VOICE OF THE HEART 

From the human rights missions of her youth to advising CEOs today, Mariah Kennedy Cuomo uses her voice to make a difference.

The photo is a favorite. Taken the day she presented a report on her family tree to her third-grade class, Mariah Kennedy Cuomo stands in the center of her proud grandmothers, Ethel Kennedy and Matilda Cuomo.

“I was fascinated to learn about my Irish and Italian roots. And, even from a very young age, I was interested in the history of the family members I admired and learning about the individuals who make history and the events that shape it,” Mariah remembers. “History is important, not only because it deepens our understanding of humanity, but also because it informs some of the most important decisions we make today.”

Growing up in two of America’s most politically recognizable families, Mariah learned early that visibility can create a powerful voice.

Her father, Andrew Cuomo, was governor of New York for more than 10 years. Her mother, Kerry Kennedy, a renowned human rights activist and president of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, brought a young Mariah on human rights missions around the world.

“As a toddler,” says Kerry, “Mariah marched in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. to demand the release of human rights defenders. Later, she was there in front of the United States Capitol, marching with the head of the AFL-CIO to stop child slavery in the rug-making business. And she worked with children in Haiti after the earthquake.”

“In every instance, Mariah put her whole heart into the issues at hand,” says Kerry. “She did her homework, learned the issues, spoke freely and asked questions that helped inform the work we were doing.”

Accompanying her mother on human rights missions profoundly affected Mariah, teaching her the importance of maintaining human dignity and having the courage to act in the face of fear.

“My mother went up against really scary, powerful people who did not want her to expose injustice,” Mariah recalls.

“When I was little, I would ask, ‘Will you be safe?’ Always confident, calm, and resolved, she assured me that she would come home safely, while also showing me that it was important to do the right thing for people and that we needed to be brave.” As a teenager on a delegation to Western Sahara, Mariah put those lessons into practice.

“We had spent several days interviewing victims of violence, attacks, and threats,” she recalls, “documenting atrocities perpetrated by the government there. I was taking photographs when one of the police officers involved in the violence reached out to block my camera. It was terrifying—they really did not want this story to get out there.”

Mariah persevered, and the photographs she took were later published by the Huffington Post, helping bring attention to the plight of the Sahrawi people.

On another delegation, she documented the aftermath of the BP oil spill, filming footage and interviewing community members to help them get recovery assistance.

Mariah’s early fascination with history grew into a passion for research and writing, a talent she honed in high school as a reporter for Deerfield Academy’s newspaper and later in college as a reporter for Brown University’s The Brown Daily Herald.

This talent played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working alongside her father during his governorship, Mariah crafted a series of public health communications initiatives, including the “Wear A Mask New York” PSA Contest and the viral #MaskUp Challenge, which drew 275,000+ hashtags and garnered support from Selena Gomez and Senator Chuck Schumer. As part of this effort, Mariah partnered with The RealReal founder Julie Wainwright to gather 26 New York designers who created masks for the relief effort.

Mariah’s professional career began with Apple’s corporate communications team. Later, at Teneo Holdings, as part of a two-person team, she helped to build the firm’s then-emerging social media practice.

Today, as founder of Socrates Social, Mariah uses these life experiences and lessons to help high-profile business leaders communicate with authenticity, while also building a life on the North Shore with her husband, Tellef Lundevall, a Highland Park native and founder of digital marketing agency ADM.

Socrates Social, an executive social media company, helps influential leaders, brands, and NGOs advance their communication skills and social media presence. Over the past decade, Mariah has advised more than 40 C-suite executives and more than 10 Fortune 500 CEOs, including TIME CEO Jessica Sibley.

“At Socrates Social, I advise leaders on how to communicate authentically and thoughtfully about issues that matter to them—including complex political and social issues,” Mariah says. “My human rights background gives me an important perspective on CEO activism because I’ve seen the meaningful impact leaders can have when they use their platforms responsibly, as well as the care and judgment required when speaking about consequential issues.”

Helping executives find their voice has become increasingly important, as company leaders are expected to speak publicly not only about their businesses, but also about social and political causes.

“One of the biggest misconceptions among CEOs, CFOs, and CCOs is that staying off social media protects them from risk,” says Mariah. “Avoiding a major platform of influence can actually be riskier.”

Because people follow and trust leaders—not press releases or company announcements—authenticity is crucial.

“The best way to build the trust upon which a reputation is built is to communicate openly, transparently, and authentically in a way that reflects what an executive actually cares about, believes in, and sounds like,” Mariah explains. “Sharing how that person makes difficult decisions, navigates industry changes, or genuinely embodies company culture creates a personal level of trust that long-form corporate communication struggles to generate.” Clarifying objectives is an essential first step.

“Many leaders get stuck because they feel they must adopt a persona or viewpoint that isn’t theirs. My role is to help them uncover their authentic public voice and to address topics they genuinely care about. The goal is to help them feel confident and empowered to speak out strategically.”

Her basic social media advice?

Get started—and use the platform regularly. Engage. Follow industry peers. Comment on relevant analysis. Re-share content with your own commentary. And don’t talk exclusively about yourself.

“Social media is a two-way conversation,” she says. “So, you need to balance talking about your company wins with helpful commentary on industry trends, leadership lessons, and community impact.

Outside of her professional life, Mariah is always open to undertakings that align with her values. Closest to her heart right now is her mother’s new book, ETHEL KENNEDY: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy, forthcoming October 13 from HarperOne. Mariah is helping shape the book’s social media strategy.

“It’s so fun to be working with my mother on this. We genuinely respect and admire one another’s strengths and complement each other well,” she says. “That the book is about my grandmother Ethel—who was truly an amazing woman—especially in her ability to transform grief into service without losing her faith, humor, or joy, makes it even more special.”

Kerry shares Mariah’s enthusiasm about their teamwork.

“I love working with Mariah because she’s just so enjoyable, vibrant, and sharp. But most of all, I trust her because her heart is in the right place. She shares deeply in a quest for social justice for our country and our world, not just in a political or abstract way but because she has seen the unfairness that people face at the front lines of some of the most difficult struggles in the last 30 years.”

Clearly, as that third-grade photo and the life choices she has made since then reveal, Mariah embodies a unique family legacy guided by the credo “If you are able to help, you have a responsibility to do so.”