Elissa O'Dell

Elissa O'Dell is a well-established professional and the co-founder of Huxly, a Shorty award-winning creative tech studio known for its pioneering work in OneOnOne Conversations™ through relationship-building chatbots on Instagram DM and Messenger.

With a strong emphasis on creativity and technology, Elissa leads an all-female team of designers and storytellers at Huxly, collaborating with a diverse clientele that includes New York Times bestselling authors, as well as non-profit organizations like The Nature Conservancy and charity: water.

Passionate about fostering deeper connections between brands and their audiences, Elissa merges innovative technology with a human-centric approach centered around nostalgia, while championing the advancement of women in STEM fields, especially in AI where female perspectives are underrepresented.

Elissa's professional journey with her co-founder, Mia Pokriefka, spans over 13 years and originated from their impactful collaboration on the viral Kony 2012 campaign that garnered 120 million views and raised $14 million. Together, they co-launched Huxly, demonstrating not only excellence in digital communication but also the delicate balance of maintaining a strong work-friendship dynamic.

Elissa pursued her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development at Samford University, and her diverse professional experience includes roles such as Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Huxly, COO at Elm, Inc, Course Producer at Self., and various managerial positions at Invisible Children Inc. where she was instrumental in campaigns like Kony 2012.