The Boldest Voices in Business & Culture

Mark Kirkham is Chief Marketing Officer for PepsiCo’s U.S. beverages business.  In this role, he is responsible for brand/category strategies and marketing programs across PepsiCo’s $27B portfolio; including iconic brands such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lipton Iced Tea, and Starbucks RTD beverages.  Prior to this role, he led the sparkling (CSD) portfolio across North America.  Mark spent over eight years working internationally; leading beverage marketing outside of the US as Chief Marketing Officer, International Beverages, expanding our portfolio as VP of Global Sports, Juice, and Energy, and leading key regional teams as Head of Marketing & Innovation for Western Europe.

A 15-year veteran of PepsiCo, Mark has held a variety of marketing leadership roles at both the global, regional, and local levels.  This included leading several global brands platforms such as Pepsi’s partnership with UEFA Champions League, the Pepsi Taste Challenge, expanding Gatorade and Mountain Dew across Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America, and developing many iconic brand campaigns around the world.  He joined PepsiCo in 2010 leading new product innovation and packaging initiatives in the US and has since continued to develop award-winning brand building and innovation programs across the beverage’s portfolio.

Prior to joining PepsiCo, Mark held various roles at P&G included global brand/portfolio management, new product development and regional marketing and brand activation in both the US and Europe.  Early in his career, Mark held roles in research, consulting and marketing communications at firms including Nielsen and Forrester Research.

Mark holds a BS in Communications from Boston University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Connecticut.   He has lectured and taught courses on marketing and global business strategy at Boston College, Boston University, Georgetown University and Trinity College in Dublin.  Mark is based in Purchase, NY, loves sports, music, and travel.  He has been married to his wife Jenn for over twenty years and has two beautiful daughters (Kylie 18, Brooke 16) and two furry sons Fenway and Dublin.

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Bozoma Saint John is a Hall of Fame inducted Marketing Executive, author, entrepreneur and general badass.

Boz got her start in her marketing career at Spike Lee’s ad agency, SpikeDDB. She then went on to manage brands in the PepsiCo beverages portfolio, before becoming Head of Music and Entertainment Marketing at the CPG giant. After that, she led Global Consumer Marketing at Apple Music & iTunes; before serving as Chief Brand Officer at Uber; she then took on the Chief Marketing Officer role for Endeavor (including WME, IMG, UFC, Miss Universe, 160over90 etc). Mostly recently, she served as the Global Chief Marketing Officer at the entertainment behemoth, Netflix.

Boz’s work has been lauded and awarded by the industries she’s operated in; including induction into the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame (2022), following induction into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement (2014). Boz is currently named as the #1 Most Influential CMO in the world by Forbes (2021). She’s also been inducted into Billboard’s Women in Music Hall of Fame after making their list of the Most Powerful Women in Music for 10 consecutive years (2013-2022), and crowned as the Executive of the Year (2016). She’s been featured on the cover of Adweek as “one of the most exciting personalities in advertising;” and is on lists ranging from The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 (2018) to Fast Company’s and Ad Age’s Most Creative People to Ebony’s 100 Powerful Executives, Black Enterprise’s Most Powerful Women in Business and Fortune’s Most Influential CMOs.

In 2021, Harvard Business School published a multi-media case study on her career, titled “Leading with Authenticity and Urgency”; through which she developed and taught a program at the University aptly named “The Anatomy of a Badass.” Boz has also created a public online class, “The Badass Workshop” to teach the nuances of achieving success when one feels like an outsider.

Boz has expanded her service outside of the US, and been named as an Ambassador for the African Diaspora and Special Envoy to the President of Ghana. Boz is also a philanthropic Ambassador to Pencils of Promise in Ghana and serves on the boards of Girls Who Code, Vital Voices, the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Soho House and the CFDA. She’s also currently on the Board of Trustees at her alma mater, Wesleyan University.In the Spring of 2023, Penguin Books will publish her first book, a memoir, “The Urgent Life.”

All of that said, she counts her highest achievement as being a mother to her 12 year old daughter, Lael.

As a Managing Director and Head of YouTube’s Creator and Gaming team, Kim is responsible for managing the growth of our largest, most influential creators on the platform. This includes the critical ecosystem of companies that surround creators including creator service providers, talent partners, game publishers and influencer marketing agencies. In her previous roles at Google, she launched the Google BrandLab, an immersive strategy experience designed for top advertisers to develop tailored strategies for YouTube. She went on to manage the global brand services function which included creative effectiveness, media measurement, and consumer insights. Her team pioneered the use of machine learning to build data-driven creative best practices for YouTube ads. Kim joined Google in 2012 with 20+ years experience leading marketing teams at the intersection of technology and brand at Nike, Jamba Juice, and Prophet. Kim holds a BS in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Virginia. Kim serves on the Creator Board for the IAB, on the Advisory Board for Women in Games International and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Effies, and Oxford University’s Future of Marketing Initiative.

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James Lawrence is known as the Iron Cowboy. This is the nickname that he received from the public after he started to wear a cowboy hat during races to be recognized by his children. Originally from Calgary, Canada, he now lives in Utah with his wife Sunny, and their five children. With two Guinness world records under his belt, James and his family attempted to do something every person deemed impossible, the 50/50/50. But that didn’t fulfill him. As of June 8, 2021, James completed what the team likes to call the Conquer 100. 100 consecutive full distance triathlons. This journey was created to empower people around the world to do their own hard. Sports Illustrated ranked James in the top 50 fittest freaks with Lebron James and Connor McGregor, 2 of James' favorite athletes. RedBull declares that 'when it comes to endurance, he is unstoppable' and Success magazine named him 'The Most Enduring Man In The World'. He has redefined the definition of impossible, defied logic, and is here today to share his journey with you: ladies and gentlemen, James Lawrence, The Iron Cowboy.

Claude Silver is the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, where she oversees people and culture for over 2,000 employees across 11 countries. Known for pioneering “emotional optimism,” Claude leads with empathy to create thriving, people-first workplace cultures. Under her leadership, VaynerX has grown exponentially, with its foundational company, VaynerMedia, being named Adweek’s Breakthrough Media Agency of 2022. A sought-after speaker and award-winning leader, she has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, and Fast Company, inspiring others to embrace empathy as a driver of growth and transformation.

Marcela “Mele” Melero is the Chief Growth Officer for Dove Personal Care North America and Dove Masterbrand, where she leads brand strategy, innovation, and marketing.  With over 20 years dedicated to Dove, Mele has been a driving force behind the brand’s global marketing transformation and sustained business growth.

Her standout campaigns include Dove’s collaboration with TikTok favourite Crumbl Cookies, blending indulgence with self-care; the launch of Dove Whole Body Deodorants with the bold “Let Your Body Body” campaign; and the award-winning “Unready for Anything” campaign featuring Dove’s most iconic product, the Beauty Bar, which earned a Gold Lion for its visual storytelling at this year’s International Festival of Creativity in Cannes.

Originally from Argentina and a mother of three daughters, Mele is a champion for inclusive beauty, cultural relevance, and real representation across the industry. In 2025, she was recognised as one of Ad Age’s Leading Women, thanks to her transformative leadership and lasting impact on the beauty world.  This recognition reflects her deep commitment to helping young people reach their full potential —most notably through her leadership of the Dove Self-Esteem Project, which has reached over 137 million young people with body confidence and self-esteem education in 153 countries.

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Xanthe’s sweet spot is transforming brandside internal creative teams from under-leveraged creative services departments into world-class internal agencies capable of delivering the same level of work as the world’s best agencies. She is leading her third brandside transformation now at Pinterest as VP of Global Creative under CMO Andrea Mallard.

Since arriving at Pinterest, Xanthe has been driving the brand's creative reinvention through work ranging from widely-recognized events & experiences, including the Cannes Manifestival, to the the launch of the new global platform “It’s Possible” in 2023, followed by the release of the company’s beloved brand campaign in 2024. To anyone familiar with Pinterest’s work, her leadership of the creative has signaled a  major step change to the industry, not only in creative quality, but results, beating all previous benchmarks and delivering unprecedented ROI.

She took on a similar challenge at Google prior to coming to Pinterest. When she took over the Google Devices and Services creative team as Global ECD in March 2018, she worked to build out the team’s capabilities, uplevel the creative quality and earn the trust of her marketing stakeholders, leading to the decision to bring most of the work in-house, saving the company millions of dollars over the 5 years of her tenure. Xanthe and her team were responsible for delivering the global creative work across 8 markets and 5 categories for every hardware and service launch for the following brands: Google Pixel, Google Nest, Stadia, Google Fi and Google One.

Her team’s hard work culminated in the Brand Side Agency of the Year, in both the One Show and Art Directors Club award shows in 2022 as well as a Grand Prix in Cannes for Real Tone on Google Pixel.

The team also earned Google the Brand of the Year award in both One Show and ADC, the CMO Pencil for One Show, Best of Discipline at One Show and the coveted D&AD Black Pencil. Before becoming ECD of Google Devices & Services, Xanthe served as Global Creative Director at Nest, where she helped earn the brand several national accolades in major award shows while transforming the internal team’s position within the company and the industry.

Xanthe spent the formative part of her career at TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles 2006-2013 where she spent seven years learning from legendary creative director Lee Clow. At Chiat, Xanthe had the opportunity to work on Pepsi, PlayStation, WaMu, Diet Pepsi, Kraft and Pinkberry, where she started as an art director and left as a creative director. Before making the leap to brandside creative, Xanthe served as Partner &  Chief Creative Officer of Pitch, a boutique agency in LA, an agency she helped boost into the national spotlight leading to the agency’s acquisition by Project Worldwide in 2014.

Xanthe has been recognized as an AdAge "Woman to Watch," AdAge "40 Under 40” in 2015 and Business Insider’s  "30 Most Creative Women in Advertising." Outside of her job, Xanthe is co-founder of Whipshots by Cardi B. An art director by trade, she was born and raised in the heart of San Francisco and is now a single mom living in Los Altos with her two kids.

A pioneer in digital marketing and innovation, Avery Akkineni spearheads brand strategy, content, events, and communications as Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerX.

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In seven years at VaynerX, Avery has catalyzed exponential growth by launching new companies and leading international expansion. She built VaynerMedia APAC from the ground up to over 150 employees in two years, opened key Asia Pacific markets like Singapore, Bangkok, Sydney, and Tokyo. During her tenure, VaynerMedia APAC was awarded Marketing Interactive's Agency of the Year. She also served as the Managing Director for VaynerMedia LATAM in 2024.

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In 2021, Avery founded Vayner3, an innovation consultancy focused on emerging technologies like AI and Web3. Under her leadership, Vayner3 achieved significant industry acclaim, and she was named an Ad Age Web3 Trailblazer, and an AI Thought Leader by Business Insider. Her proven ability to identify and leverage leading-edge channels to drive growth for Vayner and her brand partners has landed Avery recognition on advisory boards of top platforms including Salesforce’s AI Council, Meta’s Creative Council, and Tracer.

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Based in Miami, FL overseeing VaynerX's regional LATAM presence, Avery continues to push boundaries in marketing. She is a sought-after speaker on modern marketing and digital innovation, who empowers teams and companies to embrace new opportunities.  

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Avery sits on the Board for PeacePlayers, a nonprofit organization that brings youth in conflict zones together.

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Evan Jones has served as Chief Marketing Officer at Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), the world's leading musical instruments manufacturer, since 2015. In this role he leads Fender's global marketing strategy and investments to drive growth, elevate the brand, deepen consumer engagement across Fender's brand channels, and fuel an expanding global community of Fender artists, players, creators and influencers.

During his tenure, Jones has led the transformation of Fender's marketing approach, elevating and amplifying the brand's relationships with artists & musicians, driving global demand for Fender product innovation and key product categories, expanding the brand's reach to younger, more diverse, global audiences, and helping establish Fender's digital foundation and ecosystem including platforms like Fender Play and Fender Tune. His leadership has contributed to triple-digit growth across Fender's brand channels, driven parallel triple-digit expansion of Fender's global business, and substantially grown Fender's overall market share. Jones also helped develop the Fender Play Foundation, which has provided over 15,000 instruments to students in LAUSD.

Prior to joining Fender, Jones was CMO at New Era Cap Co. and has held previous leadership positions at other companies including Activision/Blizzard (Guitar Hero), and DC Shoes/Quiksilver. Jones started his career at Nike, where he spent 12+ years in various marketing and sales roles in Europe and in the United States, including leading Nike Basketball marketing in the US from 2004-2007.

A lifelong music and sports enthusiast, Jones played professional basketball in Europe after earning his Bachelor's degree from UC Davis. He bought his first Fender American Standard Stratocaster in 1995 and continues to play, write, and record music. Jones lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kirsten and their three children.

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She turns awkwardness into art. Stocking got her start on Vine and now has 72 million fans across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram who watch her highly produced sketches that exaggerate everyday dramas. “My content is minimal talking,” she says. “If someone doesn’t speak English, they can still laugh--it’s Charlie Chaplin-esque.”

Meredith Kinsman is Senior Vice President Brands and Commercial Partnerships at AG1, a global health company with a mission to empower people to take ownership of their health.  In her role, Kinsman plays a pivotal role in expanding AG1’s global brand presence and is responsible for delivering commercial partnerships and experiences that drive consumer engagement, foster loyalty, and strengthen brand equity. A seasoned marketing executive with over 20 years of experience, Kinsman has held leadership roles at Benjamin Moore & CO., Octagon, Fox Corporation and Reader’s Digest and is recognized for her ability to bring together creativity and commercial impact to deliver sustained growth. Based in Connecticut, Kinsman spends her spare time playing the ukulele, and loves spending time outdoors and on the water with her family.  

At Shopify, Jessica leads all brand marketing and partnership functions, overseeing creator partnerships, sponsorships, brand campaigns, integrated marketing, social, marketing operations, and experiential marketing. She’s spearheaded high-profile collaborations with MrBeast, Kai Cenat, Nicki Minaj, Drake, A$AP Rocky, Emma Chamberlain, and Serena Williams, positioning Shopify at the intersection of commerce, culture, and content. Jessica also manages a long-tail creator program of 500+ creators across YouTube, Meta, TikTok, podcasts, and newsletters, ensuring Shopify’s brand presence is deeply embedded in the creator economy at every level. Passionate about mentorship and transformative leadership, Jessica likes to take bold, calculated risks that drive business growth, spark creativity, and enhance both the Shopify brand team and creator experience. Before Shopify, Jessica led brand and partnerships at Coinbase delving into realms of crypto and sports, music, and fashion. Prior to that she held diverse product marketing, brand marketing and partnerships roles at Visa.

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Adam W is one of the most influential comedy creators of his generation. With over 63 million followers and more than 28 billion views across platforms in the past two years, he’s become a global force. As the fastest-growing comedy star on YouTube Shorts, Adam gained 16 million subscribers in under two years, blending sharp relatable humor with mass appeal. In 2024, he took his comedy from screen to stage, opening for Dane Cook on tour, while also speaking at industry events with TikTok, YouTube, and Forbes. His success has earned him the Cover Creator spot on the Forbes’ Top Creators List 2025, as well as features in Rolling Stone’s Top 20 Creators, Forbes 30 Under 30, and profiles in Fortune, Adweek, and The LA Times. With partnerships with Disney, the NFL, Pepsi, Walmart, and ambassadorships with Instagram and Old Spice, Adam has built a brand that’s both creatively original and commercially powerful, redefining what it means to be a digital star and creator today.

Holly Rowe is an Emmy Award winning journalist with ABC and ESPN. For over 30 years Rowe has reported from the sidelines of sports biggest moments. As the lead reporter on College Football, Basketball, WNBA, NCAA Softball, and Stage 4 metastatic cancer survivor, Rowe has proven to be a winner on and off the field and court. Rowe is a tireless advocate for women’s sports and works to ensure this is a movement not just a moment. @sportsiren X/Instagram

Kia Nurse has become a leading force on the Canadian and world basketball stage. After four incredible seasons with the University of Connecticut Huskies winning , Hamilton, Ontario’s Kia Nurse was selected 10th overall in the WNBA 2018 draft, Kia's career has seen her named as a WNBA All-Star starter in only her second season. She's played valuable roles across the WNBA for the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm, LA Sparks and Chicago Sky. She also won the 2019 and 2020 WNBL Championships with the University of Canberra Capitals in Australia and was named the league's MVP in the 2020 season. Kia is a leader of the Canadian National Women's program having made her first appearance at age 16. She has represented Canada at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. She is also a Pan American Games Gold Medalist and a two-time FIBA Women's AmeriCup Gold Medalist. Kia has also taken her passion for basketball into the broadcast studio working with TSN as a basketball analyst covering the NBA, WNBA and NCAA. She's had a tremendous impact on the next generation of Canadian basketball founding the Kia Nurse Elite as well as the Kia Nurse Academy providing basketball opportunities to young women at both the grassroots and high- performance levels.

Kia has sat on multiple boards including the U of T's Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport, HerMark, and the Canadian Women & Sport Commercial Advisory Group. She's a vocal advocate for women's sports and marginalized communities and her tremendous attitude on and off the court has made her a fan favourite and a global superstar

Christina Lang (Lang) is the Vice President of Marketing at Mozilla, the mission-driven tech company building products that put people before profit, from a privacy-first browser to new innovations in AI and online trust. A seasoned marketing leader with a track record of scaling business impact, Lang brings over a decade of experience at the intersection of tech, creativity, and operations. Since joining Mozilla in 2021, she’s led efforts to expand the company’s product reach globally through bold campaigns, process innovation, and deep cross-functional collaboration, driving both business growth and team culture. Prior to Mozilla, Lang shaped go-to-market and operational strategy at Twitch, Facebook, and Outbrain. Her superpower is turning complexity into clarity — aligning teams around ambitious goals and delivering results with purpose.

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Coby Cotton is one of the co-founders of Dude Perfect, one of the most popular entertainment properties in the world. With over 110 million followers, live shows in NBA Arenas, and a host of products and experiences for families, Dude Perfect is striving to be the most trusted entertainment on earth. Coby has an incredible wife and is a proud girl dad of two! He is also a passionate connoisseur of chocolate milk.

Jordyn Poulter is an American professional volleyball player. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she set her team to a Final Four appearance in 2018 and received Big Ten and All American honors all four years of her collegiate career. As a pro, she had played five seasons in the Italian League Serie A1 with multiple Champions League appearances. She has represented the United States on the international stage, contributing to her team's success in various competitions, including multiple podium finishes in FIVB Volleyball Nations League, World Cup and the Olympic Games. Jordyn was the youngest player on the roster and starting setter for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where the USA women won their first gold medal in program history, and was named Best Setter. In December of 2022 she had a significant knee injury, tearing her ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus. After being sidelined for eighteen months, she worked her way back to earn a spot on the 2024 Paris Olympic team where she led the team as the starting setter and captain, to a silver medal.

She is a founding athlete and investor for League One Volleyball. Jordyn will play in the league’s inaugural season for the LOVB Salt Lake City team in January of 2025.

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Cory Cotton is one-fifth of the sports and comedy group Dude Perfect, known for sinking impossible shots and putting smiles on faces across the globe. A Jesus follower, twin, husband, and proud dad of 4, Cory loves what he does and strives to push forward Dude Perfect’s mission of being “The Most Trusted Entertainment on Earth.” He’s a huge fan of basketball and milkshakes, and is very sorry to all parents and teachers for the whole water bottle flipping thing.

DIANA FLORES is the Captain and Quarterback of Mexico’s World Champion National Flag Football team. Flores also serves as a highly sought after game analyst and sports broadcaster for major networks like FOX Deportes and Univision, including coverage of Super Bowl LVIII. Working alongside the NFL and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) as the sport’s Global Ambassador, Flores seeks to advance Flag’s reach internationally.

A flag football superstar, Flores has competed in numerous national and international tournaments, representing Mexico on the world stage. She has won several awards and accolades throughout her career, including four National Titles since 2017, a Bronze World Cup Medal in 2016, a Silver Medal in 2021, Best Offensive Player at the World Flag Football Championship in Panama in 2018, and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2022 World Games where she led her team to a Gold Medal.

Flores was also recently recognized by FORBES MAGAZINE in their prestigious "30 Under 30" List for the Class of 2024. She also served as the Offensive Coordinator for the AFC at the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games – alongside head coach, Peyton Manning— and was the featured star in the NFL’s Super Bowl LVII advertisement, “Run With It," which won an Emmy in 2023.

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Rob brings 20 years of integrated marketing, strategic communications, and brand/talent partnerships experience across entertainment – working at the intersection of music, gaming, sports, fashion, and youth culture. Most recently, Rob served as the SVP - Brand Partnerships & Talent Mgmt. at Warner Records, where he led strategic brand and commercial partnerships for several notable artists including Saweetie, Benson Boone, Teddy Swims, Dua Lipa, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lincoln Park.  During his tenure, Rob was also recognized on the 2025 Billboard Sports & Music Power Players and 2024 Billboard Top Marketers lists.  Prior to joining Warner Records, Rob spent much of his career at top entertainment agencies where he helped position brands at the forefront of culture.  His portfolio of work includes noteworthy initiatives such as Pepsi Max’s Uncle Drew campaign with Kyrie Irving, Call of Duty’s professional athlete internship program featuring NFL stars, American Express’ Music Meets Art Campaign with Kendrick Lamar and Shantell Martin, and Bud Light’s Dive Bar Tour with Lady Gaga, John Mayer, G-Eazy and Post Malone.

Jon Gordon – Best-Selling Author and Keynote Speaker

Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sports teams, school districts, hospitals, and non-profits. He is the author of 30 books including 17 best sellers and 5 children’s books. His books include the timeless classic The Energy Bus which has sold over 3 million copies, The Carpenter which was a top 5 business book of the year, Training Camp, The Power of Positive Leadership, The Power of a Positive Team, The Coffee Bean, Stay Positive, The Garden, Relationship Grit and his new release The One Truth. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, The Golf Channel, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. His clients include The Los Angeles Dodgers, In-N-Out Burger, The Los Angeles Rams, Campbell Soup, Dell, Publix, Southwest Airlines, The Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, The Colorado Rockies, Truist Bank, Clemson Football, Northwestern Mutual, Bayer, West Point Academy and more. Jon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University. He and his training/consulting company are passionate about developing positive leaders, organizations and teams.

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Laura Nestler has spent two decades transforming passionate fans into empowered growth-drivers. From Yelp to Duolingo to Reddit (where she's currently VP of Community), Laura has been behind some of tech’s most thriving communities and has cracked the code for cultivating communities that drive real value to the members and business. Laura has lived around the globe building teams and communities across diverse cultures and contexts, and now lives in the pacific northwest with her husband, three kids, and inveterate wanderlust.

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As a sport and performance psychologist, Dr. Michael Gervais is one of the world’s leading experts on the relationship between the mind and elite performance. Over the course of a 20-year career working with world class performers and organizations, Dr. Gervais has developed a framework for the mental skills and practices that allows individuals and teams to thrive in pressure-packed environments. Gervais’ influence can be felt across many touchpoints of popular culture. His clients include the Seattle Seahawks, world record holders, Olympians, internationally acclaimed music artists, Fortune 50 CEOs and MVPs from every major sport. ​ ​ Dr. Gervais is the host of the popular Finding Mastery podcast that explores the psychology of the world’s most extraordinary thinkers and doers. Dr. Gervais created an online master class for the mind and authored the national bestseller, The First Rule of Mastery.

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I was a fly fishing guide in Aspen, CO at a 5-star resort for several years. I landed a job at a media agency called Backbone Media as their "Hunting PR Manager" and managed public relations for SITKA Gear, Filson, Thermacell, and several other major brands. After my time at Backbone Media, I took a position with YETI as their Hunting Marketing Manager, where I was introduced to the community marketing playbook. I worked at YETI for 4 years, and left to help get a startup off the ground - we built a two-sided marketplace for hunting and fishing guides. I then started my own marketing consulting company focusing on working with younger brands to build their community marketing departments. Turtlebox was my first client on the consulting business. After 2 years contracting with Turtlebox, I joined their team in a full-time capacity as the Director of Community Marketing - overseeing our sports marketing and community marketing departments.

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Michael Smith is the Head of Brand Marketing for Starry at PepsiCo, where he plays a pivotal role in the brand's rapid success through innovative partnerships and strategic marketing. Under his leadership, Starry has become a prominent figure on the sidelines of NBA and WNBA games, recognized by its vibrant yellow and green logo.

With extensive experience in marketing both established and emerging brands, Michael brings a unique perspective shaped by his diverse career. He is adept at navigating the complexities of modern marketing, particularly in leveraging the power of digital and social media to saturate the market with engaging content.

Michael is committed to building great brands and better teams by integrating consumer-first thinking, clear product differentiation, and compelling brand storytelling. His expertise includes curating teams with the optimal blend of in-house talent and partner agencies, ensuring a cohesive and effective approach to brand marketing. Through his work, Michael demonstrates the power of marketing to generate sustainable competitive advantages for consumer brands.

Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and serves as theChairman of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the Creator& CEO of VeeFriends. Gary is considered one of the leadingglobal minds on what’s next in culture, business, and theinternet.Known as “GaryVee,” he is described as one of the mostforward thinkers in business. He acutely recognizes trendsand patterns early to help others understand how shiftsin consumer attention impact the realities of the businessworld today. Gary’s approach sits at the intersection ofbusiness and pop culture. He keenly understands howto bring brand relevance to the forefront. He is a prolificangel investor with early investments in companies likeFacebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, Snapchat, Coinbase,and Uber.Gary is an entrepreneur at heart – he builds businesses.Today, he helps Fortune 1000 brands leverageconsumer attention through his full-service advertisingagency, VaynerMedia, which has offices in New York,Los Angeles, Toronto, Mexico City, London, Amsterdam,Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur.VaynerMedia is part of the VaynerX holding company, whichalso includes Eva Nosidam Productions, Gallery Media Group,The Sasha Group, VaynerSpeakers, VaynerCommerce, andTingley Lane Trading. Gary is the Co-Founder of VaynerSports,VCR Group, VaynerWatt, ArtOfficial, Resy, and Empathy Wines.He guided Resy and Empathy to successful exits -- which he latersold to American Express and Constellation Brands, respectively.He also owns a Major League Pickleball team called the 5s, is partowner of a Big3 basketball team, and is an investor in the revivalof the SlamBall League.Gary is also the founder and creator of VeeCon – a contemporarysuper conference that converges business and pop culturewith innovation and technology. In addition to running multiplebusinesses, Gary documents his daily life as a CEO through hissocial media channels, which have more than 44 million followersand garner over 300 million monthly impressions/views across allplatforms. His podcast, “The GaryVee Audio Experience,” ranksamong the top podcasts globally

Eb is a digital content executive specializing in music, sports and entertainment, with over 15 years experience building brand affinity via social media campaigns and influencer activations. She has built a reputation of not only developing and producing innovative content, but using outside-the-box marketing tactics to build awareness and increase engagement that has broke many company YOY growth records across both established and emerging platforms for the likes of ESPN, BET, WNBA, Essence Festival and more. She is currently leading the influencer engagement team at Peacock.

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Chris Ruder is the CEO and founder of Spikeball, a company that has transformed a backyard game into a nationwide phenomenon. As the driving force behind Spikeball, Chris combines his entrepreneurial spirit with a deep passion for the sport, leading the company from a niche hobby to a mainstream activity enjoyed by millions. His innovative vision and hands-on leadership have been pivotal in Spikeball's rapid growth and success. Under Chris's guidance, the company continues to expand its reach and influence, fostering a vibrant community of players and enthusiasts. With a commitment to excellence and a keen eye for opportunities, Chris Ruder ensures that Spikeball remains at the forefront of the sports and recreation industry.

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