A foreword from our CEO, Kate O’Loughlin | Women’s History Month is a moment to celebrate progress, and to recognise the work still ahead. At SuperAwesome, I’m continually inspired by the women who are redefining what leadership in tech looks like, and I’m happy to introduce just a few of them over the coming weeks in a series of blog posts for WHM. By sharing their stories, we want to encourage young women considering careers in technology to know this: your perspective matters, your voice belongs here, and your leadership is needed. The next generation of innovators is watching. Let’s show them what’s possible.
In our latest blog for Women’s History Month, we are featuring our incredible Insights Lead for North America, Valeria Olguin. With over a decade of experience in marketing and consumer insights and over 9 years specializing in the youth sector, Valeria has been instrumental in translating complex audience data into meaningful, strategic narratives. Now, her expertise is vital to our thought leadership and provides clients such as Hasbro, Pokémon, and Hollister with data-backed guidance on the nuances of the under-18 demographic. Demonstrating her impact, Valeria has recently had more opportunities to step into high-profile moments, speaking at larger summits and conferences such as Quirks.
Can you describe your role at SuperAwesome?
As Insights Lead for North America, I head up research and insights initiatives across the region, partner with our Global Head of Research and Insights on thought leadership, and help educate our clients on the nuances of u18 audiences. At its core, my role is about turning data into meaningful narratives and connecting the ‘what’ in the data to the ‘why’ behind kids’ behaviors and digital preferences. A lot of what my team and I focus on is making sure that the understanding we build doesn’t just sit in a report or dashboard but actually shows up in how we think, plan, and execute. As such, I also work closely with our strategy, partnerships, and marketing teams to bring those insights into everything from proposals, to end of campaign analyses and key marketing beats.
The 2026 theme highlights that when women thrive, everyone rises. How do you use collaboration to work through problems that might otherwise seem impossible to tackle alone?
Collaboration is essential in any insights role. Interpreting data isn’t always straightforward and some of the strongest insights come from just talking things through with others and being open to different viewpoints. Bouncing ideas off my co-workers really helps sharpen my thinking and get those ‘aha!’ moments I might have missed on my own. It’s also really important when it comes to ensuring that our clients are getting the right information for them. For example, when I’m building a trends presentation or putting together a POV, I work closely with our pre- and post-sales teams to understand what the client actually needs. The extra context they provide is incredibly valuable and helps me pick the most relevant data and shape the insights in a way that actually answers our clients’ questions. Sharing my work in progress and getting early feedback from relevant teams also helps refine the story even further, ensuring it’s clear and actionable.
Have there been people who advocated for or sponsored you in your career? How did they impact your journey?
I’ve been really lucky to have mentors and peers who have consistently encouraged me to think bigger and push beyond what I thought I was capable of, especially at times when I wasn’t fully doing that for myself. A lot of that support showed up as encouragement, but also as honest, sometimes uncomfortable feedback that helped me grow.
Being open to that continuous feedback and guidance has helped me build trust in my own abilities and given me the courage I needed to step into opportunities I may not have otherwise. Having people who both supported and challenged me has been incredibly impactful in shaping how I’ve grown and I really don’t think I’d be where I am today without that combination.
Has someone ever given you an opportunity you didn’t feel fully ready for, and what happened when you took it?
Definitely. As I’ve grown in my role, I’ve had more opportunities to step into higher-visibility moments, like being part of larger summits, conferences, or speaking alongside more senior leaders. Those moments can be intimidating, especially when you’re very aware that others in the room have years more experience. However, I’ve learned that growth rarely happens when you feel 100% ready, it’s more about managing your internal dialogue and being willing to push through the initial discomfort. And the more I’ve said yes to those opportunities, the more I’ve been able to build confidence and find my own way of showing up.
What’s one work goal of yours for 2026? How do you plan to achieve it?
2026 for me is about being more intentional with my time: focusing on depth over volume while identifying efficiencies that help me scale the impact of my work. With a shift in my responsibilities this year, I now have more space to focus on deeper analysis, which I’m really excited about. I’m looking forward to connecting the dots across different data sources to build more cohesive, forward-looking narratives about where the youth space is headed. Ultimately, I want to make sure that the work I’m putting out isn’t just informative but actually actionable and helps move business forward for both SuperAwesome and our clients.
If you could give one bit of advice to the next generation of female leaders, what would it be?
Surround yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed, not just at work, but in your personal life as well. Strong, authentic relationships make the hard moments easier, the good moments better, and can even sometimes open doors in ways you didn’t expect.
I’d also say don’t be afraid to ask questions. It can feel uncomfortable at times but asking for clarity is the best way to make sure you’re focusing on the right things and typically leads to better results as well and shows that you’re engaged and thinking critically.
