approach, ensuring her team feels empowered to contribute their best ideas. She credits much of her leadership success to staying adaptable, transparent, and empathetic. Understanding the importance of making tough decisions while also celebrating team wins, McKenzie strives to model the behavior she expects from her team, helping create a culture of trust and openness. She emphasizes maintaining a balance between being a doer and a compassionate leader, and believes that great leadership stems from being genuine and transparent, even when faced with challenging decisions.
Outside of work, McKenzie’s life is just as fast-paced and socially driven. A true extrovert, she and her husband enjoy spending their free time surrounded by friends and family, attending social gatherings, concerts, sporting events—any place where there are people to connect with. One of McKenzie's greatest joys is being near the water, which is why she loves spending weekends at the Lake of the Ozarks, a place where she can relax and recharge. McKenzie and her husband balance creating and consuming content and media by staying on top of new shows and movies. She finds that these moments of creativity and pop culture often feed into her professional life, offering inspiration for new ideas and approaches for her clients.
Balancing her personal life and professional role hasn’t always been easy, but McKenzie has found ways to integrate the two. Her five-year-old son Lincoln keeps her grounded and reminds her of the importance of taking time for family, even amidst her demanding career. As a leader who is always looking ahead, McKenzie is deeply committed to growing both personally and professionally. Whether she’s managing clients or brainstorming new strategies, McKenzie approaches everything with a creative spark and a desire to learn.
McKenzie recommends taking a long walk through Laumeier Sculpture Park’s trails, watching For All Mankind on Apple TV+, savoring the Gnocco at Louie on Demun and enjoying a heavy pour of red wine at Fox & Hound’s in the Cheshire.