Jill Cress

CMO | General Manager | Strategist | Brand | Product Leader | Culture Agent | Board Member, H&R Block

About This Expert

Jill Cress is a renowned marketing executive with over 30 years of expertise in financial services, media, and technology. She currently serves as the Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at H&R Block, where she leads initiatives to transform customer experiences and modernize the brand through digital innovation.

Before joining H&R Block, Cress held significant roles at PayPal, National Geographic, and Mastercard. At PayPal, she led a global marketing team responsible for growing engagement and revenue for PayPal and Venmo, reaching over 350 million consumers worldwide. Her strategic insights redefined the PayPal and Venmo brand systems, including design, verbal identity, and sonic branding.

As Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at National Geographic, Cress oversaw a comprehensive brand overhaul, leveraging the iconic “yellow border” and redefining the brand’s purpose. She led the digital transformation efforts, boosting subscriptions and engagement, which contributed to the brand’s sale to Disney in 2019. Under her leadership, National Geographic became the most followed brand on Instagram and won the 2017 Super Clio award for its Super Bowl commercial, “Genius.”

During her 20-plus years at Mastercard, Cress held various leadership roles, including Executive Vice President, where she managed global consumer strategy and the “Priceless” marketing campaign. She started her career in sales and account management, later leading strategy for Europe and serving as general manager for the UK and Ireland business.

Cress’s achievements have earned her recognition as one of Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports and one of Forbes’ Most Influential CMOs. She holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is committed to mentorship and diversity initiatives, empowering the next generation of marketing leaders.