Pia Barlow
EVP of Originals Marketing, |
HBO Max
Pia Barlow is the Executive Vice President, Originals Marketing for HBO Max, responsible for guiding the overall marketing strategy, development and execution of marketing campaigns for HBO and HBO Max Originals. She was named to this position in November 2021. In this role, Barlow oversees an award-winning team that focuses on the creative marketing, social media, events, activations and strategic partnerships executed in promotion of HBO and HBO Max Originals. 0033b00002kbEJhAAM
Cori Barrett
VP-Global Marketing & Communications, |
2K Games
Cori Barrett is the VP of Global Communications for 2K, a videogame publisher
managing some of the most creative, respected and premium brands in games
today. Cori is the driver of external positioning and publicity for strategic
corporate initiatives, growth stories, product launches, integrated marketing
programs and other key areas of focus including the company’s Philanthropy
efforts. 003C000002QGxuaIAD
LeVar Battle
Director, Content Marketing, |
Hubilo Technologies, Inc
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Akosua Boadi-Agyemang
Global Experiential Marketing Lead, |
Microsoft
Akosua, who was born and raised in Botswana to two Ghanaian parents – is an impactful storyteller that has created lasting positive impact through pioneering initiatives "The BOLD Journey" and "Re-Envision Africa" in the lives of millions of people who have viewed her content (50million+ content views) over the past 3 years.
Akosua is a Global Experiential Marketing Lead at Microsoft working to invite customers, partners, fans etc. in by encouraging them to participate in the evolution of the brand and brand experience - doing this through Global Events (Audience Marketing & Demand Gen’). She is also a lover of education, innovation, & public speaking. Moreover, a proud advocate for international students, expats/foreign nationals and for DE&I in all spaces she enters especially the tech space. Akosua inspires many through sharing personal stories from upbringing, career/job search and immigration - she is redefining the way people tell stories and is recently an author of a course “Nano Tips for a Bold Career with Akosua Boadi-Agyemang on LinkedIn Learning. Akosua subscribes to a strong belief in speaking openly, where effective, about her lived experiences through social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn etc. as well as through conferences, forums and many other events as a keynote speaker, panelist and/or host. She constantly uses various platforms to advocate for all and inspire others to partake in their own version of #theBOLDjourney. In all, she is a mover & shaker who knows the power of one’s voice. 0033b00002kbmDVAAY
Rachel Boucher
Head of Content, |
Event Marketer Magazine
Rachel has worked in journalism for more than a decade, cutting her teeth in the community newspaper circuit in Fairfield County, CT, covering local politics, people and wildlife. Among memorable assignments: completing firefighting training with the City of Hartford Fire Department, and interviewing families traveling for cancer treatments onboard a Corporate Angel Network flight. She was introduced to the branding world as a copywriter for New York-based design agency Stellabean, producing marketing materials for hospitality clients. She joined Event Marketer in 2012 and today serves as the managing editor, overseeing the production of the print magazine and the brand’s digital presence. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire's White Mountains, where she studied English and creative writing. 003C000002Gw7GqIAJ
Jessica Brown
Senior Strategy Director, |
Opus Agency
Across a portfolio of deep client partnerships—including 13 of the world’s top 20 brands—Jessica and her Opus Agency teams harness the power of ambition with a rigor for results. Throughout a career spanning three decades, Jessica has led hundreds of successful events, including growing complex mega-conferences to more than 30,000 attendees. As our senior strategy director, Jessica focuses on delivering experience architectures, portfolio plans, and revenue strategies for her clients. Jessica joined Opus in 2004 with a background in advertising and marketing and has worked with a variety of global brands, including Amazon, AnitaB.org, Cisco, Intel, and Salesforce. She says her leadership style is like Mary Poppins – loads of experience in her handbag, coupled with kind recommendations, advice and direction. 0033b00002kbgFWAAY
Adam Carnes
Creative Director, |
Pinnacle
Adam is a seasoned Creative Director at Pinnacle with an eye for detail and a knack for big ideas. For 10 years he has inspired multidisciplinary teams in the creation of narrative-driven experiences converging physical and digital spaces.
He holds a M.A. in Exhibition and Experience Design from FIT (2011), founded an award winning art collective in Austin (2017), has spoken on mixed reality at ExhibitorLive (2018), and been featured in Exhibitor Magazine’s Best of CES (2018).
A self-described “serial geeker-outer,” his side projects include filmmaking, set design, improv, surfing, floral design, and puppetry. He currently resides in Mexico City and is learning Spanish. 0033b00002kEq0HAAS
Mia Choi
Co-Founder, CCO, |
MAS
Creative visionary. Sees the big picture while finessing the small elements. Calm in crisis. Utterly fearless. Mia excels at crafting strong brand messages married with cutting-edge technology. She always finds an innovative way to give clients an unforgettable event. Mia spent 5 years running Obscura Digital’s New York office in conjunction with her role as Creative Director at MAS. With Obscura, Mia oversaw the 125th Anniversary of Coca-Cola, YouTube Symphony Orchestra, and KACARE in Saudi Arabia. Prior to co-founding MAS in 2007, Mia was Creative Director for EventQuest, producing Mercedes-Benz tours, Sony Music Grammy events, and even the Governor’s Ball at the Oscars. Mia produced two features films and was recognized by Variety Magazine as one of the top ten indie producers to watch. 20+ years in the event business, 8+ years in the film business. 003C000002DXI0SIAX
Neika Colbourne
VP-Creator Partnerships & Experiential, |
BFA
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Jessica Connolly
Director of Events, |
Hubilo Technologies, Inc
Jessica is a creative and energetic event operations director offering over 15 years’ experience working in fast-paced environments. With her trademark skills of problem solving, creativity, and flexibility. Jessica helps her clients produce outstanding corporate events and meetings. As an events professional, she has been recognized for her detail-oriented project proficiency, time-management and prioritization.
Jessica is dedicated to producing high-quality, innovative events with a focus on customer-service and seamless execution. She excels at logistics and operations, and her attention to detail means that events and meetings go smoothly from concept to completion.
Jessica lives in Boulder, Colorado with her skiing obsessed husband, 2 pre-teen boys and the world’s sweetest golden retriever, Milly Grace. When not planning events for her clients she is planning family trips around the globe, hiking, seeing live music and wine tasting. 0033b00002kF4O0AAK
Joseph Conover
Strategic Manager, Live Events Group, |
Panasonic System Solutions Company
Joe Conover has over 25 years of emerging technology and visual solutions leadership. He has vast experience with Immersive Entertainment and Media. Mr. Conover currently leads Panasonic’s Strategic Development and Partnership efforts in North America with a primary focus on large venue projection solutions.
Mr. Conover previously owned his own company providing technical equipment, service and solutions. After the sale of this company to Sharp Electronics he held various leadership positions at Sharp. In his six years at Panasonic he has held various management positions before taking his current role at Panasonic Connect North America.
Mr. Conover is also now currently engaged with the upcoming 2028 Olympics efforts in Los Angeles where he resides. The Themed Entertainment Solutions Group provides technical consultation for many clients whom with to deliver world class projection mapping and immersive experiences through innovative solutions. 0033b00002kxkznAAA
Phil Duncan
Chief Design Officer, |
P&G
Speaker:
NETWORKING LUNCH + KEYNOTE
Phil Duncan leads P&G’s global Design discipline in transforming the strategies of the company’s ten product categories into superior, holistic consumer experiences. Working seamlessly from innovation to execution, his organization applies design thinking and technical expertise to all aspects of product, package, retail, digital and environment design.
In addition, Phil is a leader of Company-wide immersive and reputation-building initiatives, including P&G’s worldwide Olympic sponsorship, and CES experience. Phil also is one of the original founders of P&G Ventures, an entrepreneurial group within P&G that works with internal and external innovators and entrepreneurs to create new brands, technologies and business models. 0033b00002dHpe0AAC
Charlie Eder
Head of Global Events and Experiential Marketing, |
Yahoo
Charlie is a creative, strategic and energetic event marketer with experience leading large teams and complex programs, managing multi-million dollar budgets and executing global B2B, B2C and internal cultural events that drive business results for clients, customers and employees.
With a career that has spanned the non-profit, corporate, agency and brand world, he's specialized in: strategic planning; team leadership and development; Executive, talent and change management; and producing complicated, creative theatrical productions with multiple vendors and stakeholders on deadline and under budget. He's an avid Barry's and Peloton fan, mostly for the clothes. 003C0000028jY6gIAE
Nolan Ether
Director Content Marketing, |
Webex Events (Formerly Socio)
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Joe Federbush
CEO, |
Evolio Marketing
Joe Federbush, President/Chief Strategist of EVOLIO Marketing. With over 20 years in the event marketing industry, Joe works with major brands like Intel, Siemens Healthineers, Sony, and Optum, plus agencies and trade show organizers, conducting research, measuring the success of the events and experiences, and helping develop and execute impactful strategies. Joe delivers actionable business intelligence and insights that helps brands deliver greater return on experience (ROX), investment (ROI) and objectives (ROO). 003C000001A4rpjIAB
Chris Fredericksen
Chief Creative Officer, |
Pinnacle
As Chief Creative Officer at Pinnacle, Chris Fredericksen leads a world-class team of talented designers and is a creative visionary that brings show-stopping brand experiences, events, and environments to life for some of the world's top brands.
With a background spanning architecture and interactive digital media, Fredericksen is an award-winning creative leader that lives at the intersection of environmental and experiential design. In his 15-plus years of diverse and far-reaching experience, he's designed everything from theme parks, to high-end retail destinations, to international auto shows, to resort cities, and more. His wide spectrum of expertise has afforded him coveted opportunities to develop engaging creative solutions for global brands.
He holds a Master of Design degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design with joint credit granted from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Woodbury University. 0033b00002kEq0RAAS
Allison Galloway
Director-Events & Experiential, |
Yahoo
As a Director of Events on the Yahoo Events and Experiential team, Allie Galloway is a passionate and energetic leader with a career built around elevating global brand experiences that drive revenue growth and foster brand affinity. Allie was named to BizBash 500: 2021's Most Influential Event Professionals & Event Marketer’s 35 Under 35 Experiential Marketing’s Next Generation in 2018. Most recently she was a finalist for The Drum Awards B2B for Best Internal Company Event: 2021 For the Win Sales Conference and Most Innovative or Creative Use of Content: Yahoo's New Kind of NewFront and won Best Reimagined Event Experience for BizBash Event Style Awards 2020 for her work on Build It: WFH Edition.
From building multi-million dollar conferences to producing XR videos, Allie’s experience spans a wide range of events in the entertainment and technology industries. Prior to joining AOL in 2015, Allie worked for Sony Music Entertainment creating bespoke meet & greet and intimate live performance sessions for A-list talent across the Southwest.
Allie received her BA in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach and resides in Boulder, CO with her husband, two children and golden retriever. 0033b00002kbfKgAAI
Zoe Ganch
Creative Director, |
Factory 360
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Frédérique “Freddie” Georges
CEO |
FG|PG
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Emmanuel Gotsis
Head of Global Experiential Marketing for Webex, |
Cisco
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Suzanne Graham
Senior Director of Global Business and Market Development, |
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Suzanne Graham is the Senior Director of Global Business and Market Development for the Asymptomatic Testing Solutions Business within Thermo Fisher Scientific. Suzanne brings over 20 years of experience in the life science industry having worked in senior marketing strategy and commercial management positions at Roche Diagnostics and PerkinElmer. 0033b00002kwEDGAA2
Matt Grant
VP of Live + Digital Production and Technology, |
Impact XM
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Laura Halasa
Director, Experiential Marketing & Events, |
Warner Bros. Games
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Desiree Hamilton
Leader-Global Events, Sales and Partner Event Operations, |
Cisco
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Wayneston Harbeson
Senior Vice President, Operations and Events, |
NATPE
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Kenya Hardaway Green
Senior VP-Integrated Promotions |
FX Networks
Kenya Hardaway is Senior Vice President, Integrated Promotions – Multi-Platform Marketing, for FX, overseeing consumer promotions, experiential marketing and events.
Based in Los Angeles, Hardaway joined FX in 2006 and is currently responsible for driving consumer engagements across multiple platforms via activations, stunts, promotional partnerships, events, contests and sweepstakes.
Hardaway is an established leader in the experiential marketing industry, successfully delivering innovative activations and branded events to showcase FX programming. She works to combine cutting-edge technology and immersive environments to produce large-scale, multi-day events and custom engagements that drive viewership. Her creative approach has resulted in award-winning promotions across multiple categories with acknowledgements from ProMaxBDA, CLIO Entertainment Awards, and the Ex Awards among others for shows including American Horror Story, Fargo, and Snowfall. Hardaway was profiled in Event Marketer’s Special Report: Women in Events in 2015 and was honored by Adweek as a Brand Genius in 2018.
Prior to joining FX, Hardaway spent 8 years marketing children’s television and licensed products, most recently as Marketing Manager on the Strawberry Shortcake brand at DIC Entertainment. She began her career at The Jim Henson Company working on their preschool brands before leaving as Associate Brand Manager in 2003. 0033b00002WDyrUAAT
Robert T. Hastings, Jr.
EVP, Marketing & Communications, |
Bell
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Jessica Heasley
Group Editor and Publisher, |
Event Marketer Magazine
Before coming to Event Marketer in 2007, Jessica spent 15 years in marketing and events, activating challenger brands at high-profile film festivals, producing non-profit events for local arts organizations and providing marketing support for event design and production studios. She once fixed a branded 1972 VW bus accelerator pump on the side of a highway in South Carolina with a paper clip and some string the night before a 30-city college tour. Today she serves as Group Editor & Publisher at Access Intelligence, overseeing editorial content and strategy for Event Marketer and Chief Marketer magazines. 003C0000022VYR9IAO
Brittany Hogan
Marketing Manager |
Pinnacle
An optimist at her core, Brittany believes great things happen when people come together and share experiences.
Brittany is a spirited team-oriented leader in the engaging world of experiential marketing. She's driven to empower brands to create authentic connections with their audiences and inspired by immersive experiential campaigns. As the Marketing Manager at Pinnacle, she leads a dynamic team of creators and producers to deliver compelling marketing strategies.
She holds a B.A. in Economics from UCLA and a Professional Certificate in Marketing from U.C. Berkeley.
She spends her weekends teaching yoga and takes pride in designing challenging sequences paired with motivating playlists. Most recently she earned her motorcycle endorsement and enjoys exploring the trails and back country of beautiful PNW on two wheels. 003C000002AHE5BIAX
Monchiere' Holmes-Jones
Chief Brand Curator, |
Mojo Marketing
A creatives' #1 Fan! Monchiere' lives by the life mantra to Love Your Minutes, founded MOJO Marketing + PR to help brands and organizations do the same by amplifying their community and brands. She has championed her award-winning agency in multi-industries small business, non-profit and corporate clientele for nearly a decade. Monchiere's 19-year career partnering with client teams to activate 360+ events, while delivering market takeover brand launches, media exposure, and memorable brand activations across the U.S. A proud entrepreneurial advisor and TedX speaker, Monchiere’ continues to innovate strategies for big brands to impact hyper locally. Notably winning Top 100 Experiential Agencies in 2020 for Event Marketer Magazine. 0033b00002Y4hCkAAJ
Kristin Hurst
Director-Consumer Engagement, |
NBC Sports
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Jessica Iden
Associate Director-Event Marketing, |
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health
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Valerie Kabeya
Director-Acquisition Marketing and Programs, |
Comcast
Valerie Kabeya is an experienced marketing professional with 20 years in financial and telecommunications. Through her years of supporting Fortune 50 companies, Val has earned a successful track record of leading ROI+ marketing efforts and launching new technology platforms.
Valerie has been part of the Comcast team for over five years and has served as Director of Acquisition Marketing & Programs and Senior Manager of Multicultural Marketing. Today Valerie holds the position of Director of Prospect Strategy & Planning for Comcast. In this roles Valerie is responsible to deliver strategy & plans to drive prospect growth and competitive differentiation
Before joining Comcast, Valerie supported the International Marketing team at Dish Network, as well as the Marketing teams at Moneygram International, Starz Entertainment, and International Channel Networks. In these roles, she achieved success in defining and executing market entry strategies in emerging products targeting unbanked and underbanked customer segments and has a proven record of revenue generation through focus on product marketing, segmentation, and digital marketing.
Valerie holds a bachelor’s degree from Regis University, and enjoys traveling around the world. 0033b00002kbadiAAA
Todd Kaplan
VP, Head of Marketing, |
Pepsi
Speaker:
MORNING KEYNOTE
Todd Kaplan is the Vice President, Marketing, Colas where he is responsible for leading PepsiCo’s flagship brand – Pepsi. He oversees all brand creative, communications and commercial execution across Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar, while building a long-term strategy and new product innovation for the brand overall.
Since Fall 2018, Kaplan has brought an unapologetic and culture-forward perspective that has been foundational to re-energizing the brand. He has implemented a unique “culture in, brand out” approach, which has led him to develop big cultural moments, like bringing J. Lo and Shakira to the 2020 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime show, making history as the first two Latina artists to headline the event. 0033b00002S4eUaAAJ
Katrina Kent
Vice President, Meeting Management and Event Strategy, |
Liberty Mutual Insurance Co
Katrina leads the Meeting Management and Event Strategy (MMES) team at Liberty Mutual, championing live and digital events as strategic tools to engage, further educate, build confidence, grow communities, and celebrate the greatness of customers and employees.
MMES is responsible for leadership and rewards and recognition programs, as well as customer and sponsorship events, and Liberty Mutual’s onsite conference centers.
Katrina joined Liberty Mutual in October 2020 from TD Ameritrade, where she served as head of the Event Group, accountable for event channel orchestration for the enterprise, including strategy, experience design, development, brand, and operations of a multi-dimensional events portfolio.
A life-long creative, Katrina holds a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and resides in the Garden State with her husband, Sean, and their two young children. 0033b00002kbVkiAAE
Joan Kuhl
|
Author and Workplace Strategist
Joan Kuhl is a champion for girls leadership and
advancing women in the workforce. She is also a
generations in the workplace expert with decades of
global research and consulting experience. She is the
author of Dig Your Heels In: Navigate Corporate BS
and Build The Company You Deserve (April 2019) and
Misunderstood Millennial Talent (2016). She is an
international speaker and a consultant on talent
management, career, women and gender,
communication and leadership trends. After 14 years
in the pharmaceutical industry and building her
thought leadership as a campus speaker, mentor and
coach, Joan launched Why Millennials Matter/Kuhl
Co., a training, research and consulting company that
focuses on raising awareness about the value of
investing in the early career workforce and advancing
women in the workplace in global corporations and
business schools.
Her international speaking engagements and consulting have impacted leaders from over 60 countries with clients such as Eli Lilly, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Discovery
Communications, FINRA, Novo Nordisk, Viacom, the NY Mets, Columbia Business School and University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. She has launched and
worked with over a dozen corporate women's networks and young professional, intergenerational employee resource groups. Her expertise has been featured in the NY
Times, Harvard Business Review, CNBC, SUCCESS and Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Joan launched Stay To Lead, a leadership intensive experience designed to deeply explore personal and professional “derailers” with customized strategic solutions to overcome them and empower women to lead change across their organization. Joan is a #SheBelieves Champion for the U.S. Soccer Organization where she develops content to inspire girls and young women to achieve their goals on and off the field. She is a Contributor to NBC News Know Your Value, ForbesWomen and has served as a board member for the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute, named after the former CEO of the Girls Scouts of the USA and currently serves on the board of Girls Inc of NYC.
She earned her B.S.B.A. at the University of Pittsburgh and M.B.A. at Rutgers University where she studied global management in Shanghai and Beijing, China. 0033b00002i6DwpAAE
Alyssa Lacoff
Senior Manager-Events & Experiential, |
Yahoo
Alyssa Lacoff is a Senior Manager on the Global Events Team at Yahoo, overseeing multiple B2B events such as Yahoo’s presence at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Advertising Week, and CES. She had the opportunity to lead a custom virtual program called The Happiness Network in 2020, which brought unique, interactive experiences to clients and connected them to their passions with expert-led, curated content. This 15 event series won a 2020 BizBash Event Style Award for Best Virtual Interactive Entertainment. In her 6.5 years at the company, she’s executed other large scale events like Partner Day, Dmexco, the Summer of Brands, and company Sales Conferences.
Alyssa started her career in media sales at Katz Media and HRP, before moving into Publishing as the Executive Assistant to the Publisher at InStyle Magazine. Alyssa spent 8 years at Time Inc., moving on to be EA to the President of PEOPLE Magazine and eventually finding her true calling as an Events Manager at InStyle. As part of Time Inc’s Style & Entertainment Group Events Team, Alyssa worked on high profile events such as InStyle’s Golden Globes Party in LA, The Essence Festival in New Orleans, Entertainment Weekly’s Sundance Film Festival activations in Park City, and InStyle’s Super Saturday activations in the Hamptons.
Alyssa received her BA from Villanova University and resides in Princeton, NJ with her husband and two children. 0033b00002kbfKRAAY
TaChelle Lawson
Founder and President, |
FIG Strategy & Consulting
TaChelle Lawson is a nationally recognized leader in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She is a dynamic public speaker, award-winning entrepreneur, and enlightened business leader highly skilled at aligning DEI with business goals and brand strategies to help build client revenues.
As Founder and President of FIG Strategy & Consulting, Lawson counsels a diverse and elite clientele who’ve come to rely on her brand-building and preservation prowess. She is a senior marketing leader with a specialty in food & beverage, luxury retail and hospitality. Her services include brand strategy, business management consulting, culture transformation, leadership training, DEI training, and strategic sourcing. As a strategic planner and organized problem solver, Lawson has lent her extensive expertise in business analysis, strategy, management, and media financial management including forecasting, P&L, budgeting and inventory control.
Lawson’s client brands include: Louis Vuitton, Lexus, NASCAR, Porsche, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Nike, Sprint, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Tyson Foods, Heineken, Lamborghini, and Lancôme, to name several. She’s also worked with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sonoma Motor Speedway, America’s Cup, the U.S. Open, and the James Beard Foundation. Lawson is also a strong believer in and champion of a diverse workforce; to wit, she is actively working to change the narrative of diversity and inclusion by challenging companies to go beyond agency-centric metrics to instead focus on creating lasting value for their clients.
Lawson is an active mentor to young women entering the workforce and has served on several boards and advisory councils throughout the course of her career, including Las Vegas Business Academy, Serenity Springs, and Project Real.
Lawson is DEI Certified by Cornell University, and Diverse Business Certified by the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth. A Board Member on the UNLV Leadership Advisory Board, a member of the Clark County Business Development Advisory Council, on the Advisory Council for the Bar & Restaurant Show and a member of the National Diversity Council. 0033b00002kbcxgAAA
Rasheeda S. Liberty
President, |
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
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Henry Lichtblau
VP, Client Solutions, |
Riddle & Bloom
Henry Lichtblau is Vice President, Client Solutions at Riddle & Bloom.
Henry leads the new business team and works with the firm’s account services, partnership, research, marketing, and product groups to deliver superior Millennial and Gen Z engagement programs for Fortune 500 companies.
Previously, Henry served as an Account Director at Blue State Digital, overseeing marketing program development and execution for consumer brands, educational and cultural institutions, and mission-driven organizations. Before BSD, he worked at Monitor Group, now a division of Deloitte, providing strategy consulting services in annual planning, market segmentation, organizational design, and M&A due diligence to clients in business services, consumer technology, cosmetics, government, health insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Prior to Monitor, Henry led fundraising and FEC compliance for a first-time US Congressional candidate. This followed his tenure with an antiquarian bookseller.
Henry is a graduate of Harvard University and lives in Boston, MA. 003C000002FHB32IAH
Laura Lovas
VP, Strategic Partnerships and Events, |
ABC
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Matt Miller
President, Executive Creative Director, |
X-FCTR
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Nora Motaweh
Director-Creator Partnerships & Experiential, |
BFA
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Nadine Osong
Specialist-Experience Marketing, |
HERE Technologies
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Dan Pacitti
Partnerships Director, |
Powdr
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Zach Papale
Global Head, Brand Partnerships & Experiential Marketing, |
YouTube
Zachary Papale is Global Head of Experiential Marketing and Brand Partnerships at YouTube. He is responsible for overseeing a team leading the conceptualization and execution of YouTube’s industry and consumer facing experiences and brand partnerships. He has spent his career working with some of the most significant brands in tech and media, specializing in multi-platform marketing strategies with an emphasis on innovative and non-traditional approaches to events and experiences.
At YouTube, he has produced and supervised over 30 unique projects in the past 12 months alone, as he oversees all brand partnerships including multi-year collaborations with Sundance Film Festival, MLB, and in part Coachella, as well as the brand’s long term deals with Dick Clark Productions and their entertainment properties, along with partnerships with TED and Global Citizen among others. Zach is responsible for the brand’s most cutting-edge experiences, and over the past 9 years has led experiential for everything from the launch of YouTube TV to bringing YouTube Creators channels to life.
Prior to YouTube, Zach worked across some of the most influential companies in the world including his role as an on-air DJ at several Clear Channel Radio Stations across California, and as the NY rep for KCRW.COM, his time as a marketing and event leader for media giant Viacom in NYC across multiple MTV channels, and for Google in San Francisco where he launched the first Nexus phone, Google Music, Google Fiber, and a multitude of Android products.
Through his commitment to thought-leadership, collaboration and transparency, Zach’s approach to brand experiences inspires internal teams, brand partners and audiences through purposeful events. He continues to push the envelope as he seeks out more risk, more reward and a plethora of excitement to magnify culture, actualize big picture innovation, and drive meaningful in-person connection. 0033b00002WCvKHAA1
Lawrence Peryer
Producer, |
Bowie 75
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Brittany Price
Director of Sustainable Operations, |
MGM Resorts
Brittany Price is the Director of Sustainable Operations at MGM Resorts International. She is responsible for operationalizing programs and initiatives that support MGM Resorts International’s sustainability goals while advancing the reputation and awareness of the Company’s sustainability efforts. She develops, manages and executes programs that engage, educate and excite the employee base around Sustainability, including the identification of strategies and best practices to reduce the environmental impacts of the company. She leads operational programs to manage materials and waste across 13 Las Vegas resorts and venues to successfully divert an average of 50,000 tons annually from landfill. She has a passion for managing food waste responsibility and has successfully developed and implanted a large-scale food donations program which has safely donated more than 3M meals into the community since 2016. In addition, she executes sustainable events programming to drive convention sales business while helping environmentally conscience clients achieve their sustainability goals. And is responsible for developing strategy and marketing collateral to support sustainable initiatives including CSR reports, marketing videos, website and printed content.
Brittany most recently served as Director of Interactive Marketing for Luxor and Excalibur, where she oversaw the strategy and execution of both properties’ digital marketing initiatives for room reservations, entertainment, food and beverage, and other revenue generating operations. Brittany began her career with MGM Resorts in 2006.
Brittany earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has earned multiple professional certifications in sustainability strategy and circular economy through Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability. She currently serves as a board member on the Governor’s Council on Food Security for Nevada and is a member of the Nevada Resort Association’s Working Group on Food Security to advance food waste management and donation practices in the resort industry. 003C000002QlMJxIAN
Ebony Ramsey
Assistant Dean for Student Involvement, |
Maryville University
Ebony M. Ramsey, PhD has been an active proponent for students, equity, and inclusion since her high school years. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, her passion, awareness and drive has led her to become a true catalyst for change in all she does. She received her undergraduate degree in Theatre and Mass Communications from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Ebony then went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Adult Education with a concentration in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a historically Black college in Greensboro, NC. She defended her dissertation for the PhD program in Higher Education & Leadership at Colorado State University and is set to graduate this spring of 2022. Ebony has a passion for working at historically Black colleges and universities which is the focus of her scholarly work. She has worked at several institutions working primarily in student life.
Through her student activism, education, and professional experience, she has carved a niche in the fraternal as well as leadership development circles dealing with critical issues and concepts of diversity. By serving on various committees, writing policy, presenting and challenging the status quo; Ebony has acquired the knowledge and experience that affords her the opportunity to be a resource to others throughout the country. Ebony has served as a presenter and volunteer for National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), Association of Fraternity Advisors (AFA), the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) as the Chair for the 2020-21 year. Ebony enjoys serving the community and has been heavily involved in giving back through her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Ebony currently serves in the capacity of assistant dean for student involvement at Maryville University in St. Louis. As a Student Affairs Professional, Ebony’s commitment to the holistic development of students is unwavering. She is a change agent and continually works to make the world better for all who encounter it. 0033b00002kwMXyAAM
Sarah Reed
Senior Director-Global Strategic Events, |
Zendesk
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Cliff Rigano
Creative Director, Head of Culture, Content and Experiential Marketing, |
Jägermeister
Cliff Rigano is Creative Director & Head of Culture, Content & Experiential Marketing, overseeing the development and execution of all content creation, cultural marketing and event marketing for Mast Jägermeister US, one of the world's most successful liqueurs and available in 150 countries. Before joining Jägermeister in 2012, he was a marketing director for Universal Motown and Republic Records working on campaigns for The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Drake, Lil Wayne and many more. Prior to that, he was a successful recording artist and live performer for over 15 years, selling over 400,000 albums and performing in 20 countries worldwide as singer in Dry Kill Logic. 0033b00002kbbD7AAI
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Miri Rodriguez
Senior Storyteller Future of Work, |
Microsoft
Speaker:
NETWORKING LUNCH + KEYNOTE
Miri Rodriguez is a globally recognized Storyteller, Head of Global Internship Program at Microsoft and author of Brand Storytelling. She is a creative journalist and content strategist, evangelizing brand narrative and showcasing how thought leaders can leverage storytelling techniques for culture activation and influence in the digital age.
Miri has earned several awards in digital marketing and customer experience and is ranked as top in-demand speaker at leading industry conferences around the world. Miri brings 15+ years of expertise, valuable industry and consulting insights matched with a lighthearted and connected delivery approach. Her social advocacy and philanthropic work include volunteering to train social enterprise leaders in Africa, coaching students at Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship in the U.S., and mentoring men and women to build their personal brand with empathy, passion and purpose.
Her biggest accomplishment to date is being a mother of 2 boys and an American Bulldog. She can also run in heels. Ice cream is her superfood. 0033b00002kbEL4AAM
Brian Rubin
VP of Communications, |
NVE Experience Agency
As VP of Communications, Brian Rubin leads NVE’s first-ever experiential publicity department and oversees the agency’s corporate communications strategy. With over 15 years of entertainment industry experience, he is focused on creatively weaving earned media strategies into the agency’s integrated marketing campaigns and leading strategic communications for brand activations, tentpole award shows, red carpet premieres, live music events and television specials. Prior to joining NVE, Rubin led the special events division at PMK*BNC preceded by roles at Dick Clark Productions, FOX and NBC Universal. 0033b00002kxA9iAAE
Vanessa Santana
Associate Brand Manager, Dove Haircare Innovation, |
Unilever
Vanessa Santana is an Afro-Latina brand marketer and culture enthusiast. She is fueled by purpose-led work where she can exercise her passions for people, storytelling, and community. Her professional experience has been mostly within CPG (consumer packaged goods) marketing and media, working at companies like Unilever, General Mills, NBCUniversal, and Nielsen. She is a proud alumna of Baruch College in NYC, where she earned a BA in Corporate Communications & Journalism, was a dual sport NCAA athlete and active leader.
She currently works in brand management at Unilever, leading product innovation for Dove Haircare. Prior to joining Unilever, Vanessa was an award-winning Brand Experience marketer at General Mills. She spearheaded campaigns and partnerships for brands like: Gushers, Fruit by the Foot, Chex Mix & more. She has experience in shopper marketing, media & social strategy, client services, and corporate social responsibility. Her social impact spans both in and out of her work as a marketer, as she’s led various diversity, equity & inclusion events and initiatives.
As a purpose-driven leader, Vanessa is keen on leveraging media, tech, and culture to build brands while relentlessly advocating for amplification & representation of marginalized communities. When she’s not marketing big brands or fueling the next generation, Vanessa enjoys traveling, sports, podcasting and quality time with family.
She aims to continue disrupting and humanizing the industry through storytelling, representation, and empathy. 0033b00002kcjkIAAQ
Adrian Santos
Director of Field Marketing, |
Eat Just, Inc.
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Riley Sawyers
Customer Success Manager, |
Webex Events (Formerly Socio)
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Kevin Schwoer
Director-Events & Experiential Marketing, |
Yahoo
As a Director of Events on the Yahoo Events and Experiential team, Kevin Schwoer oversees large scale event and video productions across the B2B, B2C and employee event programs. From live stage programming to XR video productions to video first, virtual events, Kevin brings out of the box innovative solutions to reach new audiences and connect fans to their favorite brands and IPs. Kevin was named to EventMarketer’s 2020 Dream-Team and has produced award winning events such as Build It: WFH Edition (Best Reimagined Event Experience - BizBash Event Style Awards 2020) and Yahoo Finance Premium Grand Central Launch (OOH & Ambient Media for Guerilla Marketing and Single Installation - Addy Awards 2020 & Top Honors - Fourth District American Advertising Awards 2020).
Kevin has experience in a wide range of events across industries having started his career in publishing at DC Comics before moving over to the entertainment industry at STX Entertainment. At DC Comics he led the publisher's booth and panel presence across all the major industry tent poles including Comic-Con International San Diego, New York Comic Con, C2E2, WonderCon, and ALA. At STX he led the regional marketing and events team to produce bespoke film premieres, film festival presences, press tours, regional activations, and screening campaigns across all of STX Entertainment’s film slate.
Kevin received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film from CW Post Long Island University and lives in NJ with his wife and two sons. 0033b00002f7O1JAAU
Tom Slater
Group Creative Director, |
Mosaic North America
Serving as Group Creative Director at Mosaic North America, Tom Slater is a multidisciplinary creative with over 15 years of experience. He helps to connect consumers with brands they love by leading creative teams to produce award-winning and headline grabbing work & experiences across a multitude of consumer touch points both large and small for globally recognized brands in the U.S and abroad. Currently, Tom leads a creative team focused on lifestyle brands such as Stella Artois, Michelob ULTRA, Bacardi and more. 0033b00002kbahpAAA
Gavin Smith
CEO, |
NRG Experiential
Originally a native of Scotland, Gavin Smith arrived in the United States in 1997
and with a strong background in marketing in the UK, he started working with Eclipse Television & Sports Marketing in Vail. As part of the Eclipse management team, he created and distributed over 30 hours of action sports programming for a variety of networks, including ABC, NBC and CBS which was focused on snowboarding, skiing and mountain biking events.
In 2003, he then moved to Los Angeles and founded NRG which was originally
set up as an event production company, and soon evolved into a brand activation and experiential marketing agency. In the early years, NRG focused on producing activations for lifestyle brands at the intersection of music, art and culture.
Since 2003, NRG has worked with some of the world’s best known brands including Apple, Nike, Red Bull, The North Face, Timberland, and 2K to create programs and activations to bring these brands to life. NRG has been named one of the Top100 agencies in the country by Event Marketer Magazine and has been the recipient of two Ex-Awards. In his spare time, Smith enjoys surfing, skiing, cooking, music, travelling, friends, and spending time with his family. 003C0000021KHQyIAO
Jeff Stelmach
Global President, |
Spiro, part of the GES Collective
As Global President, Brand Experiences, for GES, Jeff Stelmach draws upon three decades of experience representing some of the globe’s most recognizable names, businesses, and brands. One of only two professionals worldwide to secure the coveted Grand Ex Award for “Best Experiential Marketing Campaign” not once, but twice, Jeff has established himself both a visionary industry leader and a trusted, reliable resource and consultant for today’s top-tier brands.
Before signing on at GES, Jeff honed his skills and rose through the ranks of some of today’s best-known ad agencies, including Mosaic North America, Opus Agency and Geometry Global (now VMLY&R Commerce), among others. His portfolio features the likes of Samsung, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Intel, among other major names, and he has racked up an impressive array of awards and accolades along the way, including multiple Event Marketer Ex and Association of National Advertisers REGGIE awards for excellence.
Committed to helping brands and businesses make a successful return to live industry events, Jeff focuses his efforts on creating immersive, experiential opportunities that evoke emotion, encourage brand loyalty and increase engagement between businesses and key audiences. 003C000001A4xaDIAR
Jamey Sunshine
Head of Experiential, |
Nestlé USA
Speaker:
MORNING KEYNOTE
Jamey Sunshine is the head of the Experiential Center of Excellence at Nestlé USA, and has been in the experiential and sports marketing space for over 20 years. Jamey leads a team that develops experiential strategies and integrated programs to engage consumers and drive growth for Nestlé USA brands, such as Nesquik, Hot Pockets, Toll House and DiGiorno. This includes a field marketing team embedded in cities throughout the country, as well as serving as sponsorship consultants for Nestle USA brands, guiding sponsorship strategy, property selection, and activation. 0033b00002RgH3wAAF
Arielle Swanson
Director-Experiential, Michelob ULTRA, |
Anheuser-Busch
Arielle Swanson is the Director of Experiential Marketing at Anheuser-Busch InBev for the Michelob ULTRA brand family. She started her career during the height of a recession maneuvering through a spectrum of agency cultures, client portfolios and methodologies all leading her to her current role and solidifying her passion for experience-led marketing. She oversees the activation strategy for all rented and owned properties across Michelob ULTRA’s portfolio and helped spearhead the first-ever fitness festival led by a beverage alcohol brand to prove health and wellness could not only cohabitate with a premium beer brand, it could live harmoniously as a preferred lifestyle. Ari is based out of New York City and holds her degree from the University of Florida. 0033b00002kbahqAAA
Victor Torregroza
Events and Experiences Program Manager, |
Intel
Victor Torregroza is an experiential program manager for global events marketing at Intel Corp. He is a passionate pioneer of experiential marketing, and he delivers events as rich moments of purpose, story, and experience. His mantra "we eat with our eyes" carries more weight as we spend so much time interacting through illuminated screens, and safely in person. A recipient of multiple industry awards, Torregroza believes in delivering lush, memorable moments that support the business and reach people on a sincerely heartfelt level. 003C000001bneqlIAA
Adam Walden
VP-Corporate Marketing and Events, |
GitHub
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Harley Ward
Creative Director, Retail Innovation and Store Environment, |
AT&T
Harley Ward is an award-winning Creative Director at AT&T with 19 years of retail experience. Harley leads a national team of passionate innovators and creative thinkers with a mission to drive meaningful customer experiences that celebrate, inspire and connect.
Harley’s most recent work can be found at the award-winning AT&T Experience Store - part of the Downtown Dallas AT&T Discovery District - a store that celebrates innovation and collaboration. Harley lives in Los Angeles, Ca, and loves to travel, cook and spend time at the beach. He attends Columbus College of Art and Design where he is an inaugural member of the Masters of Retail Design graduate program. 0033b00002kxl2vAAA
Meghan Wismer
Director, Acquisition Marketing Implementation, |
Comcast Xfinity
xMeghan Wismer is a dedicated marketing professional with 20+ years of comprehensive experience with various customer segments including University students, movers, and MDU (multi-dwelling unit) within broadband and video industries.
In her current role at Comcast as a Director of Marketing on the Growth, Strategy, and Planning team, she is responsible for implementing marketing programs for prospective customers. Specifically, Meghan leads a team focused on audience segments including university students—living off or on campus, movers, multi-cultural, income constrained, and MDU residents. As a subject matter expert for effective University and MDU marketing programs including experiential approaches, ambassador programs, offer strategy, channel marketing, and media, Meghan has grown Comcast’s marketing programs and developed new tactics to reach these target audiences.
Prior to this role, Meghan supported the MDU marketing and sales teams at Verizon at the regional and national level. At both Verizon and Comcast, Meghan has been the innovator behind numerous initiatives including external incentive programs, new BtoB and BtoC marketing strategies, and the development of new sales and support channels.
Meghan holds a master’s degree from Temple University, is an active member of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT), participates in numerous Comcast ERGs and mentorship programs, and consults on several non-profit organizations related to children’s health. She is a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia suburbs and currently lives in Drexel Hill with her husband and two kids. 0033b00002eELaXAAW
Neil Wright
Head of Collaborations & Experiential, |
Complex Networks
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Daniel Yaffe
COO, |
AnyRoad
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Ronnie Yoked
Head of Experiential, |
Anheuser-Busch
Speaker:
MORNING KEYNOTE
Speaker:
CLOSING SESSION + HAPPY HOUR
Ronnie Yoked’s philosophy is simple; “Experiences Change Lives,” and as Head of Experiential at Anheuser-Busch, Yoked’s team uses this guiding principle to build meaningful programs for the myriad of brands they support with the ultimate goal of creating and fostering diverse communities.
Yoked taps into her passion for consumer-centric experiences and strategy to help define the future of experiential marketing- ensuring A-B will lead the way. Yoked led the charge in the industry, shifting her team’s IRL experiential strategy to some of the most-watched livestreams during the height of the pandemic, showcasing that regardless of the ever-changing realities we face, experiences could continue to be innovative and impactful whether at home or in real life. 0033b00002kbEKQAA2
Wednesday | April 27
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
OPENING RECEPTION
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
THE 20TH ANNUAL EX AWARDS GALA
Thursday | April 28
6:45 AM – 7:30 AM
5K RUN/WALK
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLES
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
MORNING KEYNOTE
Sponsored by: Socio
This session has been approved for 1 clock hour towards CEM recertification.
Presented By:
Jamey Sunshine
Head of Experiential,Nestlé USA
Todd Kaplan
VP, Head of Marketing,Pepsi
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
COFFEE BREAK + EXPERT STUDIO PRESENTATIONS
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
NETWORKING LUNCH + KEYNOTE
This session has been approved for 1.5 clock hours towards CEM recertification.
Presented By:
Miri Rodriguez
Senior Storyteller Future of Work,Microsoft
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
SPEED MEETINGS
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
HAPPY HOUR
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
OPTIONAL ADD-ON: AL-FRESCO NETWORKING DINNER
Friday | April 29
6:45 AM – 7:30 AM
5K RUN/WALK
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLES
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
MORNING KEYNOTE
This session has been approved for 1 clock hour towards CEM recertification.
Presented By:
Ronnie Yoked
Head of Experiential,Anheuser-Busch
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
COFFEE BREAK + EXPERT STUDIO PRESENTATIONS
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
NETWORKING LUNCH + KEYNOTE
This session has been approved for 1 clock hours towards CEM recertification.
Presented By:
Phil Duncan
Chief Design Officer,P&G
