Vanessa Kuykendall is Chief Engagement Officer at Market Defense, a full-service marketplace agency that helps beauty brands grow and protect their business on Amazon and beyond. She leads enterprise marketing and client engagement across the agency, aligning teams, brands, and industry relationships to fuel global growth.
 
With 29 years in beauty—including leadership roles at The Body Shop, MAC Cosmetics, Estée Lauder, Tiffany & Co., and a decade at Beauty.com—Ms. Kuykendall has a proven track record of performance, earning industry recognition and multiple sales achievement awards. During her time at Beauty.com, she worked with over 4,000 brands and helped launch some of the world’s most iconic names, including bringing It Cosmetics and Paula’s Choice to e-commerce.
 
As Co-founder of Market Defense, she is deeply committed to championing women in business—both internally and across the industry—with over 50% of the agency’s clients being female-founded brands. She has also volunteered for over 20 years with Dress for Success Seattle, supporting women on their path to economic independence.
 
Known for her data-driven approach and sharp eye for trends, Ms. Kuykendall tracks the movements that ignite beauty sales on Amazon and turns them into strategy, guiding brands and teams through a shifting landscape and a fast-evolving customer journey.