Mercedes de la Guardia Named to Crain’s Detroit Business 2026 Notable Leaders in Communication

We proudly announce today that Mercedes de la Guardia has been recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its 2026 Notable Leaders in Communication.

The annual distinction honors top-tier communication professionals whose vision, innovative strategies and measurable impact are driving meaningful transformation across their organizations and the broader industry.

De la Guardia’s inclusion underscores her instrumental role in advancing LLYC’s next-generation client solutions. Operating at the intersection of reputation strategy and advanced technology, she has championed the integration of LLYC’s proprietary deep learning models and natural language processing (NLP) frameworks. These capabilities enable organizations to anticipate market perception, detect emerging reputational risks and orchestrate hyper-targeted multi-stakeholder campaigns with unmatched precision.

“We’re pleased to see Mercedes recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business for her contributions to our clients and team,” said Mike Houston, CEO of USA. “At LLYC, we combine strategic counsel, data and AI capabilities to help clients around the world understand their audiences, manage reputational challenges and identify opportunities for growth. We congratulate Mercedes on this recognition and value her work connecting our global capabilities with the needs of clients in Michigan and across the U.S.”

We continue to make substantial investments in deep learning architecture, combining data engineering, generative tools and natural language analytics to help brands navigate an increasingly complex information ecosystem, with a focus on AI Visibility. De la Guardia’s work helps bring these advanced capabilities to North American enterprises, delivering quantifiable results and competitive advantage for organizations facing high-stakes industry disruption.

“I am deeply honored to be named among Crain’s Detroit Notable Leaders alongside such an esteemed group of peers,” de la Guardia said. “Effective communication today demands far more than intuition—it requires deep understanding of algorithms, human behavior and stakeholder dialogue. I am fortunate to work with an extraordinary team here in the United States dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what AI and deep learning can achieve in reputation, influence and business growth.”

De la Guardia was also recently named to the ADWEEK Innovator 50—a list recognizing those transforming marketing and advertising through new technologies, ideas, and solutions that drive real business impact, placing her contributions on an international stage shared with top industry figures across multiple disciplines.