The Ad Podcast

⁠Ryan Hartman⁠ - Co‑founder and Chief Marketing Officer - Chaiz⁠, Aug 29, 2025

Ryan Hartman is Co‑founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Chaiz, North America’s first fully digital marketplace for vehicle service contracts. With over two decades of marketing leadership, he has strategically crafted Chaiz’s go‑to‑market approach—focusing on transparency, consumer empowerment, and digital efficiency, which helps customers save on extended car coverage Before launching Chaiz, Ryan led paid media and performance marketing at The Zebra, managing a $90 million media budget, and held senior marketing roles at Custom Ink, Esurance, and GEICO—where he began his career His entry into this space followed a personal experience: after a major engine failure on his post‑warranty BMW Group, he recognized the need for a transparent, user‑friendly way to compare and purchase car protection online

Dylan Huey - CEO - REACH Aug 22, 2025

Dylan Huey is a Gen Z entrepreneur, influencer, and musician who has been active online since age 16. He's the CEO of REACH, a national college influencer organization that connects students with the creator economy. He's also the co-founder of Daisy, a tech platform for creators. Huey has a music and social media alias, Rodin' Flash, and has released multiple EPs.

Barry Frey - CEO - DPAA Aug 18, 2025

Barry Frey - CEO - DPAA With over 10 years of experience as the President and CEO of DPAA, the global trade and marketing association for the digital out of home (OOH) industry, Barry leads the organization's mission to drive awareness, value, and revenue for their members and partners. He oversees all aspects of the association's operations, strategy, and growth, reporting to a board of directors comprised of network owners and ad-tech companies.

Ben Larson - CEO - Vertosa Aug 09, 2025

Ben Larson is the CEO of Vertosa, the multi-state infusion technology company specializing in beverages and other fast-acting form factors. Prior to Vertosa, Mr. Larson co-founded Gateway Incubator, California’s first business accelerator and co-working space dedicated to the emerging cannabis industry. He’s a Director and Mentor at Founder Institute where he formerly managed global operations and helped expand the program into over 100 cities around the world. Mr. Larson is a host of the Marijuana Today podcast; a founding board member of the Cannabis Beverage Association and founding member of ATACH’s Cannabis Beverage Council; and he was recently appointed to the Board for the National Cannabis Industry Association. Mr. Larson was a recipient of the San Francisco Business Times 40 Under 40 and was recognized by Forbes in 2022 as one of the 42 pioneers to watch in the green rush.

Pierre DeBois - CEO - Zimana Analytics Aug 02, 2025

Pierre DeBois is the founder and CEO of Zimana, an analytics services firm that helps organizations achieve improvements in marketing, website development, and business operations. Zimana has provided analysis services using Google Analytics, R Programming, Python, JavaScript Developer and other technologies where data and metrics abide. Pierre has also provided digital marketing and analytic workshops. His first major workshop was for the City of Chicago Treasurer’s Office as part of the 2014 Small Business Expo (SBE). Since then, he has led workshops and presentations at major expos across the United States, including INBOUND, CodeMash Conference, Juneteenth Conference, Content Marketing World, DXSummit, and Connect . The presentations have covered the gamut of business trends, data science and digital marketing topics.

Jonathan Kander - Chief Marketing Officer - VALR ENERGY Jul 29, 2025

Jonathan Kander is the Chief Marketing Officer at VALR ENERGY, a nitrogen‑infused energy drink brand rooted in sports, fitness, and functional beverages. In his role, Kander leads VALR’s brand marketing and strategic partnerships, positioning the company in high‑impact arenas including Major League Baseball and mixed martial arts. Under his leadership, VALR became the official energy drink of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in the U.S., highlighted by branded VIP experiences and athlete-focused storytelling, and later secured a multi‑year partnership with the Pittsburgh Pirates—complete with in‑stadium activations, a custom “Jolly Roger Edition” flavor, and full integration into PNC Park's fan experiences.

Ly Tran - Founder - stiletto collective Jul 26, 2025

Ly Tran is the Founder of stiletto collective, established in 2021. stiletto is a minority, woman-owned business & creative~media cooperative. Her mission, along with her collective's, is to help brands of all sizes elevate who they are through creativity in media + data and authenticity in voice + content. Before creating stiletto, she was an essential part of building Proof Advertising. Under her tenure at Proof, the agency was selected as Ad Age's Small Agency of The Year, not once, but five times. For her ingenuity, innovation and individual contributions, she was also honored as one of Ad Age's Women to Watch and recognized by Campaign US's Digital 40 over 40. She has spoken at countless conferences: 4As's, Ad Age, ANA, AWAW (Ad Women for All Women), BOLO, CES, Digiday, DAA (Digital Advertising Alliance), MediaPost, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), SXSW, US Travel's ESTO, and more.

Tyler Dunagin - CEO - Turnserv Jul 22, 2025

Tyler Sits at the crossroads of innovation and leadership, he has founded and scaled multiple seven-figure ventures, consistently driving industry transformation. Over the past decade, he has started and expanded both service and product-based companies, notably Turnserv—a platform of self-started brands revolutionizing the housing sector by streamlining turnover processes. With operations extending to new locations every few weeks, Turnserv addresses critical operational challenges for property managers with unparalleled reliability and efficiency.

Calvin Innes - GM & Executive Creative Director - Jung von Matt NERD London Jul 19, 2025

Calvin Innes is a creative strategist who brings over two decades of expertise in concept design, creative direction, and brand storytelling. As a seasoned Consultant Creative Director, and in his role as GM & Executive Creative Director of JvM NERD London, Calvin is known for crafting innovative campaigns that blend artistry with strategic vision. At JvM NERD London, our team specialises in the dynamic intersection of brands with the new pop culture wave. Calvin’s leadership as GM and ECD is rooted in creative direction and marketing communications, focusing on gaming, esports, fantasy, and pop culture. NERD has propelled campaigns for iconic brands like Mercedes-Benz AG, MINI and Riot Games, creating touchpoints in the metaverse and web3 spaces.

Louise Cantrill - Senior Partner - Lippincott Jul 18, 2025

Louise Cantrill is a Senior Partner at Lippincott, based in London, where she blends human insight with strategic branding and design. Known for her ability to straddle the boundary between creative design and data-driven strategy, she plays a pivotal role in shaping "go-to" brands that resonate deeply with customers.

In a recent interview, Louise described Lippincott’s approach as one guided by a defined brand strategy and clear mission—not simply design for design’s sake—which ensures brand relevance and purpose in today's competitive landscape .

Her work spans a diverse range of sectors, partnering with clients to build purpose-led brand identities, customer experiences, and value propositions that stand out in both their markets and cultures.

Topher Burns - Co‑Founder and Partner in Brand Strategy - territorial Jul 18, 2025

Topher Burns is the Co‑Founder and Partner in Brand Strategy at territorial, an indie creative agency based in New York. Known for his behavior‑led branding approach, Topher has helped shape the identities of prominent clients including HBO, Twitch, Unilever, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Coinbase. He also co-hosts Strange Coordinates, a podcast from territorial exploring the unexpected stories behind major brands, with recent episodes diving into brands like Olay. Before founding territorial, Topher led strategy at design firm COLLINS and digital agency Deep Focus. Outside the agency world, he’s active in Portland, Oregon, as a climate community organizer, trail runner, gardener, and occasional comedian

Michael Brown - Executive Creative Director - Pinch Creative Jul 18, 2025

Michael is a multi-disciplinary creative director, focusing on experience design, interiors and production design for film and content. Originally trained as an architect, Michael spent the beginning of his career working on international cultural projects including the masterplan to rebuild New York’s Ground Zero site and the SF Jewish Museum. With more than 20 years working with artists and brands to help translate narratives into emotive experiences, he’s collaborated with Google, Nike, Amazon, Ferrari and Red Bull directing large creative teams while keeping focus on the smallest details.

Jill Smith - CEO, America's - Iris Jul 17, 2025

Over 15-years of experience working with start-ups, ad agencies and world class brands in North America, Europe and China.
For the past decade she has been a part of the Cheil Network holding client service and growth roles at the regional and global level for IRIS and at the group level as Global CMO for Cheil Connec+.
Cheil Connec+ brings specialists together from 6 creative companies (Barbarian, McKinney, IRIS, BMB, CYLNDR, & of course, Cheil) in 53 offices and with over 6500 experts worldwide.
Currently, she is CEO of the Americas for IRIS. Working with talent and clients across our offices in Atlanta, Boston, New York, San Francisco, São Paulo and Toronto.

Sean McCaffrey - CEO - GSTV Jul 16, 2025

Sean is CEO of the new Destination Media and GSTV. He was recruited to lead the next generation of growth following a joint venture announcement that combined the assets and operations of Verifone's media division with the former Gas Station TV, owned by Detroit-based Rockbridge Growth Equity and Falcon Investment Advisors. The combined business now operates under the GSTV brand and deliver 3.3 billion brand safe 1-to-1 annual impressions from over 29,000+ locations in all 50 states.
Sean previously served as EVP – Strategy & Partnerships at Clear Channel Outdoor, Americas. While at CCO he led all strategic revenue activity with leading agency and brand partners and pioneered new product and partnership approaches to OOH, DOOH and integrated media campaigns. He’s been continually focused on driving business results by understanding the evolution of media, the consumer journey and behavioral insights by using data, technology and the power of content to drive brand and consumer engagement.
While at Clear Channel he also led industry sales and marketing initiatives across verticals, integrated sales partnerships, industry events such as Cannes Lions, CES, ANA events and so on and he has been a featured speaker and writer. He also led global client outreach & strategy which created first-to-market global client and agency partnerships across technology, fashion, beverages and more as well leading global agency holding companies.
Prior to his last role, Sean held a variety of executive sales and marketing positions across North American regions. He began his career at a private-equity backed media company which ultimately grew to a 9-figure IPO and subsequent acquisition and consolidation of an industry sector. Working for both small and large organizations and public and private ownership, he has a broad point-of-view of managing organizational change, integration, business growth strategy, team strategy development and collaborative leadership and vision.

Nadja Bellan‑White - Group CEO, North America - M+C Saatchi Group Jul 14, 2025

Nadja Bellan‑White is a powerhouse leader in global marketing and communications, currently serving as Group CEO, North America at M+C Saatchi Group and CEO of SS+K. With over three decades of experience across markets including the U.S., EMEA, LatAm, and APAC, she has a proven track record leading transformation and brand growth .

Her career highlights include:

Global Chief Marketing Officer at Vice Media Group (2020–2023): Guided enterprise-wide brand strategy during a pivotal era in youth media.
Executive Partner & WPP Team Leader at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide: Led major brand transformations for Dove (Unilever), and spearheaded initiatives for American Express, Coca-Cola, IKEA North America, Siemens, LG, and more .
CEO of Ogilvy Africa (2014–2017): Directed the largest agency network on the continent, managing diverse client portfolios across Africa.

Nadja is celebrated for her bold, inclusive leadership style and her unwavering advocacy for diversity. She co-founded Ogilvy/WPP Roots, champions cultural representation, and actively shapes industry standards. Her achievements have been recognized through awards such as AdColor’s Legend Award and inclusion in Savoy Magazine’s Top 100 Women in Corporate America.

She holds a BA in Foreign Affairs and Spanish from the University of Virginia and an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Ali Cornford – Managing Director & Geoff McHenry – Head of Strategy- 72andSunny New York Jul 14, 2025

Ali Cornford – Managing Director, 72andSunny New York

Ali relocated from Toronto to New York and brings over 15 years of leadership in advertising and agency management . In March 2024, she was named Managing Director of 72NY, joining the executive leadership alongside Juliana Cobb and Geoff McHenry. Previously, she led Convicts as MD (2021–2024) and held account and business roles at BBH, Droga5, Anomaly, BBDO, and Grey Canada. In her current role, Ali oversees agency operations and client partnerships, with clients including Paramount+, Sleep Number, E*Trade, 1800 Tequila, Autotrader, and Comcast Adweek. Known for her “gritty hunger, curiosity, and leadership,” she’s focused on driving business growth, award-winning campaigns (including E*Trade Super Bowl work), and an invigorated agency culture Adweek.

Geoff McHenry – Head of Strategy (formerly Executive Strategy Director), 72andSunny New York

Geoff is a strategist, thought leader, DJ, and public speaker who joined 72NY in October 2023 as Executive Strategy Director, setting vision for the strategy department and leading its growth. He came from Translation, where he led strategy on high-profile work like WhatsApp’s “Naija Odyssey” documentary about Giannis Antetokounmpo. Before that, he was at Wieden+Kennedy NY managing strategy for vitaminwater, Jordan Brand, and Sprite. A Morehouse College graduate, Geoff is passionate about building culturally relevant brands, mentoring diverse talent, and driving industry change through roles like ADCOLOR advisory co-lead. His work emphasizes strategic clarity, collaboration with creatives, and balancing cultural insight with marketing effectiveness

Rhonda Hiatt - Global CEO - M+C Saatchi Consulting Jul 14, 2025

Rhonda Hiatt is an executive leader with 20+ years of global consulting experience. As the Global CEO of M+C Saatchi Consulting, Rhonda leads the specialism’s strategic direction, operational management and client partnerships that drive commercial impact. She is also a member of the M+C Saatchi Group’s Senior Leadership Team.

Rhonda has a deep expertise that continues to grow the network’s brand experience, retail & innovation offer, especially delivering growth strategies for clients including McDonald’s, Applebee’s, Toyota, Lexus, Nike, Fruit of the Loom, Ashley Furniture, Google, and more.

Prior to M+C Saatchi, Rhonda was Executive Director, Brand Strategy & Analytics at Interbrand, where she focused on retail and CPG clients.

Rhonda has been recognized in Design Retail’s 40 Under 40 for her contributions to the retail industry and has been honored as one of Consulting Magazine’s Top Consultants for Excellence in Client Services. She is a member of Chief, a private network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders. Rhonda is also a member of PTTOW!, an invite-only community for today's most creative and inspiring CEOs, CMOs, and Icons from all 70 major industries, which are shaping our culture.

Robin Clarke - Global CEO of Passions & PR - M +C Saatchi Group Jul 14, 2025

Robin Clarke is the Global CEO of Passions & PR at M C Saatchi Group, where he leads the Sport & Entertainment and Talk PR divisions across North America, EMEA, and beyond. He was appointed to this role in July 2024 and sits on the agency’s Executive Leadership Team under Global CEO Zaid Al‑Qassab.

Bringing nearly 25 years of experience in sports and entertainment marketing, Robin began his career in sports hospitality sales before moving into advertising and agency leadership. His previous roles include Senior Business Manager at M&C Saatchi (2002–2003), Head of Fuse Sport & Entertainment at Manning Gottlieb OMD (2004–2010), and leadership positions at Starcom EMA and Publicis Media Sport & Entertainment (2010–2018).

From 2018 to 2024, Robin was a key leader at 160over90 (part of Endeavor), serving first as SVP International and later as Global EVP. There, he managed major global client relationships—including DP World, Visa, AB InBev, and Marriott—and built a strong industry network.

At M C Saatchi, Robin spearheads the “Cultural Power” strategy within Passions & PR, integrating sport, entertainment, and PR capabilities to deliver global campaigns and fan-focused narratives. Under his leadership, the agency has expanded client offerings across lifestyle, music, film, and large-scale sporting events, including preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Stevie Archer - Regional Chief Creative Officer, North America - M+C Saatchi Jul 12, 2025

Stevie Archer is the Regional Chief Creative Officer, North America at M+C Saatchi (SS+K), based in the New York City metro area. Named after Stevie Nicks, she grew up in Winston‑Salem, North Carolina, and earned a degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .

Stevie began her career as a copywriter, building experience at agencies including McKinney, Mullen, and Big Spaceship—where she led Starbucks accounts—before joining SS+K in 2019 as Executive Creative Director.

She rose to Chief Creative Officer in late 2023 and was recently promoted to Regional CCO, N. America in early 2025 .

Her award-winning work includes the “Looks Like You Need Iceland” campaign, creative strategy for Mount Sinai Health System, JPMorgan Chase’s Detroit revival, LeBron James’s More Than a Vote voter initiative, and rebranding projects for clients like Smartsheet .

Known for blending political‑style strategic thinking with bold creative ideas, Stevie thrives on tackling complex challenges—from helping reshape tourism to influencing social change

Cherie R. Cohen - Global Chief Revenue Officer - X Games Jul 12, 2025

Cherie R. Cohen is a seasoned media and sports executive currently serving as Global Chief Revenue Officer at X Games. She joined the organization in 2025 as it embarks on evolving into a year‑round international action‑sports league. Prior to X Games, Cherie spent five years as CRO at the World Surf League, where she significantly diversified sponsorships—bringing in brands like Red Bull, Lexus, Neutrogena, Chase, Samsung Electronics, Corona, Apple—and forged partnerships with tourism agencies to grow new revenue streams Earlier in her career, she held key sales and revenue roles at ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Paramount Pictures, managing major events such as Monday Night Football, Super Bowl, the International Olympic Committee – IOC, National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, and X‑Games .

Dani Mariano - CEO - Razorfish Jul 09, 2025

As CEO of Razorfish, Dani Mariano leads teams who are focused on delivering performance outcomes rooted in brand purpose. Innovation is in Razorfish’s DNA, and Dani is leading the agency’s day-to-day operations at a time when exponential growth in emerging spaces such as AI and Web3 has never been more attainable. She is committed to discovering how Razorfish can help brands build relationships in this new digital age through valuable consumer touch points, and how to keep companies at the forefront of the latest technology advancements to future-proof them for what’s to come. Most importantly, she empowers the agency’s team members to seek opportunities for growth that will prepare them to be the next generation of agency leadership.

During her time at Razorfish and its parent company, Publicis Groupe, Dani has led an award-winning global digital marketing transformation for Samsung spanning the Web3 launch of 837X and Discord channel, DTC commerce experiences, social commerce innovations, global website UI-redesign, and advanced analytics & measurement – all underpinned by a relentless focus on consumer behavior fueled by data insights. Dani’s blend of deep expertise in marketing, pioneering approach to new technologies, and digital-first innovation has translated into a track record of industry recognitions, such as Hermes Creative Award 2022, Data Breakthrough Award 2022, Effie 2022, Adweek Media Plan of the Year 2021, and multiple Webby Awards.

Prior to joining Razorfish and Publicis, Dani spent over 20 years in marketing leadership roles working with brands such as Nestle, Avery Denison, DIRECTV, Honda, Alterna Hair Care, and Public Storage.

When Dani is not following her relentless curiosity around emerging technology and the implications for consumer experiences, she can be found around Los Angeles or relaxing at the beach with her family.

Shannon Pruitt - Global Chief Marketing Officer - Stagwell’s Brand Performance Network (BxP) Jul 09, 2025

Shannon Pruitt serves as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Stagwell’s Brand Performance Network (BxP), where she leads global business development, marketing, and communications efforts. Promoted in February 2024, she previously held the role of Global Chief Content & Partnership Innovation Officer, joining Stagwell in 2020.

With over two decades of agency- and brand-side experience, Shannon previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at The Honest Company and co-founded Dentsu’s The Story Lab, guiding campaigns for Fortune 100 brands like P&G, Microsoft, Mondelez, and MasterCard. She has also spearheaded content and business teams at Warner Bros., Fremantle, Octagon, and 19 Entertainment, and led integrated sponsorship strategies for the FIFA World Cup, MLB, and NFL .

An MBA graduate from the University of Oregon, Shannon is a proud advocate for DEI and ESG, having launched Stagwell’s “Partners for Progress” diversity initiative and overseen global ESG consolidation efforts stagwellglobal.com.

Based in Los Angeles, she blends strategic storytelling, data-informed marketing, and partnership innovation to drive unified brand and performance outcomes across Stagwell’s network.

Edgar Hernández - Chief Strategy Officer - My Code Jul 07, 2025

Edgar Hernández is the Chief Strategy Officer at My Code, where he leads the company’s strategic vision, overseeing editorial direction, media strategy, and sales growth across its owned platforms. He joined the agency full-time in December 2023 after consulting over six months, bringing more than 20 years of experience in multicultural media and advertising

Prior to My Code, Edgar spent 13 years at Complex Networks, launching landmark initiatives like ComplexCon, ComplexLand, and popular content franchises such as Hot Ones and Sneaker Shopping. He continued driving revenue as Chief Revenue Officer at BuzzFeed, especially during the integration of Complex

Based in New York, he holds a B.A. in Journalism from UMass Amherst and is a vocal advocate for culturally informed, growth-oriented marketing. Edgar’s leadership centers on authentic representation—arguing that “marketing to diverse audiences isn’t about politics. It’s about growth.”

Claude Zdanow - CEO - ONAR Jul 07, 2025

Claude Zdanow is a visionary leader in the business and marketing industry, boasting nearly two decades of unparalleled experience in scaling and directing multiple marketing and advertising enterprises. His strategic acumen has transformed startups into global brands valued at tens of millions of dollars. Zdanow's impressive client portfolio includes industry giants such as 7-Eleven, Brown Forman, Disney's FX Networks, The Recording Academy, Peter Thomas Roth, Pernod Ricard, Rolls Royce, Steven Soderbergh’s Singani 63, and Microsoft’s Xbox. Throughout his career, he has successfully executed transactions exceeding $100 million in cash value, encompassing acquisitions, capital raises, asset sales, financings, restructurings, and other corporate financial activities.
Before venturing into marketing and advertising, Zdanow built a formidable reputation in the music industry, initially as a musician and later as an entrepreneur. He founded and grew companies that collaborated with top-tier artists like Avicii, The Chainsmokers, Chris Brown, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Eminem, Drake, and Yo-Yo Ma. His businesses were involved in 22 Grammy Award-winning projects and received 30 Grammy nominations, reflecting his significant impact on the music scene.
As a dynamic and insightful speaker, Claude engages global audiences on topics including business, marketing, M&A, and music. His thought leadership has been featured in prestigious media outlets such as Bloomberg, Rolling Stone, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, MarketWatch, and The Village Voice. He has also served as an industry expert for renowned organizations and events like The Recording Academy, The Organization of American States, Grammy Camp, Pro Audio Summit, Rotterdam Beats, SAE University, Columbia Business School, Winter Music Conference, and Amsterdam Dance Event.
Currently, Zdanow is the CEO of ONAR (OTCQB:RELT), a publicly traded marketing agency network that acquires and develops marketing agencies specializing in driving growth for clients across various sectors, including consumer products, entertainment, spirits, and healthcare.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Zdanow is a mentor, advisor, and board member to startups and businesses, including Endexx Corporation & Chemtech. His passion for nurturing entrepreneurial talent and business leadership is matched by his love for wine and hospitality. He is the founder of Sona Hills, a boutique vineyard resort in Paso Robles, CA, and Claude Philippe Wines, where he combines his business acumen with his personal interests.

Mattia Fosci - CEO - Anonymised Jul 07, 2025

Mattia is a legal and technology expert turned entrepreneur. He is a co-founder and CEO at Anonymised, a tech company that is enhancing privacy and ad effectiveness through ID-less advertising.
Excessive reliance on the collection and sharing of consumer data undermines digital advertising because:
👉 It reduces the number of consumers that can be reached by advertisers
👉 It raises prices for advertisers
👉 It places digital publishers at a competitive disadvantage
👉 It is affected by the accelerated reduction of identity signals across the industry
Anonymised is building an advertising ecosystem that delivers value for brands, publishers and consumers without dangerous dependency on personal data sharing.
On LinkedIn, he regularly comments on AI, advertising technology and privacy.
Off LinkedIn, he leads a wonderfully talented team and works with regulators and industry leaders to reshape advertising standards.

Laura Hoffman - Partner, Head of Brand Management - HAYMAKER Jul 04, 2025

Laura Hoffman is a Partner and Head of Brand Management at HAYMAKER, an independent, minority‑owned creative agency based in Los Angeles. She joined the agency as Group Brand Director in late 2021 and quickly rose to Partner status in 2022, where she now leads brand strategy, client relationships, and organic growth initiatives—including the launch of the agency’s in‑house production arm, THROWDOWN .

Before HAYMAKER, Laura held senior brand roles at top-tier agencies like 72andSunny, The Many, BBH, Deutsch, and DDB, managing major consumer brands and bringing a wealth of creative strategy and account leadership to her work. She holds a B.S. from Villanova University in Business, Management, and Marketing theorg.com.

Dynamic, curious, and client-focused, Laura is known for structuring agile teams and driving innovative brand initiatives that resonate in today’s evolving media landscape.

Kristi O'Brien - General Manager, Brand Platform & Head of Partnerships - LTK Jul 03, 2025

Kristi O'Brien leads LTK’s Brand Platform team – developing and driving creator commerce strategies for its brand partners. She also oversees the product and technology teams as they develop advertiser focused tools, including its recent launch of LTK Connect, a self-service advertiser product focused on connecting LTKs creators with brands of all sizes. She started at LTK in 2018 as the VP of Strategy and Corporate Development managing organizational initiatives and strategic relationships.
O'Brien came to rewardStyle from Allen & Company, an elite New York based investment bank focused on the technology and media industries. During her tenure, she advised on over $150 billion in transactions including Time Warner’s sale to AT&T, Scripps’ sale to Discovery, Time Warner Cable’s sale to Charter, and multiple financings for companies in the media and technology space.

Tara Loftis - Global President of Dermatological Skincare - Galderma & Valerie Vacante - SVP of Solutions Innovation - Dentsu Jul 03, 2025

With over two decades of experience in the skincare and beauty industry, Tara specializes in building brands that move culture. Her work lives at the intersection of science, storytelling, and soul, and it is always anchored in results.
She specializes in grit. Her dad is a third-generation pistachio grower in California, and that blend of artful curiosity, beauty, and serious hard work runs deep in her DNA. Today, as the Global President of Dermatological Skincare at Galderma (Cetaphil, Differin, Alastin, Benzac), she brings that same grounded tenacity to leading a portfolio of globally loved brands. She focuses on driving impact through innovation, advocacy, and breakthrough marketing.
A California native now living in Switzerland, after a few unforgettable years in Paris, she brings a global perspective to brand-building. Her approach blends sharp market insight with emotional nuance and deep respect for local culture.
She works closely with healthcare professionals to deliver superior outcomes that build trust, create value, and honor the deeply personal nature of skincare. Before joining Galderma, she led transformative work at iconic companies including Kendo Brands (LVMH), Too Faced, and Pierre Fabre, launching breakthrough campaigns and fueling growth across global markets.
At her core, she is a builder. She thrives on mentoring future change makers, fostering collaboration, and creating bold, lasting brand value through curiosity, clarity, and purpose.
She is also a frequent speaker and podcast guest, passionate about sharing insights on beauty, leadership, and brand-building at the intersection of science and soul.

Val Vacante is an award-winning, creative catalyst and global innovator. As the SVP of Solutions Innovation at Dentsu, she uncovers cultural trends, commerce dynamics, and emerging technologies to shape next-generation product innovations, and solutions impacting the way people connect in the physical and digital world.
Val is the product lead and innovator behind the Meta Global Messaging Alliance and Intelligent Messaging, Dentsu's first-of-its-kind full suite of end-to-end messaging innovations designed to accelerate 1:1 conversational messaging, AI-amplified assistance, and human connection – showcased at CES, SXSW, Cosmoprofs and featured in Digiday, MediaPost, Retail Brew and more.
She is the co-creator behind Dentsu NXT Space, a co-space for rapidly realizing the future of AI, 3D spatial environments, and everyday technology in collaboration with Microsoft, LinkedIn and HeadOffice.space featured in PSFK’s, “Best of CES,” Forbes, Fast Company, Digiday, Coindesk and more.
Val is also the co-creator of ShopNXT™ — Dentsu’s retail innovations focused on helping brands create more personalized shopping experiences increasing loyalty, sales, and customer joy. The ShopNXT suite of products has been named top product picks at CES by PCR Magazine featured in CNET, The Drum, PSFK, eMarketer, MediaPost, PCR among others.
Additionally, Val architected and launched NXT Intelligence™ an innovation platform featuring 12 technology, innovation, and brand solutions designed to rapidly explore, evaluate and evolve business growth opportunities. Her latest work focuses on connected experiences, emerging technologies, gaming, retail and play.
She is also the Founder of the strategy and innovation firm Collabsco; where she pioneered award-winning digital products and connected experiences across IoT, AR, VR, voice, robotics, and the first  connected play landscape featured in VentureBeat, The Drum, VRScout, and more.
Her portfolio includes over 50+ brands including Microsoft, Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, Bandai Namco Entertainment, PepsiCo, P&G, Nestlé, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Galderma, AT&T, Vodafone, Honeywell, Sleep Number, Dell, MERGE, WowWee and Virsix Games, among others.
Val has been named one of the Top 25 Women in Tech by PCR magazine and Women in Tech Global Product Management Leader of the Year.

Ian Orekondy - Director of Media, Analytics & Innovation - Method1 Jul 03, 2025

Ian Orekondy is the Director of Media, Analytics & Innovation at Method1, where he applies data-driven strategies and behavioral science to optimize media planning and brand impact for clients like PepsiCo, Gap, and Merck . Joining Method1 in early 2024, Ian has nearly two decades of experience across media, analytics, product, and ad-tech leadership roles

Before Method1, Ian founded PranifyRx, an AI-powered ad data platform focused on pharmaceutical marketing, and held senior product and leadership positions at AdComplyRx, Good Apple, United Business Media, and Rosetta . He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from SUNY Buffalo and earned an altMBA certificate from Seth Godin signalhire.com.

Ian’s cross-functional expertise in connecting technology, analytics, and creative strategy makes him a key driver of innovative, measurable campaigns in a privacy-first world.

James Townsend - CEO of Stagwell EMEA and Global CEO of Stagwell's Brand Performance Network (BXP) Jul 02, 2025

James Townsend is currently CEO of Stagwell EMEA and Global CEO of Stagwell's Brand Performance Network (BXP). He assumed the EMEA role on January 1, 2024, after serving as Global CEO of Assembly and Brand Performance Network, and leads the company’s expansion across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa en.wikipedia.org+10stagwellglobal.com+10odwyerpr.com+10.

With more than 15 years in agency leadership, James previously drove digital growth as European CEO at 360i (under Dentsu Aegis) and spent five years as Managing Director at Fallon, working on global brands including Cadbury, Nokia, and Škoda people.equilar.com+1theorg.com+1.

At Stagwell, he’s spearheaded the integration of ForwardPMX into Assembly, scaled the Brand Performance Network, and opened a major London hub in late 2023 to support over 750 employees across 16 agency brands in the region odwyerpr.com+4stagwellglobal.com+4people.equilar.com+4.

Known for uniting best-in-class creative, media, analytics, and commerce capabilities, James continues to shape Stagwell’s challenger‑holding model—helping brands thrive in a complex global marketplace.

Matt Murphy - Global Cheif Creative Officer - 72andSunny Jul 01, 2025

As Global CCO, Matt pushes the creative limits of 72andSunny by helping lead its commitment to experimentation with art, technology, and entertainment. He's a born tinkerer, and is always looking for new ways to create opportunities with all of our brand partners.
Matt's passion for partnership has produced unlikely collaborations, including rallying millions of girls to code holiday trees on the White House's lawn, galvanizing everyone at United Airlines to become more than just employees, but rather, a collective force for good, and turning the Tinder App into an interactive adventure called Swipe Night that led to matches IRL.

Vida Delrahim - WeNatal - Co-Founder Jul 01, 2025

Vida Delrahim is a WeNatal Co-Founder with 20+ years of leadership in Brand Marketing. Building campaigns from the ground up as the Senior Marketing Director at Nike, she’s responsible for executing numerous high-profile endeavors including the Nike Women's Marathon, World Cup, and Nike Women Los Angeles. Vida’s experience with bringing stories of strength & empowerment to light shifted to the fertility space when her own personal journey with loss led her to redefine how parents-to-be navigate the world of reproductive health. As she transforms the fertility narrative from me to we with premium prenatal company WeNatal, she also cherishes family time off the grid - staying active with her husband and two daughters.

Don Strom - Co Founder - Pinch Creative Agency Jul 01, 2025

With over 20 years of global experience in production and creative leadership, Don Strom's journey began in technical theatre and live performance, igniting his passion for entertainment. He launched his career in TV and live broadcast with major networks like ABC, FOX, and NBC before transitioning to executive producing large-scale events for Fortune 500 companies, including Google, Netflix, Nike, and Apple. After serving as VP of Production and Operations for a global non-profit (2009-2017), leading 500+ events across 17 countries, Don co-founded Salt and Pinch. His leadership blends agency, theatre, broadcast, and non-profit expertise, driving both agencies to deliver award-winning work. By balancing creative and production disciplines and fostering "healthy tension," Don creates environments that inspire teams, enhance quality, and ensure brand satisfaction.
Today, he continues to travel the world producing high profile events, overseeing production teams and continue to work towards establishing stronger connections within the experiential marketing, live event and television production community. He considers himself an inspiring leader who focuses on producing quality events by creating a safe and fun workplace for both the production team and client. He believes, having an environment that promotes creative thinking, and encourages personalized growth is key to a successful event and developing long lasting relationships.

Greg Williams - President - Backbone Media Jul 01, 2025

Greg Williams graduated from Susquehanna University in 1992 with a degree in accounting, but quickly pivoted toward the outdoors, co-founding the Philadelphia Rock Gyms (PRG) Gym in 1993 and helping build one of the region’s first indoor climbing communities. He later moved to Colorado to work in advertising at Climbing Magazine Inc, combining his professional skillset with his passion for the outdoors. Greg joined Backbone in 1997 as a PR Account Manager and went on to launch the agency’s Paid Media and Social Media services—becoming VP of Media and helping shape Backbone’s integrated approach. In 2022, he became President and now oversees all 11 service areas across paid and earned media. He serves on the boards of Mountain Projects, Inc, RootsRated Media, and 5Point Film Festival. Outside the office, he’s a 10-year youth basketball coach and enjoys climbing, biking, and rucking.

Gabby Ludzker - CEO - Rapp UK Jun 30, 2025

Gabby Ludzker is CEO of Rapp UK, joining the agency in 2020. She spent 11 years at Proximity: 3 years running the International business in the Paris office and 8 years in Proximity London as MD and then CEO.
Coming from a Digital background at the start of it all, Gabby is passionate about the constant evolution of Marketing, finding new and better ways to solve meaty client problems, make consumers happy and deliver outstanding creative work! She is also obsessed with harnessing the collective genius of the Agency to make magic.

Niki Herr - COO - Xpedition Jun 30, 2025

Agencies are a trip.
She should know. After spending 20 years at some of the largest and most influential agencies, she's come to appreciate the unique power of independent and inclusive teams. Now, as the COO of Xpedition, she is part of a team committed to revolutionizing agency and entertainment work and delivering world-changing results in partnership with clients like Google, YouTube, Amazon and more.
Her mission is to build systems that drive industry-leading creative and elevate underrepresented voices that reflect the diversity of the world we live in. She believes that true innovation and the future of marketing are built by embracing a multitude of perspectives.
In partnership with her colleagues, Xpedition is setting new standards for creative excellence and collaboration. Thier focus on inclusive processes and groundbreaking strategies is paving the way for a more dynamic and representative industry. Looking ahead, she is excited to continue driving change and setting new benchmarks for creativity and belonging.
She is always eager to connect with like-minded professionals who share a passion for innovation. Let’s explore how you can collaborate to create meaningful and impactful work together.

Tamara Francois - CEO and co‑founder - The XP Agency Jun 29, 2025

Tamara Francious is CEO and co‑founder of The XP Agency, an award‑winning experiential and multicultural marketing firm based in New York. Since launching the company in 2016, she has led the agency’s growth, championing immersive, culturally resonant activations for clients like Netflix, Coca‑Cola, Procter & Gamble, Ghirardelli, and Aflac

Under her leadership, The XP Agency earned a spot on Inc.’s 2023 Northeast Regionals list (#79) for its innovative brand experiences inc.com.

Tamara draws on over 20 years of experience in entertainment and marketing to bridge real-world events with virtual and digital storytelling, crafting campaigns that deeply engage multicultural audiences blackenterprise.com. A respected voice in the industry, she’s been recognized among BizBash’s 2025 “Industry Innovators” alongside co-founder Adolfo Vasquez

Tom Morrissy - Chief Growth Officer - Noble People Jun 27, 2025

Tom is an accomplished senior agency leader and executive advisor with proven expertise in accelerating revenue growth in both large corporate and independent entrepreneurial environments. Significant experience creating sales and marketing strategies that have generated revenues for ad agencies, publishers and ad tech startups. Highly adaptive with versatile sales skills and reputation as innovative, marketing-driven revenue builder. Collaborative leader and mentor. Experienced at attracting, training, and scaling teams. Exceptional and vast industry relationships across marketing clients, creative agencies, and senior level executives at media companies.

Adam Charles - Chief Growth Officer - Sparks Jun 27, 2025

Adam has 30 years of global experience across a number of areas in marketing and the live event industry, leading diverse projects such as fashion shows, live broadcast events for TV, theatre, music, ceremonies for international sporting events, complex consumer marketing campaigns, and corporate brand experiences. Over the years, he developed a reputation as a world-class event and experience producer.
In 2003, he was appointed by Jack Morton Worldwide as the Producer of the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. From 2007 to 2018, he was based in China, one of the biggest and most dynamic markets in the world, before relocating to Dallas, Texas, in August 2018 to join Freeman’s corporate headquarters and lead its agency business globally.
In 2023, Freeman acquired Sparks, and he proudly became the Chief Growth Officer at Sparks. Sparks is a global brand experience agency specializing in creating meaningful connections between brands and their audiences through innovative event marketing, experiential design, trade shows, and more. Sparks partners with some of the world’s most renowned brands to deliver unforgettable experiences that inspire and drive action.
He prides myself on establishing and maintaining long-serving relationships with clients, staff, and partners. He is passionate about building creative, supportive, and collaborative environments that empower employees to constantly challenge themselves to do what they do better.
He believes that the positive culture of a company is the key to its success. It creates value for the company’s stakeholders, both in the short and long term.
He builds creative, supportive and collaborative environments that empower employees to constantly challenge themselves to do what they do better.
He believes that the positive culture of a company is the key to its success. This is what creates value to the company’s stakeholders both in the short and long term.

Steve Erich - Co-Founder and President - Erich & Kallman Jun 27, 2025

Steve Erich is the Co-Founder and President of Erich & Kallman, which has been named AdAge 2024 North American Agency of the Year, honored as an ADWEEK Fastest Growing Agency, named on the AdAge A-List and has three times been awarded Small Agency of the Year - West by AdAge. Erich & Kallman has produced award winning work for Hershey, Disney+, General Mills, Great Wolf Lodge, iRobot, Take 5, Kelly Services, Chick-fil-A, Fisher Investments and Zero Cancer.
Prior to starting Erich & Kallman, Steve was President of Crispin Porter Bogusky with responsibility over seven global offices. He oversaw CPB’s expansion into Europe in 2006 with the management of its London, Madrid and Munich offices, and Asia in 2014 with the launch of its office in Hong Kong. Prior to CPB, Steve worked at TBWA Chiat/Day, Vitro and The Martin Agency. He has overseen work which has been awarded two Grand Effies and over 300 other strategic and creative awards, been a guest lecturer at both the University of Missouri and University of Colorado Schools of Journalism, and a featured speaker for the 4A's MPF Program, Minneapolis Ad Club, the AdAge Small Agency Conference in Los Angeles, the Mirren CEO Summit in Chicago, the Word of Mouth Conference in Hamburg, and Marketing 2.0 in Paris. He currently sits on the BBB's National Advertising Review Board and AAAA's
Western Leadership Committee, is the Jury Chair for the Jay Chiat Awards for B2B Strategy and has judged the Effies and the Association of National Advertisers B2B awards multiple times.

Aaron C. Lang - President - MSQ Jun 27, 2025

Aaron C. Lang is the President of MSQ, a global marketing group known for its collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to building modern brands. With a career spanning leadership roles across agencies and client-side organizations, Aaron brings a deep understanding of integrated marketing, digital transformation, and growth strategy. At MSQ, he champions innovation and creative excellence, driving cross-agency collaboration to deliver impactful results for some of the world's most ambitious brands.

Anders Bergstrom - Chief Brand Officer - Calico Jun 27, 2025

Anders just completed an unprecedented 21 year run at Deckers Brands, one of the most dynamic and powerful companies in the world of footwear - and consumer brands broadly speaking. Over the course of that time, he grew from an entry level Marketing Coordinator to his most recent post as the VP and Global GM of the Teva Footwear brand. Throughout his tenure at Deckers he was a central contributor and leader during 2 separate eras of astronomical growth and organizational transformation. Between 2002 and 2011, UGG grew from $36m to just short of $1bn, and his small team built one of the most enduring and essential brands in the history of the industry. In his next capacity as Director of Strategy Development, they acquired a very small but compelling running brand called HOKA, and built a broad and insightful consumer strategy for the brand that enabled to mass adoption that we see today.

Mariam Asmar - VP of Strategic Consulting and Marketing - Braze Jun 26, 2025

Mariam is a first generation half-Mexican half-Palestinian American with global experience in creative, media and technology. Her skills range from creative to commercial—with particular expertise in brand strategy, industry strategy and business development. Thanks to a diverse and illustrious career abroad, she understands the nuances of cultural relevance and context on a global scale for brands. She also speaks Spanish, French and terrible Arabic.
Each city she has worked in has shaped her on both professional and personal levels. Driven by vision and seeing opportunity at every turn, she brings high energy (and equally high standards) to all of her work. Between this and her passion for teamwork and generosity, she has a proven track record of galvanizing colleagues and clients to achieve a shared vision. As innovation requires creative and commercial acumen, she brings her unique expertise to whatever follows; she doesn't just ‘get’ creativity & technology—she harnesses its power to transform the communications of her clients.
She gets a rush from public speaking and has been invited to speak in front of audiences at conferences like Cannes, Social Media Week, Rebels and Rulers and DMEXCO on how brands can leverage technology and creativity to change the conversation. She is also a regular contributor to publications such as Campaign, Little Black Book and Shots, writing on topics ranging from diversity & inclusion to retail strategy and brand experience.

Pius S. Hornstein, MSc, PhD - Global Head of Digital - Sanofi Jun 21, 2025

Since 2019, Pius leads Sanofi China encompassing Greater China, representing the 2nd largest market of Sanofi in the world with over 8,000 associates. Pius and his team are fully dedicated to transforming healthcare by accelerating the introduction and access to innovative and chronic medicines, driving digitalization, as well as empowering people to bring their best to the workplace.
Pius’ extensive experience in the healthcare industry encompasses a variety of key positions and responsibilities, including leading global core brands, and P&L responsibilities for different geographical areas within Europe, Latin America, emerging markets, and Greater China. He has worked around the world in countries including France, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Brazil, Tanzania, and China. He has successfully launched several major innovative medicines both globally and locally.
Pius is a native of Switzerland. He started his career in the healthcare industry at the Cardiology Department of the University of Basel in a research collaboration with Novartis in Switzerland, where he earned his PhD in medical research, graduating magna cum laud. He is an alumnus of INSEAD and Singularity University. He speaks fluent German, English, French, and Portuguese.
Pius has an extensive experience with various industry associations, where he currently holds several key leadership positions, as an active member of RDPAC Executive Committee and Sponsor of the Market Access Committee, as well as Vice-Chair of the European Chamber Shanghai Chapter. Pius is also speaker at the World Economic Forum’s China Chapter.
He is a strong believer in the idea that innovation ultimately drives progress and prosperity, an active advocate for increasing diversity in society. Pius is happily married, and a proud father of twin daughters.

Jo McKinney - Chief Growth Officer - @The BOI (Board of Innovation) Jun 06, 2025

Jo is perpetually bored with the status quo, she's a visionary leader at the forefront of transforming the future of work through generative AI & the agentic future. After a successful tenure as CEO of Burns Group—where she drove significant growth & participated in the company's acquisition by a leading agency—she redirected her passion and expertise to redefine organizational transformation across industries. She employs a future-back approach, partnering with companies to reimagine every workstream & workplace, not just for efficiency but to envision entirely new ways of working, with a particular focus on marketing, advertising & insight.

Mat Zucker / CMO / Prophet Jun 05, 2025

Mat transform how brands connect with their markets by fusing creative storytelling with strategic rigor. From copywriter to CMO at Prophet, my 25+ year journey spans digital innovation, agency leadership, and brand transformation for Fortune 500 clients.
My expertise bridges the brand-demand divide to drive measurable growth in both B2B and B2C environments. I've led digital disciplines of 30+ specialists globally, served as CCO at OgilvyOne, and pioneered integrated marketing approaches since 1996.
Beyond client work, I have judged at Cannes Lions and Effies, spoken at industry events such as B2BMX and ANA Brand Masters, host two podcasts (Cidiot and Rising), and written "Bronze Seeks Silver"- a memoir on creative marketing leadership. Recently named among "Top 25 Marketing & Sales Consultants" by The Consulting Report.

Jonathan Haber - Co Founder - Giant Spoon May 31, 2025

Jonathan Haber is a cofounder of Giant Spoon, an independent, integrated agency that expands the ways people experience brands. Giant Spoon is known for turning marketing upside down. Obsessed with culture and driven by insatiable curiosity, the agency blends teams across creative, media, and experiential to stir shit up for ambitious brands.

Pepijn van Kesteren - CEO - Zelf May 23, 2025

Pep loves working with amazing people, He loves solving problems, and he loves meeting new folks from everywhere in the world.

Currently, he has the privilege of leading a fantastic team of engineers and business leaders. Together they are driving the future of brand-consumer relationships. They are building SaaS that helps brands uncover authentic conversations at scale and help them put the most effective marketers front and center – everyday people with 4-8x better engagement on vertical video than produced, branded content.

Zelf brings together Pep's long-time passions. Originally from the Netherlands, he studied astrophysics while dipping his toes in video-making and progressive political activism. At the age of 9, he had his first entrepreneurial venture and had the fortune of living various lives since: from popcorn baker, to video editor, to sustainability activist, and eventually joining the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, before founding his first company.

McKinsey allowed him to see the workings of a wide array of industries (consumer goods, e-commerce, retail, food, finance, etc.), took him all over the world and allowed him to live and work on all of the six major continents, with most notably business building adventures in Vietnam, Thailand, Sydney, Madagascar, Colombia, and the US, all with fantastic people.

From there, he had the honor to pursue his MBA at MIT Sloan — where I founded Alfie one of the first movers in ISAs (Income Share Agreements) and through which he met so many of the amazing people that are now helping me build Zelf.

Damaune Journey - Global Chief Growth Officer at 72andSunny May 22, 2025

Damaune serves as Global Chief Growth Officer at 72andSunny, one of the world’s most admired and innovative creative agencies, where he is responsible for the global revenue of the business including marketing and revenue operations, business development, and corporate communications.

For Journey, success means driving growth on both the agency and the client sides of the partnership, and he works across 72andSunny’s four global offices, as well as its long roster of brands, including the National Football League, United Airlines, Zoom, and Audible. Previously, Journey was Chief Growth/Marketing Officer at Private Medical, a concierge medical practice serving select UHNW families across the United States. In this role, he successfully developed and led the organization’s growth and expansion strategy. Prior to Private Medical, Journey was hired by private equity firm TPG Growth to serve as Chief Revenue Officer at the renowned private security firm Gavin de Becker & Associates, where he was responsible for
revenue growth, marketing and commercial operations, and scaling strategy.

As an executive and business unit leader at ShotSpotter, a venture-backed technology company, Journey helped lead the
firm’s IPO with its 2016 NASDAQ listing and was a featured protagonist in the Harvard Business School case, “ShotSpotter: A Gunfire Detection Business Looks for a New Market” about his efforts. Before ShotSpotter, he led global marketing and business development for CSECO, where he successfully
expanded the business to international markets on four continents.

Outside of his private-sector career, Journey has proudly served as National Chairperson and advisory board member of the National Society of Black Engineers and currently serves as a board director for a number of non-profits and social enterprises. Journey has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, he
lives in Oakland, CA with his wife and their two young children.

⁠Christopher Brady⁠, President, Global CCO at ⁠Tribeca⁠ Enterprises May 21, 2025

Christopher Brady, President, Global Chief Commercial Officer at Tribeca Enterprises. In this role, Brady is responsible for revenue strategy across the organization, including finding new ways to grow the Tribeca Festival, as well as other live events and Tribeca Studios, the organization’s production company. This past year he’s helped drive the highest sponsorship figures for the Tribeca Festival and further expanded Tribeca Enterprises into the international realm with Tribeca Festival Lisboa. Brady explores sponsorship, distribution and production deals, as well as franchise experiences and other opportunities. He reports directly to Jane Rosenthal, Tribeca Co-Founder and CEO.

Dustin Hinz - CMO - Firestone Walker Brewing Company May 20, 2025

Dustin is a musician who became an award-winning marketer more than 20 years ago after receiving his first guitar, a truly life-defining moment that set him down a path of creative exploration. He is passionate about filmmaking, photography, design, illustration and all things creative, as well as marketing strategy, data and analytics. He specializes in telling engaging stories and connecting brands and artists with global audiences through proven strategic marketing efforts. He splits his time between Los Angeles and Paso Robles, California and is honored to work alongside some of the best and brightest creatives to produce work for the world’s most respected brands.

German Dziebel - Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer / Briolink AI May 17, 2025

German is a practitioner of "mixed cognitive arts" building modern brands across a full spectrum of categories (with a leaning toward health, pharma, wellness, beauty, finance, insurance, food, hospitality, sports and automotive).
A Silicon Valley-trained entrepreneur and thought leader applying ingenuity and leading methodologies to simplify marketing challenges using human insights, cultural trends, lateral thinking and new technologies.
A passionate advocate for anthropology bringing ethnographies, artificial intelligence, expert crowdsourcing and cultural computing to advertising, media, innovation and corporate strategy.
A client-savvy executive building long-lasting client relationships and driving high-profile pitch wins and account retention for agencies.
A visionary team architect mentoring talent, rejuvenating culture and shaping the future of the Strategy & Planning discipline.
Feeling at home in both disruptive and mainstream agencies with a preference for the former.
Brands: Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Intel, NASDAQ, Ask.com, Creditcards.com, Ely Lilly, AMGEN, Novartis, Pfizer, Otsuka, Kyowa Kirin, Ipsen, Stryker, Foundation Medicine, National Jewish Health, Weight Watchers, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, American Family Insurance, Emblem Insurance, Volvo, Volkswagen, Honda, Lufthansa, Expedia, L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, Erno Laszlo, Victoria's Secret, RadioShack, Best Buy, CVS, Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, Wendy's, Miller Coors, Brown Forman, Kahlua, Nike, Pearl Izumi.

Mark Barker - Co Founder - Craft & Commerce May 15, 2025

Mark Barker is the Co Founder of Craft & Commerce (C&C) an integrated media agency that connects growth science, media strategy, and modern measurement to help our partners create greater marketing impact and grow with confidence. C&C is purpose-built to bring a marketer’s mentality to today’s dynamic media landscape. The result is an expert, senior-level team that approaches media not as an agency, but as a business stakeholder committed to one thing: helping our partners outshine the competition through smarter, more agile planning and buying.

Michael Nyman - CEO - Acceleration Community of Companies May 15, 2025

Michael Nyman has made a career by being on the leading edge of marketing trends. With this latest venture he has created another new go to market strategy. Nyman, the former long time PMK*BNC Co-Chairman & CEO, has now launched Acceleration, a new investment vehicle & advisory firm.
With Acceleration, Nyman will be developing a new go-to market business approach with a series of strategic and complementary acquisitions and build outs aimed at providing a unique collective of specialized agencies, designed to help clients move quickly and efficiently with their branding, marketing and media decisions.
Nyman, a 30-year veteran, started his own firm, Bragman Nyman Cafarelli (along with founder Howard Bragman and co-founder Brad Cafarelli) in 1991, before selling it to Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG:NYSE) in the fall of 2000, and leading the firm through its transition to a public company and subsequent expansion. In the fall of 2009, Nyman was asked to lead the merger combining the talent powerhouse of PMK with BNC’s established leadership in not only communications, but also marketing services and expertise in merging brands with entertainment. Within five years PMK*BNC had doubled its revenue and built up to 300 employees representing nearly 1,000 entertainment and Fortune 500 clients.
For more than two decades of work with BNC and PMK*BNC, Nyman has architected and contributed to numerous award-winning campaigns and/or counseled clients, including Samsung, Pepsi, American Express, Avon and BeatsbyDre to Product(Red), Jordan Brand (Nike), The Television Academy (Emmys), Shonda Rhimes, JC Penny, The Academy of Country Music (ACM’s), Warner Bros, Digital Networks Group and Condé Nast.
Nyman has served on multiple boards over the past two decades. Currently he is the Chairman of the California Film Commission, serves on the Board of Governors at Cedars-Sinai and the Board of Councilors for USC’s Annenberg School of Communications and Journalism.

Tim Ringel - CEO - Meet the People May 13, 2025

As the Global CEO and Founder of Meet The People, an advertising group headquartered in New York City, he leads a team of more than 750 staff across ten offices in the US and Canada. He created MTP in 2021 to build a unique new consultancy group that focuses on helping brands to growth their business by combining the power of integrated marketing and advertising strategies merged with data and technology. MTP works for world know blue chip brands like IBM, Google, LG, LVMH, L’ORÉAL, Moderna, CME Group, Sappi and many mid-sized businesses in North America.
Furthermore he's an active investor in EU and US based startups, with a track record that includes pre-IPO investments in firms like Airbnb, Anduril, Animoca Brands, Anthropic, Blockchain.com, Blockdeamon, Forge, Klarna, OpenAI, Palantir, Robinhood, SoFi, SpaceX, Spotify, TON, Tonies and many more.
With over 27 years of entrepreneurial experience in marketing, He has built and managed multiple international advertising groups, with operations in EMEA, APAC, MENA, and the US. He is passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact, He regularly speaks at industry events and support charitable causes.

Albert Thompson - Managing Director, Digital Innovation - Walton Isaacson May 10, 2025

While carrying the “ethos” of a Marketing Technologist to many enterprises, He's always possessed a firm understanding of how technology has continued to transform the discipline of Marketing while disrupting today’s conventional consumer engagement models. Over that past 20+ years his communications experience ranges from African American, Hispanic, LGBT, Asian American, Arab American, Indian, Boomers, Millennials, Urban, GM to International.
He's been an audience "segmentation specialist" for clients looking to enhance their brand positioning by rethinking and redefining their Go-To-Market approach. Some of them include the likes of Lexus, NYPD, Medline, State Fair, Spalding, HBO, MCD, LA Sparks, Game Show Network, Verizon Wireless, Clear brand under Unilever, Ford Division, Lincoln Mercury, Burger King, Colgate, HSBC, Time Warner Cable, Home Depot, AstraZeneca, US Marines, Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, and Hyatt Resorts.
His vantage point is oriented around enhancing a clients’ Brand building efforts through ROI driven programs that leverage unique consumer insights and deliver relevant customer experience. I've always thought outside the traditional framework to solving business problems because the only thing constant is EVOLUTION.
He has also done guest speaking for Meltwater Social, MediaPost, Digiday, ThinkLA, CYNOPSIS, Adweek, and The VAB inclusive of live and virtual events. In the past, he's participated in guest speaker series for NYU, Baruch, University of Maryland, University of Nevada, and Georgetown. Tune into the HYPERLINK "https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/IvUyCwp2q2H2LpTVv9A2?domain=open.spotify.com" The Transient Identiti, podcast which chronicles the Voice of the Consumer.
Other than Strategic Intuition and the Human Truths in Marketing, "gratitude" is one thing he value deeply in business. Meaning, being grateful for how open-minded he's been to constantly challenge and even disrupt my own thinking!

Winston Binch - Chief Brand & Experience Officer - GALE May 06, 2025

Winston Binch is the Chief Brand & Experience Officer at GALE, leading the creative, production, and experience design teams. GALE is one of the most diversely awarded agencies in the industry, with accolades including Ad Age Business Transformation Agency of the Year, ADWEEK U.S. Media Agency of the Year, Campaign US Advertising Agency of the Year, and Ad Age Data & Analytics Agency of the Year. At GALE, Winston works with a variety of world-class clients, including Delta Air Lines, MilkPEP, and Fogo de Chão. Over the past twenty years, he's helped leading global brands craft their narratives and create innovative campaigns and experiences that harness the marketing potential of the digital and social age. His diverse client portfolio includes Domino's, Michaels Stores, American Express, Target, Burger King, Nike, Vail Resorts, Taco Bell, Pandora, AB InBev, and Volkswagen Group. Before GALE, he was a brand consultant and Chief Digital Officer of Deutsch North America.

Matthew Garcia - President - The Sasha Group Apr 10, 2025

Matthew Garcia is the President of The Sasha Group. The Sasha Group is a VaynerX company founded in 2019, infused with entrepreneurial DNA and built by folks with decades of Fortune 500 expertise. They teach, guide, and execute present-day brand building for ambitious businesses of all sizes to unlock meaningful growth. In a world that’s constantly changing, they build brands that win hearts in their vision of a future full of beloved brands. In addition to marketing services, their education products provide knowledge, tactics, and strategies to business leaders through in-person and virtual events and weekly content delivery. They also offer consulting packages to guide businesses through their journeys with their expertise and network.

Dana Seguin - CMO - Altar'd State Apr 04, 2025

Dana Seguin is a passionate brand builder and marketing leader with 25 years of experience reshaping the retail and fashion industries. Her career began on the merchandising side at American Eagle Outfitters, but she found her true calling in creative marketing—developing powerful strategies in advertising, PR, and social media for brands like SPANX, Chico’s, and Aerie.
Her proudest accomplishment is spearheading the groundbreaking “Aerie Real” campaign, which set a new industry standard by refusing to retouch images and championing a positive body image for women of all sizes. This authentic, inclusive approach propelled Aerie into one of the top brands among young consumers. At SPANX, she led a complete creative redesign—from packaging to product navigation—and launched the brand’s first advertising campaign introducing leggings as a new product category, driving significant brand expansion.
Currently, as SVP Chief Marketing Officer at Altar’d State, she oversees all creative and marketing initiatives as well as the eCommerce business for their family of brands—Altar’d State, Arula, Vow’d, Tullabee, and AS Revival.
She thrive's on transforming businesses, inspiring teams, and delivering bold ideas that resonate with consumers. Whether building an iconic campaign or driving a strategic shift, she's committed to turning vision into reality—and creating meaningful, measurable growth every step of the way.

Sarah Engel - President - January Digital Apr 03, 2025

As a transformative business leader, she has built a career defined by driving growth, accelerating iconic brands, and delivering unbeatable results for global retail, technology, and consumer industries.
She has guided world-renowned companies to achieve record-breaking success and enduring market impact, including consumer and B2B leaders in retail, technology, and analytics. Currently, she serves as President of January Digital, The Marketing Leadership Company™, which solves business challenges through media excellence, strategic guidance, and actionable analytics for leading global brands including Kendra Scott, Carhartt, Interstate Batteries, StriVectin, and Steve Madden. Her focus on human connection, strategic excellence, and profitable growth has not only propelled business results but also fostered an ethical, high-performing, and award-winning organization.
Throughout her career, she has provided some of the world’s most respected brands—such as Travelocity, Lilly Pulitzer, iProspect (Dentsu Aegis), Chevrolet, ClearSaleing (eBay), and Match.com—with strategic leadership across business growth, brand marketing, creative direction, operations, HR strategy, and customer acquisition.
She has served on multiple executive teams, worked collaboratively with boards of directors and guided private companies through successful funding and acquisitions as well as public companies through rapid growth initiatives.
Beyond executive roles, she is dedicated to industry innovation and mentorship. Her advisory board roles with Shoptalk, Trybe, and Rebel Nell underscore her commitment to advancing the retail and tech sectors while championing opportunities for women and underrepresented voices. Her philanthropic work further reflects this passion, including support for underserved communities, families experiencing homelessness, and domestic violence survivors through nonprofit LSH in Philadelphia.

James Edmunds - cofounder - TRIP Mar 18, 2025

James Edmunds cofounded plant-based CBD-infused drinks brand TRIP in 2019. Its canned sodas are now stocked in stores and bars in over 30 countries and the London-based company raised $5 million from investors in 2021 to expand into the United States.

Blayne Ross - CEO - ShoreLock Feb 25, 2025

Blayne Ross is a creative entrepreneur, experience designer and producer known for award winning experiences, environments and content that sparks meaningful connections. He began his career in the entertainment industry in 2001 and quickly found a home working on the Emmy nominated HBO series Six Feet Under at the Greenblatt Janollari Studio. With a passion for complex stories that influence culture, Blayne became a Creative Executive in Original Programming for the Showtime Network, where he supervised "hit" series such as The L Word and Queer As Folk. He also helped develop the critically acclaimed, Peabody award winning political drama Brotherhood. Embracing his love of design and inspired physical environments, Blayne left Los Angeles for New York City to found a Design-Build shop KAID DESIGN. There, Blayne provided an end-to-end solution including architecture.

⁠Dan Briks⁠ - General Manager - The Martinique Hotel New York Feb 15, 2025

With over 20 years of hospitality experience, Dan has been honored to work in New York City’s most prestigious and historic hotels. With a backdrop of iconic locations like the United Nations, Times Square, and the heart of Manhattan, he has shared indelible experiences alongside the finest hoteliers in the world. Throughout his career he has attained a broad knowledge of operations from his hands-on experience and built successful teams through his collaborative leadership. His breadth of experience, passion for learning, and team development have been the driving forces to enable organizational improvement and transformation.

⁠Juan Pablo Dubini⁠ - LATAM CMO - ⁠BIC⁠ Feb 12, 2025

Juan Pablo is a Marketing leader with an MIT Executive Education. He led global brands atMondelēz International,L'Oréal, and BIC. Recognized as Top 25 Marketeers in LATAM and the 75 Best Marketeers in Mexico. He has Industry expertise in Beauty, Food, and Stationery, driving growth and profitability across Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and the USA.He Co-founded ventures with successful exits after creating a Publishing Company and SEO Exclusive technology. Currently he is investing in a DTC skincare brand, Dermatolab, and a fitness app.He is a Speaker and podcaster on new marketing competencies for high-performance brands. Effie award-winner and passionate sports enthusiast, tackling marathons, triathlons, and global mountain summits.

The Ad Bowl; post super bowl creative ad jam Feb 12, 2025

The Ad Bowl, creative jam featuring:1. Connecting from Austin TX, Author of best-selling series The @Advertising Survival Guide Trilogy, Freelance creative director and copywriter:Cameron Day 2. Joining from New York, Founder and Chief George Officer atGeorgeCo and creator of the award-winning blog Ad Aged:George Tannenbaum 3. From Minneapolis MN, veteran creative director and founder ofGeezer Creative, a creative agency aimed at the most ignored advertising demo ever, the over 50 set:Karen McKinley. 4. Logging in from Dallas TX, President and Chief Creative Officer ofFirehouse, veteran copywriter and creative leader:Tripp Westbrook 5. Chiming in from Portland, OR, Chief Growth Officer at Opinionated Group in Boulder with a list of Alma mater agencies to be envied:Kate Higgins 6. And last, connecting in from St. Paul, MN, Speaker, Author of the new best selling book Appreciated Branding, and President/Chief Creative Officer atIDEA CONSULTANCY ,House of Holmes:Reid Holmes7.Robert Clifton Jr., Copywriter, Creative Director and now founder and CCO ofContender in Chicago.8.Alona Lisa, CCOFar From Timid

Hem Suri - Managing Partner - Spark Growth Ventures Jan 29, 2025

Hem is an accomplished investment, board and executive management leader with two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, venture capital & private equity investor, board professional, investment banker, general management executive as well as a researcher. He was recognized as a Top 25 Founder’s Choice VC in 2023, an Emerging 50 VC in 2022 and as San Diego’s 500 Most Influential People in 2021.
Hem's passion lies in helping founders as an active investor by “rolling-up his sleeves” to create and executive 360⁰ strategies to maximize outcomes. His industry experience spans diverse industries, including software & technology services, healthcare, consumer, financial services, property & casualty insurance, food manufacturing, industrials, transportation, hospitality & restaurants, education tech, sports tech, beauty tech, legal tech and digital marketing.
Hem currently serves as the Founder & Managing Partner of Spark Growth Ventures, an early to mid stage technology venture capital firm with a Pan American focus. Previously, he was the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ClearVision Equity Partners (a boutique VC firm), a 2x Interim CEO of emerging healthcare companies, an executive of a KKR Private Equity portfolio company, an investment banker on Wall Street as well as a functional leader in multiple Fortune 500 companies in the US.
Hem has also served on over 25 startup and social enterprise boards across the US and is heavily involved with several prominent incubators and accelerators in Southern California supporting budding entrepreneurs. He has executed 80+ venture, private equity and M&A transactions with over $2B in total capital spanning over 15 years at Spark Growth Ventures, ClearVision Equity Partners, Deutsche Bank, a KKR private equity portfolio company as well as an independent board professional working with startups.
Hem has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from University of Illinois and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. He is passionate about the environment and education for under-privileged children, and loves reading, traveling and active pursuits.

Ashley Keating - CEO - La Gantry Jan 27, 2025

Executive with 20 years of experience in finance, operations, M&A, venture investing and strategic board work for a combination of private companies, Fortune 500 corporations and private equity firms in the U.S. and Europe. Solopreneur working as strategic CFO with select emerging fund managers and high growth companies. Former Partner at seed stage venture capital firm that quadrupled its AUM. CPA with Big 4 and CFO experience. Board member for a scaling K-12 edtech company, seed stage data infrastructure company, and former director (5 years) for a growing $11B NASDAQ-listed pharma services company.

Yigit Ihlamur - Managing Partner - Vela Partners Jan 27, 2025

He was born and raised in Turkey by a mathematician mother and a father who started and ran a successful technology company. He observed their love relationship and witnessed the positive impact of math, technology and entrepreneurship in my life. His parents' presence, values and parenting style define who He is.

His father took risks when no one was talking about startups or knew what computers were. Every night he would wait for his father to carry his computer on his shoulder and walk up 5 floors to our apartment. He would code and take his computer back to his office before Yigit woke up. He leads by example, is open minded and has a positive outlook on life. He grew up with him as his role model.

His mother is a super woman. When he was growing up, she carried the whole household. She was the main breadwinner while his father was building his business. She was the angel investor in his father's business, taking her savings from under her pillow and asking her father to invest in the company as well. She has supported the whole family tirelessly for decades. She has high conviction, which most people lack. Yigit feels fortunate to observe that love, and to have found his wife, another super woman who has been supporting him with high conviction since day 1.

He was exposed to computers at a young age. As any 4 year old would do, he started playing DOS-based games and shell commands. That turned into IRC-based socializing, then hacking, designing and coding. His father started involving him in his business during my teenage years. He was exposed to strategic business decisions and high-stake activities such as scaling a reseller network, meeting enterprise customers and hiring/firing executives. In retrospect, that encoded his DNA and strong business intuition.

In principle, he valued being a good human being and working unbelievably hard. The rest follows.

He will continue doing what he is doing until the last day of his life. Build new products, solve real problems and work hard with excellent people whom he can learn from.

Alex Lirstman - CEO - Corral Data Jan 27, 2025

As the CEO and co-Founder of CorralData, Alex Lirstman is focused on leveraging AI to democratize data access and helping organizations become data-driven overnight. CorralData combines human data expertise with AI to make it simple for non-technical teams to analyze and act on their data. The platform allows users to unify disparate data sources and surface insights using natural language. CorralData’s client roster includes category-leading organizations such as Sweetgreen, American Museum of Natural History, Just Salad, John Elliott, Brightfin, Lanvin, and St. John Knits.

Jonathan Hung - managing partner - entrepreneur.vc Jan 26, 2025

Jonathan Hung is a successful VC and entrepreneur. He has evolved from his role as a prolific angel investor with over 100+ pre-seed and pre-IPO investments under his belt to becoming the Managing Partner for Entrepreneur Ventures and Head of Consumer/Partner for Trousdale Ventures.

Jonathan is a driver of value creation who supports entrepreneurs, investors, startups, and high-net-worth individuals seeking capital and exposure. His work at Entrepreneur Ventures and Trousdale Ventures demonstrates his strategic expertise and investment acumen. He encourages growth through finance, business development, networking, data analysis, and leadership excellence.

Jonathan’s hands-on approach focuses on long-term success and seamless expansions into new global markets. He provides intuitive business mentorship based on his experience running the US and China offices as President of United Overseas Textile Corporation and work as a Financial Adviser at Morgan Stanley and UBS. He believes every company deserves genuine mentorship despite its size or niche.

Mr. Hung rounds out his time as a Managing Member of his family office fund, J Heart Ventures. He leverages prestigious degrees from renowned institutions, such as the University of Southern California (BSc Business Administration), London School of Economics (M.Sc. History of International Relations), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (M.Eng.Supply Chain and Logistics), and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (MBA).

⁠Alex Golod⁠ - Founder - ⁠Fusion Software Solutions LLC⁠ Jan 23, 2025

Alex Golod - Founder - Fusion Software Solutions LLC TechCon SoCalAlex is Results is a driven IT Executive, Angel Investor, and a Global Technology Sourcing Expert with 20+ years in Technology field. Alex brings a strong technical and entrepreneurial lens to business via his extensive experience in corporate (Motorola, GGP) and private business (Intetics, Waverley Software) executive roles. Alex served on the European Advisory Board of International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) while participating in multiple speaking engagements across North American Chapters of IAOP. Alex is a seasoned speaker on topics of Outsourcing and Angel/Alternative Investing, having shared his experience and guidance at multiple engagements: Web Summit 2023 in Rio, Web Summit 2021 in Lisbon, Kyiv Outsourcing Forum 2018, Exit Planning Institute, Outsource People 2017 and 2016 in Poland and Ukraine, AP Outsourcing Summit in Singapore, and other conferences across the globe. He has been Investor Judge, Mentor and Featured Investor during several conferences, startup events and competitions in Chicago, New York, Kyiv, Lisbon, Rio, Toronto,St Louis, Boston, Silicon Valley, among others. Alex has been featured in several publications such as Enterprise Services Outlook, IEEE Computer Society Magazine, CruxialCIO and more. Currently Alex serves as an advisor, mentor, and an angel investor for multiple US and global technology centric startups, both individually and through global accelerators. Also, Alex is an active member at Chicago ArchAngels, group providing risk capital to seed stage innovative companies, as well as a member of AngelsBand, first Belarusian Business Angel Network. Alex proudly participated as one of the organizers and speakers in first Midwest Belarusian Business Forums in Chicago, as well as ABBA Belarusian Business Forum in Washington, ABBA Belarusian events in Minneapolis and Chicago.

Shradha Bhatia - Chief Growth Officer at Withlocals Jan 23, 2025

Shradha, is the Chief Growth Officer at Withlocals, a global marketplace connecting travelers with local hosts for personalised and authentic travel experiences.
With over 5+ years of experience in the travel industry, she has developed a passion for creating innovative products and building partnerships that drive growth. At Withlocals, she is responsible for driving revenue growth and expanding the company's footprint in new markets. She is constantly exploring new opportunities for strategic partnerships and innovative marketing strategies to achieve these goals.
In her career, she has held diverse roles in product management, partnership, and business & growth strategy, which has helped her discover her strengths. She has a talent for maximizing profits, a deep empathy for customers and their needs, and an ability to simplify complex problems into manageable tasks. Winning is important to her, but more importantly, she also prioritize helping her team succeed. These insights have enabled her to understand herself better and how she can contribute to any organization's success.
She has a deep hunger to learn about new ideas and technology as she truly believe there is an opportunity to become my better version of myself each day. I also love to meet new people, explore new cultures and discover new perspectives. Reach out to me if you would like to talk about building technology products and exploring the world.

Lou Cooperhouse - CEO - Blue Nalu Jan 23, 2025

Lou Cooperhouse is recognized as a leading global authority in food business innovation and technology commercialization, with extensive leadership experiences throughout his 40-year career in the food industry. He is a results-driven professional, and has led cross-functional teams in a wide array of industry settings that include: multinational corporations, foodservice and retail operations, new business startups, mid-sized and family-run companies, university entrepreneurship and innovation centers, and industry trade associations. With his deep and diverse understanding of the food industry, Lou has spoken at hundreds of conferences throughout his career, specializing in food trends, disruptive technologies, and global best practices in business innovation and incubation. A summary of Lou’s career experiences in entrepreneurship were featured as the cover story in Food Technology Magazine, titled Oceans of Innovation in December 2023.

Most recently, Lou served as CEO of Food Spectrum, LLC, where he provided a broad array of strategic consulting and business management expertise to the food industry. Areas of specialization and focus included: corporate development and strategic planning; organizational leadership and team building; merger and acquisition assessment; corporate partnering and sales development; new product ideation, innovation and incubation; product and process development; technology assessment and commercialization; quality assurance and food safety systems; plant and process design and engineering; and operational performance and metrics.

Lou also served as a founder and the Executive Director of the Rutgers University Food Innovation Center (FIC), and led this program for approximately 15 years. Lou created a new global model for food industry economic development, business attraction and retention, and industry cluster creation. The Rutgers FIC subsequently became internationally recognized for its economic development impacts, and recognized as the “Business Incubator of the Year” by the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), and as a nationwide model and an “Agricultural Innovation Center Demonstration Program” by the USDA. In this role, Lou also testified at the US Congress on best practices in business incubation and industry cluster formation, and also served as President of the New Jersey Business Incubation Network; Executive Director and President of the New Jersey Food Processors Association; and on the Board of Directors of the International Business Innovation Association. Earlier in his career, he also served on the Board and a member of the Executive Committee of the Refrigerated Foods Association; on the board of the United Fresh Produce Association; on the Board of Managers of the NJ Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University; and on the Editorial Advisory Board of Produce Processing Magazine. Lou is also a member of the Explorers Club, a prestigious international organization dedicated to promoting the exploration of land, sea, air and space, and to inspire new generations to pursue discovery and conservation. He’s also a member of the Society of Fellows at the Culinary Institute of America.

Previously, Lou served as President & COO of F&S Produce, a leading regional supplier of fresh-cut produce and value-added refrigerated foods, providing leadership to over 500 employees, located at two facilities with over 125,000 sf operations. Prior to this, he served as Co-Founder, President and CEO of MenuDirect Corporation, a unique health, wellness, and nutrition company, which provided meal solutions for individuals with celiac disease, diabetes, PKU and dysphagia. Earlier in his career, Lou held positions of increasing responsibility at Campbell’s Soup, ConAgra, Nestlé-funded Culinary Brands, Idle Wild Farms, and Grand Union Supermarkets in areas of business development, product development, quality assurance, and operations.

⁠Reid Holmes⁠ - Author - ⁠Appreciated Branding⁠ Jan 15, 2025

Reid spent his career in some of America's biggest and best ad agencies, first as a copywriter but rising up quickly to creative director and then EVP Executive Creative Director. He’s now a speaker, consultant and author. In his career he's helped change the trajectory for brands like H&R Block, The Mayo Clinic, Burger King, The Toro Company, Domino's pizza, and many others. As his kids reached high school age, he set a new goal, to create a more meaningful legacy. After 30+ years in advertising, he found a simple, central common theme with the best marketing, it seeks to earn appreciation in what it says, does, or solves. He believes it’s not only time for marketing, advertising, and PR to rise up and do more good for the world, but it's in a business and brand's best interest if it wants to build meaning and get noticed. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife of 25 years, Katy, their three kids and a yellow lab named Hurley.

Chris Peterson⁠ - CEO - ⁠DWNLOAD Media Jan 15, 2025

Chris Peterson - CEO - DWNLOAD Media Chris is the CEO and Founder of DWNLOAD Media. With over 15 years of experience in the audio industry, he has a proven track record of building successful content and business strategies that drive growth and innovation.Previously, he was the President of Kindred Media, Powered by LionTree at, a global investment and merchant bank. He invested in and advised numerous podcast companies and facilitated over $1 billion in audio transactions. Before that, he created and launched the iHeartMedia Podcast Network, including acquiring the HowStuffWorks podcast network, which became the most listened-to podcast network in the world under his leadership. With DWNLOAD Media, they are investing in the Future of Audio.He's also a senior advisor at Podspace.

Meagan Ayres and Meghan Fialkoff, co-CEOs of The Modern Day Wife Jan 10, 2025

Meagan Ayres and Meghan Fialkoff, co-CEOs of The Modern Day Wife

⁠Amer Tadayon⁠ - CEO - ⁠Lucihub⁠ Jan 10, 2025

Amer Tadayon - CEO - Lucihub Amer is a seasoned professional with extensive expertise in the media and technology sectors. With a successful track record as an executive and entrepreneur, he has held leadership positions in prominent companies like IBM Cognizant and frog design. Amer’s exceptional leadership skills have driven growth and fostered innovation throughout his career. Leveraging his comprehensive understanding of the media and technology landscape, he’s been the driving force behind the innovation at Lucihub.

Dr. Jonathan Snow - Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer - Avenue Z Nov 21, 2024

Dr. Jonathan Snow is Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Avenue Z. He was President and Founder of The Snow Agency (acquired by Avenue Z). Jonathan has an interesting background in that it blends two entirely different skill sets: digital marketing and dentistry.
Jonathan earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Ramapo College of NJ and subsequently his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at Rutgers University, where he finished top 5 in his class of over 100 doctors. After dental school, he served Active Duty as a General Dentist and Captain for three years in the US Air Force. Following his military service, Dr. Snow specialized in Orthodontics, where he attended a 3-year residency program at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.
During his time as a dentist, Dr. Snow got his start in digital marketing when he built an affiliate marketing / influencer platform that drove 9 figures in revenue within 2 years of launch. Leveraging his influencer network, he co-founded and launched several e-commerce stores, generating over $50M in revenue in under 3 years, with his brother/partner Daniel Snow, eventually leading to the establishment of The Snow Agency, a full-service digital marketing agency.
The Snow Agency is a performance marketing agency that helps ambitious 8 and 9-figure brands unlock new growth through holistic strategy and execution. The Snow Agency has taken brands from launch to $100M run rates in under 4 years, worked with the largest Shopify brands in the world, and was named the Inc 5000 #2 fastest growing marketing company in the United States. The Snow Agency was acquired by Avenue Z in 2023.
Avenue Z is a strategic marketing and communications firm breaking traditional boundaries between marketing, advertising and PR. From the Wall Street Journal to TikTok, PR to social and search, Avenue Z creates narratives that drive commerce, connections, and conversion, across all channels. With experts, tech and teams based in Miami, NYC, Boston, Orlando, and Tel Aviv - it drives global influence.
Jonathan Snow also serves as an advisor to Revere Partners VC (the world's only oral health VC fund) as well as numerous tech and DTC brands, he is an Industry Expert for KeyBank Capital Markets, public speaker, and newsletter author.

Madison Headrick Nahmad - CEO - Care.E.On Nov 20, 2024

Madison Headrick Nahmad is the CEO of Care.E.On a on the go travel personal care brand. She is also a international super model and a mom.

Martin Ekechukwu⁠ - Chief Strategy Officer - A-Frame Brands⁠ Nov 20, 2024

As Chief Strategy Officer at A-Frame Brands, Martin Ekechukwu lead’s brand development, creative strategy, business growth, investor relations, and partnerships. A-Frame builds talent-led and private-label brands that address evolving consumer needs and resonate in today’s dynamic marketplace. Their portfolio includes collaborations with notable talents like Naomi Osaka, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, and John Legend, with more brand launches on the horizon.

He is also the Co-Founder and CEO of WHTWRKS Inc., an integrated marketing and creative services agency specializing in connecting brands with diverse audiences through innovative strategies, branded content, experiential marketing, and talent management. WHTWRKS serves a range of industries, including automotive, beauty, and financial services, and has collaborated with industry giants like Diageo, Meta, Nike, LinkedIn, The Walt Disney Studios, and Universal Music Group. Their approach blends research-driven insights, cultural resonance, and authenticity to build campaigns and brand ecosystems that genuinely engage and inspire.

With over a decade of experience in media, marketing, and strategic partnerships, He is dedicated to building impactful, culturally relevant brands and supporting companies and entrepreneurs as they innovate and grow. He holds an MBA from Duke University and a BS in Microbiology from the University of Arkansas.

Matt Sattel - CRO - OpenX Nov 20, 2024

Matt Sattel is the Chief Revenue Officer at OpenX. In his role, he leads the company’s global sales and partnerships team focused on broadening OpenX’s relationships with markets and agencies. He concentrates on expanding the sales organization and deepening relationships across agencies and brands.

Matt came to OpenX after spending nearly four years at programmatic media partner MiQ, where he rose from director of sales to SVP, head of in-housing. He led a team focused on helping Fortune 100 brands move their programmatic business in-house through trading and ad tech expertise. Prior to MiQ, Matt held senior posts at Samba TV, Speakr and xAd, Inc., becoming a well-known industry thought leader on critical issues such as inhousing and the evolution of programmatic buying.

Matt holds a B.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Florida and a certificate in Data Analytics for Business Professionals from the University of Chicago.

Lucy Arnelle - CEO - Sauterelle Nov 19, 2024

Lucy Arnelle is the CEO of Sauterelle, the first culinary supplement brand made entirely of grasshoppers.

Darlene Justiniano - founder of Fancy’s Hair Innovation Nov 19, 2024

Darlene Justiniano, the founder of Fancy’s Hair Innovation: The Natural Hair Regimen, was raised in an environment surrounded by the buzzing energy of a Black hair salon, where her mother worked tirelessly. From an early age, she was immersed in the world of hair care, learning the trade and honing her skills. Throughout her college years and beyond, Darlene relied on her passion for helping women care for their hair, providing styling services to support herself financially while encouraging her clients to embrace healthy hair care routines. After building a successful career in Human Resources, Darlene’s journey took a pivotal turn when she realized her deep love for wellness and the importance of a positive self-image, particularly in embracing natural curls. This realization prompted her to make the bold decision to leave corporate America behind and focus solely on providing high-quality natural hair products for both clients and professionals. Driven by her passion for empowering others to embrace their natural beauty and care for their hair, Darlene founded Fancy’s Hair Innovation: The Natural Hair Regimen, a brand dedicated to delivering premium products that nourish and enhance natural curls. With her background in both hair care and HR, Darlene brings a unique perspective to the industry, prioritizing not only the efficacy of her products but also the empowerment and well-being of her customers. Through Fancy’s Hair Innovation, Darlene continues to inspire individuals to embrace their authentic selves and cultivate healthy, vibrant curls.

Vincent Schell - co founder - Kittylamb Nov 18, 2024

Vincent Schell is the co founder of Kittylamb the worlds best ready made brownie mix

Alley Biehl - CEO - Obelisk Beauty Nov 18, 2024

Alley Biehl is the founder and creative behind Obelisk Beauty brands. Her daily work routine includes brand development, design and creation to make her vision a reality. Alley has over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry and has developed some of the industry's best-selling products. Her life experience, coupled with her passion, led her to found her holding company. She will launch her brands in 2020. Alley lives between New York City and Los Angeles with her dog Kiki.

Mike Seely - CEO - Seely Mint Farms Nov 14, 2024

For four generations, the Seely Family has lived and worked on its mint farm near Clatskanie, Oregon, where they grow peppermint and spearmint for tea leaf and essential oil. As mint farmers, they use the same agricultural practices their family has used for generations.

Today, fourth-generation mint farmer, Mike Seely, and his wife Candy operate Seely Family Farm. They grow single-cut, premium-quality heirloom Black Mitcham Peppermint and Native Spearmint. The essential mint oils are steam distilled only once to retain the full flavor spectrum and bouquet of real Oregon mint.

Rebecca Schwartz - co CEO - Fresh Fizz Soda Nov 14, 2024

Fresh Fizz Sodas was founded in 2021 by Yoni and Rebecca Schwartz. Out of their Fresh Fizz Factory in Island Park, NY, they produce award-winning organic sodas made with only real food ingredients and sweetened with honey.

Vera Koch - CMO - T3 Micro Nov 13, 2024

Vera Koch is the CMO of T3 Micro and a Global marketing leader with over 18 years of experience in innovation, branding and performance marketing development in D2C and Retail. Proven track record of delivering global, cross functional projects in very fast moving environments, combining strong creative, strategic and analytical expertise with intercultural understanding and excellent leadership skills. Expert in post-merger management, bridging the culture gap between corporate and start-up. Strong expertise in connecting and leveraging different marketing components including growth, brand, and CRM to drive brand engagement and business growth.

Tom Shay - small business educator Nov 12, 2024

Tom Shay's experiences as a fourth generation small business owner provide him with the knowledge and background to present tried and proven ideas to assist owners, managers, and staff with the day to day operation of their business. During the 25 plus years that Tom was a part of the family business, the businesses were ongoing laboratories for the techniques that Tom shares.

He presents proven and time tried ideas on the topics of business strategy, marketing, staff education, sales, and financial management.

A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Tom started his first job working in his grandfather's general store. Tom moved to Florida to join his parents in the family operation they had purchased in 1971. Over the next 26 years, the Shay family owned and operated three businesses. In 1997, Tom sold the business to devote full time to the development of educational program as well as writing magazine columns and books.

In addition to providing proven business building ideas through his writings in over 80 trade publications, Tom has authored twelve books on small business management and a college text book on small business accounting.

As a speaker, Tom earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) distinction, an honor that has been earned by less than 8% of speakers worldwide. As a magazine columnist, Tom received three Jesse H. Neal award nominations, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of business-to-business journalism.

Stefania Di Bartolomeo - CEO - Physis Investment Investment Nov 11, 2024

Stefania Di Bartolomeo founded Physis Investment with the vision to disrupt the financial system by empowering individuals to invest in companies and projects that respect and protect people and the planet. Physis is a startup that allows investors to understand their environmental and social impact while generating a positive financial return. Stefania was born in Italy and worked all across Europe in sustainable finance. By the time she turned 25, she had already started a company and traveled across the globe. During her travels, she saw many inequalities and problems firsthand. These experiences inspired her to find solutions to integrate sustainable principles into investment portfolios and drive impact and financial performance.

Mike Petrakis is the CEO of Batch Nov 11, 2024

Their mission at Batch is to empower groups to create unforgettable memories together with a seamless way to plan and book incredible experiences.

Kristen Herr, owner of Evolution Expeditions. Nov 11, 2024

Kristen Herr, owner of Evolution Expeditions.

Kate Weatherly - Fractional CMO Nov 10, 2024

Kate Weatherly is a fractional CMO and B2B marketing influencer on TikTok.

Daphne Tsevreni - co-founder and CRO - Clio Muse Tours Nov 10, 2024

Daphne Tsevreni is co-founder and CRO of Clio Muse Tours, an integrated platform to create and share engaging audio tours for top attractions & city walks around the world. She has a 9-year experience in bridging culture & tourism by designing innovative business models & products. Through Clio Muse she has collaborated with multiple OTAs, Tour Operators and Cultural Institutions to optimize travelers’ in-destination experience through technology and high-quality cultural content.

Claudio Bellinzona - Chief Commercial Officer - Vox Group Nov 08, 2024

Currently serving as CCO at Vox Group, global leader for innovative tech solutions in tourism and culture, Claudio has 20+ years of experience in building innovative digital products and ventures.

He co-founded Musement (now TUI Musement), which was successfully acquired by TUI Group in 2018, where he served for more than 10 years as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Supply Officer, and where he’s still involved as Strategic Advisor. He’s also Adjunct Professor in Digital Innovation at the University of Pavia and Academic Fellow at Bocconi University.

His career included significant roles with Pay-TV operators (Sky Italia), Telcos (Fastweb, TIM, TS), TV networks (DeA Digital), and tech manufacturers (Philips, Panasonic).

Additionally, he’s an investor and serves as board member in several companies, including P101 (VC), Civitfun (travel tech), Jampy (food-tech).

Dara Mihaly - CEO - Ignitours Nov 06, 2024

Traveling had a huge impact on her growing up. So much so that she dedicated my career to it. Globe-trotting isn’t just fun and interesting, it's educational, life-altering, and highly beneficial for emotional, mental and physical health. She would like to see more people have the opportunity and desire to travel, especially in the underserved communities. She is interested in connecting and collaborating with individuals and nonprofits who are committed to achieving the same goals. If this is you, please reach out and say hello!

Tony Brophy - CEO at Raw and Real sales journey for grandkids Nov 02, 2024

Tony Brophy - CEO at Raw and Real sales journey for grandkids. Tony's a linked in creator and the inventor of raw dogging LinkedIn. Follow along as he show's Gen Z and A how to make it in the cold hard world of cold calling.

Shira Lazar - Host - What's Trending Oct 31, 2024

Shira Lazar (born May 6, 1983) is a Canadian television personality, actress, writer, and video blogger who currently resides and works in Los Angeles. Lazar's writing has been featured on Hollywood.com, CBSNEWS.com, MSN, and others, and she has appeared as a host or as a guest at The Oscars (online red carpet host), CNN, Fox News TV, @The Grammys, Yahoo! (Entertainment Host), Channel Q or EZ-103.1 She is also the creator, executive producer and host of What's Trending. It consists of a blog that will be updated daily, as well as a live interactive talk show covering the most popular videos on YouTube that airs daily on WhatsTrending.com.

Brian Cain - Crawl Entertainment Group - CEO Oct 29, 2024

Crawl Entertainment Group is the latest venture of Brian Cain, a successful entrepreneur and walking tours expert. Brian founded and owns Crawl New Orleans and Crawl Nashville, two of the most popular entertainment destinations in their respective cities. He launched Crawl Austin in early 2023, and plans to expand to two more markets in 2024.Brian has a passion for showcasing the rich culture, history, and nightlife of the areas he serves. He has built his businesses on the core competencies of direct sales, sales processes, digital optimization, and customer service. He strives to create memorable experiences for his clients, while also contributing to the local economy and community.

John O'Sullivan - founder - Depot Adventures Oct 29, 2024

John is the founder of Depot Adventures, who took a gap year away from his home state of Minnesota and never returned. He spent years working in tour guiding, branding, and operations for a plethora of international travel companies through Europe, the US, and Australia.

After marrying an Aussie, he wanted to bring the ‘Free Walking Tour’ concept he learned in Europe to Australia – that’s how Depot Adventures was born.

Madison Rifkin - CEO - Mount Oct 26, 2024

In 2012, something truly remarkable happened: at the ripe age of 12, Madison Rifkin was granted a patent for her groundbreaking invention, a bike lock that would go on to become the cornerstone of what is now known as Mount. At that time, Mount Locks was just a seed of an idea in Madison’s mind, but her desire to become an entrepreneur who would go on to change the world burned brightly in her dreams—even though she did not yet know what that would look like in reality. This early-stage patent was the first spark that ignited her journey to reshaping the way we experience adventure.

Kenny Dunn - CEO - Eating Europe Oct 24, 2024

Kenny Dunn grew up in Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania, a suburb north of Philadelphia. With a Bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from Penn State University and a Master’s in development management from American University in Washington D.C. in 1997 Kenny founded and was the CEO of his own company MarketVision in New York City. Focusing on event marketing promotions targeted at the US university sector, he managed successful marketing campaigns for AT&T, Motorola, Citibank, Discover, Bank of America, and Fortune 500. In 2009 Kenny moved to Rome when his Mexican wife, who worked at the UN in New York, got a job at the Food and Agriculture Organization, headquartered in the Eternal City.Two years later he founded Eating Europe Tours, which has become the largest tour operator specializing in culinary tours and activities across Europe. From its first tours in Rome, guided by Kenny, “Eating Europe” has expanded to London, Florence, Amsterdam, and Prague. Kenny’s LinkedIn profile tells us, “Eating Europe” “has agreements with the industry’s leading distribution platforms including Expedia, Viator, and Tourico; and preferred partnerships with major tour operators such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Globus and Rick Steve’s Tours. The company has received media coverage in the NYTimes, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Sydney Morning Herald, and the BBC, [to name a few]. Since 2011 “Eating Europe” has welcomed over 80,000 clients who’ve left over 5,000 positive reviews on TripAdvisor and other review online sites.” Its tours are recommended by Lonely Planet, Rough Guide and Fodors Guidebooks.I first heard of “Eating Europe” in 2014 from Wibke Carter, the company’s PR Manager. She’d been the PR Manager of the German National Tourist Organization in New York City, which is how I knew her. Wibke invited me on one of the first tours in Florence. Recently along with 7 other clients I participated in the company’s first-ever tour, the daytime “Taste of Testaccio”.

Ian Murphy - President - BosleyMD Oct 24, 2024

Ian Murphy is an experienced results-focused C-suite Leader with a successful track-record in the beauty industry employing proven business skills in Sales, Marketing, Operations and Finance. Starting his career in the UK, he has built a 30 year career including over 100 new product launches, TV & Print advertising, Multi-Million$ P&L responsibility, Team leader + hands-on collaborator. Cross-category successes in Haircare, Skincare, Hair Color, Tools/Appliances & Personal Care. Multi-channel expertise in Ecommerce, Pro Beauty (Salon/OTC supply stores), Luxe, Chain Retail, TV/DR shopping, and MLM. Big-Box brand experience with L'Oréal, @Garnier, and @TRESemmé, Pro Salon Wins for @Redken

Alex Reed - CEO Yacht Tub - CEO Oct 23, 2024

Alex and Deanna Reed, the company’s lead designer, co-founded Yacht Tubs. They opened in late August last year. Since then, she says, they’ve rented out their two boats to just about every demographic imaginable: bachelor parties, couples on date nights, families looking for a novel pandemic activity.

Mark Elmore - CEO - Maui Snorkeling Oct 22, 2024

What separates them from other boats is their wonderful and experienced crew. Their captains and their trusted crew will show you a safe and entertaining day on the water. The crew enjoys helping customers of all abilities gain confidence in the water, including the young families that come to splash and see the schools of fish. You will not find a better crew anywhere in Maui!

Ryan O’Grady - President - Fotaflo Oct 22, 2024

Fotaflo’s President and founder, Ryan O’Grady initially started his career in video broadcasting and was able to travel the world as a videographer on an international travel show filming motorsport adventures. Throughout his travels, he noticed that there was no method to provide participants of these incredible activities with any sort of souvenir memory of their once-in-a-lifetime experience.

In 2009, Ryan began looking for technology to accommodate photography within the adventure industry and when he found that the gap he had identified within motorsports was common throughout the adventure tourism industry he set out to develop a solution.

Jeff Rosenblum - Cofounder of Questus Oct 21, 2024

Jeff Rosenblum is a Cofounder of Questus a digital advertising agency that has worked with some of the world’s most influential brands, including American Express ,Apple Capital One , The Walt Disney Company The National Football League (NFL) Samsung Electronics Starbucks Universal Studios Lot Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Verizon Jeff created a documentary about the advertising revolution called The Naked Brand and the groundbreaking book Friction which explained how passion brands are built. Jeff has lectured at some of the top universities in the world, including Yale, Cornell University Columbia University and London Business School. He has won some of the ad world’s most prestigious awards and presented at some of the industry’s largest conferences.

Beth Santos - CEO of Wanderful Oct 20, 2024

Beth Santos is the founder and CEO of Wanderful, a global women’s travel community and lifestyle brand. She is also the driving force behind the WITS Travel Creator Summit, the Bessie Awards, which honor women in travel, and Wanderfest, the first major outdoor travel festival by and for women. Regularly recognized as a changemaker in the travel industry, Beth was named Godmother of the Azamara Onward cruise ship in 2022 and strives to amplify underrepresented voices through her work as a speaker, industry consultant, and small business coach. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and when she’s not traveling the world, she can be found exploring her home city of Boston with her husband and two daughters.

Alyssa Schoenfeld - Founder - Bites of Boston Oct 19, 2024

Alyssa is a Food Tour Founder with a passion for all things Boston, local food, culture and urban community!At Bites of Boston Food Tours, they are passionate about all things Boston – and the fabulous food scene is no exception! For her personally, great food has always been an integral part of exceptional days and memorable vacations, and exploring different cultures through cuisine is one of her favorite parts of traveling. There’s a lot to love about Boston and being a part of this city means being surrounded by an abundance of delicious and eclectic food options every day. Her love of food and local culture, and a desire to share both in the context of the urban Boston lifestyle, first inspired the creation of the first Bites of Boston food tour in 2011.Mouth-watering food tastings provide the foundation for their tours but thy firmly believe food is best enjoyed when served in the context of your local surroundings. Their neighborhood tours are carefully curated to create just that experience for their guests. By combining sweet and savory food tastings with fascinating stories, local culture, history and architecture, they have created the perfect recipe for a fun, one of a kind way to explore some of Boston’s most vibrant and tasty neighborhoods. they hope you’ll see Boston the way they do and feel more like a local at the end of your tour experience. They hope you will return to the neighborhoods on your own and feel confident navigating your way through the streets, back to your new favorite eateries and specialty shops.They look forward to sharing their passion, knowledge, and favorite local foods with you on our tours. Join them and Stroll Boston. One Bite at a Time.™

Lia Garcia - CEO - Louisville Food Tours Oct 18, 2024

Louisville native Lia Garcia is the co-founder and CEO of Practical Wanderlust, one of the most-read travel blogs in the world, as well as Let's Go Louisville, a Kentucky travel blog, and Louisville Food Tours. Through her blog and podcast, as well as her best-selling book How to Quit Your Job & Travel, she uses travel as a tool for education, connection, personal growth, and positive social impact. Lia also serves on the board of the Wander Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to transforming lives through travel and education. Lia has been featured in Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, The Washington Post, Vice, Fodor’s, CNN, the Courier Journal, Louisville Magazine, and more.

Ryan Wenger - CEO - InHouse Oct 11, 2024

Ryan is the co-founder and CEO of InHouse, the AI-powered in-house counsel for growing businesses. Previously, he was the CEO and founder of WhereTo, a Flight Centre company, the premier online travel management platform for Fortune 100 companies. Under his leadership, WhereTo scaled from an idea to $80 million in annual revenue, culminating in its acquisition in 2020 by a public company (ASX: FLT). Prior to all that, he was a struggling corporate lawyer.

Spencer Finch - Rise Executive Partners Oct 10, 2024

Spencer Finch - Rise Executive Partners Spencer Finch is a dedicated outdoor enthusiast, accomplished triathlete, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Sales, supplemented with a minor in Entrepreneurship from Utah State University. As the founder of Mad Moose Rentals & Tours, he has leveraged his blend of business acumen and love for adrenaline sports to transform the adventure tourism sector in Utah and now works with other tour and attraction companies worldwide to help them scale.

Justin Buzzi - CEO - Get Up And Go Kayaking Oct 07, 2024

Justin Buzzi is the dynamic CEO and Founder of Get Up And Go Kayaking, a groundbreaking clear kayak tour franchise he launched in 2016.

Patrick Ward - Vice President of Marketing, Formula.Monks Sep 26, 2024

Patrick Ward is a marketing leader with 10+ years of experience across AdTech, Advertising, Digital Marketing, and Financial Services/Fintech. He has a deep expertise in building and scaling global marketing teams to drive multi-million dollar demand generation, while constructing world-class campaigns with such global multi-billion dollar clients & partners as Google, Nike, Walmart, Sony, Allianz, Fiji Airways, Oracle, and U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S) , working for such companies as Monks (acquired and led by WPP Founder) & Wedbush Securities (both Financial Services division and Fintech division). Latest 5 years of experience with same management across two companies.

Brandon Epstein - Mental Performance Coach to High Achievers Sep 20, 2024

Brandon Epstein is a Mental Performance Coach to High Achievers. He’s coached pro athletes from the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pro Boxing achieve their best performances and he will help you do the same in your respective discipline. You can expect to get mental coaching and guided meditations designed to help you break through your mental blocks and achieve your own version of greatness. He has built a community intended for the 1% of people out there who want to find out how great they can be. If that's you.. welcome home. He has dedicated his life to helping people just like you and I'm grateful that you found him.

Brian Garofalow - CEO - Skullcandy Inc. Aug 31, 2024

Brian has been at the forefront of so many respected brands leading their marketing and ensuring cultural relevance for some time. As CEO of Skullcandy, his mission has been to further connection with the brand's roots, ensure the best operational efficiency is achieved, and enable creatives to experiment and be on the cutting edge of tech with fashion.

Gabe Lullo - CEO - Alleyoop Aug 30, 2024

Gabe Lullo 😎 is the CEO of a company called Alleyoop. They’re a prospecting agency or AKA an outsourced SDR agency, so he knows outbound back to front. Gabriel has run a sales team of more than 1500 and trained over 8,000 reps.

Part 2: Jacob Zuppke 🐈 - Chief Executive Officer, President - Whisker Aug 22, 2024

Jacob Zuppke 🐈 is the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Board Member of Whisker, a leading innovator in connected pet care and accessories. The Whisker portfolio includes LitterRobot, FeederRobot, and Litterbox.com, with over 1 million robots sold. Starting as employee #25, and with 8 years under his belt at Whisker, Zuppke has held multiple operational and marketing leadership roles, driving omnichannel development and strategic growth. As CEO, Zuppke oversees the company’s business strategy and vision to create ethically built, contemporary, and solution-oriented pet products that are enjoyable, insightful, and intuitive to use for both pets and humans alike. Before joining Whisker, Zuppke co-founded Traffic Digital Agency, a 2x Inc. 5000 company, which was acquired by CHAMBERLAIN & ASSOCIATES, INC. DBA CHAMBERLAIN MARKETING GROUP in 2018. Zuppke attended the University of Michigan, Dearborn, and majored in Digital Marketing and Marketing Management.

Part 1: Jacob Zuppke 🐈 - Chief Executive Officer - Whisker Aug 22, 2024

@Jacob Zuppke 🐈 is the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Board Member of Whisker, a leading innovator in connected pet care and accessories. The Whisker portfolio includes LitterRobot, FeederRobot, and Litterbox.com, with over 1 million robots sold. Starting as employee #25, and with 8 years under his belt at Whisker, Zuppke has held multiple operational and marketing leadership roles, driving omnichannel development and strategic growth. As CEO, Zuppke oversees the company’s business strategy and vision to create ethically built, contemporary, and solution-oriented pet products that are enjoyable, insightful, and intuitive to use for both pets and humans alike. Before joining Whisker, Zuppke co-founded Traffic Digital Agency, a 2x Inc. 5000 company, which was acquired by CHAMBERLAIN & ASSOCIATES, INC. DBA CHAMBERLAIN MARKETING GROUP in 2018. Zuppke attended the University of Michigan, Dearborn, and majored in Digital Marketing and Marketing Management.

Erik Huberman - CEO - Hawke Media Aug 21, 2024

Erik Huberman is a serial entrepreneur and a sought-after thought leader in the world of digital marketing, entrepreneurship, sales, and business. Before starting Hawke Media, Erik founded, grew, and sold Swag of the Month, and he grew the sales of Ellie.com to a million dollars in just four months. Over the course of his career, Erik has received many honors and awards, including Forbes "30 Under 30", Inc Magazine's "Top 25 Marketing Influencers", and Influencive's "Top Influencive Influencers of 2017". He is a regular contributor to major media publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider. Erik resides in Santa Monica, California.

Kieran Donahue - CMO - IHOP Aug 17, 2024

Kieran Donahue is a transformational Fortune 500 restaurant & hospitality executive. She has extensive experience in loyalty, brand, digital and omni-channel marketing and an impressive history of surpassing business goals, building trusted relationships and empowering teams. Kieran is known for being a collaborative problem solver that leads with evidence-based marketing strategies to drive topline revenue and market share. She is a change agent with a talent for turning ambiguity into purpose and building and motivating passionate, results oriented teams.

Kieran has a consistent record of positioning organizations for success, delivering billion-dollar revenue growth, developing marketing solutions for franchisees and an acute understanding and dedication to customer engagement.

Currently Kieran is the Chief Marketing Officer for IHOP, where she oversees all brand, field and digital marketing, including brand creative, social media, communications and loyalty/CRM efforts, in addition to culinary strategy, menu development and overall brand experience. Since joining the IHOP team in early 2021, Kieran has led the charge for IHOP’s most comprehensive research project in brand history, which created a new brand campaign and is serving as the basis for IHOP’s omni-channel marketing strategy, menu development and continued growth. She was also named to Brand Innovators’ Top 100 Women in Brand Marketing list for the class of 2021.

Before joining the IHOP team, Kieran was Marriott International’s Vice President, Brand, Marketing & Digital (Americas), where she led marketing (data & analytics, brand, field, loyalty, digital, social, promotions, partnerships, public relations, crisis communications) for $17+ billion Americas business. She managed a 300+person team, $200+ million budget and drove $2.5 billion in digital room night bookings during her time at Marriott. She transformed demand/lead generation programs, steered cross functional integration of Marriott and Starwood guest loyalty programs leading to Americas member room night growth of 16%. In addition, she was the architect of a shared service field marketing organization for managed hotels and opted-in franchisees and established a data and analytics function at the hotel and continent level to track spend, channels, and returns enabling ROI proven media investments. In 2020 she led the marketing efforts for the Americas on the COVID-19 Recovery Team.

Prior to Marriott, Kieran began her hospitality career in loyalty at Hilton, holding multiple roles of increasing responsibility including Senior Director Global Marketing for Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Vice President of Global Marketing for DoubleTree Hotels and culminating in Vice President of Marketing for the Americas. She was responsible for shaping brand, regional and loyalty marketing strategies and execution across multiple channels. She led innovative teams that established and executed new processes and benchmarks for success and drove multi-million dollar increases in room night revenue and co-brand credit card sales. During her nearly 15 years at Hilton, she is credited with introducing data-driven, digital demand generation strategies, building a global brand marketing organization that included the implementation, and use of, a proprietary online digital asset creative production and management system. She initiated entertainment industry marketing relationships with TV partners including Top Chef, Hawaii Five-0, and the GRAMMY Awards.

Prior to Kieran’s time at Hilton and Marriott she was in the fashion and retail industry and attributes her early career with engraining in her the philosophy that “marketing has to make the cash register ring.”

Kieran is known for a leadership style that is results driven, transparent, authentic and thoughtful. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising. She regularly volunteers her time.

Joshua Lowcock - President of Media - Quad Aug 16, 2024

Joshua Lowcock is an experienced CxO and Non-Executive Director in digital, media, marketing, and technology. New York-based Joshua has lived and worked in Australia, China, and the USA in senior leadership roles. He has been recognized in the ADWEEK 50 as an indispensable media, marketing, and technology executive. An experienced board member and Non-Executive Director, Joshua has served on the board of several public companies. In addition, Joshua is an advisory board member for several technology companies. As a respected expert in digital media, Joshua is frequently quoted in media. Joshua’s blog covers various topics, and he previously authored the newsletter Last Week in Digital Media. Joshua is married, has a son in college, and he and his family live in New York. A very amateur genealogist, Joshua enjoys researching Lowcock Family History.

Elliott Parker - CEO at High Alpha Innovation Jul 30, 2024

Elliott Parker is the CEO at High Alpha Innovation and the author of The Illusion of Innovation. High Alpha Innovation partners with corporations, universities, and entrepreneurs to build advantaged startups. They apply the venture studio model they developed at High Alpha and the principles of disruption theory to rapidly build and scale software companies and help their partners accelerate growth opportunities. Prior to his current role, he worked in strategy consulting, corporate ventures, and as an entrepreneur to bring new ideas to market. Most recently, he was a consultant at Innosight, the strategy firm founded by Clayton Christensen, where they helped companies develop innovation capabilities, design growth strategies, and launch new ventures. Early in his career, He became interested in the application of disruptive innovation while working with large corporations.

Bryan Terzi - Chief Marketing Officer - AutoCamp Jul 24, 2024

Bryan is the CMO of Autocamp. He has over 10 years of Brand Management & Digital Marketing experience, he excels in the luxury lifestyle category and has a passion for travel. He offers outstanding results-based marketing expertise, collaborative leadership and partnership development on an International level.

Tripp Westbrook - President / Chief Creative Officer - Firehouse Jul 22, 2024

Tripp Westbrook is an innovative, convention-breaking agency leader and President/Chief Creative Officer of Firehouse. His creativity and expertise in challenging category status quo has been recognized by virtually every major advertising award show and his work includes one of USA TODAY’s top 100 Super Bowl commercials of all time.

Jason Sperling - Chief Creative Officer - INNOCEAN Jun 04, 2024

Jason has been a trusted leader on amazing global brands including Apple, @Meta (AR, VR and Metaverse), TikTok, Amazon, The Walt Disney Company Pixar Animation Studios, American Honda Motor Company, Inc. and UNICEF. He's helped build and empower departments fueled by pride and passion, which has inevitably led to some breakthrough creative work spanning digital, social, performance, influencer, partnerships, traditional channels and the metaverse. He's currently leading all marketing for Hyundai Motor Company (현대자동차), Genesis and several other global brands. Other points of interest: Developed and wrote Apple “Mac vs PC” campaign (Campaign of the Decade by ADWEEK and Top 15 Campaigns of the Century by AdAge). Adweek Top 30 Creative Director + Campaign UK 40 Over 40 Top Digital Creatives. Winner of Grand Effie, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Gold Lions in Film, Cyber, Design, Health and Branded Content & Entertainment. Emmy nom. Author of Creative Directions: Mastering the Transition

Ian Grody - Chief Creative Officer - Giant Spoon Jun 03, 2024

Ian is a guy who uses his 15+ years of experience building ads, and writing shows for networks like MTV, SyFy and CMT, to help brands tell better stories. He's an ADWEEK Top 100 Creative and works across iconic cultural brands like HBO, Apple, Savage X Fenty, and Marvel Entertainment.

Erick Brownstein - Co President and Partner - Shareability May 09, 2024

As a partner at Shareability, the social content studio and brand consultancy known for creating some of the most shared video campaigns of the last decade, Erick has been working with companies like Google, Intuit, Mars, Adobe, and others, to help them drive social campaign success, better understanding, engaging and activating target audiences. As the founding partner of Down Home with Tim McGraw, Shareability is translating its Gen Z expertise to help Down Home be the preeminent Marketing Machine for the heart of America, creating engaging content, brands, and experiences born out of Nashville. As an extension of his past work directing international environmental and human rights campaigns and volunteering with Mother Theresa at her Home for the Sick and Dying Destitute in Calcutta, he's passionate about Shareability's ongoing contribution to positive social impact.

Jim Jonassen - Founder - JIM JONASSEN AND ASSOCIATES May 09, 2024

Jim Jonassen is a builder of teams, companies, products and communities. He’s founded five executive search firms over the past 30 years, including Riviera Partners Partners and JJA. Jim was co-founder, CEO and Chairman of venture-backed Peoplemover Inc., an enterprise software firm that merged with Opus360 prior to its 2000 IPO. He also founded and led Micro J Systems, a developer of software solutions for staffing and talent acquisition specialists. Known for creating teams that achieve both scale and investor returns, Jim has been instrumental in assembling leadership teams for clients like 2K Games (NASDAQ: TTWO), Cornerstone OnDemand (NASDAQ:CSOD acquired by Clearlake Capital Group), CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), EVgo (NASDAQ:EVGO), FIGS (NYSE:FIGS), Green Dot Corporation (NYSE:GDOT), Jellysmack Juvo Mission Cloud, The Honest Company (NYSE:HNST) and VELOCIFY, INC. (acquired by Sallie Mae).

Casey Hill - Sr. Growth Manager - ActiveCampaign May 06, 2024

Casey is a growth veteran, with over a decade of experience in helping software companies scale fast. Whether it's garnering millions of views on Quora and LinkedIn or pioneering new growth levers (like booking his team on hundreds of podcasts), Casey is always looking for creative and value-led ways to grab attention and break from the mold. In his current role leading growth at ActiveCampaign, he is building organic growth engines to propel the team to $1,000,000,000 in ARR. On the consulting side, Casey works with some of the world's biggest firms including places like McKinsey & Company BlackRock Colemans GLG, Guidepoint etc., where he provides institutional guidance to PE/VC teams around topics such as: SMB marketing vendor selection, SaaS pricing, SaaS marketing/CRM tool differentiation, market analysis, inbound marketing, and marketing automation.

Ted Fleming - Founder - Partake Brewing Apr 26, 2024

Ted's entrepreneurship journey is all about solving problems that help people. He is focused on the health & wellness, clean-tech, environment and health-tech industries. In 2005 he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease which changed the direction of his life. As part of that change he decided to give up alcohol but still wanted to enjoy the taste and social experience that comes with beer. At that time, most non-alcoholic beer was underwhelming, and he felt ignored as a consumer. That was the problem he resolved to solve through Partake Brewing - now the leading non-alcoholic beer brand in Canada! He has created over $100M in economic value, positively impacted millions of people, and led teams of up to 50 employees, contractors, and consultants. Currently, he is Founder & Board Member at Partake Brewing (ex-CEO), and President at Agawa.

Cory Assink & Zeke Blattler - Co founders of Los Cuernos Wine Apr 22, 2024

Cory Assink & Zeke Blattler are the Co founders of Los Cuernos Wine. After pouring wine to thousands of people and wine professionals, they realized wine had become too complicated. Los Cuernos Wine is a non-vintage, consistent house-style that's ready to be enjoyed with or without food. Don't overthink it, drink what you like.

Sandeep Dayal - Author - Branding Between the Ears Apr 17, 2024

Sandeep Dayal is a seasoned marketing and strategy leader, with 20+ years of experience across industries. In addition to serving as the Managing Director, Sandeep heads the firm's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Practice. He serves as a counselor to C-suite executives and board members at Fortune 500 companies. He has served 50+ clients in over 100 engagements around the world (including 15+ major countries in the EU, LatAm and Asia). He is regarded as one of the leading minds in Marketing Strategy and has co-authored articles in Marketing Management, McKinsey Quarterly and Strategy & Business. His current research focuses on Cognitive Branding and Cognitive Selling, which integrates the latest advances in neuroscience and psychology, to offer a completely new way for developing modern power brands - and drive up sales performance.

Jake Karls - CEO - Mid-Day Squares Apr 12, 2024

Jake Karls is a different type of business leader – unapologetically authentic, refreshingly relatable, and completely free of BS. He is the Co-founder and Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares, the good-for-you chocolate brand that turned a kitchen-table dream into a global household name. Mid-Day Squares is leading the disruption of an extremely competitive vertical with a winning team, innovative marketing strategy, and fearless spirit. The secret ingredient fuelling the brand’s stratospheric growth? Genuine human connection. Jake’s role is to build the brand’s network and visibility. To hear him speak is to understand how he does it. By prioritizing relationships, harnessing the power of storytelling, and being himself, Jake has cultivated the loyalties of investors, buyers, journalists, influencers, his own team, and of course, the chocolate-loving community.

Brigette Wolf - Chief Marketing Officer - My/Mochi Apr 04, 2024

Brigette Wolf is the Chief Marketing Officer at My/Mochi where she leads marketing and innovation and the brand’s transformation for growth. Brigette is responsible for fueling the company’s innovation pipeline through the creation of beyond the core products and partnerships as well as building the brand’s equity and connection to consumers. Previously she was VP, Global Head of SnackFutures, Mondelēz International’s innovation and venture hub which launched in 2018 as part of the global snack leader’s growth agenda. There she ran intrepreneurship on her team launching new start up brands, venture capital and and CoLab, the company’s start-up engagement program. Brigette was with Mondelēz International for 10 years, and in that time served as the senior director of Global Platform Innovation for the Gum & Candy and Biscuits categories as well the senior brand manager.

Kieron Monahan - Founder - Not Pluto Apr 04, 2024

Kieron Monahan is a creative brand strategist with 30+ years experience solving business and marketing problems. Working at some of the best creative agencies in the world partnering with world-class brands. A selection of clients include: British Airways, Jack Daniel’s, Vodafone/Verizon, Playstation , Nokia, The BBC, Massachusetts General Hospital Brigham Hospital, Progressive Insurance, Procter & Gamble, Dell Technologies, Volvo Group, Electronic Arts (EA) and healthcare startups in Boston.

Brady Brim-DeForest - CEO - Formula.Monks Mar 29, 2024

Serial entrepreneur Brady Brim-DeForest is CEO of Formula.Monks, the technology solutions division of Media.Monks, which transforms the world's most ambitious companies with AI. He has co-founded six successful startups, closed sales worth over $250 million, and helped global, monolithic organizations reorganize for innovation. An in-demand mentor, speaker, and writer on AI, innovation, entrepreneurship, and diversity, Brady has more than 20 years of experience in product design, brand strategy, and startup management. He is a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, among others. He currently resides in Texas.

Richard Yelland - filmmaker Mar 08, 2024

Richard Yelland is a filmmaker who explores the extremes of action sports and human storytelling. Powerful visuals and great performances are a trademark of his directorial work on projects for the HISTORY Channel, FUEL TV and Nike, to name a few. Richard's documentary film, "Floating: the Nathan Gocke Story," Executive Produced by Oscar nominee Morgan Spurlock ("Super Size Me"), is the inspirational story of 32 year-old Nathan Gocke who, after a surfing accident leaves him paralyzed, bravely pursues his dream to surf again. “Floating” was a 'Best Documentary' winner at the 2011 Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes Festival's 'American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase' and was awarded 'Best Documentary' at the 2010 New York City Short Film Festival. Richard received an Emmy nomination in the national public service category for "Pool", a PSA he wrote, directed and produced for the Life Rolls On Foundation

Jason Dyer - Chief Marketing Officer - Chief Outsiders Mar 06, 2024

Jason is a seasoned marketing leader with over 25 years of experience in driving growth for B2B and B2C companies across various industries and markets. He has a proven track record of aligning sales, marketing, and product roadmaps using traditional and advanced digital marketing techniques. As a Chief Marketing Officer at Chief Outsiders, He helps small and mid-sized businesses overcome their growth roadblocks by providing them with the expertise of a top CMO without the long-term commitment. He works with existing marketing teams to identify and solve their strategic, skillset, or execution challenges and deliver measurable results. He specializes in marketing insights, strategy, and execution, as well as business development, e-commerce, SaaS, mobile app marketing, and demand generation.

Kristine deGuzman - Managing Director - Revere, a DJE Holdings Company Mar 04, 2024

Kristine's values are leadership, authenticity, personal development, and not being an asshole. A good friend of hers who passed away in 2020 wrote in his Instagram bio, "it costs $0.00 to be a nice person," and it's a mantra she's since adopted in his honor. She believes that kindness is a rare resource that we can offer freely, generously. She built her career in the agency world, managing global teams and overseeing the execution of social media strategies and integrated campaigns for enterprise tech companies. She attributes much of her success not to her marketing prowess (though some of that too), but to Her ability to build relationships, foster connection, and give a genuine shit about the teams that she leads. She believes that teams thrive when measures of empathy are prioritized over measures of productivity, and it's her goal to create environments where everyone feels safe.

David Buzo - Chief Marketing Officer - Independent Advisor Alliance Mar 01, 2024

David Buzo, MBA, Chief Marketing Officer, joined Independent Advisor Alliance in August 2023. In this role, David sets the strategy and goals to strengthen and enhance the IAA brand, collaborates with IAA’s business development team in their recruiting and expansion efforts, and oversees the development and management of the firm’s marketing team. David also partners with advisors to grow their practice through marketing and educates advisors on existing IAA services and programs. David earned his BS in Marketing from the The University of Toledo and his MBA from the University of Arizona. Prior to IAA, David held leadership roles at LPL Financial, MetLife, MassMutual, The Mona Group, and the YMCA of the USA (National Resource Office). Originally from Toledo, Ohio, David has lived in Indian Land with his two children since 2013. When not in the office, he stays active with basketball, CrossFit, hiking, kayaking, yoga, watching movies, and playing mediocre guitar and drums.

AJ Wilcox⁠ - CEO - ⁠B2Linked Feb 21, 2024

AJ Wilcox - CEO - B2Linked | LinkedIn Ads Performance Agency AJ Wilcox is a LinkedIn Ads pro who founded B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency, in 2014. He's an official LinkedIn partner, host of the LinkedIn Ads Show podcast, and has managed among the world’s largest LinkedIn Ads accounts worldwide. He's a ginger & triathlete. He & his wife live in Utah, with their four kids, and his company car is a wicked-fast go-kart.

John Barrows - CEO - JB Sales Feb 16, 2024

John has been fortunate in his career to be exposed to all aspects of Business and Sales from making 400 dials a week, to leading a self funded team from startup through acquisition, starting his own business and now working with some of the fastest growing and most dynamic companies in the world like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Google, Amazon and many others. These experiences have allowed him to create and share content to help others grow and hopefully not make as many mistakes as he did on their path to success. He is also humbled to be recognized by many different publications who share his desire to elevate the people and profession of Sales.

Brandon Rhoten - CMO - GroundTruth Feb 14, 2024

Brandon leads all marketing functions and is responsible for developing go-to-market strategies for GroundTruth’s advertising products. Brandon has served in senior leadership roles at some of the largest U.S. brands and as a strategic advisor to several leading digital marketing agencies. Previously, Brandon was CMO of Potbelly Sandwich Works, CMO of Papa Johns’s, and VP of Marketing at The Wendy's Company, where he built the brand’s infamous digital/social strategy and team. Brandon began his marketing career at decorated B2B agency gyro International, now Merkle B2B, and has since overseen billions of dollars in global media investment. Brandon has been named an Ad Age Top Digital Marketer, and his teams’ work has been featured in Fast Company, Ad Age, The Wall Street Journal, and others. Brandon has also spoken at industry events including SXSW, ANA, ADWEEK, 4A's, SocialMedia.org, MMA (Marketing Management Analytics), and WOMMA

Esther Mireya Tejeda - CMO - Anywhere Real Estate Inc. Feb 13, 2024

Esther-Mireya Tejeda is the first chief marketing officer at Anywhere Real Estate Inc., home to some of the most recognized brands in the industry. Prior to Anywhere, she was a growth catalyst at organizations like SoundExchange, Entercom/CBS Radio, Univision, PepsiCo and Diageo. She chairs the Women in Tech and Product group at Anywhere and is on the board of directors for the DEI Council.

Neil Patel - Founder - NP Digital Feb 01, 2024

Neil Patel - Founder - NP Digital Neil Patel is a New York Times Bestselling author. The The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies. He was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30 by President Barack Obama and a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 35 by the United Nations.

Jacob Tell - Founder - Oniracom Jan 31, 2024

Jacob Tell - Founder - Oniracom, LoDo Studios, District216 Jacob Tell is a producer who coalesces community, aligns people around values, and helps businesses grow through authentic storytelling and technology. AS A CREATIVE AGENCY FOUNDER AND CEO FOR OVER TWO DECADES, JACOB HAS STUDIED AND WORKED WITHIN THE CULTURAL TRANSITION FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL, AND PRODUCED EVENTS + CAMPAIGNS FOR VARIOUS MARKETS EXPERIENCING POSITIVE DISRUPTION (MUSIC INDUSTRY, DIGITAL SIGNAGE, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, CANNABIS, AND PSYCHEDELICS TO NAME A FEW). HIS INSIGHTS TRANSLATE ACROSS DEMOGRAPHICS, GEOGRAPHIES AND INDUSTRIES. HIGHLIGHT: JACOB TOURED INTERNATIONALLY WITH JACK JOHNSON FOR YEARS AS MERCHANDISE MANAGER. Jacob’s expertise in business development, marketing and production helps organizations of any size — from solopreneurs to global brands — build authentic communities and communicate effectively.

Mathew Knowles - Founder - Music World Entertainment Jan 26, 2024

Meet Mathew Knowles, the global leader in sales & marketing, brand development, entrepreneurship and leadership. With over $5 billion generated across multiple industries, over $100 million in exits and acquisitions, and the development, recording and distribution of some of culture's most notable careers such as Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, Earth, Wind & Fire, Solange, and many more; Mathew Knowles is widely regarded as the best in the world at what he does and is a sought-after speaker, consultant and trainer for some of the world's largest organizations and conferences. He has led some of the most successful marketing campaigns in history, working with organizations like PepsiCo, L'Oréal, Samsung Electronics, and @House of Deréon Apparel to name a few. Knowles's professional insights and expert digital content have been recognized by organizations like LinkedIn, where he is a contributor to their top voice program.

Dave Kaufman - Senior Director, Global Marketing @ Meta | VR & Metaverse Jan 18, 2024

Dave Kaufman - Senior Director, Global Marketing @ Meta | VR & Metaverse Dave Kaufman is lucky to have spent his career leading marketing for nascent technologies, and establishing new teams in unique environments ranging from The White House, to Google [x], and Reality Labs at Meta. He is currently the Senior Director and Global Head of Marketing for VR (Meta Quest, fka Oculus VR) and Metaverse experiences (Meta Horizon, Oculus Studios, and Avatars) at Meta. Previously, he launched Facebook Portal, served in President Barack Obama’s White House, shipped some wild neurotechnology, and failed to make Google Glass a thing.

Dr. Travis Bradberry - Author - Emotional Intelligence Habits Jan 12, 2024

Dr. Travis Bradberry is the Author of Emotional Intelligence Habits which offers a groundbreaking new way to change your habits and change your life. In the book, Dr. Bradberry, the world's foremost expert on increasing EQ, offers an abundance of practical strategies that will teach you how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the micro behaviors that will take your EQ to new heights. The book includes a passcode to the updated online edition of the world's #1 EQ test, which will show you where your EQ stands today and which new habits from the book will increase your EQ the most. Dr. Travis Bradberry is a world-renown expert in emotional intelligence. His bestselling books have sold more than 3 million copies, have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune, & Forbes

Lisa Farris - Chief Marketing Officer - Soundtrack Your Brand Jan 11, 2024

Lisa Farris - Chief Marketing Officer - Soundtrack Your Brand She is an Accomplished Market Development & Digital Media Executive focused on innovation, execution, and leveraging technology in order to transform brand and consumer engagement. A recognized business transformation strategist with the unique ability to balance creative and analytical problem-solving. Proven brand builder and marketer experienced in leading start-ups to nationally recognized $6B+ brands. Supporting organizations ranging from early-stage to established companies who are seeking to revolutionize how audiences experience and interact with their brands. Consistent track record for creating results through leadership, building highly effective teams, project and partner management, execution and innovation.

Emily Doskow - Chief Marketing Officer - Leo Burnett Jan 07, 2024

Emily Doskow - Chief Marketing Officer - Leo Burnett She is a Strategic growth and brand development expert with 20+ years of experience. Deep expertise in branding, marketing, and advertising, developing new capabilities and revenue streams, driving marketplace differentiation, leading multi-disciplinary business development teams on a national and global scale, and exceeding growth objectives. 90% close rate on net new business opportunities in the last year, more than doubling her revenue goal. Mentor to upcoming female leaders. Big believer in coaching and nurturing a positive company culture. Key customer experience includes Dunkin', Walgreens, Tyson, Brown-Forman, Champion, Avocados From Mexico, The Coca-Cola Company-, Pfizer, Beam Suntory, Bloomberg, MetLife, Firestone Airide, UnitedHealthcare, Illinois Office of Tourism.

Ian Stewart - Chief Marketing Officer at Wedge Brands LLC, XCEL Wetsuits Jan 05, 2024

Ian Stewart - Chief Marketing Officer at Wedge Brands LLC, XCEL Wetsuits Ian Stewart is the Chief Marketing Officer at Wedge Brands, owners of Xcel Wetsuits. Marketing experience at Converse, UGG, MTV, The Coca-Cola Company. A brand marketer with 25 years of regional and global experience around the world, Ian was at Converse as their head of marketing. He has also held marketing roles at MTV, Coca-Cola, and Ogilvy. A lifelong surfer from Whale Beach in Australia, Ian is never far from the ocean, so its protection is always on his mind.

Dan Khabie - Founding Partner- CourtAvenue Dec 21, 2023

Dan Khabie - Founding Partner- CourtAvenue Dan Khabie launched his career in business transformation in 1997 with the creation of Digitaria, an award-winning digital media agency with a roster of clients that included DreamWorks Animation, ESPN, the National Football League (NFL), and Qualcomm, among others. When his company was acquired by WPP in 2010, Dan later became global CEO of Mirum, a 2,500-employee digital marketing agency with offices on six continents. In addition to being a LinkedIn Influencer, Dan has been an adjunct professor at San Diego State University and frequently speaks out about innovation and marketing. Dan’s oversight includes all of CourtAvenue’s client relationships, as well as identifying new business acquisitions.

Laura McHolm - Founder & Chief Marketing Officer - NorthStar Moving Company Dec 21, 2023

Laura McHolm - Founder & Chief Marketing Officer - NorthStar Moving Company One of the few women at the helm of a moving company, Laura McHolm had an unlikely start as co-founder of NorthStar Moving Company. Laura began university at the age of 16. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley at Berkeley she taught basic programming on Apple computers, then worked in marketing for Atari while the company was still in its infancy, and after law school, she worked as a corporate intellectual property lawyer. In the mid-1990s she moved away from the Fortune 500 to fulfill her more creative, entrepreneurial spirit and co-founded NorthStar Moving Company. Laura coined the phrase “eco-luxury moving services” and is changing the way we move by selling the red carpet treatment. Her fastest growing privately held company is the go to mover for A-List celebrities, The Gettys Group Companies and other movers and shakers and has been featured in @Elle Décor.

⁠Doug Reifschneider⁠ - Fractional Chief Marketing Officer - ⁠Chief Outsiders⁠ Dec 13, 2023

Doug Reifschneider - Fractional Chief Marketing Officer - Chief Outsiders Reifschneider grew up in the foodservice industry. He is a marketing veteran with 25+ years of progressive field, agency, and corporate marketing experience. Doug started in the restaurant business in the field by teaching franchisees and company operators how to conduct local restaurant marketing (LRM). He also formed advertising co-ops. Doug mastered the use of traditional media such as TV, radio, print, and Out of Home (OOH). In later years, Reifschneider focused on digital advertising options. As noted earlier, he combined traditional and digital advertising to grow sales. Doug progressed into leadership roles at Hardees and Fazoli's. He learned how to grow sales in a competitive marketplace while mentoring his team. As a result, he learned how to combine media spend and LRM.

⁠Brendan Shields-Shimizu⁠ - Chief Innovation Officer - Crispin Porter + Bogusky Dec 05, 2023

Brendan Shields-Shimizu is the Chief Innovation Officer at Crispin Porter + Bogusky a role he took on when CPB announced an expansion of services and integrated new capabilities under the agency banner. Prior to this role, Brendan served as CEO at Observatory by Crispin, one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” for three years in a row in 2020, 2021 and 2022. He had been with Observatory and its predecessor, CAA Marketing, since 2011, leading a 4x Emmy, 4x Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Lions Grand Prix and Sundance Institute-winning agency for the content era – a global full-service creative ad agency with deep roots in entertainment.

⁠Justin Steinman⁠ - Chief Marketing Officer - ⁠Definitive Healthcare⁠ Nov 30, 2023

Justin Steinman - Chief Marketing Officer - Definitive Healthcare As Chief Marketing Officer of Definitive Healthcare, Justin is responsible for the strategy, development, and execution of all aspects of marketing for the company, including product marketing, demand generation, corporate marketing, public relations, and corporate communications. Prior to joining Definitive Healthcare, Justin served as the vice president of commercial product management at Aetna, a CVS Health company. Previously, he served as Chief Marketing Officer at GE HealthCare Digital, and in a variety of sales & marketing roles at Novell. Justin holds undergraduate degrees in English and History from Dartmouth College, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. When Justin is not debating the finer points of product positioning or lead generation campaigns, you can find him on a Little League baseball field in Natick.

⁠Jeff Sass⁠ - Author of Everything I Know about Business and Marketing, I learning from the Toxic Avenger Nov 30, 2023

Jeff Sass - Author of Everything I Know about Business and Marketing, I learning from the Toxic Avenger. Jeff is a senior level digital media, marketing and business development executive with a rare mix of creative and business experience in mobile marketing and entertainment, traditional entertainment, electronic entertainment, licensing & merchandising and technology. A frequent speaker and panelist at mobile, music, digital & social media events, with articles published in AdAge, Forbes, Entrepreneur, DMNews, Mobile Marketer, iMedia Connection and others. A founding Board Member of the Mobile Internet Content Coalition (MICC) as well as a former instructor for the University of San Francisco's online mobile marketing program. An excellent writer with produced Film and Television credits, and author of "Everything I Know about Business and Marketing, I Learned from THE TOXIC AVENGER." As a recognized "dad" blogger, selected as a Sony DigiDad and an Intel Advisor.

⁠Jessica Lyn Zall⁠ - Chief Marketing Officer - ⁠Percent⁠ Nov 29, 2023

Jessica Lyn Zall - Chief Marketing Officer - Percent Jessica Zall is the Chief Marketing Officer of Percent, a groundbreaking technological and data-driven platform that has created the modern credit marketplace by connecting investors, borrowers, and underwriters and enabling them to transact more efficiently. Jessica leads the company’s marketing and communications strategy with a strong focus on building their brand and market presence as well as driving client acquisition and retention. In 2021 Jessica joined Percent, and began building out Percent’s marketing department, becoming the driving force behind Percent’s rebrand, external communications and growth initiatives. She is responsible for all functions within Percent’s marketing division, including growth and performance marketing, product marketing, digital marketing, customer insights and analytics, operations and marketing technology, brand, communications and content.

⁠Tony Billmeyer⁠ - Chief Marketing Officer - ⁠Show-Me Organics⁠ Nov 08, 2023

Tony Billmeyer - Chief Marketing Officer - Show-Me Organics Lead marketing for some of the fastest growing cannabis brands in Missouri. Show-Me Organics operates a vertically integrated house of brands with something for everyone: - Vivid Cannabis offers a charismatic line of top shelf products, setting the bar for quality in the market. - Missouri's Own offers an approachable line of gourmet edibles inspired by Missouri's own flavors. - Buoyant Bob brings the inherent fun of cannabis to dispensary shelves, offering "The best bud for your buck" to help keep everyone afloat. - Blue Sage Cannabis Deli offers the friendliest service and flower served deli-style, where everyone is welcome to "Come see your buds!" Show-Me Organics won a Grand The Clio Awards at the 2022 Clio Cannabis Awards in Partnerships and a Bronze Clio in PR. Their inventive marketing has helped grow market share and hold shelf space, despite ever-increasing competition.

⁠Stephanie Fried⁠ - Chief Marketing Officer - ⁠Fandom⁠ Oct 17, 2023

Stephanie Fried - Chief Marketing Officer - Fandom Stephanie Fried has spent 20 years building and leading the most innovative marketing and research teams in media. She is currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Fandom, a global entertainment brand powered by fan passion. In this role, Fried oversees all marketing efforts for Fandom and its portfolio of brands including Fanatical, TV Guide, Metacritic, GameSpot, among others. She has been instrumental in accelerating Fandom’s audience growth to over 350 million visitors per month and driving engagement through audience development, UA, consumer insights, design, experiences, and communications. Prior to joining Fandom, she was the EVP, Marketing, Research and Analytics at Condé Nast and led teams across iconic brands such as The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Vogue. Fried’s team grew digital audiences by +50% and engagement by +82% YoY during her tenure.

⁠Lisa Tan⁠- Chief Marketing Officer - ⁠Reverie⁠ Oct 10, 2023

Lisa Tan- Chief Marketing Officer - Reverie Lisa Tan is the chief marketing officer of Reverie, a cutting-edge sleep technology company on a mission to help people live better lives through the power of sleep. Tan leads the marketing and customer experience teams across Reverie’s wholesale and direct-to-consumer verticals. Combining her passion for teaching others how to embrace quality sleep with nearly two decades of strategic marketing and business acumen, Tan drives innovation across the company. She received her master’s degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, a BA from Princeton University and lives in Metro Detroit with her husband, Martin, and two young daughters.

Amy Tunick⁠ - CMO - ⁠National CineMedia (NCM)⁠ Oct 05, 2023

Amy Tunick - CMO - National CineMedia (NCM) Amy oversees NCM’s B2B and B2C marketing including brand, creative and content strategy, partnerships, events, studio relations and public relations, working collaboratively across the organization to drive innovation and strengthen the company’s connections with consumers, brands and agencies. Throughout Tunick’s career, she has overseen integrated marketing and PR initiatives at prominent media and entertainment companies and agencies. Additionally, Tunick is a founding member of Chief, a private network focusing on connecting and supporting female leaders pursuing and entering the C-Suite and other senior leadership positions.

⁠Derek Osgood⁠ - CEO - Ignition Sep 28, 2023

Derek Osgood - CEO - Ignition Derek Osgood is a product marketing specialist, entrepreneur, and Founder & CEO of Ignition, a platform that helps brands streamline go-to-market strategies. He has launched several products that have collectively generated over $1 billion in revenue. Before Ignition, Derek worked as Director of Product Marketing at Rippling, Director of Marketing and Growth at BBVA, and as a Product Manager at Playstation .

⁠Matthew O'Connor⁠ - CEO -⁠AdQuick⁠ Sep 22, 2023

Matthew O'Connor - CEO -AdQuick Matthew O'Connor is the CEO and cofounder of AdQuick.com, the first platform to allow brands, agencies and individuals to complete the entire process of planning, buying, executing and measuring out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaigns anywhere in the U.S. and around the globe.

Tom Richards - CMO - Ninjio Sep 18, 2023

Tom Richards - CMO - NINJIO Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tom is the Chief Marketing Officer at NINJIO Cybersecurity Awareness Training, where he is the leader of the marketing functions, member of the senior executive team, and spokesperson for the brand. He has long advocated for stronger cybersecurity practices across companies to keep people and their data safe. Previous to NINJIO, Tom was the Founder and President of Haverty Consulting, a group dedicated to helping companies exceed their communications and marketing goals. Clients included Occidental, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center and OSU’s Wexner Medical Center, Leica Camera, as well as many start-up companies. Tom’s career has spanned over 25 years working with international brands such as Apple, Starbucks, and Expedia while in leadership roles at various global digital advertising agencies.

Devon O'Rourke - Founder - Fluvio Sep 02, 2023

Devon O'Rourke is the Founder and Managing Partner of product marketing consulting firm, Fluvio, an occasional angel investor, and the host of the Embracing Erosion podcast. Devon has over a decade’s worth of experience working alongside growth, marketing, product, research, design, sales, PR, and engineering teams to successfully bring new software and technology products to market. Before founding Fluvio, Devon held a number of strategy and product marketing roles at companies such as The New York Times, Getty Images, Publicis, ESPN, Tremor Video, Etsy, and Amazon, in addition to being an Advisory Board Member, Ambassador, Mentor, & Speaker for the Product Marketing Alliance.

Lynn Blashford - CMO - White Castle Aug 30, 2023

What drives the deep craving for a White Castle burger? Why do “Cravers” wait in line for hours, even days, before the opening of a new location? And how has the 101-year-old, family-owned hamburger chain — the first in America — facilitated collabs with the likes of PUMA and Wu-Tang Clan? For chief marketing officer Lynn Blashford, it’s a marketing special sauce that drives the brand to reach new heights in quick service retail (QSR) locations in the Midwest and coast-to-coast go-to grocery markets.

Kim Hurwitz - CMO - Fite.TV Aug 09, 2023

In this episode I interview Kim Hurwitz the CMO of Fite.TV.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimhurwitz/

https://www.instagram.com/fortordbaby/?hl=en

Casey Hurbis - CMO - Rocket Mortgage Aug 06, 2023

In this episode, I interview Casey Hurbis, CMO of Rock Central, the internal agency that oversees all marketing initiatives for the the nation's largest and most trusted mortgage lender Rocket Mortgage and the Rock family of companies.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyhurbis

https://www.instagram.com/caseyhurbis/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/caseyhurbis?lang=en

Shonduras - Creator and owner of Space Station Integrations and Gaming Mar 19, 2020

In this weeks episode I chat with the one and only Shaun "Shonduras" McBride. Shaun made his initial splash as the first influencer on Snap Chat and went on to becoming a prolific you tuber as well. He's also the owner of Space Station Integrations who reps other you tubers like Pete Mckinnon and The Ace Family, along with Space Station Gaming, a massive e sports organization. Join me as he discusses how he built out his empire in Salty Lake City, dynamics around your kids being a content creator, how to work with brands and how to make money in the business of e sports.

This episode is brought to you by Brill Media check them out at www.thankyou.brillmedia.com your partner in programmatic and hyper local advertising.

Mike Linton CRO of Ancestry.com / former CMO of Farmers Insurance Sep 23, 2019

In this Episode of the podcast I sit down with Mike Linton, the CRO of Ancestry.com and the former CMO of Farmers Insurance. Mike addresses his career bucking the trend of CMO tenure at organizations like P & G, Best Buy, Farmers Insurance and now Ancestry.com. Mike addresses topics like how to spot a unicorn business, who should get to vote on different marketing decisions, how marketing is like making a Martini, how to adopt tech in a marketing org quickly but not to quick, and a host of other exciting topics!

Dave Larson - Former CMO of 5.11 Tactical Jul 21, 2019

In this episode I interview the former CMO of 5.11 Tactical Dave Larson about his amazing career in sports marketing at brands like Rebook, Nike, Brooks, G4, The Women's Tennis Association, UnderArmor and finally 5.11 Tactical.

We cover a host of topics including never taking jobs for the money and that titles don't mean anything.

Dave gives us some amazing insight about working closely with Phil Knight of Nike and Warren Buffett.

Dave got to work with a host of sports icons throughout his career including Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, Andre Agassi, John Mcenroe, Snoop Dog, and manny more.

Keith Krach - Chairman of Docusign and Ariba - a Sigma Chi special - Episode 4 May 22, 2019

In this episode I head up to the bay area and interview Chairman Emeritus of Docusign and Ariba Keith Krach. Keith has disrupted multiple industries through digital transformation. He was also the youngest Vice President in the history of General Motors when he became a VP in his twenties. Keith was also the international president of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. In this episode we talk about digital disruption and the secret sauce of Silicon Valley, Mentorship. We talk about how lessons Keith learned from the Sigma Chi fraternity influenced his business career and how he was able to take learnings from Harvard Business School and the professional world and apply them back to Sigma Chi. Keith is now a diplomat under the Trump Administration in several key posts.

Rishad Tobaccowala - Chief Growth Officer of Publicis - Episode 3 May 17, 2019

In this episode I head to Chicago to Interview Rishad Tobaccowala the Chief Growth Officer of Publicis one of the big five holding companies in the marketing and advertising world. We cover a host of topics including Rishad's 35 plus year career with Publicis in addition to agency culture, transformation, challenges to the holding company model, in house agencies, business models, work life balance, life long learning, influencer marketing, and a host of other topics.

Episode 2 - Jeff Weiser - Chief Marketing Officer - Shopify Jan 13, 2019

In this Episode we travel north to Toronto to visit the marketing world headquarters of Shopify and speak to their chief marketing officer Jeff Weiser. In the episode we cover a range of topics including what it means to be a business owner today; traditional CMO's watch out, the quants are coming, how does a influencer like Kylie Jenner build a billion dollar business on the Shopify platform and the origins of the company.

Jonathan Simpson-Bint : Chief Revenue Officer of Twitch Sep 02, 2018

In the first episode I interview Jonathan Simpson-Bint about his early career leading up to running revenue for the worlds largest streaming platform.

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