Marketing Innovation Summit

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

• 8:00 AM Breakfast and Registration
• 9:00 AM Welcome

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

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

  Emcee: Sam Goldkamp, Vice President, Global Marketing Transformation, B2B, Licensing & Partnerships, McCormick & Co

• 9:15 AM Keynote

  Tabata Gomez, Chief Marketing Officer, McCormick & Co

• 9:30 AM Media Meets Flavor: How Cross-Functional Teams Activate The Forecast

  Andres Amezquita, Vice President, Digital Marketing Operations, McCormick & Co

  Julia Ballas, Director, Brand Marketing , McCormick & Co

  Giovanna DiLegge, Vice President, Marketing – US SPICE, McCormick & Co

  Erik Verleger, Sr. Director, Global Creative & Content Production, McCormick & Co

  Moderated by: Joanna Ruttner, SVP Planning Strategy, AMS

• 10:30 AM Rewiring Relevance: How AARP is Using Experience to Shift Perception and Spark Connection

  Gregg Molander, Sr. Director of Brand Experience, AARP

  Moderated by: Hunter Sparks, VP of East Coast Sales, Vevo

• 11:00 AM Fireside Chat

  Jillian Gorman, Head of Consumer Experience (CXO), Samsung Electronics America

  Moderated by: Lauren Lanzi, VP, Strategic Accounts, Suzy

• 11:30 AM Does Your Brand Run Hollow?

  This conversation isn’t about what your brand sells. It’s about what your brand says. What humanity do you bring into the world? Communities don’t need billboards—they need beacons. And here’s the tension: today, brands can’t afford to be oblivious. But being obligatory—saying something just because you have to—rings hollow. So where’s the line? Truth, or theater?

  Margot Amelia – EVP, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, National Aquarium

  Kim Bolt – Founder & CEO at Bolt Of / Former CMO at The Washington Nationals

  Mark Fine, Chief Marketing Officer, Baltimore Orioles

  Moderated  by: Brandon Rochon, Chief Creative Officer, Notorious111

• 12:15 PM Flavor Forecast

  What does the future taste like? McCormick’s Head Chef takes the stage to share the story behind this year’s Flavor Forecast—unpacking the inspirations, global influences, and emerging tastes driving innovation in kitchens worldwide. This keynote sets the stage for lunch, where you’ll experience the forecast come to life on your plate.

• 12:30 PM Lunch
• 1:30 PM Taste of Community: Building Brands People Feel Part Of

  Patrick Pho, Content Manager, Volkswagen Content Studio, Volkswagen

  Danica Sullivan, Director, Brand Marketing – Frank’s RedHot & French’s, McCormick & Co.

  Bari Tippett, Head of Social, sweetgreen

  Michael Vercelletto, VP Marketing, Pompeian

  Moderated By: Jason Weber, SVP Strategic Partnerships, Open Influence

• 2:15 PM Redefining the Ride: Amtrak’s Hospitality-Led Future

  Lisa Copeland, Vice President, Loyalty and Customer Engagement,  Amtrak

• 2:45 PM Networking Break
• 3:00 PM Spicing Up Strategy: Bridging Brand and Media Performance

  Katie Hooper, Chief Executive Officer, Notorious111

  Luis Lauer, Senior Account Director, Kargo

  Hunter Rocks, Vice President of Digital Media, Anchor Trading

  Moderated by:  Courtney Hanson, Vice President, Paid Media and Digital Marketing, Choice Hotels International

• 3:30 PM Licensing Meets Culture: Collaborations That Drive Relevance and Buzz

  Mike Hammes, Chief Operating Officer, JedCo

  Rob Johnson, Sr. Manager Licensing, McCormick & Co.

  Jasmine Palmer, Brand Communications Manager, McDonald’s

  Griffin Raasch, Director of Marketing, Chicken of the Sea International

  Raul Ruiz, Chief Marketing Officer, Lenox

  Moderated by: Hunter Sparks, VP of East Coast Sales, Vevo

   

• 4:15 PM Mixing Tradition with Trend: Reinventing Legacy Brands for Modern Consumers

  Rebecca Panico, Vice President, Global Head of Media Marketing and Loyalty, Hilton

  Moderated by: Meghan Higgins, Director, Business Development, The Trade Desk

• 4:45 PM Wrap