Speakers

Former stand up comedian turned rescuer of student marketing programs. Trusted by Coca Cola, HP, and Mens Wearhouse.

Alex Kronman is the founder and CEO of College Inc., the platform that makes college marketing efficient and measurable at scale. Alex started the company after running his college newspaper and working in F500 media buying, realizing that brands spend more per capita targeting young consumers, yet the most obvious place to reach them – on campus – was nearly impossible to access.

He founded College Inc. to close that gap. College Inc. unifies every form of campus media – OOH, newsletters, transit ads, influencers, newspapers, screens, and posters – into one platform, streamlining campus advertising for brands and creating new revenue streams for student media. College Inc. operates on 2,300 campuses and generates 4.4 billion monthly impressions that reach 96% of U.S. college students.

College Inc. invests heavily in research on college consumer behavior, eschewing anecdotes and instead building the channels where students can share their preferences, attitudes, and behaviors in real time. Alex and team help brands make data-informed decisions and build a path to win Gen Z by winning college.

Allie Cohen is an experienced digital marketing expert in both the for-profit and non-profit spaces. She has supported the growth and expansion of GoodPower's internal creator marketing program over the past three years, helping to amplify creator voices on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube and empower young people to take action on clean energy and civic engagement issues.

Prior to GoodPower, Allie spent five years in entertainment marketing in the music industry at Universal Music Group, working across social media, e-commerce, and brand partnerships teams to connect music artists with their fans.

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I am a junior at NYU majoring in Film & TV and Economics, with a minor in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. I am originally from Turkey and passionate about film and plan to build a career in producing.

Breena Cocco is the Senior Director of Creator Marketing at GoodPower. She was brought in to scale the pilot version of the GoodPower Creator Collective in 2021 and has executed an innovative and humor-first approach to producing microvideos for clean energy and civic engagement campaigns on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Prior to GoodPower, Cocco managed the marketing efforts of a hospitality company with a collection of hotels, restaurants, bars, and group retreats. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Bachelor of Arts in Dance.

Brendon Shabani is Founder and Director at Rising Ballers, the biggest Gen Z football media brand in the UK.

Founded as a result of experiencing first-hand the lack of support and representation young rising footballers had, Brendon created Rising Ballers to help tip that balance.

As a former pro player with Leyton Orient, Brendon was around academy players daily and quickly became aware of how there was no digital platform documenting and supporting their journeys. Fast forward to now and the Rising Ballers network has one of the most engaged, authentic communities out there boasting a following of 9M and impressive repertoire of brands partnered with.

Brendon’s impressive career journey, albeit still only being 22 years-old, has gone from strength to strength since leaving the pro scene to pursue Rising Ballers full-time. Alongside growing the following and reach of the Rising Ballers channels, he has been instrumental in securing multiple client projects with household brands like Adidas, PlayStation and Premier League.  

Rising Ballers continues to provide Gen Z and millennial audiences with educational and entertaining content formats, with the representation of young ballers remaining the primary focus for both Brendon and the Rising Ballers network.

Carrie Rose, is founder and CEO of one of the fastest growing agencies in the UK & US – search-first creative agency Rise at Seven. After working 11 years at Branded3, one of the leading SEO agencies at the time, Carrie saw a gap in the industry for brand advertising and SEO to collide. She founded Rise at Seven to push the boundaries in both creative and technical SEO because that’s what is needed to own the most competitive search results.

Rise at Seven are now across the UK, Europe and US with clients including SIXT, Bumble, Capital One, Bacardi, PrettyLittleThing, Amazon, Revolution Beauty and more.

Rise at Seven launched the first reactive marketing service driven by live search trends, and believe in multi-channel search realistic to how consumers behave now. Their content marketing case studies is what they’re famous for, with 78 awards in a roll top bath to show for it. Carrie is featured on the 30 under 30 Forbes list because of her success.

Charu is a visionary brand and marketing leader known for transforming insights into strategic initiatives that drive impact. She is the founder of Chellams, the first-of-its-kind closed-loop kids' toy brand, redefining sustainability in the toy industry. With expertise in brand strategy, operations, consumer insights, and product innovation, Charu has led high-performing teams across industries including DTC, Fashion, Tech, CPG, and Beauty. Her global experience, passion for innovation, and ability to inspire teams make her a driving force in shaping the future of brands and products.

Colin Daniels is a marketing strategist, storyteller, and podcast host driven by his enthusiasm for the creator economy, pop culture, and brand marketing. His experience in journalism, public relations, and marketing has seen him report on significant events such as The Academy Awards and London Fashion Week, merging insightful industry knowledge with cultural critique. Now based in NYC, Colin focuses on empowering brands and creators to develop engaging narratives that connect with audiences in a constantly changing environment.

Dan is a Partner at Groove Jones, an award-winning studio specializing in using emerging technologies (AI, AR,  VR, XR) for world-class brands. An entrepreneur by nature, Dan has founded three renowned digital agencies that were successfully acquired. Brandweek Magazine named Dan “Marketer of the Next Generation" for his innovative work with brand engagement and gamification.

Dan Porter is the CEO of Overtime, a creator of disruptive sports IP and the leading sports brand and community for the next generation of fans. Porter has previously built companies in mobile gaming, education, media and marketplaces and has generated multiple exits for his investors over the course of his career.

Dennis Quinn is the Head of Creative Strategy at WP Creative Group, The Washington Post's award-winning, in-house brand studio and creative agency. In his role, Dennis develops first-to-market digital, social and experiential opportunities for advertiser engagement with The Washington Post’s consumer, B2B, and B2G audiences. He is a seasoned media business veteran with brand, marketing and creative strategy roles supporting global media brands including CNN and Adult Swim.

Dr. Russ Wilson is currently Head of UK at global strategic insight agency, The Sound. He has spent the last 15 years working across the insight and strategy industry, including a stint at Amazon, and has carried out research and consultancy projects for many of the worlds’ leading retailers, delivery companies and payment providers.

Elie Haoui, better known online as Elie Magic, is a world-class magician, comedian, entrepreneur, and content creator based in Cleveland, Ohio. With over 2.2 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Elie has gone viral for his mind-blowing street magic, hilarious Dorm Tours, and high-energy challenge videos. He has performed thousands of live shows, collaborated with major brands, and even launched his own coffee shops, Milk + Honey. Whether on stage or on screen, Elie’s mission is simple: blow your mind and make your day.

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Emma Lembke is a 22 year-old youth digital advocate. As a senior in high school, Lembke founded LOG OFF, a youth-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to helping kids, teens, and young people build healthy relationships with social media and online platforms. Along with her role at LOG OFF, Emma also is a member of Design It For Us and Board Member/Director of Gen Z Advocacy at the Sustainable Media Center.

Her efforts have been covered by numerous media outlets including the New York Times, 60 Minutes, CBS, MTV, npr, The Hill, and Bloomberg. In February 2023, Emma became one of the first young people to testify before Congress regarding tech policy.

Eric is an expert Affiliate Marketer with over 8 years of experience. He moved from account support up to a senior account manager overseeing key enterprise level brands. Now he's spent the past 3 years spearheading the global technology partner strategy as Awin's Technology Partner Lead.

Ethel Klein is Vice President of Customer Success at Behaviorally, specializing in consumer behavior and packaging design. With a keen focus on Decision Precision intelligence, she helps brands understand the critical moment of purchase. Since joining in 2021, Ethel has worked with top brands like Colgate-Palmolive, Coca-Cola, Ocean Spray, Newell Brands, and Glanbia Performance Nutrition.

Known for her quirky, friendly, and empathetic approach, she is passionate about uncovering consumer truths through research. At this event, she’ll join a panel to dive into what parents raising Gen Alpha really think—so get ready for an insightful, no-holds-barred discussion!

Finola is VP, Creative & Client Strategy at Linqia, a leading influencer marketing agency. Prior to joining Linqia two and a half years ago, she spent four years at Meta on the Creative Shop team, delivering winning creative strategies across Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and beyond.

Previously, she was Brand Strategy Director at Refinery29, where she co-founded R29 Intelligence, the media company’s research and strategy practice focused on Millennial and Gen Z women. Finola started her career as a Marketing Fellow on the WPP Fellowship, the advertising conglomerate’s prestigious future leadership scheme, with stints at Ogilvy in New York and Hill & Knowlton Strategies in London. She has two degrees from the University of Oxford and is a published novelist. She currently lives in New York City.

Heather Haggerty is the Senior Director of Marketing at TeenVoice, where she helps brands and organizations unlock the power of teen insights. With over 13 years of experience in youth-focused marketing and product design, Heather specializes in translating teen behaviors into impactful strategies that drive engagement.

Heather holds a B.A. in Marketing from Bentley University and is passionate about youth empowerment and building meaningful connections between brands and young people.

Holly Pound is a builder of brands, communities, and movements that make culture shift. She’s led U.S. marketing at Depop for the last 3 years, driving campaigns that put circular fashion at the heart of student life and scaling a 100-campus ambassador network. From that, she launched peer—a new student community redefining access to the industry through a value-exchange model between professionals and students.

Holly’s passion is creating bold, grassroots ideas that grow into cultural movements, giving the next generation the tools and platforms to break through.

Iris Olympia (she/he/they) is a nonbinary content creator who has been making videos since they were a tween. They turned their passion into a successful full-time career with an audience spanning across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Their content blends fashion and lifestyle, celebrating the beauty and euphoria of self-expression beyond traditional gender norms. Iris uses she/he/they pronouns.

Jack Adler (he/him) is the Founder & CEO of Out2Win, a software enabling brands & agencies to build more effective influencer marketing partnerships with athletes. Our platform leverages AI and data analytics to help brands make more informed decisions regarding which athletes best fit their campaign goals. Jack was recognized by Front Office Sports as a top sports business leader under age 25 and was awarded Student Entrepreneur of the Year at Syracuse University in 2023.

Jacob Wallach is a social media strategist, creator, and founder of Social4TheWin, where he helps brands build comprehensive social strategies by leveraging data-driven insights and research to develop creative strategies, build effective distribution plans, and drive community development both on and off social platforms. A former TikTok insider, Jacob combines platform expertise with a creator's mindset.

As "Excel Daddy," with over 500k followers, he has redefined educational content with a fun and engaging approach. Jacob’s work empowers brands to navigate the evolving social landscape with strategies that resonate and deliver lasting impact.

Jessica Tomlinson (she/her) is the Student & Gaming Segment Manager for NA eComm at Lenovo, where she advocates for technology in education and gaming. With a focus on engaging Gen Z through innovative content and community-driven experiences, she aims to amplify authentic connections between brands and their audiences. When she's not strategizing at Lenovo, she enjoys cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes with her husband and two kids, curling up in a corner reading, or pretending to be a streamer on Twitch.

Jodi Thompson has over 20 years of experience in event production, specializing in large scale, cutting edge events connecting brands and fans. With a strong background in experiential marketing, enhanced by a four-year career in the tech industry, Jodi offers a wide range of skills, knowledge, and tools needed for successful activations to all her clients.

Working with clients like iHeart Radio, AEG, Procter & Gamble, and Pepsico, Jodi has developed and executed successful guest experiences at some of the world’s largest venues including Coachella & Stagecoach Music Festivals, Madison SquareGarden, and the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Jodi brings years of live event solutions and building client relationships to her role as President at Revolution Marketing where she runs all operations and business development for the agency.

She has a proven track record of delivering high-quality work for brands and building high-performing agency teams.

Josh McCoy is Associate Partnerships Director at NewGen, leading the commercial department in its New York headquarters. Josh has been at NewGen for 4 years, working across client service and commercial teams, leading on US clients including Samsung, Cash App and more to help brands connect with their audiences and build communities on social.

Josh Turner is the founder of Stand4 Socks, a B Corp-certified, purpose-driven brand that donates a pair to someone in need for every pair sold. As a dyslexic entrepreneur, Josh has built Stand4 into a movement that blends design, sustainability, and social impact — collaborating with global brands and celebrities to create meaningful products. With Stand4 now expanding across the U.S., Josh continues to champion the idea that business can be a powerful force for good, inspiring others to build companies that truly stand for something.

Joy Ogunneye is one of the happiest people you'd ever meet. She's a passionate, global marketer with over +15 years of expertise building brands and driving category growth within highly matrix, Fortune 500 Consumer Products companies.

As the current Global Innovation & Brand Communication Lead on Aveeno® Body at Kenvue (formerly Johnson & Johnson) - the largest consumer healthcare company, she leads innovation pipeline, strategic planning and operating plan goals on the Aveeno® brand. She owns and drives multi-hundred-million-dollar P&L expansion and the development of new products, claims, and commercial innovation shaped by consumer and category insights and trends.

Joy's entire career has been driven by her passion to make a difference and transform lives. She has spent her career at iconic companies including Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, Revlon, Coty and Avon, leading strategy, innovation, digital marketing and communication across numerous categories and business models.

Famous for her infectious energy and ability to find the light in every situation, she is trusted by executive leadership for high-impact initiatives from NYSE listing to enterprise restructuring to keynote speaking.

Joy is motivated by being the best person she can be, making an impact and touching lives. In her spare time, she is a podcaster who created ‘The Happy Go Joy Show’ podcast, to inspire people to live joyfully no matter what!

She is a Marketing Academy Alumni with an MBA in Marketing from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Psychology and International Affairs from UMBC. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two kids.

Kaylee Johnson is the Director, Research and Insights at TeenVoice with experience in creating actionable insights from complex, multi-method research projects. Her expertise lies in survey research methodology, political polling, experimental survey design, and qualitative research.

Kaylee joined TeenVoice after completing her Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where, as a UMass Poll fellow, she developed topical expertise in studying and analyzing public opinion,  campaigns, and political communications; she also taught courses for the university as an independent instructor. Her areas of expertise allow TeenVoice to gain strategic insight into the voice of the consumer as it develops new products and services and translate data into actionable and compelling narratives.

I've led content marketing programs for both early-stage startups and global corporations, and I have over a decade of experience using content and brand storytelling to drive business growth. I'm passionate about demonstrating content ROI and mobilizing creative teams to get results.

Kerim's a seasoned digital marketer focused on driving engaging, deep and long term relationships for major brands, including Fortune 100 companies. He specializes in improving CX, reducing churn and growing businesses through data driven insights.

With a background in performance marketing, analytics and customer care operations, Kerim's developed effective new strategies, built new revenue streams and improved business processes to save time and money.

He's passionate about finding practical solutions to everyday challenges and delivering results that make a real impact.

LaTecia Johnson (she/her) is an entertainment executive & entrepreneur who has spent more than 15 years at the intersection of culture, community, and technology. Currently, she’s the Founder & CEO of INGENIUS – a next-generation operating system maximizing marketing programs for brands and enterprise teams, connecting them with cutting-edge creators that push culture forward. She’s also Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Visionary Rising (VSNRY) – a design & creative-driven studio scaling million-dollar brands and talent through content and strategy. Previously, she’s worked with clients such as ABC, Amazon, Bacardi, Beats by Dre, ESPN, Disney, Facebook, Walmart, YouTube, and Vevo, among others.

Lee Owens is the Senior Director of Brand Partnerships at TKO, leading integrated marketing for WWE and UFC’s biggest advertisers. With nearly a decade at Twitter driving award-winning global campaigns and partnerships, he’s built a career connecting brands to culture through creativity and data. Lee has led teams across APAC and the U.S., delivering impactful work recognized by Clio, Adweek, and Spikes Asia.

Meghan has a diverse background that spans marketing, sales and client management. She has been with Pion for over 6 years, and currently heads up the US Account Management team. She has helped a varied portfolio of brands to develop marketing strategies to resonate with new and returning student shoppers, working in tandem with partners to get the very best out of our student verification technology.

When offline, Meghan can be found playing board games, hiking, biking, and laughing with friends and family.

Micaiah is a marketer, emerging creative producer and director with a passion for culturally-spotlighted storytelling, curated and dedicated toward diversified audiences and communities. She brings her unique perspective and flare to various environments through different mediums, while working in the many aspects of the creative marketing industry, with her expertise inclusive of the music, sporting goods and lifestyle fashion industries.

With nearly a decade of combined professional work experience in analytics, operations, production and marketing, she's developed a diversified skillset that enhances and accompanies her talents in film, photography, creative and art direction, and more, to produce noteworthy works and activations.

Ray is the Global Head of Marketing at Rise at Seven. He is an organic growth specialist. With extensive experience across in-house and agency environments, Ray specialises in both Social and SEO strategies to deliver impactful results. His background spans marketing, organic social media, and organic search, making him a go-to thought leader for crafting strategies that connect brands with their audiences from the FYP to the search results

Richard leads B2B content at Pion, where he's responsible for events and insights. For over a decade, he has been the driving force behind scaling the Youth Marketing Strategy (YMS) event globally. His unique combination of passion for youth marketing, brand storytelling, and community-building is what has made Pion a uniquely positioned and consistently relevant brand.

Sally leads Marketing Excellence for Mondelez International in the US, where her focus lies in accelerating business readiness and leadership for the fast evolving future of marketing. A UK native, internationally she has held a range of marketing roles leading iconic and indispensable global brands like Finish, Cadbury, Halls, OREO and Triscuit.

She has received awards for her strategic and marketing contributions, including Advertising week’s Future is Female award, The Grocer 30 under 30, Brand Innovators 40 under 40, and is a proud Alumni of the Marketing Academy scholarship. Based in NYC, in her spare time she runs long distance races and her favorite OREO flavor is mint.

Santhosh Palavesh is the CEO at Unified Modern Minds (formerly UMM Digital), the 200-strong AI-centric digital consulting powerhouse that engineers tomorrow’s solutions for today’s high-growth companies. Part tech evangelist, part unrepentant innovator, Santhosh has a knack for seeing possibility where others see only noise—turning random sparks of inspiration into engines that drive whole markets.

A serial tech entrepreneur and blockchain pioneer, Santhosh has built and exited ventures like Belfrics, lending him global street cred in the world of digital innovation. Celebrated for transforming brands with his signature blend of AI, marketing savvy, and curiosity, he thrives on turning big challenges into breakthrough strategies.

Travis Abbott is the Global Head of Enterprise Sales at Awin, a leading global affiliate marketing platform. With a strong background in sales leadership and partnerships, Travis has built a career focused on driving growth and fostering strategic relationships with the largest brands across the world.

He holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and is a passionate advocate for community engagement, currently serving as the Chair of the Community Sustainability Advisory Board in Golden, Colorado. In his free time, Travis loves to mountain bike and enjoys adventures with his young son and their dog.

Wilson Mak is a Marketing Analytics student at New York University, passionate about data-driven storytelling in hospitality. As an E-Commerce Intern at Aimbridge Hospitality’s Second Wave Marketing team, he optimized digital listings for over 250 hotels, executed audits across 200+ properties, and improved content accuracy to boost online conversions. Previously with Marriott International’s APAC B2B Sales Office, he supported regional campaigns, enhancing corporate engagement. He is currently on the executive board for the largest student philanthropy initiative in NYU called NYDM, where he has assisted in the fundraising of over USD 200,000 this year for the fight against childhood cancer.