Desiree Gruber

Meet the Jury

Peabody Award-winner Desiree Gruber continues to evolve her mission of shaping zeitgeist-defining moments and reimagining how brands delight and engage global audiences in her work as an entrepreneur, business strategist, and venture capitalist. Through Diagonal Ventures (DGNL), Gruber has embraced a preeminent role in developing and supporting female founders and C-suite executives.

With a goal of creating real opportunities for women to achieve measurable success, DGNL invests in and architects transformational deals across the consumer, technology, and media spectrum in order to establish a legacy of female empowerment.

Gruber also founded Full Picture, a brand accelerator, content production, communications, and consulting services company now in its 21st year, to help clients more effectively tell their stories and launch new ideas into the world.

In addition to her Peabody Award, as co-creator and executive producer of the Project Runway television series for 16 seasons Gruber has received a GLAAD Media Award and earned 14 Emmy nominations. She proudly serves on the boards of UNICEF USA, Tech: NYC, and God's Love We Deliver and was the recipient of UNICEF’s 2018 Spirit of Compassion Award.

She is also an advisor to leading organizations such as Anthos Capital, Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water, and Chegg. Gruber lives with her husband, Kyle MacLachlan, and their son.