Bridging the Gray Spaces: How Citizen Relations is Rewriting the Agency Blueprint on AI and Innovation

A Q&A with Citizen’s Chief Digital Officer and PRovoke Media Innovator25, Crystalyn Stuart-Loayza on agency innovation and AI.

Citizen is incredibly proud to celebrate our very own Chief Digital Officer, Crystalyn Stuart-Loayza (CSL), who has been named to PRovoke Media’s prestigious Innovator 25 Americas 2026 list! The annual index recognizes the industry’s most forward-thinking trailblazers; those who are actively challenging conventions, embracing emerging technologies, and driving measurable business impact.

Crystalyn has been innovating in the industry since early on in her career. She’s challenged the norm in a variety of industries and continues to drive transformation in digital marketing today. We sat down with Crystalyn to chat about her philosophy on navigating “gray spaces,” how she is pioneering Citizen’s new responsible AI framework, and why workforce re-imagination is the key to preparing our teams for the future.

On Innovation and Career Evolution

Citizen Relations: From starting out in the ski industry at age 23 to your current role as Chief Digital Officer, how has your definition of innovation evolved?

CSL: I’ve always approached my career as someone focused on the “gray spaces” between disciplines. To me, innovation is not just the continuous pursuit of “looking around the corner” but of mashing things together and creating new possibilities. 

My definition hasn’t  shifted over time so much as it’s evolved with the dynamic technology—which changes every decade—for me it’s always been more about how we work alongside technology. This persistent mindset of adaptability allows us to build an environment that attracts team members who are comfortable with ambiguity and feel permission to explore those uncharted areas and gray spaces bravely.

A Framework for Responsible AI

Citizen Relations: As you drive AI adoption across the Plus Company network, what guardrails must agencies establish to balance rapid technological growth with safety and trust?

CSL: Responsible AI and responsible technology is incumbent upon all of us. It’s always been a critical part of how we embrace and contribute towards the evolution of technology. Responsible AI is a process, not a rigid policy or rules. It requires bringing stakeholders with diverse expertise together in a safe space to solve complex dilemmas.

To support this, we are releasing our first global responsible AI framework. Rather than governing through strict rules, it actively assists employees working alongside AI “toolmates” through four primary pillars:

• Shifting Human Roles: Defining how roles adapt alongside AI, supported by hands-on upskilling.
• Responsible Building: Providing frameworks on how to build and implement AI appropriately.
• Open Disclosure: Encouraging transparency regarding where and how we use AI.
• Driving Impact Over Hype: Assessing the cost, how it actually helps talent, and its environmental footprint—ensuring we don’t use more energy than needed.

Rethinking Brand Reputation

Citizen Relations: How should brands protect their reputation now that consumers rely so heavily on AI and social discovery?

CSL:  The interesting thing about brand reputation is that you don’t own it—it’s what people perceive of you. The best thing a brand can do is anchor itself in the core needs of its audience and ask: “How can we help?”

By using advanced intelligence to identify connection opportunities, and then leveraging technology to execute solutions at speed and scale, brands can protect, wield, evolve and rebuild their reputation while remaining fresh, relevant and above all, helpful. 

Dismantling Agency Hierarchy: Our “Pod” Structure

Citizen Relations: Citizen has made waves by dismantling traditional agency hierarchy and replacing middle management with implied intelligence and strategy engineers. What drove this pivot and how has it changed the work? 

CSL: Bringing AI toolmates into the workforce is one of the most fundamental shifts in modern history. It necessitates new and emerging skills and change to the team casting and  structure. 

Because we no longer need the exact same legacy skill sets, we have replaced rigid ladders with a flywheel-based model. We organize staff into small, agile, “one pizza pie” teams (pods) with technology at the center.

AI doesn’t replace humans; it transforms jobs. If we aren’t actively helping our talent prepare themselves for that, we will lose control of the technology and fail our precious talent. 

Instead of evaluating promotions on a rigid ladder, we focus on building a “talent spectrum” through individual learning plans. AI empowers this. It allows junior employees to step up into strategic thinking much faster, frees up senior team members to handle tactical work, and lets PR leads make quick, data-driven decisions without needing a constant strategic consult. Crucially, this entire transformation is built on a continuous feedback loop with our teams and our clients.

Conversational Intelligence and Commercial Outcomes

Citizen Relations: How are tools like conversational intelligence and a “whole search” approach helping prove that PR is a measurable driver of hard business outcomes?

CSL: The industry narrative shifts when you can directly connect a PR investment to hard, commercial results.

By investing in conversational intelligence and a “whole search” approach, we feed our teams with unparalleled insights into culture, competitor landscapes, and consumer behavior. This lets us design highly targeted campaigns and build out the entire customer funnel—measuring the experience from initial awareness all the way down to brand loyalty, ultimately showing clearer and more fulsome impact.

Advice for the Next Generation of Innovators

Citizen Relations: What advice would you give to other leaders facing internal resistance to change?

CSL: First, use data to neutralize fear. By anchoring your discussions in education, data, and concrete insights, you ground the conversation in something safe and comfortable.

Second, build “brave spaces”. Successful change management requires creating environments where people feel safe to try, fail, and learn without the pressure of needing to get everything perfect on the first attempt.

Finally, take the pressure off yourself. It is an anxious, high-pressure time to be an innovator. There is no single “right” answer. We simply need to collaborate, listen to each other, and make our absolute best collective effort.