Peggy Conlon is president and CEO of the Ad Council, the organization that oversees the creation and distribution of all those public service campaigns you see on TV promoting everything from driver safety to environmental protection.

The eldest of 15 children, the California native began her communications career as a public affairs officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve before landing a job as director of communications for EEOC Inc. in Santa Ana, Calif. She headed east a few years later and entered the New York media world, joining Broadcasting & Cable magazine. Conlon was responsible for doubling the magazine's ad revenue during her tenure. She left in 1999 after being recruited for the top job at the Ad Council.

As head of the Ad Council, Conlon's responsible for creating public service announcements for non-profits like the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, and the National Urban League, as well as federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security. Founded in the 1940s, the agency has created taglines like "Take a bite out of crime," "A mind is a terrible thing to waste," and "Friends don't let friends drive drunk," thanks to over a billion dollars in media outlet donations. [Image via Getty]