Mobile advertising company Liftoff is bringing together inspirational women from across the mobile industry to share their stories. In this series, we’ll explore their achievements, the challenges they’ve overcome, and their vision for the future — offering insights from the experts shaping the world of mobile apps and technology. This first article focuses on Casie Jordan, Senior Vice President of Revenue Platforms at Liftoff.
Can you start by walking us through your career path — how did you get to where you are today?
I started in traditional media at Newsweek and America Magazine, which gave me early exposure to digital publishing. From there, I joined Operative Media, where I managed ad tech implementations for large publishers, including Fox Interactive Media (MySpace), Dow Jones Online, and Gannett.
That led me to Adobe via the acquisition of Demdex, the industry’s first Data Management Platform (DMP). There, I led the consulting and implementation teams for AudienceManager, working with Fortune 500 brands on their data strategies.
In 2014, I joined Twitter’s MoPub team, where I built and scaled teams across business development, client services, and marketing. I was proud of the company Twitter was from its inception until 2022. After MoPub was acquired by AppLovin, I transitioned to Liftoff, where I now lead the global revenue platforms team.
How would you describe your role at Liftoff?
As SVP of Revenue Platforms at Liftoff, I oversee Vungle’s Exchange (VX), Liftoff Intelligence (GameRefinery & AppRefinery), Solutions Engineering, and Business Marketing. My team works to ensure that app developers, advertisers, and demand partners maximize their growth and monetization strategies.
What I enjoy most about my role is solving complex challenges that require a mix of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and cross-functional leadership. I love creating systems and programs that drive long-term success and create sustainable revenue streams for Liftoff and our partners.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the app/mobile industry?
I never intended to choose the mobile app industry specifically — it happened organically after starting my career in traditional publishing and being curious about the shift from print to online in the early 2000s. While at Operative, I saw firsthand how technology could drive monetization and audience engagement, which pushed me toward mobile — as it was quickly becoming the dominant platform.
When I joined MoPub, I knew mobile apps would shape the future of digital advertising, and I wanted to be at the forefront of that transformation.
What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you navigated them?
Looking back, the main challenge I’ve had to overcome is getting beyond my introverted nature to become a client-facing leader in an industry that requires constant relationship-building.
My mother often tells the story of how I hid behind pillars at Disney World when I was four years old, afraid to ask the characters for their autograph. She often wonders about the daughter that exists now who travels globally once a month and sits on Google Meet meetings all day. I solve this challenge with a mix of energy management and ensuring I’m always prepared by “knowing my stuff”.
Additionally, as a woman in ad tech, I’ve had to advocate for myself and others to ensure we have a seat at the table. I’ve worked hard to mentor and sponsor emerging leaders, particularly women, to help them build confidence and advance their careers.
What are some of your biggest accomplishments during your career?
During my time at Adobe in the late 2000s, I was at the center of an industry renaissance when marketers began to explore personalized digital advertising and customer messaging. I helped major brands navigate audience targeting and privacy-first data strategies, shaping the future of digital marketing. One of the key highlights was the launch of Viacom’s Audience Targeting program for their advertisers.
Later in my career, as part of the leadership team at MoPub, I helped grow the business from a start-up to a major force in mobile advertising, ultimately leading to $1.05 billion acquisition by AppLovin. One of my proudest achievements was launching and scaling MoPub’s Advanced Bidding, the industry’s first mobile app ads unified auction, which helped it reach $900M in annual revenue.
What skills have been the most valuable in advancing your career in the mobile space, particularly to a senior leadership position?
In my experience, success in mobile and digital marketing requires a mix of critical thinking, cross-functional leadership, and adaptability. It’s about understanding industry trends to shape long-term strategies, collaborating across product, engineering, marketing, and sales, and driving commercial growth through partnerships and negotiation.
But above all, it’s about working well with others. Throughout my career, I’ve built and scaled teams across operations, partnerships, and marketing. Getting everyone to collaborate has helped me to maintain high retention and engagement.
What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you started working in mobile?
That in my career, I will have infinite gray-area conversations, and the best way to approach them is to stay level-headed. While that isn’t always easy, I’ve realized that true stability doesn’t come from mastering a single skill set but from continuous learning and a growth mindset. I’ve also learned that sometimes it’s okay not to react and say nothing as you listen and observe what’s going on around you.
What’s a big challenge facing mobile apps today, and how should the industry address it?
Identity might be the cliche answer, but it’s the truth. With Apple’s ATT framework and Google’s evolving privacy policies, developers must rethink how they acquire and retain users.
The industry needs to embrace alternative targeting solutions, such as contextual advertising, privacy-first measurement frameworks, and first-party data strategies. This is challenging as those topics require strong technical competencies, which can take time to master.
What’s an exciting trend in mobile apps or ad tech that you’re keeping an eye on?
I’m excited by the direction in which AI and Machine Learning (ML) are taking mobile ad tech. It’s inspiring to see how AI is helping advertisers fine-tune their campaigns, create more engaging ads, and dial in their targeting.
With the evolving privacy landscape, ML’s ability to leverage contextual and behavioral data is becoming even more crucial, ensuring we can still effectively reach the right people. AI-generated creatives and conversational ads are making advertising feel more dynamic and personal. As technology improves, we’re on the cusp of a new era of immersive and personalized mobile advertising.
What are some common barriers women still face in this space?
Women continue to be underrepresented in leadership, especially in technical and revenue-driving roles, and there are a few things that need to happen if that’s to change.
For one, organizations must have clear promotion criteria and development plans so employees know what to strive for. Secondly, women need more advocates who will step forward and actively help them succeed. Finally, we need to let go of unconscious bias. Many still make assumptions about leadership styles and expertise, which often unfairly create barriers to advancement.
Another major challenge that women face is positioning themselves as thought leaders. I often see photos of panels at conferences with five men sitting in chairs. If more companies refused to participate in panels unless women were present, we could work towards better diversity of thought.
Given your role at Liftoff, what trends are you seeing in-app monetization and user acquisition?
One of the major trends we’re seeing is that most advertisers are working with bigger budgets. We recently conducted a survey on this and found that 61% of app marketers plan to spend more in 2025 than in 2024. However, we’re also seeing advertisers being more prescriptive with their spending and looking for new and creative ways to engage users.
Due to stricter privacy laws, many advertisers are also adopting more transparent and ethical data practices. Consent-based advertising and adherence to frameworks like SKAdNetwork (SKAN) and Privacy Sandbox are becoming standard, enhancing brand reputation and user trust.
We’re also seeing marketers combine monetization strategies — such as in-app purchases, subscriptions, and ads — to cater to diverse user preferences and drive revenue generation.
How can app developers balance monetization with user experience, especially in a competitive landscape?
Balancing monetization with user experience can give apps that do it well a competitive edge. Developers should continuously collect feedback from their user base to understand how to optimize the experience. By taking a user-first approach, developers can sustain revenue while maintaining retention, engagement, and long-term growth.
Devs should use harmonized ad formats like rewarded videos, native, and in-line ads that enhance engagement rather than disrupt it, and they should frequently test new formats.
For example, rewarded ads placed at strategic points can improve user experience and boost engagement by letting users unlock premium features.
In addition, integrating smart in-app purchases (IAPs) with value-driven incentives and personalized offers can drive revenue without alienating users. AI-powered creatives and ad targeting can also help prevent ad fatigue by ensuring users see relevant ads at the right time.
What advice do you have for women looking to break into the ad tech or app growth industry?
Relationships are crucial in ad tech, so whether you’re just starting or have been in the game for several years, it’s important to always look for new connections. Attend industry events, see if there are professional communities you can join, and seek mentorship from others.
That last point is key because this space evolves rapidly, so you should always be open to learning new things, and it’s much easier with someone mentoring you. You should also take learning into your own hands by keeping up with the latest news, staying on top of trends, and taking courses to keep building your skill set.
Finally, don’t forget that you are your biggest champion. Know your worth, and don’t hesitate to negotiate, ask for promotions, or push for new opportunities.
