Forty Under 40: Alexa McGriff

Alexa McGriff is a senior social strategist with Moxie, which has been engaged by the corporate affairs division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to enhance the retailer’s positive reputation.

Alexa designed the successful #WhatMakesWalmart campaign, a storyline of photos and quotes from company associates that dramatically increased social media followers, impressions and engagement.

Ultimately, McGriff is designing her own career path, one that is influenced by a dark and painful time in her life. She wants to be executive director of a nonprofit.

During college, McGriff, a survivor of rape, received support through the Northwest Arkansas Center for Sexual Assault.

“The help they gave me changed my life, and I want to dedicate my life to helping and giving back,” she said. Nonprofits often struggle with gritty business matters such as financials and business forecasting, she said, so she aims to develop skills in such areas.

“I want to work in as many roles as possible and gain expertise so I can help a nonprofit do its best possible work — to increase its efficiency and effectiveness.”

She previously was marketing director for Ozark Natural Foods. She also served as director of marketing for United Way of Northwest Arkansas, where for a time she worked under interim executive director Shawn Walker, a former executive at Tyson Foods. “He emulated the type of leader I want to be: tough but effective.”

McGriff is part of Moxie’s leadership program, and she expects to graduate with a Master of Business Administration in May 2018. She is currently on the Northwest Arkansas Rape Crisis board and recently helped launch an individual donor-focused campaign to raise $160,000 so the center can focus on helping rape victims to heal, rather than struggle to keep doors open.