Regional Summits Past Events

Culture, Innovation and Commerce Summit

Apr 09 • Hosted by JBL • New York

Culture is no longer separate from how consumers discover, engage with, and buy from brands – it is the engine behind modern commerce. Today’s most effective marketers are designing experiences that live at the intersection of cultural relevance, technological innovation, and seamless paths to purchase.

The Culture, Innovation & Commerce Summit brings together brand leaders to explore how culture-led activations, NIL and creator talent, Gen Z behaviors, and shopper-first strategies are reshaping how brands drive growth. Through real-world case studies and forward-looking conversations, the summit will examine how brands connect cultural moments to measurable business impact – from awareness to conversion.

Thursday, April 9th, 2026

9:30 AM Breakfast & Registration
10:30 AM Welcome Remarks

Brandon Gutman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Brand Innovators

Marc Sternberg, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Brand Innovators

Allie Meagher, Vice President, Content and Community, Brand Innovators

Chris Epple, Vice President of Marketing, Americas, Harman International

Emcee: Wayne Lee, Harman International
10:35 AM Borrowing, Hacking and Creating Culture

Chris Epple, Vice President of Marketing, Americas, Harman International

Moderated by: Alexandra Debow, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, swsh
11:05 AM Humans Plus AI: A Collaboration For Better Organic Social

A panel about how AI helps organic social teams standardize measurement, translate social noise into signal, and deliver adaptive, on-brand content at speed, without the AI slop.

Erika Sabalvoro, Vice President, Social Media Strategy & Insights, Chase

Moderated by: Nicholas Spiro, Chief Commercial Officer, Viral Nation
11:30 AM Fireside Chat

Jose Velez, Global Marketing Director, Smirnoff, Diageo

Moderated by: Corey Martin, Managing Director, Media + Influence, Allison Worldwide
11:55 PM Networking Break
12:05 PM Culture as a Growth Strategy: Why Relevance Drives Revenue

Cultural relevance is no longer a brand layer – it’s a growth lever. This session explores how leading brands are embedding culture into their innovation, marketing, and commerce strategies to drive measurable outcomes.

Brian Albert, Founder, Head of Strategy & Innovation, BACK HAT

Michael Kaye, Director of Brand Marketing & Communications, ARCHER

Katka Renckens, Head of Brand, Rituals

Moderated by: Jana Friedman, Industry Director, US Head of CPG, Reddit
12:35 PM New Era of Culture and Commerce

Shopper marketing has moved beyond the transaction. This conversation explores how brands are using cultural relevance to shape the path to purchase — driving discovery, influencing decisions, and creating more meaningful retail experiences.

Sally Barton, Director, Marketing Growth Strategy, Mondelēz International

Jamie Feuss, Director, Retail Store Experience, Harman International

Matthew Jensen, Customer Strategy Manager – Hair Care, Kenvue

Moderated by: Lisa Rosenberg, Global President, Consumer Brands, Allison Worldwide
1:05 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Innovation That Meets the Moment: Building Products for Cultural Context

Innovation succeeds when it reflects how consumers live, listen, shop, and connect. This session explores how brands align product innovation with cultural behavior and evolving consumer expectations.

Kevin Doherty, Senior Brand Manager, Breyers, Magnum Ice Cream Company

Sara Mitzner, Vice President of Brand Marketing, AS Beauty Group

Brielle Sydor, Marketing Executive

Moderated by: Jesse Forman, Senior Vice President Enterprise Partnerships, Suzy
2:30 PM Where Culture Meets the Shelf: Reinventing Shopper Marketing

Sarah Kitchen, Vice President Omni Commerce, The Campbell’s Company

Kris McDermott, Senior Vice President, Commerce, Spark Foundry

Moderated by: Lauren Carlson, Account Director, Strategic accounts, Experian
3:00 PM Innovating with Intention

Devin Nagy, Global Head of Digital, Tequila, Diageo

Adam Polansky, Director, Global Brand Strategy & Innovation, Mastercard

Moderated by: Matt Andrew, Partner & General Manager, Americas, Ekimetrics
3:30 PM Networking Game
4:30 PM From NIL to IRL: How Gen Z and Athlete Creators Are Reshaping Brand Growth

Gen Z athletes aren’t waiting for brands or media to define their narratives – they’re building personal brands that command attention across platforms. As NIL accelerates this shift, athlete creators are increasingly competing with traditional media, influencers, and brand channels for audience loyalty. This session explores how marketers can partner with these voices to stay culturally relevant and drive meaningful growth.

Danny Gardner, Marketing Executive

Melissa Mash, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dagne Dover

Xavier Vaissière, Global Insights & Analytics Director, Colgate-Palmolive Company

Moderated by: Becca Jackson, Director, Brand Partnerships, Teton Ridge
5:00 PM Gen Z in Control: How the Next Generation Discovers, Engages, and Buys

Gen Z doesn’t separate content from commerce. This panel examines how younger consumers move fluidly from culture to community to checkout – and what brands must do to earn their attention and loyalty.

Laura Vogel, Luxury Portfolio Group Consultant, Proximo Spirits

Moderated by: Erin Dougherty, Senior Director, Business Development, The Trade Desk
5:30 PM Wrap