Mentor Session: Celena Fields (EVEN)

Celena Fields

Head of Artist Relations

With nearly a decade of experience across sports, music and entertainment, Celena Fields has emerged as a dynamic force, blending expertise with an unyielding passion for uplifting Black and Brown creatives, artists and rising executives. Her journey has spanned across streaming, a variety of brands, music labels, distribution platforms, and artist management. Celena has honed a distinct skill set, seamlessly navigating the industry's intricacies while advocating for diversity and inclusion.
Now, Celena has taken on the role of Head of Artist Relations at EVEN, leading the team's charge to bring a plethora of emerging, established and legacy artists to the platform along with developing impactful partnerships with industry leaders across distribution, label and management companies.
Prior to EVEN, Celena served as the VP of Marketing at Love Renaissance (LVRN), VP of Artist Streaming & Strategy at Human Re Sources under Sony and The Orchard and spent time at Apple Music spearheading numerous marketing campaigns for marquee emerging talent and brand partners.

Tannehill

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Mentor Session: Arnaecia Alridge (Methix)

Mentor Session: Isabella Uknis (Universal Music Publishing Group)

Mentor Session: Lauren Apolito (The Harry Fox Agency/Rumblefish )

Mentor Session: Max Christensen (Crunchy Frog/Crunchy Tunes)

Mentor Session: Noel Morrison (SiriusXM/Pandora)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Marketing/PR, Women in Music, Management, Music Tech.


XR Filmmaking Mentor Session: Katsutoshi Machiba (Cinemaleap .Inc)

Katsutoshi Machiba

Executive Producer/Director

Producer and director of XR contents. Part-time lecturer at the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. Founded "Beyond The Frame Festival," Japan's first international film festival dedicated to XR. Studied filmmaking in the U.S., TV director, Japanese producer for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan, and GearVR for Samsung Electronics Japan. He has produced numerous VR projects that have been highly acclaimed at film festivals in Japan and abroad, and has been nominated for the Venice International Film Festival's VR Competition "VENICE IMMERSIVE" for five consecutive years in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Liberty

Agents & Managers Mentor Session: Olivia Mascheroni (Verve Talent & Literary Agency)

Legal Mentor Session: Fabio de Sa Cesnik (CQS FV Law Firm)

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: RJ Millard (Obscured Pictures)

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: Traci Hanlon (Cinergy Entertainment)

Programming Mentor Session: CC Hutten (TED Conferences)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in VR/XR Filmmaking, International, Producers/Production.

XR FILMMAKING MENTOR SESSION: KATSUTOSHI MACHIBA (CINEMALEAP .INC)

Film & TV track sponsored by Crunchyroll


Mentor Session: Lia van Eyk (Steadily)

Lia van Eyk

CMO

Lia van Eyk is Chief Marketing Officer for the Austin-based Series C insurtech brand, Steadily. Previously, Lia was Head of Marketing for Canadian home and auto insurtech startup, Onlia, winning a Canadian Marketing Award for the 2020 Onlia Brand Launch Campaign. Prior roles include Global Social Media Marketing with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Agency PR for clients Victoria’s Secret, Rimowa, EXPRESS, among others. Lia is a member of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) CMO Global Growth Council and was one of 100 CMO's selected for the Institute for Real Growth (2024).

Room 400-402

Mentor Session: Ali Tager (National Cryptocurrency Association)

Mentor Session: Aniesia Williams (dreambloc)

Mentor Session: Avantika Bagri (Centana Growth Partners)

Mentor Session: Brittan Heller (Stanford Law School)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Marketing/Advertising/PR, Content Strategy/Production, Fintech.

Brand & Marketing track sponsored by Youtube


Mentor Session: Tiago Pereira (Radancy)

Tiago Pereira

Customer Success Director

I have over 20 years of experience in marketing, branding, employer branding, and communications working in different sectors, such as retail, oil & gas, and technology. Currently, I am a Customer Success Director at Radancy - the leading global employer branding agency and HR Tech - responsible for managing key accounts in Latin America and developing employer branding strategies for prominent companies, such as Itaú, PepsiCo and Baxter. I am also the co-founder of Oddly Experience, a company focused on creating immersive, insightful and fun programmes for executives within technology and innovation ecosystems and events. Since 2023, Oddly has brought over 50 HR leaders to SXSW, providing exclusive journeys with preparation and mentoring pre-event, content curation, reports and downloads.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Future of Work, Marketing/Advertising/PR.

Workplace track sponsored by University of Cincinnati


Mentor Session: Anurag Bajpayee (Gradiant)

Anurag Bajpayee

Ceo And Co-Founder

Anurag Bajpayee is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gradiant, the first unicorn in the water industry. Under his leadership, Gradiant has grown from an MIT startup into a global leader in water and wastewater solutions-transforming how critical industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, renewables, and mining, manage and reuse water. Guided by Gradiant’s purpose to ensure water for generations to come, Anurag has built a company that saves 6.5 billion liters of fresh water every day. His pioneering research in desalination and industrial water treatment laid the foundation for Gradiant, where he continues to innovate at the intersection of business, science, and sustainability to solve the world’s most important water challenges. Anurag earned his master’s and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning.

MENTOR SESSION: ANURAG BAJPAYEE (GRADIANT)


Mentor Session: Kevin Breuner (BandLab Technologies)

Kevin Breuner

Head of Artist Development & Education

Kevin Breuner, currently serving as the Head of Artist Development & Education at BandLab Technologies, brings over 25 years of experience in the music industry. His career encompasses roles both as a recording artist with the Atlanta-based band Smalltown Poets and as an industry professional. With Smalltown Poets, the band has sold 300,000 albums, received a Grammy nomination, and produced ten Top 10 radio hits, including two #1 songs. Additionally, Kevin’s music has been featured by Peacock, ABC, the NFL, and the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Previously, Kevin played a pivotal role in marketing at CD Baby and developed the DIY Musician brand, focusing on content for musicians. Now at BandLab Technologies, he is dedicated to advancing new opportunities in creator development.

Tannehill

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Mentor Session: Arnaecia Alridge (Methix)

Mentor Session: Isabella Uknis (Universal Music Publishing Group)

Mentor Session: Lauren Apolito (The Harry Fox Agency/Rumblefish )

Mentor Session: Max Christensen (Crunchy Frog/Crunchy Tunes)

Mentor Session: Noel Morrison (SiriusXM/Pandora)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in A&R, Distribution, Education, Marketing/PR, Sync/Licensing, Touring.

MENTOR SESSION: KEVIN BREUNER (BANDLAB TECHNOLOGIES)


Mentor Session: Ellen Kiss (Nubank)

Ellen Kiss

Design Director & Expertise Lead

Ellen Kiss is a distinguished design leader with over 25 years of experience in digital design, product development, and innovation. As Design Director at Nubank, one or the world’s largest digital banking with 115 million clients, she drives user-centric products that impact business growth and deliver exceptional customer experiences. With a strong background in UX, UI, and design thinking, she has successfully led cross-functional teams in both global and startup environments, shaping innovative solutions that resonate with millions of users. A respected voice in the industry, Ellen frequently shares her insights on design leadership, product innovation, and digital transformation at universities, industry conferences, and events.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Future of Work, Product Management/Development, Business Development.


Mentor Session: Max Ferguson (Score a Score)

Max Ferguson

Senior Creative Manager - Sync Licensing, Artist Development, Catalog Strategy

Max Ferguson is a Senior Creative Manager at Score a Score, where he leads high-impact music initiatives for global brands and heads the company’s flagship mood music catalog, the Aura Collection. With a background in music business and a focus on emotionally-driven audio, he collaborates with artists, clients, and platforms to create music that’s both purposeful and effective. His work includes overseeing music production for Super Bowl campaigns, developing long-term artist growth strategies, leading audio projects for brands like Apple, Google, Disney, and LinkedIn, and curating content for wellness leaders like Calm and major DSPs including Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Health & Wellness, Sync/Licensing.

MENTOR SESSION: MAX FERGUSON (SCORE A SCORE)


Emily Tedards

PhD student, organizational behavior

Emily Tedards is a graduate researcher in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School and a doctoral fellow with the Reimagining the Economy Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School. She is co-author of “Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation” (March 2026), along with HBS professor Linda A. Hill and Jason Wild, former Salesforce and Microsoft executive.
Tedards studies cross-sector collaboration, organizational design and innovation. Her research examines how business, government and civil society actors collaborate to solve complex problems – from local economic development and climate change to the transformation of industries and nations. Tedards has published over 20 case studies and articles on leadership, innovation ecosystems, digital transformation, and corporate accelerators and innovation labs. She has collaborated with multinational companies, start-ups and non-profits across the globe, including Comcast NBC Universal, Delta Air Lines, Google, Mastercard, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Financial Centre, African Food Changemakers, Sampark Foundation, All Nippon Airways, avatarin and Together for Sustainability.

Tedards is currently a senior consultant at Paradox Strategies and has served as a research consultant for the United Nations, Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness and several non-profits and think tanks. She studied liberal studies and philosophy at New York University and earned her MSc from the London School of Economics.

Linda A. Hill

Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration

Salon A

The Creative Power of Letting Go: Why Quitting Can Be Your Biggest Breakthrough

Charmageddon: Robots That Steal Hearts and Jobs

Shortchanged: Gen Z, the Economy, and Brands

SWIFTYNOMICS: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy

Amid relentless technological disruption, global uncertainty and shifting work norms, most leaders know innovation is essential. But few know how to switch from generating bold ideas to scaling them across complex systems and industries. According to Harvard Business School professor Linda A. Hill, one of the world’s foremost experts on leadership and innovation, the answer is clear: innovation isn’t a solo act, but a collective one.

Drawing on her new book, “Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation,” as well as a decade of global research with co-authors Jason Wild and Emily Tedards, Hill introduces three critical roles that enable leaders to turn ideas into impact. Identifying the roles as the Architect, who builds culture and capacilites for co-creation; the Bridger, who facilitates partnerships across organizational boundaries; and the Catalyst, who sparks movements that sustain innovation at scale, Hill and Tedards demonstrate how leaders can harness digital tools, data and cross-sector collaboration to scale innovation and impact.

Through powerful case studies spanning industries from technology to healthcare to hospitality, Hill demonstrates how leaders can harness digital tools, data and cross-sector collaboration to transform experimentation into execution. Leaders leave this session equipped with actionable frameworks and a renewed understanding of how to build environments where creativity thrives, collaboration flourishes and innovation becomes everyone’s job.

GENIUS AT SCALE: HOW GREAT LEADERS DRIVE INNOVATION


XR Filmmaking Mentor Session: Doede Holtkamp (ARVORE Immersive)

Doede Holtkamp

Business Operations Lead

Doede Holtkamp is an Emmy® Award-winning XR producer, business developer, and consultant with 10 years experience in the immersive technology space. Since early 2019, He serves as the Business Operations Lead at ARVORE Immersive, a renowned Brazilian XR studio celebrated for its award-winning work in games and narratives. At ARVORE, Doede is responsible for shaping distribution/publishing strategies, creating business opportunities, and driving internal company growth. Simultaneously, Doede also plays a different role in the global immersive industry. He oversees and co-curates the co-production market at Venice Immersive, part of the Venice Film Festival. In this capacity, he facilitates international collaborations and helps foster investments in immersive content creation. Additionally, he advises leading festivals, funds, and development labs such as Biennale College VR, IFFR, Immersive Tech Week, IDFA, Nederlands Filmfonds, Stimuleringsfonds, and TAICCA.

Liberty

Agents & Managers Mentor Session: Olivia Mascheroni (Verve Talent & Literary Agency)

Legal Mentor Session: Fabio de Sa Cesnik (CQS FV Law Firm)

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: RJ Millard (Obscured Pictures)

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: Traci Hanlon (Cinergy Entertainment)

Programming Mentor Session: CC Hutten (TED Conferences)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in VR/XR Filmmaking, International, "Sales, Acquisitions, & Distribution".

XR FILMMAKING MENTOR SESSION: DOEDE HOLTKAMP (ARVORE IMMERSIVE)


Mentor Session: Fiona Dolan (Open Management)

Fiona Dolan

Manager

Fiona Dolan is an NYC-based manager hailing from Bend, Oregon. After graduation from UC Santa Barbara with a major in Communications, she began her career in publishing, gaining a strong foundation of rights management, story-telling, and long-term strategy. in 2023, she joined Open Management as the third employee - applying that experience to building sustainable, artist-first careers. Since then, have worked on artists including Mt. Joy, Susannah Joffe, Chaparelle, Zella Day, and more.

Tannehill

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Mentor Session: Arnaecia Alridge (Methix)

Mentor Session: Isabella Uknis (Universal Music Publishing Group)

Mentor Session: Lauren Apolito (The Harry Fox Agency/Rumblefish )

Mentor Session: Max Christensen (Crunchy Frog/Crunchy Tunes)

Mentor Session: Noel Morrison (SiriusXM/Pandora)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Management, Women in Music, Marketing/PR.

MENTOR SESSION: FIONA DOLAN (OPEN MANAGEMENT)


Breaking a Band in 2026: The Girl Tones Blueprint

Nicole Rich

Director Of Streaming

Nicole Rich was born in Chicago and is currently based in Los Angeles. She began her career in music at just 13 years old, creating a Justin Bieber fan Twitter account that grew to over 26,000 followers and became her entry point into the industry. Through early networking and hands-on experience, Nicole built a multifaceted background spanning live events (ScoreMore Shows), publicity (Columbia Records), artist management (Red Light Management), distribution and label services (AWAL), and college marketing and radio promotion (in2une Music).
Over the past two and a half years, Nicole has served as Director of Promotion and Publicity, and most recently as Director of Streaming, at Big Loud Rock – the alternative and rock imprint of Big Loud Records. In this role, she has overseen promotion strategy across radio, press, and now streaming platforms, working closely with artists including HARDY, Jagwar Twin, Dexter and The Moonrocks, Dogpark, Edgehill, Liam St. John, Girl Tones, mercury, and more.
A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Public Relations, Nicole brings a fan-first perspective and a deep understanding of modern music marketing to every project. With experience across nearly every corner of the music ecosystem, her career reflects a lifelong passion for artists and building sustainable careers.

Daniel Oakley

Co-Founder

Daniel Oakley is the Co-Founder of Parallel Vision, an indie label (in partnership with Big Loud Rock) developing next-gen artists through a content-led, artist-first model. A two-decade music and marketing veteran, he helped launch Beats Music/Apple Music (content partnerships; global culture marketing) and built creator programs and experiential moments at Spotify (including the Best New Artist showcase surrounding Grammys). Previously at Sony, Warner and UTA, Daniel also leads BTFL, a partnerships and coaching practice that connects talent/brand deals and produces immersive experiences. Nashville-raised & LA-based, he operates at the intersection of music, tech, and culture to scale artist development and music IP.

Laila Crowe

Background Vocals & Drums

Girl Tones, of planet Earth, are a high-energy rock duo brought to life by two sisters named Kenzie and
Laila. Both classically trained musicians, Kenzie transitioned from cello to guitar and Laila from piano to
drums in an effort to electrify sentient beings from this galaxy to the next. Their debut releases were
produced by Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant and released via his label Parallel Vision in partnership
with Big Loud Rock.
Their first offerings have earned the praise of Rolling Stone, VICE, Consequence, PAPER, NME, DORK and
many others with Flaunt saying, “Their sound is fluid, and yet with each release, they evolve as a
harmonious group, developing their unique sound as one.”
In their short but mighty existence, the duo has become synonymous with riotous live shows. Girl Tones
has toured with Cage The Elephant across the globe, as well as The Velveteers, hey, nothing. and
Silversun Pickups across North America. Making their unignorable festival debut at Lollapalooza this
summer, Rolling Stone said, “While the White Stripes — their most obvious comparison — were about
controlled energy, Girl Tones are proudly imperfect.”
The coming months will see more new music, including the release of the upcoming single “Cherry
Picker.” The band can also be seen on tour dates alongside Silversun Pickups and Cage The Elephant, as
well as upcoming festival performances at Shaky Knees, Austin City Limits, 97x’s Next Big Thing and
Legends and more.

Kenzie Shultz

Lead Vocals & Guitar

Capitol Ballroom E

Tour Support 2.0: How Mental Health is Reshaping Live Music

From Streams to Strategy: The Label Services Evolution

Rock’s Biggest Promoter on the Future of Festivals

Music Nostalgia: The Secret Weapon in Modern Advertising

What does it actually take to break a new act in 2026, without a legacy playbook?

This session brings together Girl Tones (sister duo Kenzie & Laila), Daniel Oakley, co-founder of the indie label Parallel Vision (with Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant and Darren Potuck), and Nicole Rich, Director of Streaming at Big Loud Rock, Parallel Vision’s label partner, for a candid, tactical walkthrough of a modern artist-development model.

BREAKING A BAND IN 2026: THE GIRL TONES BLUEPRINT


XR Filmmaking Mentor Session: Vanessa Lawand Pfeiffer (Agog)

Vanessa Lawand Pfeiffer

Community Strategy & Engagement Manager

With over 15 years of experience in film & TV, music, gaming, and digital content, Vanessa is dedicated to fostering community, meaningful connections, and social impact through media and entertainment. As Agog’s Community Strategy & Engagement Manager, she brings together change-makers, creators, and thinkers to inspire collaboration through immersive storytelling. Previously, Vanessa served as Director of Equity & Inclusion at Warner Bros. Discovery, leading talent pipeline programs in animation, games, VFX, and creative tech. Originally from Montreal and now based in Los Angeles, Vanessa blends her deep industry expertise with a commitment to representation, innovation, and sustainable impact.

Executive Room

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: Jenny Bloom (Bloomerang PR)

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: Lisa Trifone (Bright Iris Film Co.)

Publicity and Marketing Mentor Session: Maddy Bilder (26 Keys Productions)

Programming Mentor Session: Boram Park (Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival)

Programming Mentor Session: Haojie Huang (Kaohsiung Film Festival)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Development, Doc Filmmakers, Funding/Artist Support, Narrative Filmmakers, Producers/Production, Publicity & Marketing, VR/XR Filmmaking.

XR FILMMAKING MENTOR SESSION: VANESSA LAWAND PFEIFFER (AGOG)


Smart Talks Live: Brewing Smarter with HEINEKEN and IBM

Malcolm Gladwell

Bestselling Author & Podcaster

Malcolm Gladwell is co-founder of Pushkin Industries and host of hit podcasts like Revisionist History and Smart Talks with IBM. He is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of several New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Outliers, David and Goliath, Talking to Strangers, and The Bomber Mafia.

Surajeet Ghosh

Chief AI Officer

Surajeet Ghosh is currently the Chief AI Officer at Heineken International, and has been
leading the Global AI Capability in Heineken. The Global AI team has now embedded several
high impact AI products scaled across multiple operating companies that aim to optimize our
business processes across Global Functions - Supply Chain, Commerce, Finance,
Procurement
Prior Heineken, Surajeet was working for Amazon EU in Luxembourg where he first led the
Data Science team for Amazon Books (also covering e-books (Kindle)) and later on, led the
Commercial Data Science team for Amazon Prime Video, its streaming service for movies
and TV series.
Before his roles in Europe, Surajeet was based in the US for 16 years, first completing his
Doctorate degree from UIOWA, followed by working in various capacities (all in the analytics
domain) in Consulting and Finance firms in Florida. In his last role before relocation to
Europe, he was leading the Quantitative Risk Management Team for a mortgage banking
firm.
Throughout his career, Surajeet’s mission has been to empower businesses with data-driven
insights, which create value for consumers, customers, vendors, and the organization itself.

How is HEINEKEN transforming itself into the world’s best‑connected brewer? Malcolm Gladwell and HEINEKEN’s Chief AI Officer, Surajeet Ghosh, sit down for a live episode of Smart Talks with IBM podcast to explore how the company is using data, AI and strong partnerships to create better experiences for customers and consumers worldwide. Hear how HEINEKEN is modernizing its digital backbone, empowering its people, and unlocking new ways to innovate in the future of beer.

SMART TALKS LIVE: BREWING SMARTER WITH HEINEKEN AND IBM


Sports Marketing & the World's Most-Watched Sporting Event

William Bradley

Deputy Editor TV, Media, Sports

As a Deputy Editor at ADWEEK, WILLIAM BRADLEY leads the TV and sports coverage for one of the leading media/trade brands in the industry. With more than three years of experience in this role, he has developed a strong expertise in managing a team of writers, creating editorial calendars, assigning stories, editing coverage, hosting panels, writing news and features, and posting newsletters. He also leverages his skills in content production, editing, and online advertising to deliver high-quality content that engages and informs ADWEEK's audience.

Caroline Clayton

Svp, Communications And Chief Marketing Officer

Caroline Clayton is the Senior Vice President of Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at American Airlines, where she leads global marketing, brand strategy, communications, and digital engagement. Since joining American in 2014, Clayton has played a key role in shaping how the airline connects with customers and employees, helping to strengthen the brand’s reputation and storytelling as it approaches its 100th anniversary. Before stepping into her current role, she served as Vice President of Communications and Marketing, overseeing corporate reputation and strategic messaging. Clayton’s earlier career includes leadership roles at Weber Shandwick, where she managed communications for major national and global brands across industries.

Known for her strategic vision and collaborative leadership, Clayton brings deep expertise in integrating marketing and communications to drive commercial impact and build customer trust. She is passionate about developing authentic brand narratives that reflect American’s values and commitment to service. A graduate of Texas Christian University, Clayton holds dual bachelor’s degrees in International Advertising & Public Relations and English Literature. Based in Dallas, she continues to guide American Airlines’ marketing and communications through a dynamic era for aviation and brand engagement.

Attica Alexis Jaques

Chief Marketing Officer, U.s.

As Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. at Ancestry, Attica Alexis Jaques leads with a deep belief in the power of storytelling to drive connection, growth, and cultural relevance. From launching transformative partnerships like Ancestry x Wrexham AFC with Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, to delivering impactful integrated campaigns across brand and performance media that unlock potential and fuel business performance.

With over 20 years of experience in global marketing, Attica is a results-driven, people centered executive leader who has successfully led brand & consumer marketing for some of the most recognized brands in the world, including Google, Under Armour, Gap and PRADA. She has a proven record of delivering positive financial performance, growth through digital transformation, innovation, inspiring creativity, and building high-growth businesses across multiple channels and regions.

As a Board Director and Advisor, Attica leverages her expertise in brand building, marketing and governance, support founders and executive teams and shareholders. She also brings her strengths in team leadership, integrated marketing planning, consumer insights, and digital strategy to help the company grow its brand awareness, customer loyalty, and business performance. Additionally, she is a fierce advocate of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and served as an executive sponsor for DEI initiatives at Google and Under Armour.

Waterloo Ballroom 4-6

The B Word: How to Get Creative with Marketing Budget

Meet Gen Alpha: Defying Predictions & Rewiring Marketing

Launching the Ultimate, Research-Driven Creative Power Playbook

Pride Preview '26: Marketers, LGBTQ+ & Where We Go From Here

The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event & ultimate proving ground for brands ready to think beyond borders & traditional playbooks. Yet, we persist in approaching this once-every-four-years opportunity with tired strategies. It's not about slapping logos on jerseys; it's about cultural fluency at scale. The next cycle brings unprecedented viewing fragmentation, creator-driven content & fans expecting authentic engagement across 20+ markets simultaneously. ADWEEK's William Bradley and top CMOs explore how to revolutionize global sports marketing for the next World Cup.

SPORTS MARKETING & THE WORLD'S MOST-WATCHED SPORTING EVENT


Making a Vision Pro Documentary: "D-Day: The Camera Soldier"

Victor Agulhon

CEO/Producer

Victor Agulhon is an Emmy®-nominated immersive producer and founder of TARGO, building next-generation non-fiction using real-time engines, 3D reconstruction, and mixed reality.

Matthew O'rourke

Executive Producer

Primetime Emmy®-nominated producer and creative executive specializing in immersive content development and production. Skilled in leveraging AI, VR/AR, and gaming technologies to craft engaging experiences. Demonstrated success in managing multimillion-dollar budgets, driving revenue growth in emerging sectors, and forging robust partnerships with high-profile clients and IP stakeholders.

Chloé Rochereuil

Co-founder/Chief Creative Officer

Chloé Rochereuil is an Emmy-nominated and multi award-winning director using immersive and interactive technologies to craft compelling non-fiction stories.

Pennybacker

Busting Myths: Why Virtual Production Isn’t What You Think

Unscripted Gold: Turning Real Life into Global Hits

Audible Dimensions: Expanding Story Through Spatial Audio

From Niche to Noticed: New Paths for Indie Films

This session dives into the making of "D-Day: The Camera Soldier", a documentary built from the ground up for Vision Pro.

From technical breakthroughs in video, 3D, and interaction design to the creative vision that brought it to life, hear directly from TIME, TARGO, and the team behind the project—tracing the journey from initial concept to distribution on Vision Pro.

MAKING A VISION PRO DOCUMENTARY: "D-DAY: THE CAMERA SOLDIER"


Film & TV Audience and Community Building Meet Up

David Mcmichael

Co-Founder

David M. is an Austin-based writer, film programmer, dad, and co-founder of Hyperreal Film Club, a non-profit dedicated to building community around film and supporting up-and-coming Austin filmmakers

Whitis

Make it in Texas! Film, TV and Digital Media Meet Up

Women in Film & Televison Austin Hosts Connect & Collaborate

Latine/x Voices in Film: Creatives Meet-Up!

After 8 years on the road as a pop-up screening outfit, Austin’s Hyperreal Film Club put down roots at their single-screen theater in East Austin. Now a year-and-a-half into the experiment, join the creators of the club to talk lessons learned (so far!), meet other indie filmmakers to talk about creative exhibition opportunities and strategies; and dream up new ways to use film programming and community building to create the film community you've always imagined.

FILM & TV AUDIENCE AND COMMUNITY BUILDING MEET UP


Stop Playing Nice: Brand Safety Is Killing Your Business

Andrew Warden

Chief Marketing Officer

Andrew serves as Semrush’s Chief Marketing Officer since 2021 and leads a team of over 150 global marketing and communications professionals. Andrew has a track record in building and optimizing global marketing functions from the ground up. He has lived and worked in some 20+ countries, with a primary focus on digital marketing and digital transformation. Prior to Semrush, he held CMO roles and led global marketing functions at UnitedLex, SoftServe, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), GfK, and more.

Waterloo Ballroom 3

Hsu Untied: Beyond Numbers: Decision-Making in the Math Classroom

The Learning Geeks: How to Think When Machines Think Faster

Chalk & Gavel: Navigating the Tides of an Education Law Sea Change

Beyond Voting: Defending Truth in Education: AI, Equity, & Power

Forget Moments Marketing: Welcome to Worldbuilding

In an AI-driven world, mediocre is invisible. With access to the same tools, budgets, and tech, only bold, resonant, and risky content cuts through. Safe marketing and SEO-optimized blogs won’t win visibility anymore—because AI doesn’t rank what’s average; it ranks what connects. Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush, reveals why even top marketers are struggling to break through in generative search—and what it takes to truly earn attention when LLMs are the new gatekeepers. Learn how to ditch the illusion of “safe” and unlock real visibility in an era where the algorithm is no longer your ally.

STOP PLAYING NICE: BRAND SAFETY IS KILLING YOUR BUSINESS


Powerful AI, Terrible UX:  Designing a Smarter UX

Maureen Little

SVP Partnerships & Ecosystem

Maureen Little is WRITER's first Senior Vice President of Partnerships & Ecosystem. With nearly three decades of experience scaling strategic partner ecosystems for global SaaS leaders, Little will rapidly expand WRITER's strategic alliances with the global systems integrators (GSIs), technology partners, and infrastructure providers that have helped its agent platform become the industry standard in delivering fast ROI. Leading WRITER's global partnerships team, she will fuel WRITER's growth and customer success by broadening commercial access and embedding WRITER technology deeper into the core systems enterprises rely on.

Sara Fischer

Media Correspondent

Sara is the media correspondent at Axios. She is the author of the weekly Axios Media Trends newsletter and covers breaking news and analysis about the industry. Sara also is a contributor and analyst for CNN.

Carla Guzzetti

Chief Product Officer, Cloud Applications

Carla Guzzetti has consistently defied industry norms, rising from an unconventional start in communication studies to a leadership role at Extreme Networks, one of the top three companies leading the cloud-managed networking market. She leads a team of 100 innovators responsible for delivering customer experience insights, UX/UI development, and global cloud/SaaS product strategy. Her superpower is simplifying the complex language and workflow of networking tech—creating more streamlined and satisfying user experiences across stadiums, schools, businesses, and beyond. Carla co-produced the first digital banner ad, advised Amazon and Facebook, led sales for Lonely Planet and Village Voice, and co-founded Design Duality. She lives in Seattle with her husband.

Salon D

Designing the Future of Human Performance

The Companies Building and Automating Space's Superhighway

What AI Agents Are Doing While You're Not Watching

The New Lab Partner: AI and Future Scientific Discovery

Humanoid Robots Are Clocking In: Meet Who’s Putting Them To Work

Enterprise AI is getting more powerful, but for many users it still feels slow, awkward, and hard to trust. The problem is rarely the model or the data. It is the experience. Too many tools rely on chat interfaces that add cognitive load, cause prompt fatigue, and fail in high pressure workflows. This session explores why enterprise AI UX keeps breaking down and how cognitive design can reduce friction, rebuild trust, and make AI fit how people actually work.

POWERFUL AI, TERRIBLE UX:  DESIGNING A SMARTER UX


Designing For Human Connection in Vertical Cities

Eran Chen

Founder

Since establishing ODA in 2007, Eran Chen has earned a reputation for mold-breaking designs that will deliver a better urban future. Having completed more than 50 buildings in just over a decade, he has become one of the most prolific architects in New York. Chen's work has been widely published around the world and recognized by the AIA, the Society of American Registered Architects and others. In addition to guest lecturing globally, Eran is also an Adjunct Professor at both Columbia University and New York University.

His recent projects include the renovation of the former Postkantoor in Rotterdam, an urban plan in Chicago, and the conversion of a defunct parking garage into a public park and class A office building in Buenos Aires.

Room 201-202

Rewriting the Rules of Business: A Guide to Purpose & Profit

The Geography of Prosperity: A New Map for Resilient Cities

Saving Monarchs With Machine Learning and Computer Vision

Where Climate Science Meets Industry Innovation

What if buildings were designed not just around structure or code, but around human experience? As cities are constantly evolving, architect Eran Chen shares how architecture contributes to the built environment to benefit its community. Two of the guiding principles for his design philosophy, “form follows experience” and “porosity leads to prosperity,” are carried to ODA’s projects worldwide. The session will explore how an experience-centric approach can redefine design globally to create urban environments that challenge the boundaries of conventional structure and improve engagement.

DESIGNING FOR HUMAN CONNECTION IN VERTICAL CITIES


Lies My Creative Director Told Me: Myths of the Agency World

Valerie Carlson

Global Chief Creative Officer

Valerie is the Global Chief Creative Officer at Critical Mass, an agency with 11 offices worldwide. She leads the disciplines of experience, design, and content, including work in the areas of brand, creative strategy, visual-system design, online advertising and marketing programs, social, gaming, applications, film, and mixed reality. She is passionate about mentoring and retaining top talent, creating industry-leading national apprentice programs, and serving on diversity and inclusion boards. She collaborates with teams and clients to deliver unique brand experiences that are driven by human insights, data, and innovation. She strives to create strategic solutions that deliver a real return on investment and make a positive difference in the world.

Phil Golub

SVP Experience Design, Americas

Phil is an award-winning Experience Design leader who thrives at the intersection of empathy, capability, and delivery, where customer relationships are positively transformed and value is unlocked at speed, scale, and precision. A designer at heart, he partners closely with researchers, engineers, and product managers to create systems at scale, with human-centered thinking at the core.

He believes in the combined power of experience, strategy, and technology to conceive and construct experiences, services, and content that create measurable value for brands, transform how companies interact with their customers, and improve people’s lives.

Fura Johannesdottir

Global Chief Creative Officer

Fura Jóhannesdóttir serves as the Global Chief Creative Officer at Interbrand. With extensive experience in brand excellence, Fura leads Interbrand’s global creative community at a moment of critical and significant growth for the agency, overseeing design, experience and digital divisions across The Americas, EMEA and Asia. Reporting to Interbrand’s Global CEO, Gonzalo Brujó, she is part of Interbrand’s Global Executive Leadership Team.

Barry Fiske

CXO, Global Experience & Innovation

Barry is a senior Experience Transformation Leader and Chief Creative Officer with a passion for helping brands elevate their customer relationships and transform their customer experience through innovative combinations of technology and design. His global creative experience teams deliver Connected Commerce, Product Innovation, Service Design, Performance Marketing and Orchestrated Services to help clients seize every competitive advantage digital can provide. As an advocate for Lean Start-Up and Agile Design Thinking, he believes in the combined power of technology and design to transform people’s lives, create immense value for brands, and solve the world’s biggest problems

Waller Ballroom C

From TikTok to Toolbelt: Preparing Gen Z for Work

Higher Ed's Losing Global Talent & the Bill Is Coming Due

It Takes a Region: Cybersecurity Pathways in Rural Alabama

Rethinking Discovery Algorithms for the Creator Economy

Join some of the most senior creative leaders from four of the most successful digital design agencies in the world as they discuss the current existential moment for creativity and innovation in agencies. They will discuss the current state of creative agencies, including how AI, emerging technologies, and ever-evolving client expectations are fundamentally reshaping the industry, and how they are reshaping their teams and how work gets done. Discover what's irrevocably changing, what remains constant, and perhaps even unearth a few trade secrets along the way.

LIES MY CREATIVE DIRECTOR TOLD ME: MYTHS OF THE AGENCY WORLD


The People's LAB: AI, Storytelling & the Future from Queens

Loren Hammonds

Head of Documentary

Loren Hammonds is a Peabody Award-winning and Emmy nominated producer and curator of Film, Television, and Immersive work. A NYC native who has worked in the film & entertainment industry for over 20 years, he is Head of Documentary at TIME Studios.

Aziz Isham

Executive Director

Nonprofit leader and Executive Producer with a track-record of entrepreneurial leadership, building and managing diverse, creative teams, leading media organizations, fundraising, product launch and content strategy. Emmy and Webby award-winning producer with a background in mission-based features, documentary, interactive, local journalism and podcasting.

Jasmin Askew

Program Manager

Program Manager Jasmin Askew brings over a decade of experience in social impact marketing, program development, and strategic partnerships. Before joining Agog, she led Unity for Humanity, championing XR creators using immersive technology for positive change. During her time at Unity, she also consulted for Black Terminus AR, advancing accessibility in XR creation. Previously, she worked at Black Hat to promote inclusivity and sustainability in cybersecurity. She also volunteers with Change to Come, supporting families in Oakland, California. At Agog, Jasmin continues her mission of harnessing emerging technology to drive community empowerment and capability enhancement.

Gabo Arora

Founder And Inaugural Director, Momi Lab

Gabo Arora is a world renowned multi-award winning immersive artist, professor, entrepreneur and former UN diplomat who works with the most cutting-edge emerging technologies, including virtual and augmented reality, to tell some of the most important stories of our time. Widely recognized as a pioneer of new documentary formats, his work, part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), has been described by the BBC and LA Times, amongst many others, as “game changing”, “powerful, moving and without precedent”, and “transcending all the typical barriers of rectangular cinema.”

Salon D

Who’s Funding the Future—and Who’s Getting Left Out

Thrive or Survive: Why Creativity is the Key to an AI-Future

The Story of Stories—The Million Year History of Storytelling

Skills You’ll Need To Succeed in the Post-AI Age

Through the Noise: The State of Science Storytelling

What if the next great tech lab wasn’t in Silicon Valley—but in Queens? This panel explores how cultural institutions like the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) — the first museum in the U.S. dedicated to the moving image—can lead public innovation. MoMI LAB, a bold new initiative, puts artists and storytellers at the center of exploring how AI, XR, and emerging tools can shape more ethical, imaginative civic futures. In one of the world’s most diverse communities, artists, technologists, and funders are working to shape technology around public values—not private gain.

PEOPLE'S LAB: AI, STORYTELLING & THE FUTURE FROM QUEENS


Pokémon Meet Up: Trainers, Creators & Fans Unite!

Wilzon Marinero

Appraiser III

Wilzon has been a passionate Pokémon fan since the franchise’s debut, with a lifelong love for its games, stories, and community. As a dedicated Trainer and creative enthusiast, they bring years of fandom experience to every conversation—celebrating how Pokémon connects people across generations and inspires imagination around the world.

Brazos

More Analog, Less Noise Please: City Builders Meet Up

Understanding Crypto: Conversations for the Curious Meet Up

Calling all Trainers! From Kanto to Paldea, this high-energy Pokémon Meet Up is your chance to connect, cosplay, and geek out over everything Pokémon. Whether you're a day-one fan, a content creator, or just Poké-curious, join us for a fun, inclusive space to trade stories, show off projects, and celebrate the game that captured the world. Let’s unite, evolve, and catch some unforgettable memories together!

POKEMON MEET UP: TRAINERS, CREATORS & FANS UNITE!


Intelligence on Tap: Designing the Frontier Firm

Jacob Marquez

Staff Ai Scientist

Jacob H. Marquez has a comparable curiosity for both creativity and technology. He spent the past 10+ years of his career building data and AI systems for Microsoft and startups. Through his courses at DataCamp, he has helped 20,000 students learn the foundations of data and applying AI to solve problems.

Matthew Duncan

Head of Future of Work

As a futurist and thought leader of Microsoft's Future of Work initiative, Matthew explores how AI can amplify human potential and enable people to work in smarter, faster, and in more creative ways.  He envisions a future of possibilities for businesses to reimage every process and deliver unique value and innovation with agentic technology. His team delivers the award-nominated WorkLab and produces the Work Trend Index, the leading barometer of work worldwide.

Salon AB

Two Futurists and an AI: Seeing Trouble Ahead

How We Could Lose Control: Avoiding the Paths to Runaway AI

U.S. vs. The World: the Future We’re (Currently) Losing

The Clock Is Ticking for Space – Replacing the ISS

Can Media Survive AI? The Fight for Public Trust

Welcome to the era of intelligence on demand. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index introduces the Frontier Firm: built on abundant AI, where digital agents aren’t tools, they’re teammates. While some fear AI replacing jobs, the real risk is ignoring it. With 80% of employees maxed out and 82% of leaders betting on AI, the question isn’t if you’ll use digital labor, it’s how. Frontier Firms are rethinking org charts, hiring AI trainers, and managing human-agent ratios like headcount. This is your blueprint for building a business where AI scales work and where human judgment stays at the center.

INTELLIGENCE ON TAP: DESIGNING THE FRONTIER FIRM


Leading with Both Sides: The Business-Creative Hyphenate

Shannon Nash

Board Director, Podcast Host and Former Tech CFO

Shannon Nash is a CFO, public company board director, CPA, and attorney with deep experience across tech, finance, and operations. She serves on the boards of NetScout Systems, SoFi Bank, and Lazy Dog Restaurants. Formerly CFO of Wing (an Alphabet company), she led global finance, operations, and strategy for its drone delivery unit. She was also CFO of Reputation.com and Inside Source and held roles at Amgen in the U.S. and Switzerland. Shannon began her career at Cooley LLP and KPMG LLP. A creative as well, she is an award-winning filmmaker (Colored My Mind, OnBoard) and host of No Boxes: Just Verses, a video podcast where leaders share life lessons through music. A University of Virginia alum, she earned a BS in Accounting and a JD from UVA Law School.

Kristina Libby

Founder, Fractional Chief Communications Officer and Former Chief Marketing Officer

Kristina Libby is a NYC-based storyteller, writer, and tech executive best known for founding the Floral Heart Project, a national COVID-19 memorial initiative that earned her recognition as a Hero of 2022.  Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Elle, Salon, and more. She’s co-created award-winning TV pilots and produced a one-woman show. Formerly CMO and Chief Science Officer at AI firm Hypergiant, she now works as a fractional Chief Communications Officer and co-founder of The Cohort, a community for creative executives. She also led consumer PR at Microsoft, taught at NYU and the University of Florida, ran a social media agency, and worked on USAID’s Food for Peace program. She holds degrees from Dalhousie University and the University of Denver.

Jessica Wan

Executive Coach, Opera Singer, Podcast Host, and Former Marketing Executive,

Jessica Wan is an ICF-certified executive coach, venture partner, and former marketing executive with 20 years of leadership experience at Apple, Smule, Magoosh, and the SF Opera. A classically trained soprano, Jessica has led a dual career for the past two decades, performing opera, art song, and musical theatre with orgs like Pocket Opera, LIEDER ALIVE!, Goat Hall Productions, the Berkeley Fringe Festival, and Opera on Tap. She is the creator and host of The Ampersand Manifesto podcast, where she interviews leaders who straddle corporate and creative worlds. The podcast recently made the Top 25 list of GoodPods podcasts (Careers category). Jessica holds an MBA from Berkeley-Haas and earned dual degrees in Music & Product Design from Stanford. Her 3rd Ampersand is mom to a 9-year-old.

Christiane Pendarvis

Co-CEO and Board Director

Christiane Pendarvis is a seasoned executive with 30+ years leading consumer and omni-channel fashion and beauty businesses. She has held leadership roles at Savage X Fenty, Victoria’s Secret, Old Navy, and now serves as Co-CEO of PATTERN Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross. She’s known for blending financial discipline with creative vision, running $250M to $1B businesses with Fortune 500 brands, and translating consumer insights into growth strategies. Her expertise spans merchandising, digital commerce, and retail operations. She serves on the boards of Hims & Hers (NYSE: HIMS), Hootsuite, and Southern California Public Radio, and previously served on the board of Savage X Fenty. Ms. Pendarvis earned a BA from Harvard and an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler.

Salon B

Innovating in Science & Tech When Budgets are Tight

How To Meaningfully Connect in a World That Has Gone to Sh*t

It's a Whole Thing: Gen Z Work Relationships in the Age of AI

Better Leadership Starts with Understanding the Stressed Brain

More professionals than ever are combining business acumen with creative ambition, choosing careers that embrace both. This conversation explores what it takes to lead in corporate spaces and pursue creative passions with purpose. Hear from leaders who’ve scaled brands, launched movements, and redefined success—without “starting over.” We’ll share practical tactics for integrating creative identity into leadership and professional branding, and explore how corporate-to-creative leaders are reshaping success, innovation, and the future of work.

LEADING WITH BOTH SIDES: THE BUSINESS-CREATIVE HYPHENATE


The Skin–Brain Connection: How the Microbiome Relates to Stress and Mood

Dr. Samantha Tucker-Samaras, PhD

VP of Science & Technology, Personal Care R&D, Unilever

Dr. Samantha Samaras is VP of Science at Unilever, where she leads global innovation in personal care science. With over two decades of experience and a deep commitment to human-centered science, she has helped shape products used by millions. Her recent work on the skin–brain axis is redefining how we think about the connection between biology, emotion, and everyday rituals. Sam brings over two decades of experience in Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Healthcare, dedicated to innovation. Prior to Unilever, she spent ten years at Johnson & Johnson, where she initially led discovery research in beauty and skin needs before advancing to oversee innovation and claims strategy for the baby business. Previously, Sam devoted 10 years at Merck, focusing on Malaria and antibacterial discovery.

Salon C

Launch with 0 Investors: A Playbook for Crowdfunding in 2026

Missionary Misfits: Why Not Belonging Makes You Build Better

How to Raise $$$ From Angel Groups: What We Really Look For

The Next Five Years of Private Markets: What Founders Can’t Afford to Miss

Groundbreaking new research reveals for the first time that the skin microbiome – particularly the presence of Cutibacterium – is linked to lower stress and improved mood. In this solo session, Dr Samaras elucidates the link that was uncovered - via the skin–brain axis - and what it means for the future of beauty, mental health, and product innovation. Using advanced AI models, they decoded complex microbiome data to uncover patterns no human could detect. This is not just skincare – it’s a new frontier in holistic wellbeing. And imagine the unlocks when we add the power of quantum computing.

SKIN?BRAIN CONNECTION: HOW THE MICROBIOME RELATES TO STRESS AND MOOD


Decoding Nature: How AI is Learning to Program Biology

Ilya Finkelstein

Professor Of Molecular Biosciences

Ilya Finkelstein is a Professor of Molecular Biosciences at UT Austin, where his lab develops high-throughput approaches to study and engineer proteins and nucleic acids. His group combines single-molecule biophysics, machine learning, and massively parallel biochemistry to discover novel enzymes and understand molecular mechanisms of genome maintenance. His work on CRISPR-Cas systems and DNA repair has been recognized with an NSF CAREER Award, TAMEST O’Donnell Award, NIH Pathway to Independence Award and the Welch Foundation Hackerman Award.

Sharon Goldman

Ai Reporter

Sharon Goldman is an AI reporter at Fortune and co-author of its newsletter Eye on AI, where she covers the companies, research, policies, and geopolitics shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

Alicia Frame

Principal Product Manager - Azure OpenAI

Alicia is a product leader and data science professional with over 10 years of industry experience. At Microsoft, she works on making cutting-edge generative AI technology available to customers: building out the tooling to make it super easy to integrate, adapt, and leverage cutting edge large language models to solve real world problems. At Google, she led Developer Knowledge, building tools to improve productivity and reduce engineering friction. She focused on using large language models to answer developer questions. Previously, she built the Graph Data Science Library for Neo4j, which made it possible for anyone to perform advanced machine learning tasks on connected data. Her background - and passion - is in graphs for drug discovery and toxicology.

Glen Gowers

Co-founder and CEO

Glen is the CEO and co-founder of Basecamp Research, based in London. With a background in Engineering Biology (Oxford University, Imperial College, GSK), Glen was the first to successfully sequence DNA fully off-grid on an expedition on Western Europe’s largest ice cap with his co-founder Oliver Vince. Basecamp Research, based in London and Boston, runs the world's largest commercial biodiscovery program, with a proprietary genomic data of more than 10 billion novel protein sequences from more than 100 locations in 27 countries. Basecamp’s unique view of the tree of life powers models that excel in protein and genome design. Fast Company named Basecamp Research in the top 10 Most Innovative Companies in biotech in 2025 and Bloomberg named one of the UK’s “Top 25 Start-ups to Watch.”

Salon FGH

SXSW Pitch-Healthcare, AssistiveTech & BioTech

SXSW Pitch-Sustainability, AgTech & Food

SXSW Pitch-Smart Cities, Transportation, Manufacturing & Logistics

SXSW Pitch-Smart Data, Security, and FinTech

AI mastered Go, then human language—now it can write DNA. Glen Gowers, CEO of Basecamp Research, explains how his team trained AI on the world’s largest evolutionary dataset, spanning 1 million new species, to design a "beyond-CRISPR" tool for precise gene insertion—a long-standing challenge in genetic medicine. Microsoft’s Alicia Frame unpacks the AI advances enabling this scale, while UT Austin biophysicist Ilya Finkelstein explains the rigor required to turn AI-designed biology into safe, effective medicine.

DECODING NATURE: HOW AI IS LEARNING TO PROGRAM BIOLOGY


Visualising Feeling: Real-Time EEG Emotion Technology

Steffi Marty

Global Director Strategic Initiatives

Steffi Marty: Global Director Brand Identity & Design, Mars Wrigley
Steffi is responsible for setting the agenda and ensuring design excellence for some of the most beloved snacking brands, such as M&M'S, Snickers, Extra/Orbit gum and Skittles. Curious and fascinated by how we experience the sensory world and design as part of that, she embraced neuroscience to illuminate the human truth and emotional clarity behind how to make interactions with brands more compelling and rewarding. Born and raised in China, she has lived in Europe and is a long-time Chicagoan.

Leah Kurta

Research Director

Leah is Research Director for Kinda Studios. Equity and human-centred research are core pillars of Leah’s career which spans psychology and user research, social justice and business development. At Kinda Leah leads the technology and innovation pipeline and research strategy.

Leah was previously Head of Research for Existent, a VR software company where she oversaw user and strategic research and responsible innovation. Leah honed her research skills at i2 Media Research (Goldsmiths University) where she worked with clients such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, NESTA, LEGO, Digital Catapult, Virgin, IDEO and Hitachi.
Leah holds a first-class degree in Psychology and has conducted postgraduate research in the audience impact of immersive and emerging technologies.

Rio Grande Ballroom 2

Pitching to Angels 101: Think Like an Investor

Play to Build: Prosocial AI for Human Connection

Brand Strategy Workshop for Emerging Tech Companies

Own Your Sh*t (and Your IP): The Creator CEO Playbook

Prompt to Publish - AI Tools for the Modern Content Creator

What if you could see your brainwaves turned into real-time art that reveals how you feel? EVE (The EEG Visualizer of Emotions) is a live emotional visualization tool that transforms EEG signals into dynamic, responsive visuals. Blending neurotechnology, AI, and art, EVE opens new ways to explore emotional insight, user experience, and live experience. It can create interactive & personalized sensory designs, drive immersive wellbeing experiences, measure mood, emotion & real-time neural responses, map emotional learning & deepen meaning.

VISUALISING FEELING: REAL-TIME EEG EMOTION TECHNOLOGY


Building Hollywood Buzz Without the Hollywood Style Campaign

Danielle Mullin

Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing

Danielle Mullin serves as the senior vice president of brand marketing for Hallmark
Media, operating from the company's Studio City office.

In her role, Mullin directs marketing campaigns and oversees the strategic development
of the Hallmark Media brand across the company's portfolio of businesses. This includes
three linear networks: Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, and Hallmark Family, as
well as Hallmark Media's streaming service and membership program, Hallmark+. Her
leadership encompasses a wide range of marketing initiatives, spanning Consumer
Marketing, Ad Sales Marketing, Social Media, Promotions Strategy, and Partnerships and
Promotions.

Mullin began her career at Hallmark Media in 2017. Before taking on her current role,
she held a series of senior marketing roles at Disney/ABC Television Group and Walt
Disney Parks & Resorts.

She received her M.F.A. in creative writing from Emerson College and completed her
B.A. in English and Psychology at Boston College.

Mark Stenberg

Sr Media Editor

Karen Paek

VP, Marketing

Karen Paek is an accomplished marketing executive and vice president of marketing at Rakuten Viki, a premier Asian streaming platform. Since joining Rakuten Viki in 2018, Karen has led the company to nearly 30% year-over-year growth in users. She oversees growth, product marketing, social media, community and editorial at Rakuten Viki, driving engagement and retention for US and international audiences. Focused on creating exciting ways to engage new audiences, Karen spearheaded a number of creative activations for Rakuten Viki, including the successful launch of the first-ever International K-Drama Day celebration in November 2023. Prior to Rakuten Viki, Karen spent eight years at Time Inc and also held marketing positions at Condé Nast and software company CA Technologies.

Diana Pessin

CMO

Diana Pessin is Chief Marketing Officer for BritBox, overseeing the streamer's brand, growth, creative, and campaign marketing.

Diana has led title campaigns that have helped to increase overall engagement while driving new audiences to the service and in April 2025, she launched "See It Differently," BritBox's first creative brand campaign aimed at expanding beyond its core Anglophile audience. Under her leadership, BritBox has achieved double-digit growth in brand awareness and subscriptions, with over half of direct-to-consumer subscribers now on annual plans.

Previously, Diana spent nearly 20 years at HBO and WarnerMedia, helping launch HBO NOW and HBO Max. Diana holds a BS from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Bridge Ballroom AB

“It’s in Development” Creating Great TV for Global Platforms

Creativity, Commerce & Chaos: Tech & Indie Filmmaking

Art to Infrastructure: Creating a Company as an Artist

SXSW Episodic Pitch-A-Thon presented by SeriesFest

CRAFTING SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT: HAND-DRAWN ANIMATION & ORIGINAL SCORE (SNEAK PEEK FIRST LOOK)

A number of specialty streaming platforms have been able to scale their audiences without needing to invest regularly in big launch stunts, massive advertising campaigns, and other means typical of the Hollywood machine. Hear from marketing heads at streaming services like Rakuten Viki, BritBox, and Hallmark+ about their secrets for leaning into fandom to build loyal audiences.

BUILDING HOLLYWOOD BUZZ WITHOUT THE HOLLYWOOD STYLE CAMPAIGN


Urbanists and Citymakers Core Conversation

Nick Kaufmann

Community Manager

Nick Kaufmann is a generalist in urbanism, civic technology, and immersive media. He has a BA in Sociology & Anthropology from Lewis & Clark College and has studied at Waseda University, Middlebury College, and The London School of Economics. He was previously a captain in Code for America’s Brigade Network, a Fulbright Fellow, WEF Global Shaper, serial TEDx team member, and graduate of Mozilla’s Open Leaders Program. A long-time participant observer of tactical and participatory urbanism as well as virtual worldbuilding communities, Nick’s work centers on how people-powered citymaking is evolving with the rise of spatial computing.

Raphaela Mak

CEO/Co-founder

Raphaela Mak (she/her/they/them) is a trans-disciplinary artist and entrepreneur, working
across urbanism, arts, tech, tourism and sports.

Room 410

Technology Convergence: Winning the Exponential Upswing

Leading the AI Future: How to Think Exponentially in a Chaotic Decade

CTRL + ALT + CREATE: How AI Is Reshaping the Creative Process

How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change: A Conversation with the authors of Somebody Should Do Something

Urbanism, SXSW, and Austin are an inseparable pairing!  In 2025 we kicked off the the urbanists meetup where dozens of architects, planners, and placemakers took a pulse of the most exciting urban ideas at SXSW. We also forged ties between SXSWers with local Austinites. The meetup features a round of self introduction, followed by some light, interactive networking activities. We will also discuss urbanism in Austin, and provide a platform for attendees to propose walks and outings to see new and historic projects that make up Austin’s urban fabric.

URBANISTS AND CITYMAKERS CORE CONVERSATION


Build a Future Ready Catalog for the Modern Music Ecosystem

Michael Pelczynski

Chief Strategy & Impact Officer

Michael Pelczynski is Co‑Founder and Chief Strategy & Impact Officer at Voice‑Swap, where he leads vision, partnerships, and policy to shape ethical AI voice standards in music, including the first technical certification for AI voice models in collaboration with BMAT. He also serves as EVP of Digital Strategy & Distribution at Rostrum Pacific’s SpaceHeater, and previously helped architect SoundCloud’s Fan‑Powered Royalties model while overseeing economics and rights administration.

Angela Abbott

Founder

Angela Abbott is Vice President of Music Licensing and Strategy at TouchTunes, the world’s largest in-venue interactive music and entertainment platform. She brings more than a decade of experience across music licensing, business affairs, and partnerships, with senior roles at Pandora, TIDAL, and Soundstripe.

Across her career, Angela has negotiated high-value deals with major labels and publishers, helped launch new streaming and on-demand products, and led licensing strategy for culturally significant campaigns and catalog releases. Her work spans traditional streaming, in-venue entertainment, creator platforms, and emerging technology, with a focus on aligning rights strategy, product innovation, and sustainable growth.

Angela is also the founder of Sixth Sense, where she advises artists, songwriters, producers, and catalogs on revenue strategy, licensing, and long-term career development. She is Global Chair of Partnerships and Development for Women in Music, a member of the Recording Academy, and a frequent speaker on music licensing, partnerships, and the evolving music and creator economy.

Guadalupe

What We’re Unlearning on Supporting Education Systems

Shaping Education in a Culture x Tech World

Independent Film Publicity: How to Earn Media Attention

Learn how to prepare your music for the modern licensing landscape across sync, creator campaigns, digital platforms, and emerging AI opportunities. This interactive workshop covers asset prep, rights setup, metadata strategy, pricing basics, and the steps artists and labels need to take to make their catalogs discoverable and revenue ready. You will leave with a clear roadmap and tools to support long term licensing success.

BUILD A FUTURE READY CATALOG FOR THE MODERN MUSIC ECOSYSTEM


How Anime Became a Worldwide Cultural Force

Scott Donaton

Gobal Head of Brand

Lena Lemon

Content Creator

Lena Lemon is a content creator with a passion for anime, cosplay, and gaming. Amassing over 2 million followers across her social platforms, Lemon has gained popularity through her intricate cosplays, anime content, and comedy skits. Her dedication to bridging her Japanese heritage with her Canadian upbringing has led to her becoming a voice for her community. Her work has also landed her various partnerships with some of the world’s leading brands.

Mary Kish

Head of Community Marketing

Mary Kish is the Head of Community at Twitch as well as a streamer. She's worked in games media for a decade, and currently makes programs for the Twitch Community to enjoy including Twitch Guilds, Ambassadors, Meetups, Creator Camps, and Charity. When she's not working, she's playing Metroidvanias and podcasting. Before Twitch, Mary was a senior video producer at GameSpot.com

Jasmina Saleh

Strategist & Filmmaker

Jasmina Saleh is Thought Leadership Director at NRG, where she leads culture-forward research on fandom, storytelling, and identity. She spearheaded "Anime Ascendant", NRG’s global study on anime’s rise, and was lead writer on Crunchyroll’s editorial feature unpacking the genre’s emotional pull. At SXSW, she’ll moderate a conversation on anime’s expanding cultural footprint and what it signals for the future of entertainment.

Mansfield AB

From Vault to Vision: Reviving Film History with AI

Producing Without Borders: Navigating Global Film

Lessons Learned: How We Made Our First Feature

Going Off Script: Filmmaking Through an Indigenous Lens

Annual Legal Update for Indie Film and TV

Anime isn't niche; it’s the fastest-growing global fandom in entertainment. Among Gen Z, 54% say they “like” or “love” it, placing anime’s cultural relevance alongside major sports and global icons. Its emotional power runs deep: 48% of fans have had a crush on a character, showing anime’s ability to build emotional worlds and deep connections. For Gen Z, it’s identity and community; for Gen X, nostalgia. With leaders from Crunchyroll, Twitch, and anime community voice Lena Lemon joining us, this panel explores anime’s rise and future.

HOW ANIME BECAME A WORLDWIDE CULTURAL FORCE


Digital Health Engagement? Design for Intermittent Use

Steph Habif

Consultant

Dr. Steph Habif consults, writes and teaches at the intersection of psychology, design, and health technology. She is the developer of Health Behavior by DesignTM a framework used by by people supporting health behavior change at home; and by global health and med tech companies to drive sustained adoption of apps, wearables, implantables and connected devices. Drawing on over two decades of research and applied work with Fortune 100 companies and start-ups, she leads teams focused on health technology user experience and engagement. Steph holds a doctorate in Health Behavior Science and a master’s in Sport Psychology. She is a 4-time NCAA Volleyball Champion.

Waller Ballroom A

Texas High School Shorts Screening & Q&A

From Who to What to You: The Weird AI-Infused Future of the Creator Economy

From Viral to Viable: Building IP as a Creator

Sustained user engagement is critical to the success of digital health interventions, particularly for chronic and long-term conditions that require patients to self-manage care over extended periods. But the prevailing design paradigm - adapted from consumer technology - often assumes continuous use as the marker of engagement. Real-world evidence demonstrates health behaviors are inherently intermittent. This presentation shows why & how “designing for intermittent use” is an essential strategy for improving user engagement and health outcomes.

DIGITAL HEALTH ENGAGEMENT? DESIGN FOR INTERMITTENT USE


Plot Twist: Romance Authors Redefining Creator Success

Morgan Bridges

Author

Morgan Bridges is a bestselling dark romance author who loves writing antiheroes, beautiful words, and bedroom scenes so hot she blushes. Bridges lives with her family near Dallas, Texas. Readers can follow her on TikTok at @morganbridgesauthor.

C. R. Jane

Author

C.R. Jane is a USA Today–bestselling author of romance, fantasy, and whatever else she feels like writing. Her stories are designed to make readers cry, scream, and eventually . . . swoon. Welcome to her world, where heartbreak and happy endings rule.

Jahquel J.

Author

Jahquel J. has been writing since the spring of 2014 and has an impressive catalog of titles under her belt. She’s best known for her Delgato Family series, Staten Island Love Letter, and Confessions of a Hustla’s Housekeeper. A trailblazer in her own right, Jahquel made history by reaching #1 in the world on the Kindle Store charts. Jahquel is married to her high school sweetheart and proudly embraces her role as a sister-mom to her younger siblings. Known for her love of fashion, sneakers, and of course, books, she brings boldness, heart, and authenticity to everything she creates.

Scott Dickey

CEO

Industry Leading CEO across media, content/tech, consumer products, and live events operating in both in the private equity and public sectors.

Salon E

Turning Up the Heat: Climate Content That Clicks

Growing Intelligence: Youth, AI, and the Future of Ag

Mall Rats Reborn: How Hot Topic is Using Entertainment to Revitalise Retail

Culture Under Fire: Storytelling for Public Power

How to Win Friends and Overthrow Systems

Romance as a genre transformed book publishing, but in an industry known for gatekeeping, this growth happened via indie authors & entrepreneurs in the creator economy. By building direct relationships with readers on platforms like Kindle, Patreon, BookTok, and internal email newsletters, these creators have scaled faster, marketed smarter, and reshaped book discoverability. This panel explores how creators and marketers across industries can apply these strategies to grow fanbases, monetize directly, and turn niche communities into powerful engines of cultural influence and business success.

PLOT TWIST: ROMANCE AUTHORS REDEFINING CREATOR SUCCESS


Healthcare Disruption: What Does It Look Like?

Josette Gbemudu

Associate Vice President, Patient Health Innovation

Oriana Kraft

Founder

Oriana Kraft is a founder, researcher, and system strategist working at the intersection of women’s health, data infrastructure, and AI. She founded FemTechnology and built ORI, a precision health navigation tool that also generates structured data needed to fix gaps in care, modeling, and decision-making. Her work reframes women’s health as foundational to innovation, workforce health, and longevity. She has collaborated with industry leaders across health systems, government, and research, including co-developing a global summit with Roche. She trained in medicine at ETH Zurich, and her research spans AI equity, clinical evidence gaps, and the economics of care.

Dr. Imamu “Mu” Tomlinson

CEO

Imamu “Mu” Tomlinson, MD, MBA, is CEO of Vituity and President of the Vituity Cares Foundation. Before he was appointed CEO in 2017, he served as Vituity's President. Dr. Tomlinson also leads the Vituity Cares Foundation, which works to improve community health by addressing the inequity and inequality that lead to poorer health outcomes. Vituity Cares seeks to remedy the lack of representation among healthcare clinicians perpetuating these disparities.
Dr. Tomlinson is a passionate advocate for healthcare justice and welcomes opportunities that raise awareness about healthcare inequities and inspire executives, clinicians, and the public to take action. He is a leading influencer in a paradigm shift that extends care beyond the hospital walls and into the communities that need it most.

Aaron Strout

Host and Executive Producer

Aaron is a natural connector with a gift for bringing out the human side of innovation. As the longtime host of the award-winning Real Chemistry Podcast, he’s sparked conversations that go beyond buzzwords – inviting industry leaders to share the heart, humor, and hard-won lessons behind their work in healthcare, tech, and transformation. With nearly two decades of experience in marketing leadership – across roles like Chief Marketing Officer at Real Chemistry and Director of Digital Marketing at Fidelity Investments – he has been at the forefront of digital strategy, from the early days of social media to the rise of AI, always staying curious about how these tools can help us better connect with each other and serve real human needs.

Topaz Ballroom 1-3

AI Safety & Trust: Building Responsible Media Tech

AI in Entertainment: Navigating IP, Ethics & Opportunity

Is Brand Dead? The Brand Leader’s Playbook for the AI Era

Capturing Chaos: A Q&A with the DP & CLT of The Pitt

The De-brief: Rethinking the Brand–Creator Relationship

Healthcare is at an inflection point: soaring costs, regulatory uncertainty and public mistrust. All signs point to change, but what form will it take? This discussion brings together leaders from across healthcare, life sciences and technology to explore what meaningful disruption in healthcare looks like, and what it will take to rebuild trust, advance equity and deliver innovation at scale. Drawing from experience in emergency care, communications and technology, we'll imagine what a more connected future of care could look like and how those aspiring to improve it can bring it to life.

HEALTHCARE DISRUPTION: WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?


Shifting From Beauty to Belonging—the Next Cultural Movement

Dan West

Executive Creative Director

Dan West is the Executive Creative Director and architect of the Audience Experience practice at /prompt. He leads teams creating award-winning campaigns that make complex categories feel human, fresh, culturally relevant and—above all—audience-led. He believes the way an audience experiences an idea is as important as the idea itself. He’s done major campaign work on everything from luxury chocolate to skincare to consumer health and pharmaceuticals, and prides himself on navigating the fine line between consumer creativity and the rigor of regulated industries.

Kimberly Harston-Hicks

CMO

Kimberly Hairston-Hicks is an award-winning C-suite marketing executive with 20 years of global beauty industry experience. Before joining Sanofi, she was building a new approach to beauty by shifting how the industry prioritized the underrepresented multicultural consumer for Combs Enterprises. Before that, she founded Good Beauté, a skincare company committed to providing Black Women products formulated for melanin-enriched.
Kimberly’s leadership roles have spanned across renowned companies, including Coty, L’Oreal, and The Coca-Cola Company. She earned her MBA from Clark Atlanta University and her Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Kean University.

Onyx Ballroom 1-4

AI and Inclusive Storytelling: Tech's Effect on Representation

The Present and Future of Live Experiences

Harnessing AI Without Losing Our Minds: A Playbook

For decades, beauty marketing rewarded aspiration, perfection, and the impossible. But consumers — especially multicultural and Gen Z audiences — have rejected that script. They want relief. relevance. representation. And a brand that actually sees their lived reality.
In this provocative session, Kimberly Hairston-Hicks, CMO of Gold Bond and founder of Good Beauté, argues that the most powerful force reshaping consumer behavior today isn’t the beauty industry — it’s the Belonging Economy.

SHIFTING FROM BEAUTY TO BELONGING?THE NEXT CULTURAL MOVEMENT


Addiction/Recovery
Legal
Senior/Aging
Social Issue

Evan Mascagni

Evan Mascagni is an award-winning director and producer based in Kentucky. His latest documentary feature, "Building a Bridge," premiered at the Tribeca Festival and was executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Named to DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40 emerging filmmakers, Evan’s recent work has been featured on Sundance TV, AMC+, and PBS. He runs Slaughterhouse 502, a production company proudly based in Louisville, Kentucky.

Drew Morris

Drew Morris is a director focused on subjects who have a peculiar relationship with societal norms. His debut doc feature, "Exile By Choice (2015)," streamed on Hulu. Since then, he has directed documentary projects for Atlantic Records, "Croptober" (2020, a 6 part series), and Joe Budden’s Humans series (2023). Morris runs Born Ready Films, an LA based content house that produces projects for a range of brands and organizations.

Alamo Lamar 7

Ugly Cry

Health/Disability/Illness
The Arts/Theater
Women

Your Attention Please

Health/Disability/Illness
Politics
Technology
Social Issue

The unbelievable true story of the Cornbread Mafia, a group of Kentucky farmers who built the largest domestic marijuana syndicate in U.S. history. Sons of tobacco farmers, moonshiners, and bootleggers, they turned to pot to keep their families fed.

What followed was straight out of Kentucky folklore: lion cubs on the farm, backroad police chases, and a code of silence that baffled prosecutors. Part true crime and part cartoon, the film blends community, the War on Drugs, and a whole lot of weed with the humor and heart of the folks who lived it.

Cornbread Mafia

"Cornbread Mafia" is the true story of the rise and fall of Kentucky farmers who built the largest domestic marijuana syndicate in U.S. history. Part true crime, part cartoon, a whole lot of weed.

Danny McBride
David Gordon Green
Brandon James
Michael Shanker

Narrator: Boyd Holbrook, Co-Executive Producer: G Hunt Rounsavall Jr., Co-Producer: Matt Wyatt, Co-Producer: Nick Capezzera, Additional Cinematography: Danielle Elise Bartley, Art Director: Lauren Bowers, Animation Art Director: Mike Netland, Animation Studio: Straight to Tell


Lana Daher

Lana Daher is a filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist based in Beirut, Lebanon. With a background in fine arts and graphic design (BFA, American University of Beirut) as well as filmmaking (MA, Goldsmiths, University of London), she has long been active in Beirut’s vibrant art and music scenes.

"Do You Love Me" is a playful and personal journey through Lebanon’s audiovisual memory, composed entirely of archival footage. It is a love letter to Beirut, spanning 70 years of film, TV, home videos, and photography, exploring the Lebanese collective psyche - marked by joy and intimacy, destruction and loss. Through the eyes of citizens, filmmakers and artists, the film reconstructs a fragmented history in a country without a national archive, celebrating creative expression as both resistance, renewal and a way to preserve memory.

Do You Love Me

English, Arabic, French with English Subtitles

Welcome to Beirut.
Disorientation is part of the journey.

@doyouloveme.film ; @lanadaher.film ; @filmsdeforcemajeure ; @woodwaterfilms ; @lightdox

Co-producer: Jasper Mielke, Co-producer: Arto Sebasian, Co-producer: Karoline Henkel


Russell Goldman

Russell Goldman is a writer and filmmaker from Virginia, now based in Los Angeles. His short films "Burn Out", "Closing Time" and "Return to Sender" have played at film festivals around the world. He delights in stories about obsessives (no relation).

Alamo Lamar 5

Seahorse

African American
Health/Disability/Illness
Social Issues
Women

Julia was fired three weeks ago. She also got sober three weeks ago. She’s starting over in a suburban rental, and doing a lot of online shopping to help make the space her own, fast. When packages she didn’t order start showing up at her door — a blender, a corkscrew, her signature shade of lipstick — they feel so unnervingly tied to her past that it starts to feel like someone is watching her. The shopping site Smirk denies responsibility. But increasingly paranoid, Julia tumbles down a rabbit hole to find the identity of her anonymous sender.

Sender

After receiving a series of unwanted packages containing unnervingly targeted items, a woman tumbles down a paranoid rabbit hole to find her mysterious sender.

Akshay Shah
Thomas Grabinski
Russell Goldman
Britt Lower
Paris Jones
Andre Ray

Jamie Lee Curtis
Molly Hallam
Jake Katofsky

Britt Lower, Rhea Seehorn, Jamie Lee Curtis, Anna Baryshnikov, David Dastmalchian, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Mike Mitchell, Edward Torres, Alyssa Limperis, Inger Stratton

Costume Designer: Sarah Trost, Colorist: Alastor Arnold, Visual Effects Supervisor: Tyler Shanklin, Visual Effects Producer: Federico Friciello, Makeup Department Head: Galaxy San Juan, Hair Department Head: Julie Rea, Co-Producer: Victoria Alejandro, 1st Assistant Director: Jessica Dho, Set Decorator: Jen Giron, Art Director: Greg Anderson


African American
Legal
LGBTQ
Politics
Social Issues
Women
Social Issue

Juliane Dressner

Juliane Dressner is a documentary director, producer, cinematographer and editor. Her films include "Personal Statement" (broadcast on PBS and nominated for an Emmy), "The Scars of Stop-and-Frisk," (part of an Emmy-winning season of the New York Times Op-Docs series) and "An Education" (Winner of The National Magazine Award for video for the NY Times).

Miriam Shor

Miriam Shor is a director and actor, focused on stories that challenge traditional female narratives. Her work includes "Pluribus" (Apple TV), "Younger" (Critics Choice nom.), "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"(Sundance Directing and Audience Awards, Berlinale Best Feature Film), "Maestro," "American Fiction," and spans HBO, FX, Netflix, ABC, CBS, and NBC.

Alamo Lamar 6

Dead Eyes

Dir: Richard E. Williams. DOP: Julian Panetta

Mischa Heywood as Lilly - Dir. Richard E. Williams

#Skyking

Health/Disability/Illness
Politics
Social Issues

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel

Black Zombie

African American
Education
Politics
Social Issue

Three people bound by non-disclosure agreements face extreme personal risk to expose how a simple intellectual property contract is weaponized to silence, manipulate and control.

My NDA

Penny & Thomas Jackson - The Brandt Jackson Foundation

Elizabeth Woodward
Hanna Gray Organschi
Juliane Dressner
Miriam Shor


Amber Love

Amber is a filmmaker and documentary editor based in Chicago, IL whose films explore intimate bonds and how we build futures together. Her work has been supported by PBS, HBO, IF/Then, The Gotham, NeXt Doc, and Short of the Week as well as screened at festivals including Doc 10 and Camden International Film Festival. Her most recent short film, “Lifetimes,” was funded by Firelight Films' Homegrown: Future Visions initiative and is available through PBS Digital. She has been a 2023 HBO/Gotham Diversity Development Fellow and a 2020 Sundance Art of Editing Fellow. One Another is her debut feature.

Violet Crown 2

Agridulce (Bittersweet)

Education
Indigenous Culture
International
Latino
Social Issues
Children
Developing World
Social Issue
Youth/Teen

Sometimes it takes the end of something to know what is really at stake. Joe, Giorgia, and Lorri are all grappling with the possible end of an intimate friendship at vastly different stages of life: a cross-country move, a mental health crisis, and a shift into empty-nesting have forced them each to reevaluate the support they need from those closest to them. Chronicling three different friendships over the course of three years, "One Another" brings together verite with a wealth of personal archives to intertwine their journeys as they search for what it really means for us to care for each other. The result is a story of change, heartache, and connection in this ode to platonic love.

One Another

As three of the filmmaker’s loved ones confront the possible end of close friendships, "One Another" follows their life changes, heartaches, and attempts to reconnect as they find a way forward.

Co-Producer: Elivia Shaw, Associate Producer: Matthew Shimmel, Color by: Quicksilver Color


Polaris Banks

Polaris Banks loves making movies but has no money or connections. So he foolishly takes on ambitious projects and funds them by selling his body to science and maxing out credit cards. His latest hair-brained scheme "And Her Body Was Never Found" roped in his wife to make a movie with no other crew, just two people in the woods with a camera. Polaris's other bizarrely difficult undertakings include Reklaw, a $200,000 sell-funded short, and Casey Jones, a comic book adaptation featuring a Ninja Turtle.

Alamo Lamar 1

I Got Bombed at Harvey's

Biography
Crime
Documentary
Drama
Thriller

I Got Bombed at Harvey's (aka 1,000 Pounds of Dynamite)

Mor Cohen and Polaris Banks did the impossible, made a movie with just two people, while camping, with a script based on their real arguments. Most couples would kill each other under those conditions. They were no exception.

And Her Body Was Never Found

A couple treks deep into the wilderness to make a movie about their troubled relationship, but takes the opportunity to kill each other instead.

Camera Operator: Hilarion Banks, 1st Camera Assistant: Michael Schnick, Sound Recordist: Cruz Thomas, Hair and Make-Up: Kari Koerper, Re-Recording Mixer: Juan Campos, Score Mixer: Chris Botta


Jenna MacMillan

Jenna MacMillan is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and founder of Club Red Productions.  Her feature directorial debut "The Snake" is slated to premiere in 2026. She produced the hit comedy "Who's Yer Father?" (Paramount+), and the internationally sold thriller "A Small Fortune". Jenna was named one of Playback Magazine’s 10 to watch in 2025.

When Jamie, ungovernable 40 something wild child collides with her venomous mother Anne, her life blows up spectacularly leaving her evicted and single. This sends Jamie on a pig in a hurricane journey for “home”; breaking into her Nana’s house to prove it should be hers, a rejected bid to move in with her van dwelling punk rock ex, and a stint in her best friends pied a terre, which ends with Jamie hooking up with her husband.

The Snake

When an ungovernable 40 something wild child collides with her venomous mother, her life blows up spectacularly leaving her newly evicted, partially single, and in bed with her best friend’s husband.

Susan Kent, Robin Duke, Jonathan Torrens, Emma Hunter, Daniel Petronijevic, Jimbo, Kim Roberts, Kenny Robinson, Jacqueline Robbins, Joyce Robbins


Celebrity
Politics
Social Issues
The Arts/Theater

Jonah Tulis

In addition to "Serling", Jonah is also currently in post-production on "Silk Road", a covert documentary featuring exclusive access to one of the 21st century’s most notorious criminals, the recently pardoned Ross Ulbricht, founder of the infamous dark web site. The film is being produced by DLP Media, Five All in the Fifth & Submarine. Previously, Jonah directed "GameStop: Rise of the Players," which was produced alongside Submarine for NEON. The doc hit theaters nationwide on January 28th, the one-year anniversary of the now famous “GameStop Short Squeeze” that rocked Wall Street. Jonah also directed "Console Wars," the first original documentary from Legendary Pictures and Paramount+, which takes viewers back to 1990 when Sega, a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of underdogs to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. The film was produced alongside Legendary, CBS TV Studios, Point Grey Pictures and Scott Rudin. Jonah was also an Executive Producer on the planned scripted series adaptation of "Console Wars" at Paramount+.

State Theatre

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

Courtesy of Focus Features © 2025 Focus Features, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

"Serling" is an immersive first-person journey exploring the life and legacy of one of television’s most visionary storytellers, Rod Serling. Told almost entirely in Serling’s own words, drawn from never-before-heard recordings and personal dictations, the film captures the man behind "The Twilight Zone" in all his complexity. The film weaves archival material with atmospheric recreations that echo the eerie visual language Serling made iconic. As his unmistakable voice guides us, Serling emerges not only as a master of storytelling, but as a man grappling with the trauma of war, the moral compromises of fame, and the hope that America might one day live up to its own ideals.

Serling

An intimate portrait of Rod Serling told through never-before-heard recordings, uncovering how trauma, censorship, and conviction gave rise to "The Twilight Zone" and the man who turned television into a battleground of conscience and imagination.

Anne Serling
Jodi Serling
Taylor DiGilio
Sera C.C. Verdi
Anthony Gudas
Rick Lazes
Gareth West
Maurice Antonio
Aristotle Andrulakis
Nicholas de Graffenreid

Chad A. Verdi
Leonardo DiCaprio
Jennifer Davisson
Phillip Watson
Michelle Verdi
Chad Verdi
Jr.
Paul Luba
Jonah Tulis
Blake J. Harris


Education
Latino
LGBTQ
Politics
Social Issues
Social Issue

Isis Broken

Isis Broken is an actress and singer from Sergipe whose career bridges music, performance, and activism. She gained recognition with the award-winning music video Clã and starred in TV Globo’s soap opera "No Rancho Fundo." Co-director of the feature "Apolo," she released the album Orquestra Sinfônica das Cachorras de Rua in 2025.

Tainá Müller

Tainá Müller is a Brazilian actress, filmmaker, and journalist. She began her career as a reporter for MTV Brasil and appeared in the film "Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within" (2010). On television, she starred in the soap opera "Em Família" and Netflix’s series "Good Morning, Verônica" (2020–2024). In 2025, she made her feature directorial debut "Apolo."

Violet Crown 1

Daughters of the Forest: Mycelium Chronicles

"Apolo" follows the journey of a family formed by a transgender couple, revealing the nuances of love, daily life, and the constant struggle for recognition and respect. The documentary offers an intimate look into their family dynamics, inviting us to rethink our notions of affection, care, and society itself. As we accompany Apolo’s pregnancy, we are led to reflect on the challenges and dramas faced by the couple — Isis Broken and Lourenzo Gabriel. The father is the one giving birth, and society is not yet ready for that reality. The feature-length documentary marks the directorial debut of actress Tainá Müller and trans woman and musician Isis Broken.

Apolo

As we follow Apolo’s pregnancy, we reflect on the drama(s) of a transgender couple: Isis Broken and Lourenzo Gabriel. The father is giving birth — and society is not prepared for it.

Isa Colombo
Denise Fait
João Macedo
Plinio Profeta

Bianca Villar
Eduardo Rezende
Fernando Fraiha
Henrique Sauer
Karen Castanho
Tainá Muller e Thiago Mascarenhas

Tainá Müller
Tatiana Lohmann
Ísis Broken
Lourenzo Duvale

Lourenzo Duvale, Isis Broken, Apolo Duvale

Post-Production Coordination: Beto Bassi, Production Sound: Ísis Araújo, Production Sound: Clara Cavalcante, Production Sound: Gustavo Ruggeri, Production Sound: Juliana Chotte, Distribution Producer: Barbara Sturm