Two Indian American ad industry leaders — Surabhi Pokhriyal and Sonika Patel — are joining the board of directors of 212NYC, New York’s Digital Advertising Club, the premier non-profit organization for New York’s digital advertising industry.
Pokhriyal, executive vice president and chief digital growth officer at Church & Dwight, brings experience in driving digital transformation and growth strategy for major consumer brands. Patel, chief marketing officer at P.F. Chang’s, adds senior brand and marketing leadership focused on customer engagement and omnichannel strategy.
They are among a powerhouse roster of five new members elected to the volunteer board, which “plays a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s mission to empower advertisers and brands to navigate in today’s rapidly transforming media landscape,” according to a media release.
“We’re proud to welcome this remarkable and diverse group of industry leaders to the 212NYC Board of Directors,” said 212NYC President Jay Wolff, CRO of KERV.AI, “Their vast expertise across all facets of the advertising ecosystem will help drive our volunteer organization – and the industry – into the future.”
The new 212NYC Board Members represent a broad spectrum of the advertising industry – from agencies and brands to publishers and technology companies.
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“212NYC’s mission is to spotlight the key challenges facing the advertising industry,” said Ritu Trivedi, Vice President of 212NYC and Client President at WPP Media. “Through thought-leadership events like the Creator Economy, AI in Advertising, or Measuring Attention, we’re helping shape the industry conversation. We were intentional in electing new board members with diverse experiences that represent all sides of our industry.”
The 2026 Board election comes as 212NYC ends 2025 on a high note – and announces its priorities and events calendar for 2026. On Oct. 23, 212NYC celebrated its 11th Annual Gala, themed “Resilience Through Reinvention,” honoring ad industry trailblazers and luminaries.
Also in October, 212NYC introduced a complete video-centric redesign of its website, including the launch of “212NYC Connects”— a new video content hub featuring original social video content and powered by 212NYC’s YouTube channel.
212NYC will launch its 2026 live event season on Jan. 28 with the annual Future of Advertising event, with industry leaders focusing on the role of Agentic AI in 2026 and beyond. February will bring the theme The Power of the Black Consumer, followed by a panel in March diving into Gen Z’s impact on advertising and brand engagement.
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Tentpole events kick off in June with the highly anticipated Agency Dodgeball Tournament, followed by the return of the iconic 212NYC Summer Party in August, and 212NYC’s signature event, the 12th Annual Gala on Nov. 5.
“In a world increasingly shaped by AI and technology disruption, in-person connections are mission-critical to our future,” said Jay Wolff. “As a volunteer organization, it takes a village – from our committees and task forces to our Board and sponsors – to make our initiatives possible.”
“With these powerhouse additions to all the extraordinary leaders on the 212NYC Board, we are heading into 2026 with a clear focus on our core mission of bringing the advertising community together – and driving the industry forward,” he added.
212NYC is New York’s premier network for the digital advertising community, representing over 5,000 digital media, marketing, and advertising professionals.