Sports, Entertainment & Culture Summit

August 6th, 2025

• 8:45 AM Registration + Breakfast
• 9:25 AM Opening Remarks

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

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

  Gisela Germano, Chief Content and Community Officer, Brand Innovators

• 9:30 AM MassMutual’s Sports Partnership Strategy

  Inside MassMutual’s evolving approach to sports partnerships – blending community connection, cultural alignment, and brand storytelling to show up in meaningful moments.

  Lizzy Cruz, Sports Marketing & Partnerships Lead, MassMutual

  Spencer Deadrick, Head of Creative, MassMutual

  Troup Parkinson, Chief Marketing & Partnerships Officer, Boston Red Sox

  Moderated by: Melissa Capuano, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Partnerships, Audacy

• 10:00 AM The New Playbook: How Brands Are Redefining Sports Marketing

  From game-day storytelling to NIL partnerships, brands are rewriting the rules of engagement in the sports world. This session explores how marketers are tapping into culture, creator-driven strategy, and athlete alignment to build deeper, more authentic connections with fans.

  Matias Infante, VP Global Marketing, Crocs

  Mary-Kay Messier, Chief Marketing Officer, Bauer

  Moderated by: James Meyer, VP, National Sales, Captivate

• 10:25 AM From Fans to Brand Advocates: Turning Passion Into Purchase

  Fan passion is being transformed into brand loyalty through community, content, and experiences that move people from engagement to action.

  Ross Cidlowski, Director Strategy, Americas, LEGO

  Moderated by: Kate Monsalvatge, VP, Media Director, Involved Media

• 10:50 AM Networking Break
• 11:05 AM Storytelling On and Off the Field

  Sports-inspired storytelling is evolving into a powerful tool for brand building – blending cultural relevance, emotional resonance, and narrative depth across every channel.

  Shergul Arshad, Head of North America, Aston Martin Formula One Team

  Jeremy Stone, SVP Marketing & Sales, Titleist Golf Balls

  Moderated by: Melissa Levy, President, Chief Client Officer, Digitas

• 11:35 AM The Power of Partnership: How Brands Win Through Sports

  Explore how today’s most impactful brands are using sports partnerships to drive awareness, loyalty, and deeper emotional connections. From local causes to global platforms, hear how purpose and performance can align.

  Rosalie Kennedy, Director, Marketing, Athletic Brewing Co.

  Nick Macera, AVP, Marketing, Amica

  Kara Walker, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Make-A-Wish®

  Moderated by: Gil Larsen, Executive Vice President, U.S. Sales, Adlook

   

• 12:00 PM Lunch and Networking Break
• 1:00 PM Flipping the Script: What Brands Need to Show Up in Culture

  This session puts the brand in the moderator seat, asking media, platform, and agency partners how they can better support brand efforts to drive cultural relevance. From sports partnerships to entertainment integrations, the conversation will focus on what truly moves the needle and how to build more strategic, culturally aligned collaborations.

  Matt Duffy, Chief Marketing Officer, Pixability

  Bennett Nayer, Sales Director, East, Vistar

  Indy Stein, Vice President of Partnerships, Silver Tribe Media

  Moderated by: Brian Costello, Head of Owner Growth Marketing, General Motors

• 1:30 PM Fueling Fandom: Inside the Jameson x MLS Collab

  A behind-the-scenes look at how Jameson partnership with MLS is unlocking cultural connection, reaching new fanbases, and driving relevance across touchpoints.

  Cory Bildstein, VP, Partner Solutions & Insights, Major League Soccer

  Reggie Gustave, Senior Brand Manager, Jameson, Pernod Ricard

  Jonathan Moeis, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Pernod Ricard

  Moderated by: Karlyn Smith, VP, National Advertising Sales, Captivate

   

• 1:55 PM Fan Engagement in the Attention Economy

  In a world of nonstop content and fleeting attention, brands are finding new ways to break through, spark emotional connection, and earn lasting loyalty.

  Larry Fahey, Creative Director, MassMutual

  Tripp Fischer, Creative Director, MassMutual

  Moderated by: Angelique Hernandez, Vice President, Portfolio Lead, Havas Play

• 2:25 PM New Arena, New Rules: Navigating Untested Verticals

  “New Arena, New Rules” is a conversation about the mindset + challenges behind taking smart risks – exploring untested verticals not for what’s proven, but for what’s possible. It’s about exploring bold new spaces to activate for awareness or growth, even when the playbook doesn’t exist yet.

  Katie Desmond, Senior Media Manager, Headspace

  Josh Reed, Integrated Marketing Communication Lead, Quip

  David Neuman, Vice President, Analytics & Paid Social, RhythmInfluence by Nexxen

  Katie Thakur, Senior Director, Paid Media, Workhuman

  Moderated by: Tam Ngo, Senior Vice President, Business Banking Marketing, Bank of America

• 2:55 PM Networking Break
• 3:10 PM Driven by Story: How the Race Track and the Open Road Inspire Brand Connection

  Relevance moves fast, and brands need to stay ahead by showing up in the right moments, across the right platforms, with the right message.

  Ian Cohen, Head of Creative & Content, Global Communications, Ford

  Moderated by: Matt Snyder, Vice President, Sixteenth

• 3:35 PM Purpose-Driven Partnerships in Sports & Culture

  Partnerships anchored in purpose are resonating louder than ever, creating space for deeper connection, trust, and cultural impact. 

  Yelena Cashion, Global Head of Brand & Insights, Wayfair

  Dennis Duquette, Head of Community Responsibility & President of MassMutual Foundation, MassMutual

  Bekah Salwasser, Executive Vice President of Social Impact & Executive Director, Red Sox Foundation

  Kara Walker, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Make-A-Wish®

  Moderated by: Andrew Miller, Chief Growth Officer, BeenThereDoneThat

• 4:10 PM Happy Hour