Last week, you met Maia Kotlus-Gates, one of our many employees sharing her talents and expertise as a part of our second annual Creating Change, our probono marathon supporting area nonprofits with creative services. Today, we’d like to introduce you to Discovery Creative’s Sheila Hayes, who will be helping build a marketing campaign for Achieving the Dream next month.

Tell us about your current position at Discovery Communications.

I’m an Associate Creative Director in Discovery Creative, working primarily on concepting big ideas for TLC and Investigation Discovery marketing campaigns – with a little Discovery Fit & Health on the side. But in my time at Discovery, I’ve been lucky enough to work on all of the networks, on everything from sharks and crocs to toddlers, tattoos and polygamists.

What is your proudest creative moment?

Pre-Discovery, it was launching a public service campaign in the hours immediately following the terrorist attacks on 9/11 — from a hotel room in New York — asking the OOH industry to immediately donate space to post messages of healing on bus shelters, taxi tops and billboards, and a little invitation I did for then-Vice President and Mrs. Gore’s annual Halloween party (they were Beauty & The Beast, by the way). Recently, at Discovery, the risk we took with the creative for TLC’s NY Ink, featuring Ami in nothing but ink.

What do you do to get the creative juices flowing?

By creative juices, you mean caffeine, right?

What inspires you to create change in the world?

It’s not what, so much as it is who inspires me: my father, a WWII veteran who raised seven children on a social worker’s salary; Bill Clinton; Steve Jobs; Bill Gates; and Jane Goodall. How’s that for a range?

When I’m not at work, you’ll find me….

On my yoga mat or on the beach, or – ideally – some combination of both.

What are you most looking forward to during the Creating Change probono marathon event?

Beyond the challenge of the deadline and the adrenaline of the pitch, there’s the immediate gratification of making a difference – in a single day. Hearing our client say this brochure/ad/spot never would have happened otherwise. We get to spend the day “being the change we seek in the world.” How cool is that?

Read more about Creating Change and our 2011 nonprofit partners.