It's No Fluke

Virginia Chamlee is a longtime writer and the best-selling author of Big Thrift Energy, a book about sourcing valuable vintage items for your home. She also authors the Substack What's Left, among the Top 30 most popular design newsletters on the platform. She is also an avid thrifter (obviously), longtime vintage dealer and an artist with work available via Chairish and Anthropologie.

The best strategy falls apart if people can't buy the product or pay for the service or if there's friction in the experience. We are seeing a lot of innovation in making sure creative and payments align in a multitude of verticals. Maria Prados is the Senior vice-president, go-to-market, global enterprise, Worldpay. Since 2013, she has led vertical growth, solution commercialization, enterprise partnerships and sales enablement for Worldpay—a global leader in payments technology that processes more than 50B transactions each year for more than 1M merchants across the world. As Worldpay's senior vice-president for go-to-market, she is one of the top global experts on what the world's biggest brands in every major industry need to best serve their customers at checkout. Previously Ms. Prados worked at Dixons Retail as part of the digital transformation team in charge of building the company's successful e-commerce and omnichannel turnaround strategy. Her career began in financial services at Deloitte in Madrid. She earned an MBA from the IESE and Columbia business schools, after which she held roles in fields ranging from social venture capital to strategy consulting, building her passion for fintech along the way.

Yuriy Yarovoy is the SVP, Revenue at Medal, the fastest-growing platform for gamers to capture and share gameplay. In his role, Yarovoy, oversees the platform's growth, partnerships, and ad monetization strategies. Leveraging his background leading teams across marketing agencies and Fortune 500 companies, Yarovoy focuses on expanding Medal's reach and deepening engagement with its 8+ million global users.Yarovoy boasts 15 years of experience in SEO, product strategy, and customer acquisition for companies across gaming and technology. Prior to joining Medal, he led a marketing team of 40 people in 26 countries at mobile gaming platform BlueStacks, helping to scale the company to over 450 million users. He was also integral to the launch of Game.tv, a community-driven esports platform, and served as Chief Growth Officer at “fan hub” startup Kanga.gg (acquired by Riot Games in 2021).Additionally, Yarovoy serves as an advisor to several creator economy startups and has mentored early-stage founders on how to scale their businesses. 

Julia LaBoy is a talent manager with half a decade of experience working with creators across different verticals including fitness, lifestyle, medical, and entertainment. Passionate about helping content creators grow their platforms and connect with their audiences in meaningful ways for long term success. Specialized in securing strategic brand partnerships that align with creator values and interests, leveraging deep understanding of how different content verticals require unique approaches to brand collaborations and monetization strategies

If the title doesn't hook you wait until the conversation. Jake Browne is an entrepreneur and start-up founder. He sold his creator financing company Peblo to fintech unicorn Wayflyer in 2023 and has started a new business Retrograde where he and co-founders are now building Emma the AI talent agent for content creators.

RJ Larese is Vice President of Talent and Influencer Marketing for Paramount Global. He works with digital creators and unscripted talent for all the iconic Paramount brands and franchises, finding them opportunities within scripted and unscripted content, brand partnerships, consumer marketing, events, and more. Prior to joining Paramount, he was a talent, casting, and development executive with over a decade of experience at networks, production companies, and publishers, including ABC, ATTN:, Endemol, ITV America, and PopSugar. RJ has also cast and developed shows for Bravo, E!, Lifetime, MTV, NBC, TLC, TruTV, and VH1. He's worked with brands ranging from Abercrombie and Fitch, Banana Republic, Delta, General Mills, H&M, Invisalign, Moose Akedo, Sephora, Target, and Ulta. In 2021, RJ was named an AdWeek Young Influential. In 2022, he was on the Variety Power of Pride list for his contributions empowering the LGBTQUIA+ community in the entertainment space. In 2023, he was named on LA TV Week's 40 Under 40 honoree list, backed by Broadcasting and Cable.

Aimee Gilbreath is the President of PetSmart Charities®, the leading funder of animal welfare in the U.S. and Canada with a $50M annual grantmaking portfolio and 4x Shorty Award winner last month including for Large Non-Profit of the Year. Aimee drives the nonprofit's strategy with focus on increasing access to affordable veterinary care, supporting pets and their families and animal welfare organizations during natural disasters, addressing pet hunger and connecting people and pets through adoption. Under her leadership, the organization has grown thriving partnerships with national social service nonprofits including American Red Cross, Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America to recognize and integrate the needs of pets as important family members. Prior to her current role, Aimee served as executive director of the Found Animals Foundation, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to saving pets and enriching lives, and as a Principal at the Boston Consulting Group, developing and implementing strategic and operational improvements for Fortune 500 clients. Aimee is a seasoned leader in both non-profit and private-sector organizations with extensive experience in a range of industries spanning biotech, consumer goods and philanthropy.  In addition to her role at PetSmart Charities, Aimee serves as Vice Chair of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)Board of Trustees and Secretary/Treasurer of the Veterinary Innovation Council Board of Directors. An Arizona native and lifelong animal lover, Aimee holds an MBA from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona.

The co-founders of Greenlight Group join for a very inside look at the creator economy. We talk about the many opportunities and some challenges facing the creator economy, how to be the best advocate for talent, where to find talent and Italian Brainrot. IYKYK. It's a Masterclass without the subscription. Michael Berkowitz is A Berklee College of Music graduate, Michael majored in Professional Music with a concentration in Music Business, Creative Entrepreneurship, and Songwriting. This unique blend of creative and business acumen has positioned how well. Since the inception of Greenlight Group in 2020, Michael has leveraged his keen eye for talent and industry foresight to build a powerhouse roster, securing game-changing partnerships and opportunities. Doug Landers holds a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Duke University. His philosophy centers on the idea that true success stems from nurturing talent, fostering entrepreneurial ventures, and building lasting online and offline careers. Under his leadership, Greenlight Group has flourished, representing TikTok and YouTube's most well-known and pioneering figures. 

Thea Neal knows brands. As the founder of TMN Branding, with more than 15 years of marketing experience, Thea has led marketing teams at Coinbase, Royal Caribbean Group and Hallmark. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 in marketing and advertising, and is still pushing herself to live up to the title (despite being now over 30). When she isn't creating strategies for Fortune 500 companies, you can find her snuggling her rescue dogs or taking a coloring book way too seriously.

Francesco Federico is Chief Marketing Officer at S&P Global, where he leads global marketing strategy across five divisions of the 165-year-old heritage brand. With a career that defies conventional paths, Francesco combines the analytical precision of his legal training with entrepreneurial vision and corporate leadership experience to drive marketing innovation in complex financial markets.Francesco's journey began with founding a digital marketing agency in Milan before holding transformative leadership roles at global organizations including Vodafone, Acer, and JLL. At each stop, he pioneered initiatives at the convergence of marketing, technology, and business growth—from launching Vodafone's first self-care mobile application to implementing real-time dynamic pricing algorithms that doubled conversion rates.As a recognized thought leader in Artificial Intelligence, Francesco's interest in AI dates back to his academic work, where he authored a thesis on AI applications in legal practice. Today, he explores how generative AI is reshaping marketing and business transformation through his widely-read newsletter "Chronicles of Change" and speaking engagements worldwide.At S&P Global, Francesco is pioneering a vision where human talent and agentic AI systems operate as unified marketing teams. This emerging approach aims to amplify strategic capabilities and creative intelligence while delivering enhanced efficiency and market relevance across financial and energy sectors

Damon Harman is the Founder & CEO of StreamerDap, a cutting-edge platform revolutionizing sponsorships between brands and live streamers. By enabling seamless, real-time brand integrations, StreamerDap transforms traditional advertising into an authentic and measurable experience for both brands and creators.A pioneer in interactive content, Damon has produced and directed live and branded entertainment for Twitch, collaborating with major brands like Progressive, American Family Insurance, and McDonald's to name a few. His extensive career spans over 500 episodes of television for networks such as MTV, Universal, and Fox, alongside hundreds of commercials for global brands such as Coca-Cola , Emporio Armani and Calvin Klein.With a passion for gaming, technology, and audience engagement, Damon has consistently been at the forefront of digital innovation—from launching early mobile content platforms to integrating brands into live-streaming culture. His work has generated over $200 million in production and sponsorship revenue.Outside of StreamerDap, Damon is a proud husband to Maria and father to Oliver, a rising Twitch Affiliate.

Andrea Palten is the founder of CMO Growth Guide, where she helps startup founders and early-stage companies scale through effective marketing strategies. She's also the Vice President of Marketing at Techstars. With over a decade of helping thousands of founders with their marketing and scaling their businesses, Andrea specializes in building demand generation systems and teaching marketing to early-stage founders.Andrea is the creator of two courses: The Homepage Conversion System, which teaches founders how to optimize their website for clarity and conversion, and The Startup Growth System, a comprehensive program for driving traffic, capturing leads, and nurturing customers without a marketing team. With her free CMO Growth Guide Newsletter, Andrea makes complex marketing strategies accessible and actionable for entrepreneurs and startup leaders.

Simone Banna, the self-proclaimed Queen of Strategy and Culture, is a marketing and partnerships executive known for translating cultural relevance into measurable growth. She specializes in building strategic partnerships that unlock new revenue, expand audiences, and strengthen brand ecosystems across high-impact verticals including sports, technology, and entertainment.Simone has held roles at Klutch Sports Group, MoonPay, Twitch, and the NBA. At Klutch, she led marketing for top basketball talent, bridging athlete influence with brand growth strategy. At MoonPay, she helped scale the company's footprint through growth partnerships across Web3 and consumer sectors. During her time at Twitch, she expanded the platform's presence beyond gaming and helped drive new vertical development within sports. Her tenure at the NBA spanned five years, where she played a central role in advancing the league's digital innovation, platform strategy, and partnership development across the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League.In addition to her partnership expertise, Simone brings above-average fluency in social media and emerging platforms. She has a keen understanding of what's trending, how culture moves online, and how to position brands for maximum cultural traction. Her work is grounded in an obsession with data, using performance metrics and platform insights to inform every strategic decision.Simone is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia and currently resides in Atlanta.

Ian Shepherd has 25 years commercial experience at some of the world's leading media companies including Disney, Universal Music and WarnerMedia along with start-up experience as the founder of two leading Creator Economy businesses.He is currently Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Electrify Video Partners. They invest in and scale established YouTube channels, enabling content creators to maximize their full potential. They have access to $85m in funding and have invested into a number of leading channels including Veritasium and Astrum.He also hosts the Business of Creators, a leading podcast for the Creator Economy, featuring creators, managers, investors and unicorn entrepreneurs.He previously founded The Social Store, a pioneering consumer products and events business working in partnership with globally renowned social media stars. As part he launched and sold a successful Amazon FBA business.

Becky Frost is the founder and CEO of Frost Communications. She is a highly accomplished communications executive whose career spans over 18 years of driving strategic, integrated marketing and communications programs across the globe. Becky brings a unique blend of brand strategy, executive advisory, and messaging expertise to organizations at every stage of growth—from nimble, fast-moving startups to globally recognized, publicly traded companies. In her awareness advisory capacity, Becky has become a trusted confidante and one-on-one advisor to senior executives, helping them build and elevate their personal brands in ways that amplify corporate impact and extend reach into new markets. Her tailored approach to executive presence and narrative development not only strengthens individual credibility, but also serves as a powerful lever for broader company visibility, media engagement, and stakeholder trust.

Josh Kaplan is the CEO and Co-Founder of Smooth Media, a new agency that represents the best knowledge creators on the internet. He was on the founding team at Morning Brew and is focused on helping creators educate, empower, and engage professional audiences.

Mandy Hoskinson is a talented digital marketer and visual artist based in Los Angeles, California. She has a passion for digital marketing and community management, which began during her time at UCLA where she co-launched the university's social media platforms.After her successful experience at UCLA, Mandy took on various roles in the digital marketing industry, including work for LA 2028 (the Olympic and Paralympic Games), Apple, Fox TV, and CBS. Over time, her client base grew, and they began to request additional services such as photography, videography, analytics, print marketing, design, and more. This led to the establishment of Mandy's own boutique marketing agency, MediaMandy Agency, which has since rebranded as Zolay Studio.Mandy's dedication to her industry extends beyond her work at Zolay Studio, as she is also the President of the Social Media Club of Los Angeles.

Monica Khan is a creator economy multi-hyphenate with 15+ years of experience helping creators build sustainable, revenue-driven businesses. As Partner and Head of Digital at Strand Entertainment, she leads creator management, representing top digital-first talent through multi-platform growth and strategic partnerships.Earlier in her career, Monica worked directly with top creators and media companies at YouTube, helping grow channels that would go on to become some of the platform's most popular today. At Meta, she led the product marketing team to launch monetization features for Facebook Groups. Most recently, she worked with some of the world's biggest creators while founding and scaling the Spotter Creator Community, establishing the company as a trusted partner for creator knowledge and support.Monica is also the co-founder of the Bay Area Creator Economy, fostering community among creators and industry leaders. Her mission is to empower creators to own their growth, expand their impact, and build lasting businesses on their own terms.

Robyn Nissim began her career on the agency side of advertising, launching social channels for global brands like Michelin and Nissan. After five years in the Ad World and winning a Webby Award, she realized she could make waves on social platforms using zero brand dollars, which led her to launch an independent freelancing business.During this time, Robyn built out Ulta Beauty's entire influencer marketing program, leading strategy and execution for their team. She went on to build and manage some of the largest social communities in the world, in-house on the brand side, taking Anastasia of Beverly Hills to its peak (24M Followers on Instagram) and building out Alo Yoga's entire social footprint, sprouting to +4M in less than one year.After driving massive results at both brands and receiving acknowledgments from Instagram, Robyn founded Social Proof Agency (SPA) and began facilitating training programs designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations adopt a social-first mindset. Through interactive workshops and hands-on learning, SPA equips teams with the knowledge and tools to execute Social Media and Influencer Marketing strategies in-house.

Rachel Catanach is Senior Partner and General Manager of FleishmanHillard's New York operations, responsible for people development, cultivating existing client relationships, and securing new business.  She has held this position since November 2021.  She also spearheads the firm's Global Executive Advisory initiative. A New Zealand native, Rachel started her communications career as a business journalist and at in-house public relations positions before stints at Sweeney Vesty Limited in New Zealand, and then Waggener Edstrom, as General Manager of their Hong Kong operations.   In July 2007, she joined FleishmanHillard Hong Kong as General Manager and in 2016 was promoted to President of FleishmanHillard's Greater China operations, responsible for growing the firm's presence and reputation in this highly dynamic market. Rachel is a strong advocate for the PR industry and a regular commentator on industry issues and trends.   She has presented at Summer Davos in Dalian, moderated on the main stage at the Cannes Festival of Creativity, and was a key writer and contributor to The Page Society's most recent thought leadership report, Beyond Communication: CCO Leadership in Navigating New Complexity.  She has received many awards and in 2024 was recognized by PR Week as a Woman of Distinction.

Carolyn Pollock is a visionary brand builder who has transformed some of the most iconic brands in North American retail. As Chief Marketing Officer at Tailored Brands (parent company of Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank), Carolyn led a sweeping brand and creative relaunch, reshaping customer perceptions and driving measurable gains in awareness, consideration, and loyalty.Known for her bold approach to social and influencer marketing, she helped Tailored Brands claim 26% of all TikTok impressions in men's apparel and increased social ROAS by 23%, all while leading a 25% improvement in overall marketing ROI. She combines creative instinct with data-driven execution—whether it's building campaigns that spark conversation or scaling performance strategies that deliver growth.Carolyn previously served as Managing Partner at RevelOne, and held brand leadership roles at eBay, Thumbtack, and Timbuk2. She's a frequent advisor to industry leaders like Google and Salesforce, and was recently named to Adweek's AI Trailblazers Power 100.

David Shelley is Chief Executive Officer of the Hachette Book Group, which is home to seven publishing divisions – Basic Books Group; Grand Central Publishing; Hachette Audio; Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Orbit; and Workman Running Press Group. He also serves as CEO of Hachette UK, the second largest UK publisher, with 12 autonomous divisions and over 50 imprints.  During his tenure, he published bestselling authors including Mitch Albom, Mark Billingham, Patricia Cornwell, Carl Hiaasen, Dennis Lehane, Val McDermid, and J.K Rowling. In 2015, he was named CEO of Orion and Little, Brown, and later appointed Group CEO of Hachette UK in 2018. In 2024, Lagardère tapped David to also oversee Hachette Book Group in the US as part of a new English-language management structure. He has since transformed the New York-based company, ushering in new imprints, high-profile hires, and boosting revenue and profit – HBG sales were up 7% over 2023—the biggest jump posted by any of the groups in Lagardère's publishing business.  David's leadership is defined by the company's four strategic business pillars: Understanding Consumers, Changing the Story, Owner Mentality and Growth Mindset. He fosters open communication with the 3,500 employees he leads across both sides of the Atlantic, cultivating a sense of community while aligning all business teams. David is an Officer and past President of the Publishers Association, a trustee of The Reading Agency, and a director of Tate Enterprises.

Jamie McLaughlin is the Founder and CEO of Monday Talent. He is regarded as an authority in Marketing, Creative and Communications recruitment and search, successfully working in the industry for nearly 20 years, across 5 continents and partnering with the world's most regarded brands.Jamie has an unrivaled global network and has created formidable tactical partnerships with some of the most high-profile organizations. He sits on the boards of the Institute for Public Relations, USC Annenberg School of Communication, creative agency ConCreates, influencer marketing firm Social Studies - as well as advising The Marketing Academy and Celtic Football Club

Maria A. Rodriguez is the VP of Marketing and Communications at Open Influence, a global creator marketing agency that has shaped the industry since 2013. With over 13 years of experience spanning journalism, digital media, and strategic communications, her career has been built at the intersection of media, culture, and technology.She holds a Master's degree in Strategic Public Relations from USC, where she began her research on the global creator economy. Since joining Open Influence in 2017, Maria has led brand, content, and communications efforts—positioning the agency as a trusted partner to Fortune 500 brands and a thought leader in creator marketing. She is passionate about helping modern marketers harness the creativity of creators to build authentic, engaged brand communities.

Barbara Duffek is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Georgia State University, J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Barbara holds a PhD from Imperial College London.In her research, she explores the cooperation between different stakeholders in influencer marketing, with the goal of better understanding how influencers can be effectively leveraged. She also explores the use of AI in consumer behavior, including how it impacts pro-social behavior, interaction with influencers and virtual influencers and the metaverse.Barbara's research has been published at leading marketing journals, including the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of International Marketing, and AMS Review. She teaches Generative AI Applications in Marketing to undergraduate students, and Customer Relationship Management to graduate students at Georgia State UniversityShe has been invited as an expert speaker at various industry and academic events to discuss how AI is shaping the future of marketing

James Heath is the VP of Creator Marketing at TelevisaUnivision, boasting 8 years of experience in the creator economy. With a career spanning various roles in growth strategy, audience development and talent management, James has navigated every creator era, from MCN to TikTok house. In his current role, he has reshaped TelevisaUnivision's creator capability by launching a new model for brand partners that integrates U.S. Hispanic creators into Latin culture's biggest moments across music, sports and more, executing campaigns for 40+ blue-chip brand partners. James is at the forefront of developing innovative practices in the ever-evolving creator marketing landscape.

Anne-Margot Rodde, Founder & CEO, Creators Corp.For nearly two decades, Anne-Margot Rodde has been a pioneering force in video games, digital media, and the metaverse, holding strategic roles at leading agencies and driving high-profile projects for brands like Microsoft Xbox and PlayStation. Margot launched her first gaming venture with experiential agency WePlay, serving clients such as EA, Riot Games, Nexon, Epic Games, and IGN. After the pandemic opened new doors, she transitioned from the agency world to launch Creators Corp., an award-winning Fortnite Creative studio at the intersection of the creator economy and the metaverse. Creators Corp. specializes in designing original games that inspire and engage global audiences, partnering with IP holders and content creators across entertainment and gaming, while thoughtfully integrating brands where it adds value.Jake Laumann, Data Analyst at Creators Corp. As a former esports leader at Major League Baseball and video game expert, Jake Laumann holds the position of data analyst at Creators Corp., where he supports the team with gameplay optimization and on-platform marketing. 

Kevin Herrera is a veteran of the creator economy with 18+ years in the game. Currently operating TheMachine and previously at The Gersh Agency, Kevin's prophetic thought leadership has led to a sizable LinkedIn following, hundreds of millions of dollars earned for his clients and a network of creator representatives nearing 1,000 members. Kevin is a rare mix of storyteller and business acumen. He is based in Southern California.

Armando Turco is the President of Mojo Supermarket, a certified minority owned agency headquartered in Chinatown, NYC. Mojo Supermarket helps make brands more interesting, and is the Social Content AOR for brands like TikTok, Lululemon and The Truth Initiative.Armando Turco was previously the SVP of Global Brand & Creative at Oatly, the world's original and largest oat milk company. In his role leading the Oatly Department of Mind Control, Armando was responsible for all global brand strategy and creative development, earning him a spot on the Adweek Creative 100.Prior to joining Oatly, Armando spent 20 years managing brand partnerships at Vox Media and agencies including BBH and McCann. He has developed strategies and content with leading brands like Sephora, PlayStation, Johnnie Walker, Axe and Verizon. He lives in New York City with his rescue mutt Andre Johnson.

Jennifer Wakefield, APR, is the President and Chief Executive Officer for the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP). In her role, she is responsible for collaborating with public and private sector stakeholders to set and drive the organizational vision.She assumed her current role in February 2021 after joining the organization in 2017. During her time as President and CEO, she created a new strategic framework for the organization, doubled the size of the Board, added new investors and increased the private sector budget over 70 percent in the last 3 years. Prior to GRP, Jennifer served as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Orlando's regional economic development organization for 11 years. She worked on numerous transformational projects including the Amway Center, Citrus Bowl, Lake Nona Medical City, SunRail, and the merger of two Orlando-area economic development groups.In her 20+ year career, she has garnered extensive experience in strategic planning, marketing and communications, operations and management and is a recognized thought leader in developing marketing strategies for economic development. Jennifer also has experience in the transportation, utility and financial services industries.

Alessandra Catanese serves as CEO of Smosh, the internet's largest sketch comedy brand and a pioneer in creator-first entertainment, redefining comedy for the digital generation. Catanese's career has spanned the evolution of the digital creator space, from helping establish the talent department at Maker Studios during the early days of YouTube, to launching the Los Angeles division of Patreon in 2016. She went on to become a leading talent manager at Anonymous Content, where she signed creators including BennyDrama, Anthony Padilla, and Kelsey Darragh. In 2020, Catanese co-founded Pressalike alongside Padilla, producing digital-first creator content that has earned multiple Streamy nominations and a Webby Award. In 2023, she helped lead Pressalike's acquisition of Smosh, where she now oversees operations for the pioneering comedy collective, helping it double in size, both in fanbase as well as employees. Under her leadership, Smosh continues to build on its legacy, having grown into an independent media and production company pushing the boundaries of digital-first comedy.

As CEO of Porter Novelli, Jillian Janaczek manages talent and operations of the strategic communications company globally, nurturing key client relationships, and driving business growth across Health, Corporate + Brand, Food + Ag + Nutrition, Purpose + Impact, Tech, and Government, as well as strategic services. She is part of OPRG's (Omnicom PR Group's) global leadership team. ​ Before Porter Novelli, Janaczek was President, BCW New York, spearheading the firm's largest market and managing Fortune 500 clients. She sat on BCW's Global Board and was Chair, Client Risk Committee. ​Earlier in her career, Janaczek was Managing Director of Healthcare at Cohn & Wolfe. Her background includes extensive work with prescription medications and Rx to OTC switches. She has worked closely with leading companies such as AbbVie, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis and Novo Nordisk, among many others, providing strategic counsel for U.S. and Global programs. She expanded her role with Novartis Pharma AG by working in-house as Global Brand Manager in Basel, Switzerland. ​

Dakota Lowe is an award-winning social strategist with nearly a decade of experience helping brands break through with innovative digital storytelling. As VP of Social Strategy at Edelman, Dakota leads social engagement for iconic names across CPG, e-commerce, and food with an emphasis on their earned-centric campaigns—including Degree, Dove, Hellmann's, and Mars.Previously at GSD&M, Dakota modernized Fruit of the Loom's social presence, including launching the TikTok with 150% month-over-month growth and 10M+ views, and secured the agency's first TikTok AOR with Stanley, leading all social creative outputs.Recognized by AdAge, Adweek, Fast Company, the Clio Awards, the Webby Awards, and (of course) the Shorty Awards, Dakota's work has earned various industry honors. With a passion for mentorship and a deep understanding of digital culture, Dakota thrives on helping brands break through the noise—always ready to connect, strategize, and cheer you on (just don't ask for free deodorant). You can find her on LinkedIn and Substack.

Scott Sutton is the CEO of Later, where he leads the company's strategic vision and operations. Previously, he served as Chief Business Officer at ZoomInfo, helping grow the business from $150M to over $1.2B ARR through 10 acquisitions and an eventual IPO. Scott holds a Bachelor's and Master's in International Management from Portland State University and studied business analytics at Harvard Business School.Listen to Scott's podcast Beyond Influence.

Alexis Ramos & Ray Brown are Co-Presidents of Sixteenth Sports,  a division of Sixteenth, one of the leading, global Athlete Creator talent partnership companies. They lead Sixteenth Sports under the Whalar Group umbrella, creating a new stadium for Athletes to collaborate with brands beyond social media reach and build IP worthy of long-term partnerships.A visionary leader and influential Hispanic woman in the sports industry, Alexis is known for her strategic insight and transformative leadership. As one of the few Hispanic women to represent a 1st-round pick in the NFL draft, her career spans nearly a decade in the sports industry.Alexis began her career with the European Cup, enhancing fan engagement through innovative Fan Zones, and later joined the Las Vegas Raiders, where she discovered a passion for player and community initiatives. Since then, she has shaped player development and strategy for elite NFL talent, influencing the careers of stars such as Maxx Crosby, Najee Harris, Cameron Jordan, and Quentin Johnston. Renowned for her collaborative approach and creativity, Alexis encourages philanthropy and leadership amongst her athlete partners.A seasoned entertainment industry veteran, Ray Brown is celebrated for his talent discovery, management, and producing skills. His career highlights include working with Alfonso Ribeiro on "The Fresh Prince" and managing Shemar Moore on "Criminal Minds" and "SWAT." Ray co-founded Ncredible Entertainment with Nick Cannon, creating impactful projects like "Star Camp" and the "School Gyrls" films.Ray was instrumental in discovering Grammy and Oscar-winning artist H.E.R. and has collaborated with influencers like Sommer Ray to launch successful consumer brands. 

Ashley Sonlin is a digital marketer with a sharp eye for what drives engagement.She began her career as a celebrity talent manager, working with multi-platinum, Grammy-winning artists, then moved into the creator economy, leading influencer campaigns for brands like McDonald's, Xfinity, and Macy's at Influential. While earning her MBA at Northwestern Kellogg, she built a TikTok following of 500K+ and 175M+ views, and today, she's a Senior Content Strategist at Influent, where she builds LinkedIn thought leadership for top CEOs and founders.

Prior to founding Humble and moving to Taos, Jeff Shardell spent his career living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area. His last company was Google where he was Director of Business Development. There, he helped build their strategic partnerships team and rode the rollercoaster from an early stage start-up to one of the most successful tech companies in history.Prior to that, he was at a number of Internet startups, including co-founder of Gloss.com which was sold to Estee Lauder and at Netscape, the original browser company. Jeff's passions include storm chasing, playing guitar, surfing and camping with his 8-year old son.

Christian Muche is a renowned global executive and business strategist operating at the intersection of the digital, marketing, technology, and event industries. Muche has worked with global brands and executives, including AOL, YAHOO, and FIFA, to bring successful results. He was the Co-Founder of DMEXCO which has become the leading and most international digital marketing event in the world. Seeing a gap in the marketing community, he believed the time had come for a new event experience created specifically for the entire marketing world which is POSSIBLE.

Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.

With a strong passion for Partnerships and Marketing, Sarah Adam has over 10 years experience in various B2C and B2B SaaS Marketing roles, from PR, Field Marketing and Content to Partner Marketing and Influencer Marketing. Today, Sarah heads Partnerships and Influencer Marketing at Wix, focusing on Wix's end-to-end web creation platform for Agencies and Enterprises, called Wix Studio. 

Charles Haynes is the founder and managing director of Ziggurat XYZ -- representing the world's top factual entertainment creators including industry leaders like James Hoffmann, a globally celebrated coffee expert; Matt Parker (Stand-up Maths), whose mathematical storytelling captivates millions; aeronautical engineer Xyla Foxlin, whose creative projects inspire young makers and women in STEM; Answer in Progress, who explores life's big questions through curiosity and humor; and, pop culture commentator and comedian Carley Thorne (uncarley) among many others.Previously Charles worked as a technology consultant and in publishing, becoming acquainted with the first forays into eBooks and digitization. And prior to that, he worked on comedy feature film 'A Cock and Bull Story' and the Silver Bear-award winning documentary 'Road to Guantanamo'. A failed comedian and would-be filmmaker, Charles also gardens.

Phoebe Bain is currently the Business & Finance Section Editor at ⁠1440⁠. In October 2024, she launched 1440's second-ever newsletter product, 1440 Business & Finance: a newsletter that provides more than 200,000 readers with the foundational knowledge they need to understand today's business news. Previously, she served as a senior reporter at Ad Age covering DTC brands, influencer marketing, and more. She was an early employee at Morning Brew, where she founded Marketing Brew, a newsletter and vertical covering the most important news in the marketing industry. Before rolling out Marketing Brew, Phoebe wrote for Social Media Today under Industry Dive, and worked on the social media editing desk for Business Insider.

Kyle Harris has spent the last decade turning social media into a business growth engine. His journey started in the early days of digital marketing, building a strong following on Twitter and becoming a standout on Stickam, a live-streaming platform where he hosted a weekly show for nearly 1,000 engaged viewers. That ability to capture attention and create community set the foundation for what came next.In 2013, he moved to Las Vegas and quickly tapped into the rise of Vine, growing a large audience and recognizing the power of influencer marketing before most brands caught on. By 2014, he became Social Media Director at the Stratosphere Hotel, where he launched the hotel's first influencer campaign—leveraging his Vine network to create buzz and drive engagement. He also introduced live streaming as a marketing tool, broadcasting the hotel's SkyJump experience via Periscope, long before live video became mainstream.His career expanded across industries, refining his expertise in strategy, content, and analytics. That led him to work with Bar Rescue's Jon Taffer, where he helped scale Taffer's digital presence, facilitated his connection with Gary Vaynerchuk for one of The Ask Gary Vee Show's highest-performing episodes, and developed a crossover campaign between Bar Rescue and SHOWTIME's Shameless—a collaboration that earned a Shorty Award nomination.

Brittany Ratelle is a practicing business and IP lawyer with more than a decade of experience advising creators, social-first brands and agencies in the influencer marketing and digital media space. Brittany also creates content herself as a legal “edutainer” and focuses on making business legal information relatable and accessible to modern entrepreneurs. She has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs protect and grow their brands and has worked with the Bucket List Family, Cassey Ho, Sharon Says So, Hope Scope, Glo Atanmo, Not Enough Nelsons, Dayna Bolden, Devan and Collins Key,  and others. She regularly works on startup docs, sponsorship deals, talent representation contracts, licensing agreements, copyrights, trademarks, joint product collaborations, brand protection, product launches, and preparing for investment and exits. With a background in PR, marketing, and law, Brittany helps modern entrepreneurs navigate the fast-changing digital landscape without losing their minds (or sense of humor). Brittany is a fierce advocate for creators and is on a mission to empower them to negotiate better deals, diversify their revenue streams, and get their fair share of the creator economy pie. She believes creators are the media companies of the future and should act (and be treated) like it. She serves as fractional outside counsel to 6 & 7-figure creators and also provides DIY legal resources through templates, courses, and legal kits at the Creative Contracts® shop. She lives with her hunky husband and four kiddos in her hometown of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

V Spehar is an award winning digital journalist, TikTok personality and podcaster. Spehar launched UnderTheDeskNews with the aim to make news media less intimidating and easier to understand and rapidly amassed a collective 4 million subscribers to their various social media platforms.Their original reporting has won them one on one interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris, President Biden, President Obama, Sec. Buttigeig, Sec. Austin, Sec. Blinken as well as several members of the House & Senate. They covered the 2024 DNC as the official digital streamer, the Paris Olympics in partnership with TikTok. In addition they have lent their talents in reporting to serve as a field correspondent and host for LATimes, Washington Post, and NBC News.V has received a special achievement Webby for their concise and compassionate reporting and was a finalist for a GLAAD media award. They were named a MediaWise Ambassador by the Poynter Institute and a RISE25 ambassador for digital excellence by Mozilla.They currently host the podcast “American Fever Dream” with Betches media, release a twice weekly Substack, and dozens of short form video explainers on the day's news in a kind way from a safe space, and are working on a book with Zando Publishing to be released early 2026.

Roberto Munoz is CEO & Founder of Munoz Comms, a strategic communications consultancy that helps businesses navigate growth, change, and transformation.With more than 20 years of experience, Roberto has shaped and protected reputations across industries—from high-growth startups to global market leaders—working with companies including HSBC, Fannie Mae, ABB, Tesco, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Jaguar Land Rover. His expertise spans senior in-house roles and agency leadership at Edelman and Weber Shandwick.A specialist in brand positioning, narrative development, and thought leadership, Roberto helps brands craft compelling stories and design impactful strategies that shift stakeholder perceptions.Follow him on LinkedIn or join his Newsletter.

Jim Louderback is one of the top leaders at the intersection of creators, media and technology.  He has built and sold multiple creator economy startups to companies including WB Discovery and Paramount, and led editorial and ops at cable networks, event companies, magazines and digital publishers.  Jim currently writes the popular weekly newsletter "Inside the Creator Economy" on LinkedIn, speaks and moderates at global events and works with several startups in the creator space.  Follow him on LinkedIn and sign up for the newsletter today.

Phil Ranta, Chief Business Officer of Fixated and a LinkedIn Top Voice in Innovation & Technology, has over 18 years of experience in the creator economy. Formerly, he was the COO of the talent management and creator services company We Are Verified, managing a department focused on creator entrepreneurship, premium production, and web3 opportunities. As the former Head of Gaming Creators, North America at Facebook, Phil achieved over 5x departmental growth in his first year, signing exclusive streaming contracts with DisguisedToast, Corinna Kopf, and UFC / WWE superstar Ronda Rousey. Phil also built two of the largest creator networks in the world as COO at Studio71 and VP, Networks at Fullscreen, both successfully exited (to ProSieben and Otter Media, a joint venture between AT&T and Peter Chernin, respectively). Other roles include Head of Creators at Mobcrush, a live streaming technology with hundreds of thousands of authenticated users, Executive Producer at Viva! Vision, producing content delivered to over 250 million mobile phones worldwide, and content creator who produced videos and podcasts that have achieved hundreds of millions of views and downloads. He was formerly one of Variety's New Hollywood Leaders - Digital.

Starring Patricia Clarkson, John Benjamin Hickey and Thomas Sadoski and directed by Rachel Feldman, Lilly is based on the remarkable story of Lilly Ledbetter, whose fight against pay discrimination in an Alabama tire factory took her through courts and Congress despite powerful opposition. Following the transformation of an ordinary citizen into the face of an issue, Lilly illuminates the impact a single courageous person can have. In theatres on May 9.Kate Kelley is a dynamic leader at the intersection of marketing, social impact, and entertainment, using film to drive meaningful change.As Associate Producer and EVP of Corporate Partnerships for LILLY, she leads initiatives that empower women and advance workplace equity through content creation, strategic collaborations and advocacy-driven partnerships.Kate also heads corporate partnership development for Shine Global, an award winning nonprofit media company using film to raise awareness and inspire action for children and families. Additionally, as Senior Advisor to Simple Spirits, a mission-driven spirits portfolio tackling food insecurity in America one drink at a time.With deep expertise in brand strategy, Kate has collaborated with major brands, agencies, and cultural institutions including Paramount, Disney, Youtube, and the Tribeca Film Festival, mobilizing action and impact through business and entertainment.

Cathy Davenport Lee is a product design, marketing and creative leader with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of product experience, brand strategy, and cutting-edge technologies. As the Principal Creative Director at Eluvio, Cathy has led the product design of award-winning products, such as the Eluvio Media Wallet - which has received the NAB Product of the Year and IBC Best of Show awards multiple years running. On a day-to-day basis, Cathy oversees design on a robust suite of applications, both customer-facing and internal-facing; several of which include integrated AI features. She also leads the visual ID and branding for the company.Previously Cathy spent nearly 8 years as VP of Interactive Design at HBO. She directed a large multidisciplinary team, oversaw social creative for hundreds of titles, and enhanced iconic campaigns for series like Game of Thrones and Westworld. She was an evangelist for integrating emerging technologies like VR and AR to create more immersive audience experiences. Additionally, she oversaw the product design for HBO.com and several bespoke websites for high-profile shows (Silicon Valley, Westworld, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, etc). Cathy served as part of an Emerging Technology task force while working at HBO, which worked to both to educate the department on the possibilities of technologies, as well as to guide specific applications.

Dr. Jonathan Paul Higgins is an educator, professor, national speaker, freelance journalist and trailblazer who is creating, sharing, and crafting the stories their ancestors didn't get to tell. Their book ⁠Black. Fat. Femme: Revealing the Power of Visibly Queer Voices in Media and Learning to Love Yourself⁠ drops March 25th and has already garnered several rave reviews from Out Magazine, IntoMore, Native Son and Queerty. They are the creator, executive producer and host of the Webby honored and Shorty Award Winning podcast, “Black Fat Femme Podcast'' which was developed via IHeartMedia's Next Up Initiative and named “Best Podcast to listen to” by both Ebony and Essence Magazine. Dr. Higgins is currently the inaugural Director of Strategic Media and Advocacy for Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, while once holding roles at both Chernin and Edith Entertainment. They have also worked on inclusion projects with leaders in entertainment brands including Apple, Disney, Instagram, GLAAD, Amazon Prime Video, United Artist and most recently, ULTA Beauty. They have also been a featured speaker for SXSW & TEDx and also competed on the latest season of Netflix's hit show, “Nailed It”. You can also see them on Fuse's hit show, “Like a Girl” - spotlighting trans athlete Cece Telfer. Dr. Higgins holds a doctorate in educational justice and regularly writes and lectures on what liberation means for Black, queer, fat, non-binary people.