Regional Summits Media Buying Summits

Media Buying Summit

Mar 04 • Hosted by Crossmedia • New York

The Media Buying Summit brings together senior media and marketing leaders to unpack how the media buying landscape is being reshaped by AI, evolving platforms, and changing consumer behavior. Through a series of focused conversations, we’ll explore where influence is shifting, how brands are rethinking omnichannel strategy, and what the next era of media buying looks like. From budget allocation and CTV’s expanding role to building smarter, more agile media engines, the agenda is designed to deliver clear, actionable insight – not surface-level trend talk. Join us for an afternoon of strategic discussion, meaningful connection, and real-world perspectives on how media is evolving into a true growth driver for brands.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

9:00 AM Breakfast & Registration
10:10 AM Welcome Remarks

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

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

Emcee: Anne Bologna, President, Crossmedia
10:20 AM Bridging the Gap: Full-Funnel Brand & Performance Alignment

Rachel Ooms, Executive Client Director, Crossmedia

Candii Woodson-Witchard, Director of Performance Marketing – Head of Media, Herschend Family Entertainment

Moderated by: Jessica Ricaurte, Chief Revenue Officer, Adsmovil
10:45 AM Programmatic: What Matters Now

A broad look at the priorities shaping programmatic today — transparency, accountability, and results.

Jacob Davis, Executive Director, Global Head of Performance, Crossmedia

Moderated by: Ben Nichols, Senior Director, Large Advertiser Partnerships, Realize
11:10 AM The New Media Power Shift

How AI platforms, commerce ecosystems, and brand partnerships are redefining where influence lives.

Scott Decker, North America Media Strategy and Planning Lead, HP Inc.

Moderated by: Sean Mooney, Senior Director, Brand & Agency Growth, Camphouse
11:35 AM Networking Break
11:55 AM Fireside Chat: The Future of Media Buying: How Brands are Building Smarter, More Agile Media Engines

An executive level conversation on navigating global media strategy, sponsorship and brand building in a fragmented and rapidly evolving landscape.

Kalli Chapman, VP, Head of Global Media & Sponsorships, Prudential Financial

Kieran Geyer, Associate Media Director, Programmatic, Prudential Financial

Moderated by: Luis Lauer, Senior Account Director, Kargo
12:20 PM Lunch
1:20 PM From Channels to Systems: Rethinking Omnichannel Media Strategy

Media is no longer about isolated channels. This discussion explores how brands are building connected systems that unify data, creative and commerce to drive measurable growth.

Amanda Casten, Director of Retail Media, Newell Brands

Nate Ohl, Manager Paid Social Media Activation, Bayer

Alicia Reich, VP Digital Marketing, Movado

Moderated by: Harrison Silverstein, VP, Growth Marketing, Suzy
1:50 PM Where the Money Is Going: The 2026 Media Mix & Budget Shifts

A forward looking look at how marketers are reallocating budgets across retail media, CTV, performance and emerging platforms to maximize efficiency and impact.

Nelson Catarino, Vice President Media and Digital Strategy, Simon Group

Kalina Fridrich, VP, Growth & Retention , Ollie

Victoria Katsarou, Vice President of Digital Marketing and E-commerce, Ergobaby

Stephen Simonis Jr., Chief Revenue Officer, Beard Club

Moderated By: Beatriz Ribeiro, SVP of Client Success, Mediaprobe
2:25 PM Networking Game

An interactive experience designed to spark meaningful connections, fresh thinking and new partnerships across the media and brand ecosystem.
3:10 PM Turning Media Into a Growth Engine, Not a Cost Center

How leading marketers are reframing media as a strategic driver of revenue, using smarter measurement, stronger creative integration and commerce alignment to fuel business outcomes.

Allison Moore, Senior Manager, Brand Content, Nestlé Nespresso

Maha Khawaja, Senior Manager Integrated Media, Nestlé Nespresso

Moderated by: Lance Wolder, Head of Strategy and Marketing, PadSquad
3:40 PM Scale Without Sacrifice: Personalization Strategies That Perform

Personalization no longer means trade-offs. Discover how leading brands combine AI, search data, and dynamic creative to deliver tailored messaging at scale – driving stronger engagement and measurable media impact.

Sam Clarke, Managing Director Head of Search, Crossmedia

Krystle Rocci, Integrated Strategy Director, Pernod Ricard

Moderated by: Lauri Baker, Senior Vice President, Head of Partnerships, KERV.ai
4:10 PM What CMOs Expect From Media Leaders in 2026

As expectations rise, media leaders must think beyond buying and planning. Hear what today’s CMOs value most in strategic partnership, innovation and accountability heading into 2026.

Inna Kern, VP, Media Strategy and Planning, ESPN

Ryan Verklin, Paid Media & Retail Media Sr Lead, Bayer

Moderated by: Andy Lipset, CEO, Resound
4:45 PM Wrap & Happy Hour