Pamela Zapata

Pamela Zapata is an entrepreneur and talent executive with more than 15 years of experience in influencer marketing and digital strategy. She is the founder and CEO of Society 18, an influencer management and marketing agency specializing in multicultural and multiethnic content creators. Zapata identified disparities in compensation and representation for Black and Brown creators compared to white influencers, which motivated her to establish Society 18 and advocate for equitable opportunities within the influencer marketing industry.

Before founding Society 18, Zapata held roles at companies including Starpower, United Entertainment Group, Sweety High, StyleHaul, E! Networks, Ryan Seacrest Productions, CBS News, and Disney ABC Television Group. As senior director of influencer marketing at Starpower, she led campaigns for beauty brands such as Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, MAC, Aveda, and La Mer. At United Entertainment Group, she directed influencer partnerships and campaign strategy for Unilever brands including Suave, Dove, Love Beauty Planet, Axe, and Popsicle. Zapata holds a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism with a minor in marketing, public relations, and advertising from Emerson College.

Zapata scaled Society 18 from significant personal debt into a multi-million-dollar business without outside investment. The agency manages more than 40 clients, including cast members from Netflix's "Love Is Blind" and OWN's "Heart & Hustle: Houston." Zapata has been recognized by Forbes and Inc. Magazine, and named among the top YouTube talent managers and top talent managers for micro influencers by Business Insider.

Zapata and her team focus on maximizing sponsorship opportunities, optimizing campaign performance, and developing personal brands for their clients. Society 18 is committed to advancing diversity and representation in influencer partnerships and digital marketing. Zapata is a first-generation Dominican American and bilingual Latina, dedicated to amplifying diverse voices in the digital space. She has spoken at Advertising Week New York, and her work has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, WWD, Yahoo! Finance, Ad Age, Success Magazine, and GirlBoss.