December 2024 Bonfire Marketer of the Month: UpLift’s Daphné Leblanc

Each month, Braze selects one individual as our Marketer of the Month in order to celebrate the exceptional work being done by members of our Braze Bonfire community. Whether it's providing support for their fellow marketers or going above and beyond by sharing their innovative ideas and strategies, these individuals are making essential contributions to their companies, their users, and the customer engagement space as a whole.

This month, we’re recognizing Daphné Leblanc, Lifecycle Marketing Manager at UpLift, a virtual behavioral health practice rethinking mental health care to work for everyone. We talked to Daphné about her role at UpLift, her career path, and using Braze. Let’s dive in.

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my role at UpLift is, hands down, the perfect blend of people, purpose, and creativity. Working at a mission-driven virtual company means I’m surrounded by an incredible team of passionate individuals, which makes every day inspiring.

Beyond that, I genuinely love the work I get to do. As the Braze expert, I collaborate with product teams to transform innovative ideas into impactful customer experiences. I enjoy the creative process of designing complex campaigns—leveraging tools like experiment paths, action paths, decision splits, and user updates within Braze Canvas. It feels like my imagination is the only limit to what we can create. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how these strategies drive customer engagement, activation, and retention.

How long have you been using Braze and at how many companies?

I’ve been harnessing the power of Braze for over four years across two diverse industries: fintech and online mental health. My journey began as the first lifecycle marketing hire at a Tech for Black Founders (now Tech for an Equitable Future) program startup, where I spearheaded the implementation of Braze. Even then, I believed the Braze platform could be a game-changer for business across various sectors.

How do you see Braze as a career accelerant?

Braze has been instrumental in accelerating my career by providing a powerful platform to execute innovative, data-driven marketing campaigns. The tool’s versatility and depth have allowed me to continuously learn and grow my skill set, from building complex customer journeys to analyzing campaign performance. By mastering Braze, I’ve been able to drive customer engagement, increase retention, and ultimately contribute to business growth.

What has your experience been like working with the Braze team and community so far?

Working with the Braze team and community has been an incredibly positive experience. The Braze team has been consistently supportive, offering valuable insights and guidance to optimize our campaigns. I’ve particularly enjoyed attending the Forge event and connecting with other marketers to stay up-to-date on industry trends.

Our dedicated Customer Success Manager has been a true partner, understanding our business goals and proactively offering tailored recommendations. The quarterly insights reports provide actionable recommendations to further enhance our customer engagement strategies.

Have you taken any of the Braze certification exams?

Yes, I’ve taken and passed both the Braze Marketer and Braze Practitioner certifications. I’ve also explored several of the skills badges offered by Braze. I highly recommend these certifications to anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of the platform and advance their career.

Interested in collaborating to build the future of customer engagement? Join a collective of experts to forge connections, share ideas, and accelerate your career at the Braze Bonfire Community.