Monica Robinson—Top Women in OOH Spotlight 2025

 

24 years of experience in the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising industry

by Amber Larkins, OOH Today

We recently published our annual list of the Top Women Driving Growth in Out-of-Home (OOH) for 2025. Today, we are highlighting Monica Robinson, VP of Sales Operations Support, Lamar Advertising.

Monica Robinson is a seasoned leader in the Out-of-Home industry with nearly 24 years at Lamar Advertising. As Vice President of Sales Support Services, she has been instrumental in sales support strategies, streamlining client-focused processes, and implementing innovative technologies to drive efficiency and growth. With a background in National Sales and a strategic approach to leadership, Monica has played a key role in enhancing performance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. A dedicated mentor and advocate for professional development, she continues to shape the future of the industry while making a lasting impact on her team and organization.

“I bring a strong combination of sales expertise, strategic leadership, and service excellence, all essential for driving revenue growth and leading high-performing teams,” Monica said.

With a background in strategic account management, she has successfully managed multi-million-dollar books of business, fostering long-term relationships with clients while identifying opportunities for growth. As a leader, she excels in people management—developing talent, coaching supervisors, and fostering a culture of accountability and high performance. 

Beyond her professional contributions to the OOH industry, she is committed to giving back to her community. One of the most meaningful ways she does this is through organizations like Junior Achievement and mentoring middle school young ladies at her local church, helping them build confidence, develop leadership skills, and envision their future spiritual and personal success.

“Through this work, I strive to empower the next generation by providing guidance, encouragement, and real-world insights that help them navigate challenges and seize opportunities,” Monica said.

Outside of her professional career and community involvement, she enjoys spending time with my husband, two kids, extended family and friends, cheering on her high school senior son and his baseball team. As my husband and her approach a new season as empty nesters, she looks forward to new hobbies like golf and leisure travel.

“At my core, I live by the philosophy of always seeking to grow in wisdom—continuously striving to learn and grow in understanding through reflection and prayer. This mindset guides my professional and personal life, shaping how I lead, mentor, and contribute to those around me,” Monica said.

Her initial interest in the OOH industry wasn’t driven by a passion for the field, but by a need to find a job after moving to Baton Rouge to be with her fiancé. But her perspective shifted profoundly on her first day—September 11, 2001. All of the Lamar executives were in New York for an OAAA conference.

“Watching how Lamar and the entire OOH industry came together in the face of such a tragic event left a lasting impression on me. The resilience, collaboration, and sense of community I witnessed during that challenging time made me realize I wanted to be part of this incredible industry and the remarkable people who make it so unique,” Monica said.

Driving Personal and Professional Growth

With nearly 24 years of experience in the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising industry, Monica has been been a key driver of sales growth, strategic account management, and service excellence. Throughout my career, She has led high-performing teams, built lasting client partnerships, and developed innovative solutions contributing to measurable success. But her expertise extends beyond sales—she brings strategic leadership, business acumen, and an understanding of trends to help shape the future of OOH.

Before her tenure in OOH, she gained valuable experience as a Marketing Representative in the natural gas industry, where she refined her ability to analyze markets and drive customer engagement. Her early career as a flight attendant in the airline industry helped shape my adaptability, problem-solving skills, and customer-centric approach—qualities that continue to influence her leadership style today.

“As someone committed to growth—personally and for the industry—I am honored to be considered for this recognition. My passion lies in driving results, developing talent, and advancing the OOH industry through innovation, collaboration, and leadership,” Monica said.

“As someone committed to growth—personally and for the industry—I am honored to be considered for this recognition. My passion lies in driving results, developing talent, and advancing the OOH industry through innovation, collaboration, and leadership,” Monica said.

Some of her greatest successes include:

• Transforming Customer Experience – Led initiatives to develop and implement customer experience strategies across Lamar’s divisions, improving engagement and satisfaction.
• Driving Operational Innovation – Played a key role in launching a new online payment system, making transactions easier and more efficient for customers.
• Enhancing Sales & Efficiency – Executed a division of labor strategy that streamlined operations, boosted sales, and elevated customer support.
• Doubling National Sales Revenue – Contributed to strategic initiatives that expanded Lamar’s client base and strengthened customer retention, resulting in a twofold increase in national sales revenue.

In her many years in the industry, Monica has been part of and seen many campaigns. One of her all-time favorite OOH campaigns from 2024 was the Modelo Glow-in-the-dark billboards in New Orleans and San Antonio. Celebrating Día de los Muertos, a time when people honor the dead by celebrating life, the campaign featured a partially hand-painted, glow-in-the-dark design, partially hand crafted by our talented National Creative Team.

“This campaign stood out for its innovative and creative use of space and for leveraging a unique medium to bring the artwork to life at night,” Monica said. “It was a brilliant fusion of culture, creativity, and craftsmanship that made a lasting impact.”

Embracing Diversity in OOH

While male-dominated industries can have well-established networks that may seem difficult to break into, they are not impenetrable, Monica says.

“The key is to focus on what we can control—our expertise, relationships, and performance. I’ve found that continuously expanding my knowledge, staying ahead of industry trends, and demonstrating value through results can break down barriers and open doors,” Monica said. “Equally important is building strong relationships—with mentors, sponsors, and industry peers—who can provide support, visibility, and new opportunities. Women can navigate and thrive in this industry by showing up confidently, contributing meaningfully, and fostering connections.”

“The key is to focus on what we can control—our expertise, relationships, and performance. I’ve found that continuously expanding my knowledge, staying ahead of industry trends, and demonstrating value through results can break down barriers and open doors,” Monica said. “Equally important is building strong relationships—with mentors, sponsors, and industry peers—who can provide support, visibility, and new opportunities. Women can navigate and thrive in this industry by showing up confidently, contributing meaningfully, and fostering connections.”

Monica says women still face challenges in the workplace, including career advancement, lack of mentorship, and difficulty finding harmony between work and personal life.

“ To overcome these, I’ve focused on building confidence through action—taking on new challenges, continuously improving, and celebrating small wins. Strong communication skills, including assertively expressing ideas and advocating for myself, have been critical to my success,” Monica said.

At Lamar, she’s found an environment where hard work, results, and collaboration are valued, creating opportunities for women to thrive. She’s benefited from a strong network of mentors and colleagues who have supported her growth. She encourages women entering OOH to seek out those relationships.

“Leveraging strengths like emotional intelligence, creativity, and collaboration is essential in leading teams and initiatives,” Monica said. “While biases and challenges may always exist, I believe that when you focus on what you can control—your growth, mindset, and relationships—success naturally follows. The remaining barriers take care of themselves.”

“Leveraging strengths like emotional intelligence, creativity, and collaboration is essential in leading teams and initiatives,” Monica said. “While biases and challenges may always exist, I believe that when you focus on what you can control—your growth, mindset, and relationships—success naturally follows. The remaining barriers take care of themselves.”

At Lamar, inclusivity starts with recognizing the value of local connections. As a community-based, decentralized organization, they strive to ensure that their workforce reflects the diverse communities they serve. While race and gender are significant, they also focus on broader diversity, seeking individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to strengthen their team.

Monica personally promotes inclusivity by fostering diverse talent through recruiting, mentorship, and professional development.

“I advocate for women by creating opportunities—inviting them into key conversations, offering guidance, and championing their contributions. Beyond the workplace, I encourage engagement in the community, volunteering, and outreach, all of which help expand our network and create new opportunities for women and underrepresented groups,” Monica said.

“I advocate for women by creating opportunities—inviting them into key conversations, offering guidance, and championing their contributions. Beyond the workplace, I encourage engagement in the community, volunteering, and outreach, all of which help expand our network and create new opportunities for women and underrepresented groups,” Monica said.

She believes that Lamar creates a stronger, more representative, and more successful organization by intentionally building inclusive teams and actively supporting women’s growth.

But the key to getting more women into executive leadership in OOH isn’t just about gender—it’s about ensuring that the most qualified, skilled, and prepared individuals are in leadership roles. That starts with creating clear pathways for career growth by focusing on developing critical leadership skills like strategic thinking, financial acumen, decision-making, and the ability to drive results.

Monica says companies can support this by providing mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership development opportunities for high-potential talent. Women looking to advance should actively seek out challenging projects, take on revenue-driving roles, and build cross-functional expertise to strengthen their business impact.

“Ultimately, the goal is to cultivate a leadership pipeline where the most capable individuals—regardless of gender—are equipped and positioned to lead. Focusing on skills, experience, and performance naturally creates an environment where more women rise to executive roles based on merit and readiness,” Monica said.

She believes more women in OOH would absolutely strengthen the industry—not because one gender is better than another but because diversity fosters innovation, balance, and better decision-making. A mix of perspectives leads to stronger strategies, more creative problem-solving, and a more inclusive approach to serving customers.

“By embracing diversity and ensuring all voices are valued, we create an industry that is dynamic, innovative, and better equipped to serve the evolving marketplace,” Monica said.

“By embracing diversity and ensuring all voices are valued, we create an industry that is dynamic, innovative, and better equipped to serve the evolving marketplace,” Monica said.

Adapt to Advertiser’s Needs for the Future of the OOH Industry

To secure a larger share of advertising budgets, the OOH industry must adapt to advertisers’ needs for measurability, flexibility, and integration with broader media plans, Monica says. One of the biggest challenges is the rise of digital advertising, which offers real-time targeting and detailed analytics. Traditionally, OOH has been seen as an awareness tool, not a performance-based channel, making it tough to compete for digital-first budgets.

“To address this, we need to invest in data, measurement, and tools that show OOH’s ability to drive conversions and ROI. Making OOH more programmatic and easier to buy will help it fit into omnichannel strategies. By emphasizing OOH’s unique strengths—its unskippable, engaging presence—we can prove its value in modern media plans and secure more ad spend,” Monica said.

“To address this, we need to invest in data, measurement, and tools that show OOH’s ability to drive conversions and ROI. Making OOH more programmatic and easier to buy will help it fit into omnichannel strategies. By emphasizing OOH’s unique strengths—its unskippable, engaging presence—we can prove its value in modern media plans and secure more ad spend,” Monica said.

In fact, if she took over the OOH industry tomorrow, she would focus on accelerating the shift towards DOOH to meet the growing demand for more targeted, measurable, and real-time advertising. With DOOH spending increasing, it’s clear that digital formats are becoming essential to the industry’s future. But she would also ensure we continue to value and leverage static billboards, as they remain an effective tool for broad, long-term brand awareness, especially in high-traffic areas.

“A balanced, hybrid model combining the best of both would drive the industry forward while maximizing opportunities for advertisers,” Monica said.

The future of the OOH industry is undoubtedly dynamic, with a noticeable shift toward digital formats driven by customer demand for greater flexibility and data-driven insights. Over the past decade, digital OOH (DOOH) has seen significant growth, with spending increasing from $1.3 billion in 2012 to over $5 billion in 2023. This shift is primarily fueled by the ability to deliver more targeted, measurable, and real-time advertising, aligning with the broader trend of digital transformation in the media landscape.

That said, there is still a strong and enduring place for static billboards in the OOH mix. Static boards continue to offer unparalleled reach, impactful messaging, and are often more cost-effective, especially in markets where digital infrastructure may not be as developed. They remain a key part of building brand awareness, especially in high-traffic locations where long-term visibility is paramount.

“Ultimately, the future will likely be a hybrid model, where the flexibility of digital and the timeless impact of static billboards complement each other to deliver the most effective, diverse advertising solutions,” Monica said.