Babylist Appoints Jill Cress as Chief Marketing Officer to Lead Next Chapter of Brand Growth

Veteran Brand Builder With Roots Across Payments, Media, and Consumer Tech Joins to Lead Babylist's Next Chapter

OAKLAND, Calif., April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Babylist, the leading platform for expecting and new parents, trusted by 10 million people making purchases in the US, announced the appointment of Jill Cress as Chief Marketing Officer, effective May 2026. Reporting to Founder and CEO Natalie Gordon, Cress will lead the company's full marketing function, including brand, performance, content, and experiential. The appointment comes as Babylist expands beyond its universal registry into a broader digital destination for modern parenting, fueling new growth opportunities and deepening Babylist's position as the most trusted name in the $235B kids & baby market.

Cress has spent more than two decades transforming how some of the world's most recognizable brands connect with new audiences and create more engaging customer journeys. Cress joins Babylist at a moment of significant momentum. In 2025, Babylist grew revenue 45% year over year to over $750M and marked its eighth consecutive year of profitability. Looking ahead, Babylist is expanding its offerings to better serve families, including new initiatives in financial services and education. 

"Jill repositioned PayPal for the modern consumer, made National Geographic the most-followed brand on Instagram, and transformed H&R Block into a modern fintech platform. We are at a similar inflection point at Babylist and she knows how to take a brand that people trust and make it one they can't stop talking about," said Babylist Founder & CEO Natalie Gordon. "We've spent over 10 years earning that trust with families, and now it's time to make the world feel it. Jill is the person to do that."

Cress comes to Babylist with a track record of operating at the intersection of brand, customer experience, and enterprise growth, shaped by consumer insights that fuel overall digital strategy. Most recently, as Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at H&R Block, she led the company's evolution from its legacy tax business into fintech, including the launch of a mobile banking platform while creating emotional connection and fandom in a category not known for either. At PayPal, she repositioned the company from a checkout button into a full digital wallet platform, supporting more than 100 million new users.

She transformed National Geographic Partners into a digital-first content leader — making it the most followed brand on Instagram with over 100 million followers — and spent more than 20 years at Mastercard, rising to Executive Vice President. Named one of Forbes' Most Influential CMOs and a Matrix Award recipient, Cress currently serves as a Board Director at Wealth Enhancement Group.

"What drew me to Babylist is the same thing that has driven every chapter of my career — a beloved brand sitting at the edge of its biggest opportunity yet. I've always believed that transformational growth is a team sport, and the results prove it — from repositioning PayPal for new audiences to building NatGeo's digital subscription business — every breakthrough came from bringing the right people together around a bold idea," Cress shared. "Babylist is ready for that, and I can't wait to build it alongside Natalie and this extraordinary team."

In 2025, Babylist drew national attention with a campaign to support parents during tariffs, mobilized its community through a large-scale donation effort during the LA fires, and cemented its position as the largest baby brand on TikTok with more than 1.4 million followers. The company was recently named one of Fast Company's Brands That Matter, an Ad Age Breakout Brand, and one of Inc. 5000's fastest-growing private companies. Building on the success of its Beverly Hills flagship showroom, Babylist will open a New York showroom in late summer 2026. As CMO, Cress will lead the brand into this next chapter.

About Babylist

Babylist is the leading registry, e-commerce and content platform for growing families. More than 10 million people shop with Babylist every year, making it the go-to destination for seamless purchasing, trusted guidance and expert product recommendations for new parents and the people who love them.

What began as a universal registry has grown into a full ecosystem for new parents — including Babylist Health, Babylist Money, experiential showrooms, and the Birth with Babylist podcast — backed by more than $750 million in 2025 revenue. As we build a generational brand in baby, Babylist is reshaping the $235 billion¹ kids and baby market by connecting growing families with everything they need to thrive and helping parents feel confident, connected, and cared for at every step. To learn more, visit www.babylist.com.

¹ Babylist analysis of third-party market reports (Grand View Research, IMARC, Mintel, Markntel, Circana, Toy Association, etc.) and public filings for key category leaders (P&G, Kimberly-Clark,
Newell, Carter's, The Children's Place, Williams-Sonoma, Wayfair, Hasbro); see Works Cited. Babylist analysis of sector ad spend using eMarketer / Insider Intelligence (CPG, health, auto, financial services), Fortune Business Insights (global baby care & baby food markets), Scientissimum / Healthcare Union (U.S. health ad spend), BIA Advisory Services (local category growth forecasts), Zillow 2024 results (real estate / Premier Agent proxy), and Golden Markers / UPCEA (Education Marketing Trends 2025)

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SOURCE BabyList