Mary Ellen Marcilliat-Falkner

Mary Ellen Marcilliat-Falkner is Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer of Cox Media Group, leading a team of Human Resources professionals.

Mary Ellen is responsible for talent management and succession planning, performance management, employee development, compensation, benefits administration, employee relations, compliance and best practices in people-related functions. Mary Ellen also oversees CMG Corporate Communications, which includes internal communications, media and public relations, and corporate social media efforts.

Mary Ellen is a proven Cox leader and has been a fixture at the company over the course of her career. Prior to assuming her current role, she served as Sr. VP of HR Business Partners and HR Operations at Cox Automotive. Mary Ellen spent over 20 years in the Cox Automotive business, where she held roles of increasing responsibility in People Strategies and Finance. In her most recent role there, she led the team of client-facing HR business partners and employment practices professionals who provided consultative support to all U.S. based businesses and corporate functions.

Mary Ellen had also served as director of finance operations, where she led the West region finance team to enhance focus on strategic partnerships and develop as leaders. Prior to joining Finance in January 2014, Mary Ellen was senior director of HR operations and administration, where she launched Manheim’s Employee Service Center, oversaw the Global People Survey, and implemented processes and tools to improve efficiency and operational effectiveness.

Mary Ellen is on the board of directors for Women in Technology, an organization that serves as a passionate advocate for women of all ages in Georgia’s science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) community. She is a graduate of the University of Nevada – Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation.

Mary Ellen is passionate about animals and the environment and is a member of many organizations that protect them, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, National Resource Defense Council, and the World Wildlife Federation.