AI: Friend or Foe of DEIB?

Elspeth (Elly) I'Anson

Head of the Unstereotype Alliance

Elspeth is acting Head of the Unstereotype Alliance at UN Women, the United Nations entity for Gender Equality, where she leads efforts to eradicate harmful stereotypes in advertising and media. Since February 2020, she has worked with 240 member companies and 12 national chapters to advance inclusive representation and gender equality through leveraging the ad industry as a force for good.

With over 15 years of experience in the advertising and communications industry, Elspeth began her career at Mindshare UK as a Communications Planner before leading global campaigns at Vodafone and launching a new international brand at Kingfisher PLC. Her pro bono consultancy to rebrand the UK NGO Validity led her to pursue her passion for human rights, and her current role with UN Women in New York.

Dr. Fadia Nordtveit

Springfield College / New York University

Assistant Professor of Communications / Faculty, Researcher and Consultant

Dr. Fadia Nordtveit combines academic, entrepreneurial, and creative expertise to advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Sustainability (DEIBS) in various sectors and contexts. She is an Assistant Professor of Communications at Springfield College and holds a part-time Faculty, Research, and Consultant position at New York University. Dr. Fadia is a published author and has served on numerous DEIBS committees in a variety of universities and organizations. Her research areas are DEIBS, and she has created a system of organizational inclusion called the Inclusive Business Model Canvas (IBMC) that aids in building an inclusive foundational structure.

Asha Shivaji

CEO and Co-founder

Asha Shivaji is redefining what it means to innovate in marketing effectiveness and ad tech. A former Google executive, she launched SeeMe Index, an innovative, responsible AI-powered platform, in 2023 to fill a critical industry gap: the need for transparent, data-driven tools to hold brands accountable to their DEI commitments.

Before SeeMe Index, Asha led marketing strategy for Google’s Advanced Brand Acceleration Team, where she co-developed global initiatives with the UN’s Unstereotype Alliance to dismantle harmful stereotypes in media. Her career includes partnerships with iconic brands like Apple, Disney, and Estée Lauder, where she consistently modernized marketing strategies to resonate more deeply with today’s consumers.

Aïda Moudachirou-Rebois

Senior Vice President, Global General Manager

Aïda Moudachirou-Rebois, SVP, Global GM is responsible for guiding the brand’s overall strategic vision, including innovation, product development and marketing, and all facets of consumer and digital engagement. She was appointed to her current position in January 2024.

She previously served as Global Chief Marketing Officer, M∙A∙C Cosmetics, overseeing the brand’s global marketing and product development initiatives and has been instrumental in transforming M∙A∙C’s marketing organization into the winning powerhouse that it is today -- building new talents and capabilities to unlock and enable innovation and excellence, from product to execution.

Room 203-204

XR Immersive Filmmaking & The Future of Entertainment

From Data to Decisions: Lives, Livelihoods, and the Planet

Portraits Beyond the Frame: Jonathan Yeo & Spectacles

SIMULCAST: Amy Webb Launches 2026 Emerging Tech Trend Report

Beta Testing a City: Startups, Sidewalks & Robotics

Headlines warn that AI is hurting DEIB—propagating bias, reinforcing stereotypes, and risking the erasure of marginalized groups and their histories. Yet the same technology has the potential to uncover bias, scale representation, and raise the bar for inclusion at the brand, industry, academic, and societal levels.

With a consumer-focused lens, panelists from MAC Cosmetics, the UN, NYU, and Responsible AI company, SeeMe Index, will explore both sides of the equation: where AI’s blind spots have failed us, where it’s driving progress, and what it takes to ensure technology reflects the world we want to see.


Generative Ghosts: AI Afterlives & the Future of Memory

Iason Gabriel

Senior Staff Research Scientist

Iason Gabriel is a political theorist and ethicist who leads the Humanity, Ethics & Alignment research team at Google DeepMind. His work explores the complex moral landscape of AI, with a current emphasis on the value alignment of AI agents.

Jed R. Brubaker

Associate Professor

Jed is an Associate Professor and Founding Faculty of Information Science in the College of Media, Communication and Information at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on digital identity, social media, and human centered computing. This work draws from social computing, Human-Computer Interaction, psychology, science and technology studies, and critical theory.

Meredith Ringel Morris

Director and Principal Scientist for Human-AI Interaction in Google DeepMind (formerly in Google Brain), conducting foundational research on Human-AI interaction and Human-Centered AI. Previously, she was Director of People + AI Research in Google Research's Responsible AI organization. She is also an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington in The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering and in The Information School. Prior to joining Google Research, Dr. Morris was Research Area Manager for Interaction, Accessibility, and Mixed Reality at Microsoft Research, where she founded Microsoft’s Ability research group.

Dylan Thomas Doyle

Post-Doctoral Researcher

Rev. Dr. Dylan Thomas Doyle is the founder of the AI for All Tomorrows non-profit. Dylan is an AI ethicist, philosopher, and technical designer focused on the development and deployment of more compassionate and humanity-centered AI. A former ordained minister and interfaith hospital chaplain, Dylan connects moral and theological frameworks to help technologists understand the cultural transformations being driven by emerging AI technology. As an industry and academic researcher, Dylan focuses on the intersection between AI, digital legacy, and grief. Dylan holds a PhD. and M.S. in Information Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Divinity from Columbia University, and a BA from Sarah Lawrence College. An award-winning podcaster, Dylan is the host of the Radical AI Podcast and the Mythbusting Tech Podcast. Dylan aims to serve the public good by charting new courses for us to imagine how culture and emerging technology can co-exist.

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

As generative AI systems and AI agents increasingly model individuals, both living and dead, we find ourselves on the verge of a new kind of digital immortality. “Generative ghosts” are AI-based simulations that evoke or imitate human beings, created through personal data, online traces, or speculative design. But what are the social, ethical, and emotional consequences of engaging with these digital afterlives?

This panel brings together thought leaders from academia and industry to explore the benefits and risks of AI-generated personas.

GENERATIVE GHOSTS: AI AFTERLIVES & THE FUTURE OF MEMORY


From Neanderthal DNA to the Dark Genome: Diversity Explained

Dr. Alysson Muotri, PhD

Sanford Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research (ISSCOR) Center

Director

Alysson Muotri, Ph.D., is director of the University of California San Diego Sanford Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center, a revolutionary laboratory performing experiments aboard the International Space Station. The center facilitates breakthrough discoveries that aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other age-related degenerative diseases. In particular, it focuses on the study of stem cells from the blood, liver, and nervous system, and the modeling of tumors in space. Muotri, who studies the brain from an evolutionary and developmental perspective, is also a professor in the departments of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego. His research focuses on solving one of life’s greatest mysteries: What is it that makes us uniquely human?

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

What sets modern humans apart from our cave-dwelling ancestors? The answer: genetic variations that may have hindered Neanderthals from advancing socially & technologically. That's according to Alysson Muotri, PhD, whose work creating brain organoids from stem cells — & studying them on Earth & in space — is shedding light on the factors that make present-day people unique — & especially susceptible to neurological conditions like Alzheimer's & autism. Plus: how the Dark Genome might shape personality, & why it all matters for the future of human aging, medicine, & the colonization of Mars.

FROM NEANDERTHAL DNA TO THE DARK GENOME: DIVERSITY EXPLAINED


I Think of You Dying: Storytelling That Stings (and Stays)

Mike Zeman

Chief Marketing Officer

Mike Zeman is the Chief Marketing Officer at Life360, the world’s leading family safety company with nearly 80 million monthly active users. Appointed in January 2024, Mike brings over two decades of marketing leadership from top tech companies including Netflix, Google, and Square, where he helped drive global brand transformation and growth across performance, product, and brand marketing. At Life360, Mike has redefined the company’s marketing strategy—elevating the brand from a utility-based location-sharing service to an emotionally resonant, culturally fluent household name.

Hannes Ciatti

Founder, CCO

Hannes Ciatti is the founder and chief creative officer of Alto New York. Originally from Italy, he has worked in Italy, Germany, Australia and the U.S. - winning more than 50 Cannes Lions across three continents, including two Grand Prix. His work has been honored by the United Nations and awarded some of the industry’s highest accolades including Best of Show at The One Show, dozens of D&AD Pencils, and multiple Gold Effie Awards.

Throughout the course of his career, he has worked with Fortune 25 companies like Google, Nike and Apple and has helped to launch and relaunch startups like Squarespace and Expensify. His work spans different verticals including healthcare, technology, apparel, 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

Bland is forgettable—and in today's content-saturated world, forgettable is fatal. This session explores how emotionally evocative, creatively risky campaigns like Life360’s “I Think of You Dying”—which tapped into the quiet fear every parent holds—confront the gap between what people truly feel and what brands are willing to say. Hear from creative leaders who are leaning into discomfort to reflect human truths and challenge taboos. The conversation will explore boundaries, backlash, and how pushing limits can drive impact when rooted in authenticity and deep audience understanding.

I THINK OF YOU DYING: STORYTELLING THAT STINGS (AND STAYS)

Brand & Marketing track sponsored by Youtube


UNCOMPETE: Choosing Collaboration Over Competition

Amy Gallo

Author

Amy Gallo is a workplace expert who writes and speaks about interpersonal dynamics, difficult conversations, feedback, effective communication, and gender at work.

Gallo is the best-selling author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict. Getting Along was a finalist for the Next Big Idea Club, long-listed for several nonfiction book prizes, and named a Book of the Month by the Financial Times. She has written hundreds of articles for Harvard Business Review, where she is a contributing editor. Her writing has been collected in numerous books on feedback, emotional intelligence, and managing others.

For six years, Amy co-hosted HBR’s award-winning Women at Work podcast, which examined the struggles and successes of women in the workplace.

Gallo has delivered keynotes and workshops at hundreds of companies and conferences. Plus, she is frequently sought out by media outlets for her perspective on workplace dynamics, conflict, and difficult conversations. Her advice has been featured in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Fast Company, Marketplace, Bloomberg Business, and NPR. She has been a guest on numerous podcasts and radio shows including Ten Percent Happier, HBR’s Ideacast, Hello Monday, WNYC, the BBC, and ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

She has taught at Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of both Brown and Yale University.

Ruchika T. Malhotra

Founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm and author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success.

Ruchika T. Malhotra is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm that has worked with some of the world’s biggest organizations, and author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success. A former business journalist, she is now a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, and more. Ruchika T. Malhotra is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm that has worked with some of the world’s biggest organizations, and author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success. A former business journalist, she is now a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, and more.

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

The need to compete is deeply ingrained in every aspect of our lives and work. It’s often viewed as a positive: we are told it motivates us to do our best, to work hard, that it drives innovation and excellence. But, what if that’s a lie? In this session, Ruchika T. Malhotra, in conversation with author, speaker and HBR editor Amy Gallo, offers a new framework for flourishing at work and in life, by highlighting five key principles to mythbust what we've been taught about competition, rewrite the rules, and build cultures of collaboration, solidarity, and mutuality—that lift everyone up.

UNCOMPETE: CHOOSING COLLABORATION OVER COMPETITION

Workplace track sponsored by University of Cincinnati


Why Music Platforms Care About Live Music

Abbie Riley

Global Business Development Lead

Jamie Loeb

Senior Vice President

Jamie Loeb is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Nederlander Concerts. As
head of all marketing for Nederlander Concerts, she is responsible for the online
development, marketing initiatives and promotional campaigns for Nederlander’s
award-winning venues and its bookings at third party facilities across the country.
With more than 35 years of local, regional and national experience, Jamie is well
known for her ability to create innovative strategies and tour marketing campaigns,
which integrate traditional and new media technologies resulting in a deeper
connection between artists, their fans and ticket sales. Her foresight has enabled
Nederlander to be an early adopter of technologies like Bandsintown and
Ticketsell.ai, and work on experimental projects with Google’s Area 120.
In 2020, Loeb started volunteering for NIVA (National Independent Venue Association),
an organization made up of independent venue, promoters and festivals. She played a
key role in a number of projects for NIVA, including the #SOSFEST – a three-day virtual
festival which raised over $3 million for the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund. Loeb’s and
the NIVA team’s efforts lead to Congress passing SVOG (Shuttered Venue Operators
Grant), creating a $16 billion grant program to save independent venues, promoters
and festivals from permanently closing. Loeb now serves as a NIVA Board Member. As
Programming Chair, Loeb programmed the 2024 NIVA conference in New Orleans and
will be programming the 2025 conference in Milwaukee.
Prior to Nederlander, Jamie was the Senior Director of National Tour Marketing for
Live Nation where she developed national tour marketing plans for Def Leppard, Avril
Lavigne, Projekt Revolution and more. She also participates regularly on panels
nationwide, including SXSW, Pollstar, IEBA, FestForums, NIVA and the Aspen Live Music
Conference, with digital marketing pioneers and other promoters in the industry.

Fabrice Sergent

Co-Founder and Managing Partner

Fabrice Sergent is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bandsintown Group, enhancing the concert experience for millions and helping artists connect with fans globally. A lifelong entrepreneur, Fabrice has driven growth at digital media companies in the U.S. and Europe, with expertise in music industry, digital marketing, and business development. He co-founded and led two startups to over $100M in revenue. His journey began with Club-Internet, one of France’s first ISPs, which was acquired by Deutsche Telekom’s T-Online for €1.2 billion.

Ali Rivera

Head of Live Music & Artist Partnerships

Ali has developed and led efforts for thousands of global live stream campaigns at YouTube. She launched the first Coachella Live Music stream on YouTube in 2011, and has worked closely on building Coachella on YouTube into the legendary live music experience it is today. Under Ali’s leadership, while the world was locked down during COVID, Ali's team executed some of the most meaningful live events in YouTube’s history including Andrea Bocelli’s Music For Hope record breaking live stream, Global Citizen Together at Home, Roots Picnic Virtual Experience, Post Malone’s Nirvana Tribute, and a partnership with NIVA to launch a 3-day Music Festival #SaveOurStages Fest that raised over $2M for NIVA’s Emergency Relief Fund and helped advocate for the passing of the $2B Save our Stages Act.

Capitol Ballroom E

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

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

Major music streaming services are focusing more on live music including showcasing concert dates. What’s driving this shift, and what does it mean for artists, promoters, and the broader live music ecosystem?  This panel will delve into the economic and cultural forces shaping the intersection of live and digital music.

WHY MUSIC PLATFORMS CARE ABOUT LIVE MUSIC


Psychedelics Meet Up

Mary Olivar

Executive Director

From Kale to Cannabis to Consciousness, Mary has worked to promote healing plants, vibrant healthy living, & an awoken state of being. As the “Healthy Eating Guru” for Whole Foods Market, she led their team in inspiring thousands of people to take charge of their health & wellness. In 2014 Mary shifted her endeavors to the cannabis industry, as an investor, educator, & advisor. She is an advocate for plant medicines and for Indigenous communities who have been keepers & protectors of these sacred plants & their great wisdoms. She is the Executive Director for the nonprofit, the Center for Shamanic Education & Exchange whose work perpetuates the shamanic wisdom, culture, practice, & traditions of Indigenous people worldwide. Mary loves to support those with important stories to tell.

Caitlin Riley

Director

Caitlin is a facilitator and coach for Illuminating Heroes, a nonprofit serving veterans and first responders, and she's also a director with the Psychedelic Society of Texas (PsyT), a community organization encouraging education, integration, conversation, connection, and harm reduction around psychedelics and their transformative power. She produced the program "Psychedelics: Chemicals, Consciousness & Connection," featuring Brian Greene, Rick Doblin, Reggie Watts, and Gül Dölen for the World Science Festival, and she has conceived, written, and directed content for Whole Foods Market, HBO, Personal Plants, and other outlets. A storyteller and a seeker, Caitlin has traveled the globe and experienced psychedelic medicine firsthand.

Brazos

More Analog, Less Noise Please: City Builders Meet Up

Understanding Crypto: Conversations for the Curious Meet Up

Join the conversation shaping the future of psychedelics and connect with curious minds from around the globe. Whether you're just exploring or a seasoned psychonaut, you're invited to dive into meaningful dialogue, forge new connections, and contribute to a growing movement. Together, let’s co-create a vibrant, inclusive psychedelic community.


The New Producers Building the Post-DEI Hollywood Playbook

Crystal Echo Hawk

Co-Founder

Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee) is a nationally recognized strategist, thought leader, speaker, and movement builder working at the intersection of narrative change, media, culture, and Indigenous leadership. She serves as President of Honey Badger Partners, an Indigenous-owned company that manages and grows revenue-generating ventures supporting Indigenous media innovation. She is also co-founder of Indigenous House, a mission-driven media platform developing, financing, and distributing premium Indigenous-led content while building long-term infrastructure and sustainable pathways for creators.

From 2018 to 2025, Crystal was Founder and CEO of the award-winning IllumiNative, where she helped transform Indigenous representation across media, philanthropy, and public discourse. Her work focuses on building long-term power for Indigenous peoples through storytelling, strategy, and institution building.

Kamala Avila-Salmon

Founder & CEO

Kamala Avila-Salmon is the Founder & CEO of Kas Kas Productions, a film and TV company focused on creating inclusive, impactful, and commercially successful content. Formerly the Head of Inclusive Content at Lionsgate, she spearheaded industry-leading strategies that doubled the number of underrepresented directors across the studio’s slate. With a background spanning tech, media, and studio leadership, Kamala brings deep insight into how underrepresented producers can navigate—and lead—in the post-DEI era.

Bing Chen

Founder

Bing Chen is a creator and community economy builder as CEO of Gold House and, previously, a principal architect of YouTube’s global creator ecosystem.

Angelique Jackson

Senior Entertainment Writer

Angelique Jackson is a Senior Entertainment Writer at Variety, where she covers equity in Hollywood, breaking news, and interviews with some of the industry's most impactful changemakers. Her work centers the intersection of race, gender, and power in entertainment, and she’s one of the most trusted journalists covering DEI and systemic change in film and TV.

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

As DEI loses institutional backing, a new class of underrepresented producers is rewriting the rules—building hit content, creative power, and commercial leverage on their own terms. This session explores how to turn crisis into strategy, pitching into deals, and representation into real returns. For anyone ready to produce boldly in a cautious industry, this is the roadmap to navigating—and thriving—in post-DEI Hollywood.

NEW PRODUCERS BUILDING THE POST-DEI HOLLYWOOD PLAYBOOK

Film & TV track sponsored by Crunchyroll


Building the Voices of the Future: Redefining Leadership in Music

Jeannette Perez

President & CEO

Jeannette Perez oversees all aspects of Kobalt, from writer & publisher relations to synch
& brand partnerships, Kobalt marketing, A&R, and Kobalt's International offices. Perez
works closely with her teams to ensure writers and artists understand how to tap into
Kobalt's various services while consistently maintaining a high service level. Since joining
Kobalt in 2014, Perez has transformed Kobalt’s client operations through an enhanced
writer and publisher relations service, drives Kobalt’s global synch business, and works
closely with Kobalt’s regional offices to further international growth.
Perez is a widely respected and recognized leader in the industry. She is honored for her
work and sought after for her expertise, including serving in the renowned music juries for
Cannes Lions (’18) and Clio Music (’19). Additional awards include Variety Women’s
Impact Report (‘22), Billboard Power Player (‘21) Billboard Women In Music ('19),
Billboard Branding Power Player (’19; ’18), Billboard International Power Player (’19),
Billboard Indie Power Player (’17), and Billboard 40 under 40 (’15). Before joining Kobalt,
Perez worked at Sony Music Entertainment for twelve years, where she most recently
served as their vice president of music for brands & advertising. Perez holds a J.D. from
the University of Miami School of Law. With the utmost humility, Perez attributes the
team’s success to “Collaboration and working together as a collective—always driving
exceptional results for our clients.”

Charles W. Hamilton

Head of Business & Legal Affairs

Charles W. Hamilton is Head of Business and Legal Affairs at Giant Music and adjunct lecturer at USC Gould
School of Law. Over 15 years in the music industry, he has worked at the intersection of law, business, and
creative culture across multiple platforms and business models.
His career includes roles as Head of Business and Legal Affairs at Saban Music Group, Partner at King,
Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, Senior Vice President at Warner Records, television executive producer, talent
manager, and music startup consultant. He has negotiated artist signings, joint ventures, and catalog
acquisitions while navigating the industry's shift from traditional distribution to streaming, direct-to-fan
platforms, and emerging technologies, working with Grammy and Dove Award-winning artists and helping
companies adapt to changing market dynamics.
A native of the U.S. Virgin Islands and graduate of Yale (BA, Literature) and Tulane Law School, Hamilton
writes on cultural capital and economic development in the Eastern Caribbean for YellowCedarMedia.com.
His diverse career has led him to examine how technology and industry changes impact creative communities,
independent artists, and the overall sustainability of the music business ecosystem.

Sarah Landy

Senior Vice President, Americas

Sarah Landy is SVP, Americas at Downtown-owned b2b distributor, FUGA, where she oversees business development and client relations across North and South America. Landy is responsible for bringing on the region’s key clients whilst acting as a pillar for FUGA’s active partners in the region, including Epitaph, Riot Games, Insomniac and Better Noise Music. With two decades of experience across marketing, A&R, and distribution, she’s held senior roles at Sony Music and AWAL where she helped launch U.S. operations and signed GRAMMY-nominated artists including Steve Lacy, AWKWAFINA, and De La Soul for the latter. A passionate advocate for music with purpose, she’s spent over a decade supporting girls’ empowerment as part of nonprofit Studio Samuel’s strategy team.

Capitol Ballroom FGH

Syncrets to Success: Conversation With Music Supervisors

Mexico Amplified: How Música Mexicana is Reshaping Global Music

Streaming, Shorts & AI: Where Are Your Royalties Going?

In an industry historically shaped by hierarchy and fear-based leadership, a new generation of executives is proving that true influence comes from empowerment, inclusion, and collective accountability. This high-level panel brings together senior leaders from across the music industry to explore how shifting from “I” to “we,” is not only transforming workplace culture - it’s building stronger creative output. Through real stories, we’ll examine how valuing every voice - whether front-facing or behind the scenes - is essential to creating the future of our industry.

BUILDING THE VOICES OF THE FUTURE: REDEFINING LEADERSHIP IN MUSIC


Pharma vs. Supplements: Breaking the False Health Dichotomy

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc

Nutritionist, physiotherapist, author, and podcast host

Simon Hill, a physiotherapist and nutrition scientist, is dedicated to simplifying health and nutrition information. He began his career in physiology and anatomy related to athletic performance. Encouraged by his dad’s heart attack, he turned his attention to nutrition’s role in preventing disease and optimizing health. Concerned about misleading wellness industry trends, he completed a Master of Science in Human Nutrition at Deakin University. Today, Simon hosts The Proof Podcast, which has surpassed 40M listens and explores various lifestyle factors impacting well-being. He authored “The Proof is in the Plants,” advocating for a plant-rich diet based on current nutrition research, debuting as the #1 non-fiction book in Australia.

Dr. Suzanne Devkota, Phd

Cedars-Sinai Human Microbiome Research Institute

Director

Suzanne Devkota, PhD, is a leading expert in microbiome research and its impact on human health, with over 15 years of experience in the field. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Human Microbiome Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She is also an Associate Professor-in-Residence at UCLA and an adjunct investigator at the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Dawn Mussallem, DO

Integrative Oncologist

Dr. Dawn Mussallem is a distinguished consultant in the Division of Hematology Oncology at Mayo Clinic, where she has served as a clinician for over 20 years, and an Assistant Professor of Medicine. She is a board-certified lifestyle medicine breast specialist at The Robert and Monica Jacoby Center for Breast Health and founded the Integrative Medicine and Breast Health Program at Mayo Clinic Florida. A stage IV cancer survivor diagnosed three months into medical school, Dr. Mussallem’s personal journey is a testament to resilience. In 2021, she underwent a heart transplant and remarkably became the first person to run a marathon one year post-transplant. Internationally recognized for her work in cancer prevention and integrative oncology, she is a prolific speaker and author.

Dr. Amy Shah, MD

Double Board-Certified MD and Nutritionist

As a double board-certified MD and nutritionist, Dr. Shah focuses on evidence-based research to shed light on health topics, including the gut-brain connection, women's health, nutrition, exercise, and fitness medicine. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cornell University's School of Nutrition and received her Medical Doctorate with Distinction. She furthered her training at Harvard (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) and Columbia University Medical Center. She is a practicing allergist and immunologist in Arizona.

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

The future of health isn't about choosing between pharmaceuticals and supplements – it's about understanding how both can work together. This panel explores the need for science-backed supplementation as food systems evolve and health challenges become more complex. We'll break down the false dichotomy between pharmaceuticals and natural supplements, highlighting how reactive medicine and proactive supplementation can coexist. Through expert insights, we'll bridge pharmaceutical literacy with supplement science, empowering consumers to make informed decisions about integrative nutrition.

PHARMA VS. SUPPLEMENTS: BREAKING THE FALSE HEALTH DICHOTOMY


The Future of Truth: How AI Reshapes Reality

Steve Rosenbaum

Author: The Future of Truth

Steven Rosenbaum is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and sought-after public speaker. His first book, "Curation Nation," explored the explosive trend in digital curation. He holds a master's degree from the Gallatin School at NYU with a focus on the future of truth. Steven is the executive director and co-founder of the Sustainable Media Center, a 501c3 organization dedicated to fostering positive change in media and empowering young creators.

He has held leadership roles at The NYC Media Lab, a six-university consortium housed at NYU, and has founded five startups in media and technology. His work reflects a deep commitment to the future of media and technology. Steven is currently writing "The Future of Truth," examining how AI is dramatically impacting our reality.

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

Truth has never been straightforward. But now, AI offers to solve it—filter the noise, rank the sources, settle the debate. We’re told it’ll help us see clearly across politics, science, work, art, and justice. But what if the answers it gives us come with hidden terms? In this talk, Steven Rosenbaum unpacks the uneasy promise of algorithmic truth—and what’s lost when machines start shaping what counts as real. The Future of Truth: How AI Shapes Reality.

FUTURE OF TRUTH: HOW AI RESHAPES REALITY


Separating science from science fiction in business content

Dr. Carmen Simon

Cognitive Neuroscientist & Author

Dr. Carmen Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist, Chief Science Officer at Corporate Visions, and founder of Enhancive, an agency that helps customers create memorable communication based on how the brain works. Her most popular books on customers’ attention and memory are called Impossible to Ignore and Made You Look. Dr. Simon also teaches several courses at Stanford University on how to create messages on memory and decision science. After all, what’s the use of memory if people do nothing with it?

Room 412

Agents vs Managers: When are you ready to be signed and by who?

The Price of Influence: Why Undefined Value Kills Trust

10 Truths About Technology That Are Shaping Your Life

Tackling the “snakes” undermining digital rights

One skill never goes out of demand: clear, memorable communication. No matter who you’re designing for, your words and visuals need to stick. But most of what we’re taught about content design is well-intended fiction From “just keep it simple” to “use more pictures,” we follow rules that feel right, but often backfire. There’s no shortage of advice on how to design content that sticks in memory, but how much of it is backed by brain science? This session explores how myths related to repetition, emotion, complexity, imagery and more influence all aspects of user design and experience.

SEPARATING SCIENCE FROM SCIENCE FICTION IN BUSINESS CONTENT


AI, Advertising & The Attention Economy

Paul Woolmington

CEO

Paul Woolmington is the CEO of Canvas Worldwide.
Paul has built Canvas into the second-largest independent media agency in the world.

He is a true ‘Renaissance’ entrepreneur in the world of media and advertising, He co-founded Naked Communications Americas, launched The Media Kitchen, and was named one of Fast Company’s top ten most creative and innovative people in marketing and advertising.

Shourya Aggarwal

Founder & CEO

Shourya Agarwal is the Founder and CEO of Flam. Flam powers enterprises to transform passive customer touch-points into humanlike visual interactions, across marketing, communication & commerce. Prior to Flam, Shourya founded Homingos where Shourya developed core AI technology for AR and phygital connections. Shourya also gained experience as an Engineer Intern at Nutanix. Shourya has an Engineer's Degree in Computer Science from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. Additionally, Shourya was a core team member at CEL, BITS Pilani, where Shourya contributed to nurturing entrepreneurial minds and shaping the future of BITSian entrepreneurship.

Next Stage (Manchester Ballroom)

Hidden Brilliance Revealed: Reimagining Leadership in a Fragmented World

Exploring the Future of Space and Japan's Deep-Tech

Frontier Firms in Action The Playbook for AI Skills Adoption

Pitches to Pipelines: Accelerating Circular Water Economy

Consumers no longer want passive content. Attention is shrinking, competition rising, and static ads are losing impact. Brands must feel alive—clickable, explorable, immersive. AI-native ads enable instant, app-less 3D interactions built from existing assets.

In this session, we break down:
• Why static marketing is ending
• How AI turns assets into spatial experiences
• Impact across Web, Mobile, OOH, Retail & Packaging
• Results from global Fortune 500 campaigns
• Why agencies must evolve to build experiences, not content


The Courage to Diverge: Charting Your Own Career in Healthcare

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell

Physician/National Health Advocate

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell is a board-certified family medicine physician and nationally recognized health advocate. As Medical Director of Urgent Care Clinics at Saint Mary's Health Network and Medical Director for the Washoe County Sexual Assault Response Team in Reno, NV, she provides direct patient care while championing patient advocacy. She founded Beyond Clinical Walls, a podcast and social media platform helping people understand their health and navigate the healthcare system through credible, engaging content, and Clinicians Who Care, connecting people with compassionate providers. Dr. Bayo serves on numerous boards and advisory groups and contributes medical expertise to NBC, ABC, SheKnows, and Katie Couric Media.

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.

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

We often look up to those who follow their own path, but the journey there was usually not as easy as it seems. This conversation will touch on the panelist’s individual experiences of charting her own career in healthcare and how she weathered setbacks along the way, while sharing practical tips for how others can draw courage to diverge in their professional journeys.

COURAGE TO DIVERGE: CHARTING YOUR OWN CAREER IN HEALTHCARE


Emmett Malloy

Half of the directing duo The Malloys, has helmed major sports campaigns for Nike, ESPN, Apple, Google, and the NBA. A Grammy winner for The Big Easy Express and DGA-nominated director, he also made Netflix’s "BIGGIE: I Got a Story to Tell." Malloy co-founded Brushfire Records with Jack Johnson, pioneering eco-conscious music production.

Alamo Lamar 9

Your Attention Please

Health/Disability/Illness
Politics
Technology
Social Issue

Time and Water

Archival Materials Courtesy of Andri Snær Magnason

An intimate look into Jack Johnson’s evolution from surfer to filmmaker to world-renowned musician. The documentary traces how his early years making surf films with close friends became a foundation for a much broader creative life, capturing moments in and out of the water that later surfaced in his songwriting. Blending rare footage from those formative surf films and Johnson's personal and family archives with present-day reflections, the film weaves together how lived experience, friendship, and exploration shaped the sound and stories behind the music.

Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC

This intimate documentary traces Johnson’s evolution from surfer to filmmaker to world-renowned musician. Rare archives and present-day reflections reveal how lived experience, friendship, & exploration shaped the sound & stories behind the music.

Jack Johnson, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Gerry Lopez, Ben Harper, G. Love, John Florence, Tamayo Perry, Kim Johnson


Chelsea Devantez

Chelsea Devantez is an Emmy-nominated writer, comedian, and director whose credits include Head Writer for The Problem with Jon Stewart, Girls5Eva, Bless this Mess, and Not Dead Yet, among others. Her debut memoir was published by Harper Collins and became a national bestseller. She also hosts the wildly popular literary podcast: Glamorous Trash.

Alamo Lamar 5

Seahorse

African American
Health/Disability/Illness
Social Issues
Women

After Gloria and Nick break up, Gloria takes us through Nick's dating history, untangling his web of ex-girlfriends through details she can find online. But when she discovers Kaylinn, the hottest most basic ex-girlfriend to ever exist, Gloria not only loses herself, she loses control of the story she's been telling.  Basic is a comedy that blends the magical-realism of jealous paranoia with the magic of falling in love.

Gloria spirals through her boyfriend's dating history, until she discovers the reason for all of their problems, his very basic, very hot ex, Kaylinn, who not only just stole Gloria's boyfriend, but is about to take her entire story from her, too.

Basic

Leighton Meester as KAYLINN in the film: BASIC

Marc Platt
Katie McNicol
Nadine De Barros

Ashley Park, Leighton Meester, Taylor John Smith, Nelson Franklin, Kandy Muse, Ashley Nicole Black, Kenzie Elizabeth, Amber Ruffin, Jon Gabrus, Georgia Mishak

Co-Producer: Katie Pruitt, A-Cam Steadicam Operator: Jun Li, A. Camera 1st AC: Aaron Cheung, Greg Womble: Key Assistant Locations Manager, Costume Designer: Kat Sass, Asst Wardrobe: Discord Adams, Asst Costume Designer: Gidget Von Addams, Set Decorator: Maggie Piveronas, Jonathan Purvis: On Set Dresser, Emma Gilbert: Muralist


Matt Black

Matt Black & Ryan Polly are a duo of writer/directors known for their debut feature film, “Monitor”, based on their short of the same name. They met and live in Denton, TX where they share a love of character-driven genre films, like their award-winning shorts “Stalled” and “Pizza Time”.

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

Maggie works as a content moderator for VueQ Moderation Services, spending her days filtering the internet’s darkest content, driven by guilt over her sister's suicide.  When Maggie blocks a cryptic video uploaded by an anonymous user, she and her team begin to be hunted by an insidious entity that haunts them through every screen in their lives.

Monitor

A social media moderator unleashes a deadly terror when she refuses to publish a cryptic video.

Marty Bowen
Wyck Godfrey
Isaac Klausner
John Fischer
Adrian Guerra

Brittany O'Grady, Taz Skylar, Viveik Karla, Ines Høysæter Asserson, Gunner Willis, Sara Alexander, Camila Wahlgren


Asia x Austin Summit

Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce

**RSVP REQUIRED** FREE for SXSW badge-holders. Positioned at the peak of the SXSW schedule, the Asia x Austin Summit is the premier destination for international delegates, tech founders, and civic leaders to explore the "two-way highway" of opportunity between Asia and the Greater Austin region. Join us for a full day of high-stakes insights, venture-focused pitches, and cross-border networking, all capped off by an immersive film- and pop culture-themed afterparty overlooking the Austin skyline.
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https://bit.ly/gaacc-summit-2026
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SXSW Innovation Clubhouse

Innovation Clubhouse

Vibrating Music Hammocks

Parker Hertzberger - Multisensory sound installations

The historic Brazos Hall is the official Innovation Clubhouse for 2026. It's the perfect place to connect with attendees looking to gain insights and inspiration from like-minded conference-goers. Each day the Innovation Clubhouse will host meetups and networking events as well as activations.


SXSW Film & TV Clubhouse

The Film & TV Clubhouse is located at 800 Congress Ave, just steps away from the Paramount Theatre, where some of the most exciting screenings of the Festival are set to premiere. It will serve as the home base for the film community to gather, discuss, and network. Each day the Film & TV Clubhouse will host meetups and networking events as well as activations.


SXSW Music Clubhouse

Music Clubhouse

Artist Demo Listening Session (Pop) Part 1 Presented by Discovr Radio

The Music Clubhouse is located at The Downright Austin. Perfect for networking and industry connections, the Clubhouse will also feature live performances at Radio Day Stage and mentor sessions. It’s also the perfect spot to access most of our music venues by foot or a quick rideshare. Each day the Music Clubhouse will host meetups and networking events as well as activations.


High Score Game Arcade presents the Worldwide Tic-Tac-Toe Championship

The Worldwide Tic Tac Toe Championship comes to its final, high-stakes moment at SXSW. After months of play across cities and communities around the world, this activation marks the culmination of a global tournament—bringing finalists, fans, and curious passersby together for live competition, spectacle, and celebration. Simple rules, universal appeal, and unexpected intensity converge in one last showdown where strategy, speed, and bragging rights are decided in real time.

More information here: highscoregamearcade.com

HIGH SCORE GAME ARCADE PRESENTS THE WORLDWIDE TIC-TAC-TOE CHAMPIONSHIP


Vibrating Music Hammocks

The Music Hammock transforms its fabric into a speaker, resonating your body with the frequencies of the music so you feel as if you’re lying inside a sound system.
In our fast-paced society, we often disconnect from our bodies. This installation offers a full-body listening experience, shifting your attention from mental chatter into physical awareness. Experience sound not only through your ears, but through your entire body.
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https://www.parkerhertzberger.nl/portfolio-collections/my-portfolio/project-title-6
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Music Cities Meet Up

Julia Heath

New Orleans Mayor’s Office Of Nighttime Economy

Policy & Outreach Manager

As Policy & Outreach Manager for the New Orleans Mayor’s Office of Nighttime Economy, Julia Heath leads efforts to strengthen the city’s music ecosystem through venue support, workforce development, and cultural policy innovation. Her portfolio includes the design and launch of the Tune-Up Grant Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative supporting venue sound management and audio workforce training, and the New Orleans Music Census, which surveyed over 1,500 respondents to inform long-term industry strategy.

With a background in independent venue operations, festival production, and national music policy, Julia has worked across sectors to support sustainable, equitable music economies. She previously helped secure $150M in federal relief for California’s independent venues and currently manages programs that support original music, music business education, and culturally significant performance spaces in New Orleans.

Julia also serves on the board of NITECAP (Nighttime Economy Culture & Policy Alliance), a national network of practitioners advancing safe, vibrant nighttime economies. She is committed to building bridges between government, artists, and industry and to ensuring that music remains a viable, celebrated career path in New Orleans and beyond.

Don Pitts

President, Founder

With more than three decades of experience across the music and entertainment landscape, Don Pitts is known for his practical, community-driven approach to strengthening local music ecosystems. He is the Founder and President of Sound Music Cities, where he works with cities, states, and regions across the United States to support musicians, venues, and the broader music industry through data, policy, and implementation-focused strategies.

Most recently, Don was named one of the 26 Most Influential People in Music for 2026 by SPIN magazine, recognizing his national impact on music policy, sound management, and music ecosystem development. His work is rooted in time spent on the ground with artists, venue operators, residents, and city staff, translating lived experience into solutions that actually work.

Prior to founding Sound Music Cities, Don led the Music & Entertainment Division within the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department. During his tenure, he earned the nickname “The Sound Whisperer” after helping reduce music-related sound complaints in Austin by more than 75 percent. His approach shifted the focus from enforcement to sound management, introducing clearer expectations, better tools, and shared accountability that benefited venues, neighborhoods, and city staff alike.

Originally from Nashville, Don’s career spans nearly every corner of the music ecosystem. His experience includes managing artists and venues, working directly with promoters and festivals, leading entertainment relations at Gibson Guitar, and co-founding the North American Music Cities Summit. That mix of private-sector, community, and public-sector experience gives him a grounded perspective on how music scenes function and where they often struggle.

At Sound Music Cities, Don is best known for leading music census projects and ecosystem assessments in more than 30 communities. His work consistently highlights that thriving music scenes depend not just on talent, but on clear policy, affordable space, professional pathways, and coordination across sectors. Whether working with a small town or a major metro, Don’s focus remains the same: helping communities grow music without growing conflict, and ensuring the people who make the music can continue to live and work where they are.

Across the U.S., music communities are changing, how people make music, how they earn a living, how venues operate, and how cities respond. This meet-up brings together musicians, venue owners and operators, promoters, industry professionals, city staff, and community advocates working in music scenes of all sizes to discuss how local music scenes evolve and adapt.

The meetup is designed for anyone who cares about the future of local music, whether you are deeply embedded in your community or simply curious about how music ecosystems function and survive. Attendees will leave with new connections, shared language, and a clearer sense of how others are navigating similar challenges in different cities.


XOT Energy House

Downright Hotel - Creekside Room & Outdoor Patio

XOT Energy House lands at the SXSW Artist Lounge as a dynamic space built to fuel creativity. This experience invites artists and attendees to recharge with XOT Energy while connecting through music, culture, and movement. Blending vibrant fruits and high-energy moments, the XOT Energy House becomes a hub for discovery, expression, and inspiration throughout SXSW.


BenDavid Grabinski

BenDavid Grabinski is a prolific showrunner, director, and producer celebrated for his exceptional storytelling and creative vision across multiple genres. He served as co-creator and showrunner for Netflix’s anime series “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” (2023), which won Best Animated Series at the Critics’ Choice Awards and reunited the original cast from the iconic 2010 film, including Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

His other notable projects include the teen anthology series “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” (2019) and the dark romantic comedy “Happily” (2021), starring Joel McHale and Kerry Bishé.

“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” is a hilarious, stylized, R-rated action-comedy about two gangsters and the woman they love trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine. The film, which will premiere March 27, 2026, exclusively on Hulu, stars Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David, Jimmy Tatro, Stephen Root, Lewis Tan, Ben Schwartz, Emily Hampshire, and Arturo Castro, and is written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski, produced by Andrew Lazar, p.g.a., and executive produced by Richard Middleton and Vanessa Humphrey.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice

A hilarious, stylized, R-rated action-comedy about two gangsters and the woman they love trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine.

Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David, Jimmy Tatro, Stephen Root, Lewis Tan, Ben Schwartz, Emily Hampshire, Arturo Castro


Ernesto Solis, Rodrigo Pesavento

Ernesto Solis began as a draftsman and illustrator, worked as an art director in animated films, in Globo's Computer Graphics Department, and as a tv director for Multishow. He's making his feature debut with Beast Race.
Rodrigo Pesavento is one of the most awarded ads director in the country and has also directed HBO's "Joint Venture".

Fernando Meirelles

Partner at O2 Filmes, Oscar-nominated director of  "City of God", one of the most acclaimed and popular Brazilian films of all time, he also directed "The Constant Gardener," "The Two Popes," "360," and "Blindness", and all episodes of Apple TV+'s "Sugar". He's currently in pre-production of a Netflix feature with Denzel Washignton and Robert Pattinson.

Sometime in the future, Rio de Janeiro lies in ruins—its society fractured by class warfare, its people consumed by a brutal spectacle known as the Beast Race. In this high-stakes competition, masked runners tear through a devastated city while the elite wager on their lives. Every runner must pledge a collateral: a human life condemned to the mysterious, dreaded Coast of Hell if they lose. Mano leads the Death Perimeter, a rebel zone devoted to dismantling the race. But when he discovers his younger sister has been offered as collateral by her boyfriend, Mano is forced to do the unthinkable: enter the race he’s spent his life resisting.

Beast Race (Corrida dos Bichos)

In the ruins of a dystopian Rio de Janeiro—a city fractured by class conflict and addicted to blood sport—a resistance leader is forced to enter a violent, high-stakes race to save his sister from a fate worse than death.

Ernesto Solis, Rodrigo Pesavento
Fernando Meirelles

Fernando Meirelles
Andrea Barata Ribeiro
Vinicio Espinosa

Ernesto Solis
Rodrigo Lages
Eva Klaver
Marco Abujamra

Matheus Abreu, Rodrigo Santoro, Isis Valverde, Bruno Gagliasso, Thainá Duarte, Seu Jorge, Silvero Pereira, João Guilherme, Grazi Massafera, Anitta

Casting Director: Patricia Faria, Costume: Ana Avelar, Line Producer: Fernanda Polastri, Music Supervision: Amabis


Amy Jenkins

Amy Jenkins (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary artist, whose work focuses on familial relationships, desire, and gender identity. She was recently awarded the 2024 Santa Fe Art Institute Residency, the 2023 Sundance Documentary Film Grant, the 2023 Robert Flaherty Fellowship, the 2023 Harvard Film Study Center-LEF Fellowship, the 2019 Ewing Award for Interdisciplinary Art, and the 2018 New Hampshire Film Festival Filmmaker of the Year. Her films have also been supported by LEF Foundation, Points North Institute, Perspective Fund, Center for Independent Documentary, and Gotham. Her artwork has been presented at museums including MoMA, The National Gallery of Art, The Haifa Museum, The Akron Art Museum and Palm Beach ICA. Her first documentary feature, "Instructions on Parting," premiered at MoMA Doc Fortnight 2018 and won Best Feature Documentary at Athens International Film and Video Festival, OH. Her short film "Wishes" premiered at the Camden International Film Festival in 2019, and screened at festivals including Salem, New Orleans, Ashland Independent, Frameline, OutfestLA, Sidewalk, NewFest, Wicked Queer, among others. Her artwork has been reviewed in many publications, including The New York Times, ARTnews, Bomb, Artcritical, Performing Arts Journal, and The Village Voice.

Alamo Lamar 3

I Got Bombed at Harvey's

Biography
Crime
Documentary
Drama
Thriller

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

"Adam's Apple" is an intimate, collaborative documentary told through the dual perspectives of Adam, a transgender teen, and his mother, visual artist Amy Jenkins, that offers an authentic and tender counterpoint to the hostility facing trans youth today. Adam’s journey balances the milestones of gender transition with the rhythms of adolescence. As Adam asserts his identity and steps out into the world, his parents grapple with the challenges of raising a teen while learning to let go. Through a visually poetic approach, the film transforms a deeply personal archive, collected over two decades, into a powerful, joyful testament to the beauty and difficulty of reckoning with profound change.

Adam's Apple

A transgender teen and his mother chronicle their lives, artistically weaving a rare and intimate portrait of a family in transition. Two decades of footage trace a boy’s path to manhood and his parents' vulnerability as they reckon with change.

Adam Sieswerda, John Sieswerda, Elias Sieswerda

Consulting Producer: Amy Hobby, DI Colorist: Esmé Smith, Story Consultant: Carter Sickels


Austin Sayre

Austin Sayre is a first time filmmaker living in Austin, Texas that moved from the Midwest nearly 15 years ago, & proudly calls Texas his first real home. Receiving his degree in Painting, Austin has always been a very visually oriented person. Dynamic characters and stories that create conversation and empathy are what drive Austin's work.

An unsung pioneer of 1970s Texas Progressive Country, Steven Fromholz had a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Revered by legends like Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett & John Denver, he remained commercially unknown. He sought redemption on the Rio Grande as a river guide until a debilitating stroke erased his musical memory, stripping Fromholz of his artistic identity.
This intimate and impressionistic portrayal, bolstered by newly discovered archives as well as never-before-heard recordings, unveils the evolution of Fromholz, and reshapes the notion of success and artistic fortitude.

The Man with the Big Hat

Experience the unraveling of fame's illusions as 1970’s Texas singer-songwriter Steven Fromholz embarks on a soul-stirring journey of self-discovery and the true meaning of success.

Stephanie Moore
David Broad
Aaron Colussi
Jay Newberg
Diana Zuniga
Cherry Brown
Austin Sayre

Post Sound Mixer: Miles Foster-Greenwood

Lyle Lovett, Ray Benson, Terry Lickona, Butch Hancock, Bobby Bridger, Mike Williams, Dan McCrimmon, Janey Lake, Darcie Jane Fromholz, Felicity Rose Fromholz

Additional Cinematography: David Broad, Additional Cinematography: Ryan Light, Motion Graphics Designer: Matthew J. Ross, Production Assistant: Haley Sayre-Aust, Colorist: Drew Tekulve, Color Producer: Luke Butler, Online Editor: Will Clark, Assistant Editor: Jacob Estrada, Production Counsel: DCP, Music Supervisor: Julian Drucker


Hall of Fame Induction: José Andrés

José Andrés

Chairman & CEO

Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018, and awarded the 2015 National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama, Chef José Andrés is an internationally-recognized humanitarian, culinary innovator, and educator. In 2010, Andrés founded World Central Kitchen (WCK), a nonprofit organization that provides fresh meals in response to crises across the globe.

Shortly after settling in Washington, D.C., and introducing the city to Spanish Tapas, Andrés began volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he started to think big about philanthropy. Over the course of his career as a chef and restaurateur, he saw the role of cooks – and the power of food – to change the world. This path inspired Andrés to found WCK with the support of his wife Patricia, as well as his business partner Rob Wilder and his wife Robin.

Since its founding, Andrés and the WCK team have served over 250 million nourishing meals. In 2022, Andrés and his team arrived at the Poland-Ukraine border within 24 hours of the Russian invasion, and through this effort, have delivered meals to Ukrainians across eight countries, including 1,100 cities and towns in Ukraine alone.

Hilton Grand Ballroom (Salon HJK)

Featured Session: Moonshots that Move the Needle

SXSW Community Service Awards Recognition: The Bell

Featured Session: Strategy in the Times of Chaos: Imagining Futures of Education

Featured Session: How to Support Resilient Youth in an AI World

The SXSW Hall of Fame recognizes those trendsetters whose career accomplishments have paved the future in a variety of industries. These honorees inspire the SXSW community with their creativity and hard work in the digital industries.

For 2026 José Andrés will be the inductee to the Hall of Fame.

Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018 and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, José Andrés is an internationally recognized chef, restaurateur, humanitarian, and NY Times bestselling author.

A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States, he is also known for his groundbreaking avant-garde cuisine and his award-winning group of nearly forty restaurants. José Andrés Group’s concepts include the two Michelin-starred minibar by José Andrés in Washington, DC, the acclaimed NYC food hall Mercado Little Spain, and multiple locations of the Bazaar by José Andrés. He has been awarded the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef” and "Humanitarian of the Year” awards, and in 2023 received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Series for his show “José Andrés and Family in Spain."

Andrés is a committed advocate of food and hunger issues and is known for championing the role of chefs in the national debate on food policy. In 2010, he formed World Central Kitchen, a non-profit specializing in delivering food relief in the wake of natural and humanitarian disasters that has served nearly a billion hot meals worldwide. A decade after he introduced his pioneering college course “The World on a Plate," Andrés launched the Global Food Institute, a partnership with George Washington University to develop innovative new food policies and train the next generation of leaders.


Design
Gaming
Social Issues
The Arts/Theater

Lucas Rizzotto

Lucas Rizzotto is an award-winning viral artist, game developer and filmmaker from NYC. Born in Brazil and raised on the internet, Lucas is known for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in storytelling - from his many VR/AR games to his viral Instagram series, creating pieces that are innovative, heartfelt, funny and deeply revealing.

Alamo Lamar 7

Ugly Cry

Health/Disability/Illness
The Arts/Theater
Women

The internet is in shambles... and it's time to leave it for good. In this game built for a movie theater, you and the audience play as internet refugees armed only with your phones. Your mission? To escape the AI slop apocalypse and reach the Island of Sanctuary, rumoured to be the last good place on the Internet.

From legendary creator Lucas Rizzotto, "Escape The Internet" blends cinema, gaming and theater to create an entirely new genre of live entertainment - one that will make you laugh, cry, and reveal who you - and the ones around you - truly are.

Escape The Internet (Part 1)

Armed with only their phones, a live audience must work together to escape the looming AI slop apocalypse. Your mission? To reach Sanctuary, the last good place on the Internet.

Peter Cybriwsky
Carolina Rizzotto
Esme Robinson

Technical Director: Peter Cybriwsky, Animation Director: Vossadova (Alex Vargas), Tech Artist & Programmer: Fray Webber, Tech Artist & Programmer: Jack Wesson, 3D Modelling & Concept Art: James Higgins, 3D Modelling: Jared Lupien, 2D Art: Diana Arus, Stage Lighting Designer: James Hovet


Rollins Theatre at the Long Center

Cornbread Mafia

Addiction/Recovery
Legal
Senior/Aging
Social Issue

Action
Biography
Comedy
Crime
Documentary

African American
Books/Literary
Celebrity

Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero

Authentic storytelling that captivates, surprises, and excites.

A New Inferno

"A New Inferno" is a vérité short documentary set during Phoenix’s historically hottest month, July, when record-breaking heat turns deadly, especially for the unhoused. In 2024, 608 people in Maricopa County died from heat-related illness, representing a staggering increase over the past decade. The film follows the crew at Arizona’s busiest firehouse, as they race to save heatstroke victims using a radical new treatment. Against the backdrop of rising global temperatures, urban heat islands, and under-resourced services, Phoenix has become a climate canary. "A New Inferno" offers a visceral, street-level view of the climate crisis as it unfolds in one of the hottest major cities on Earth.

Filmed during the hottest days of Phoenix, Arizona’s summer heatwave, A New Inferno follows paramedics as they race to save the lives of heatstroke victims using a radical new treatment: ice immersion therapy.

Sam Osborn
Alejandra Vasquez
Jesse Ray Sheps

Jake West, Roy Lewis, Jason Smith, Colter Fosdick, Jeremy Heckel

Production Sound Mixer: Daniel Reddick, Rigging Grip: Stephane Strande, Rigging Grip: Brian Osback, Production Assistant: Camden Smith, Colorist: Keyhan Bayegan

He's Out There

Years ago, Devin, who has special needs, became enthralled by Bigfoot after watching the long-running reality TV series Mountain Monsters. When his mom took the opportunity to foster her son’s passion, daily hunts for Sasquatch grew into something more than a pastime. He’s Out There tells the story of—in Devin’s words—the proudest week of his life.

An Autistic Bigfoot hunter meets his heroes.

Devin Buccino, Karen Buccino, Jimmy Buccino, William “Willly” McQuillian, Jeff “Jeffro” Headlee

Glacier's Requiem

For three weeks, modular synthesis composer Colloboh makes music from field recordings in Iceland’s remote Snæfellsnes Peninsula. What begins as an exploration of sound evolves into a meditation on ecological collapse and the dilemma it poses for humanity.

Amid Iceland’s melting glaciers, modular synthesis artist Colloboh records the dying rhythms of ice and sea, uncovering a living language within nature itself – a requiem for the planet and for us.

India Lee
Kaspar Kamu
Jaume Masdevall
Saddiq Abubakar
Collins "Colloboh" Oboh

Associate Producer: Oli Falcon, Post Producer: Thomas Vinney, Colorist: Tim Smith, Iceland Producer: Jón Bjarni Guðmundsson, Local Production Coordinator: Andri Thor Birgisson, 2nd Unit Cinematographer: Neil Shukla

Eructation

Kaylee is an insanely loud burper. The world record for loudest female burp is currently set at 107.3 decibels, which is louder than a hair dryer, a lawn mower, and a leaf blower. But it's a number that Kaylee routinely beats on her own—her loudest belch to date is 110 decibels as recorded on her decibel reader app. In this documentary short, we follow her as she prepares to go for the record.

The world record for loudest female burp is 107.3 decibels. Kaylee wants to beat it.

Gaffer: Deante Grinner, Colorist: Ryan Urzi, Location Sound Mixer: Wesley McLean, Grip: Noah Kamen, Grip: Gabriel Clement, Production Assistant: David Lonergan, Executive Producer: Jason Scott, Executive Producer: Victoria Trow

Air Horse One

Training, Take-Off, Grand Prix. Legacy is one of the most valuable and celebrated horses in show jumping. In pursuit of victories, she is flown between competition venues across the globe. "Air Horse One" follows Legacy on her long journeys in the business class of equine air travel.

Philipp Ritler
Valentin Leblanc
Delphine Duez

Not Scared, Just Sad

Turning the camera on her family and surroundings in Beirut during the recent Israeli bombings of the city, Isabelle captures the jarring coexistence of regular life with the relentless shock and grief of living on the periphery of war.

November 2024, as the war escalates in a nearby suburb, a family in Beirut tries to live as normally as possible.

Kamen Velkovsky
Atilla Yücer
Diane Daccache

Norma Daccache, Hanna Damtew, Meseret (Rita) Donise, Jemaa Khaled, Christian Mecattaf, Diane Mecattaf

Sound Mixer: Rabih Ahmar, Colorist: Elie Akoka


Featured Session: The Science of Scaling: Using Data to Decide When—and How Fast—to Scale Revenue

Mark Roberge

Co - Founder

Mark Roberge is an entrepreneur, investor, and educator dedicated to helping startups and growth-stage companies scale with precision. As the fourth employee and Founding Chief Revenue Officer at HubSpot, he built and scaled the go-to-market organization from zero revenue to a successful IPO, pioneering a data-driven, buyer-centric sales model that has since influenced go-to-market teams worldwide.

After HubSpot’s IPO, Mark joined the full-time teaching faculty at Harvard Business School, where he designed and taught courses on sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, mentoring hundreds of student entrepreneurs and immersing himself in the challenges of early-stage growth.

More recently, Mark co-founded Stage 2 Capital, the first venture fund backed by over 1,000 elite sales and marketing executives. Stage 2 has invested in over 100 startups, connecting founders with proven revenue growth frameworks and seasoned go-to-market leaders to accelerate their scaling journey.

A sought-after speaker, Mark has shared his insights at major conferences including SaaStr, South by Southwest, Inbound, and the World Business Forum, and guest lectured at leading institutions such as MIT, Stanford, and Harvard.

Mark holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and an undergraduate engineering degree from Lehigh University. He is also the author of the bestselling book The Sales Acceleration Formula and now The Science of Scaling, which distills decades of experience into a practical, data-driven roadmap for founders, executives, and investors striving to achieve sustainable, scalable growth.

Salon 1-4

Featured Session: Multiplayer Futures: Co-Creating a Vision of SXSW 2030 (live!)

Featured Session: A Conversation with The All-American Rejects

Featured Session: Enough with the Bullsh*T: BuzzFeed Founder Shares His Plan to Make the Internet Fun Again

Featured Session: Why Work Feels So Unfair and How Hard Conversations Help

Featured Session: The Internet After Search

Are You Ready to Scale Sales? How Fast?
These two questions are mission-critical to the success of any startup, product launch, or market expansion. Yet, too often we rely on gut feel—or let irrelevant signals like a recent fundraise or comparisons to past unicorns— to drive our decisions.
The Science of Scaling offers a rigorous framework for founders, executives, and investors to calculate the answers using their company’s actual performance data—not wishful thinking.
Drawing on insights from hundreds of startups over the past 25 years, Mark Roberge—Founding CRO at HubSpot, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, and Co-Founder of Stage 2 Capital—reveals the five most common reasons revenue acceleration efforts fail.
Whether you're a founder starting to scale, an investor guiding your portfolio, or a GM launching a new product, The Science of Scaling framework is your operating manual.
Don’t guess. Don’t gamble. Scale scientifically.

FEATURED SESSION: THE SCIENCE OF SCALING: USING DATA TO DECIDE WHEN?AND HOW FAST?TO SCALE REVENUE


TikTok vs. Real Doc? Doctor Approved Biohacking Tips

Erica Berenstein

Former Deputy Editor In Chief

Dr. Geoffrey Ling, MD

Professor Of Neurology And Attending Physician, Neuro Critical Care

Geoffrey S. F. Ling, M.D., Ph.D., is a medical doctor who retired from the United States Army as a colonel. He served as the director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office and is an expert in traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Prominent in his research portfolio are neuroscience, specifically, preventing violent explosive neurologic trauma (PREVENT); prevention of traumatic brain injury; and development of responsive, brain-controlled, artificial arms. He also serves as the deputy director of the Defense Sciences Office. Ling is a recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the Brain Mapping Foundation.

Ling is also CEO of Ling&Associates, which is a firm specializing in technology development for national security and healthcare.

Wim Hof

Extreme Athlete and Motivational Speaker

Wim Hof, known as “The Iceman,” is a Dutch extreme athlete and wellness advocate famed for his ability to endure extreme cold. Hof has set multiple world records, including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, running a half marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot, and standing in a container while covered with ice cubes for more than 112 minutes.

He developed the Wim Hof Method, a practice combining controlled breathing techniques, gradual cold exposure, and mindset training to train their body to achieve extraordinary feats. Hof claims this method can boost energy, reduce stress, improve immunity, and enhance overall well-being. He’s drawn attention from scientists, some of whom have published studies suggesting his method can influence the autonomic nervous and immune systems.

Kevin J Tracey, Md

President And Ceo, The Feinstein Institutes For Medical Research

Kevin J. Tracey is president and CEO and the Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research; professor of Molecular Medicine and Neurosurgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. A leader in the scientific fields of inflammation and bioelectronic medicine, his contributions include discovery and molecular mapping of neural circuits controlling immunity.

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

We’re drowning in biohacking hype. Billions of social media impressions promise easy health fixes and longer life, but how much is real? This panel cuts through the noise, separating fact from fiction for popular biohacks like vagus nerve stimulation and bioimplants. Join leading experts who debunk myths, reveal data-backed science and explore the REAL future of health optimization. Whether you’re managing chronic pain, seeking longevity, or striving for peak athletic performance, discover evidence-based strategies to boost your wellbeing in an era of misinformation.

TIKTOK VS. REAL DOC? DOCTOR APPROVED BIOHACKING TIPS


F*** Productivity: Make Space for Creative Joy

Stephanie Mencarelli

Vp Of Design

Stephanie Mencarelli is an award-winning design leader who crafts impactful, human-centered experiences at the intersection of creativity, technology, and business. As VP of Design at Adobe, she leads the Document Cloud organization, Adobe's fastest-growing cloud service reaching over 750 million monthly active users through products like Adobe Acrobat, Sign, and Scan.

Her leadership style, defined by a unique blend of impact, joy, and connection, has been shaped by her extensive experience at industry-leading companies including Spotify, InVision, Walmart, and Jasper.

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

Constant productivity is killing creativity. It’s time to rethink the hustle and to step back, put down the phone, and skip the weekend doomscroll in order to supercharge your creative output. From neuroscience-backed hacks to ways to create joy in a remote world, like getting your team to do a few jumping jacks to kick off meetings or sending surprise team care packages, you’ll learn ways to rest, recharge, and fuel your best ideas. Because you won’t be replaced by AI, but you might be replaced by someone who knows when not to use it.

F*** PRODUCTIVITY: MAKE SPACE FOR CREATIVE JOY


Work Reimagined: Building Attraction, Not Requirements

Janet Pogue McLaurin

Principal, Global Director Workplace Research

An influential thought leader on the future of work, Janet is the Global Director of Workplace Research, studying how people work and thrive. Janet leads Gensler’s global workplace research measuring the impact of design on employee behaviors and experience.

Tony Caravano

Sr Director, Experiential Marketing, Brand Partnerships, Community

Tony Caravano guides how Rivian shows up in the world — from immersive brand experiences to community engagement and retail innovation. As Senior Director of Customer Engagement, he helped launch Rivian Spaces, reframing stores as experiential touchpoints. Before Rivian, Tony cut his teeth in customer experience, partnerships, and operations at Amazon, as well as in public service and higher education roles. He’s known in the Rivian owner community for regularly hosting AMAs and listening directly to owners. Tony believes brands don’t just speak to people — they show up, engage, and evolve with them.

Stephanie Timm

Senior Manager, Workplace Research

Stephanie Timm, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, WELL Faculty leads the Global Workplace Research team at LinkedIn. She writes and does research on how the built environment impacts people. Dr. Timm holds five degrees and is the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright scholar award. She is widely published in both peer-reviewed and industry journals.

Brett Hautop

Founder

Brett Hautop is founder of Workshape, a boutique creative agency that designs meaningful connections between work and place. Through strategic consulting and the innovative Workshape Labs, he helps organizations create environments and experiences that attract talent and empower teams to do their best work together. Brett has established himself as a workplace innovation leader over his 30 year career. Founded his architecture practice at 29, managing director at Gensler, VP workplace at LinkedIn, and adjunct faculty at NCSU. He serves forward-thinking organizations to radically adapt their workplace experiences to help get the most out of getting together. His human-centric approach fosters intentional community building and emphasizes environments where people genuinely want to be.

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

Stop fighting about office days and start designing workplace experiences that people actually want. This panel brings together LinkedIn's workforce research leader with real-time employee insights, the architect of Gensler's leading workplace experience platform, and Rivian's expert in customer community building. Discover why meaningful in-person connection becomes even more valuable as AI handles routine work, cutting edge examples of experimental workplaces, and proven strategies to create immediately measurable ROI from thoughtfully designed workplace experiences and communities.

WORK REIMAGINED: BUILDING ATTRACTION, NOT REQUIREMENTS


Featured Session: A Conversation with José Andrés

José Andrés

Chairman & CEO

Hilton Grand Ballroom (Salon HJK)

Featured Session: Moonshots that Move the Needle

SXSW Community Service Awards Recognition: The Bell

Featured Session: Strategy in the Times of Chaos: Imagining Futures of Education

Featured Session: How to Support Resilient Youth in an AI World

Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018 and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, José Andrés is an internationally recognized chef, restaurateur, humanitarian, and NY Times bestselling author.

A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States, he is also known for his groundbreaking avant-garde cuisine and his award-winning group of nearly forty restaurants. José Andrés Group’s concepts include the two Michelin-starred minibar by José Andrés in Washington, DC, the acclaimed NYC food hall Mercado Little Spain, and multiple locations of the Bazaar by José Andrés. He has been awarded the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef” and "Humanitarian of the Year” awards, and in 2023 received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Series for his show “José Andrés and Family in Spain."

Andrés is a committed advocate of food and hunger issues and is known for championing the role of chefs in the national debate on food policy. In 2010, he formed World Central Kitchen, a non-profit specializing in delivering food relief in the wake of natural and humanitarian disasters that has served nearly a billion hot meals worldwide. A decade after he introduced his pioneering college course “The World on a Plate," Andrés launched the Global Food Institute, a partnership with George Washington University to develop innovative new food policies and train the next generation of leaders.

American Sign Language
Open captioned
Closed captioned

FEATURED SESSION: A CONVERSATION WITH JOSE ANDRES


Awakening to Light: Returning to Nature’s Rhythm

Mark Reynoso

CEO

Mark Reynoso is Chairman and CEO of Korrus, a visionary leader, who after more than a decade scaling Belkin to over $1billion, turned his focus to one of the most overlooked forces in human health: light. At Korrus, he leads a science and engineering team with over 500 patents exploring how light influences circadian rhythms, sleep, and long-term health. His work centers on a clear idea: the light surrounding us shapes our biology. His mission is to elevate importance of one’s “light diet” to enhance both health and well-being.

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

Light shapes biology. When spectrum and timing drift, circadian rhythms falter, degrading sleep, cognition, and long-term health. We move from hard science to possibility: technology that calibrates light to natural circadian cues, paired with daily practices - meditation, breath, mindful routines - to restore rhythm.

AWAKENING TO LIGHT: RETURNING TO NATURE?S RHYTHM


Mentor Session: Mike Cacciabondo (Pinnacle Adverising)

Mike Cacciabondo

Group Creative Director

I’ve spent the last 25 years in the trenches of advertising; learning from legends, breaking a few rules, and turning good ideas into the kind people actually talk about. I’ve helped build brands, grow agencies, and rally creative misfits who believe in shaking things up. I’m obsessed with what’s next... new media, new talent, new ways to make people feel something.

I don’t believe in luck. I believe in stubbornness, collaboration, and staying curious enough to surprise yourself. You can see what I mean at mikecacciabondo.com
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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 Content Strategy/Production, Marketing/Advertising/PR, Storytelling, Architecture.

MENTOR SESSION: MIKE CACCIABONDO (PINNACLE ADVERISING)


Mentor Session: Sandy Stewart (Think Big! Sustainable Business)

Sandy Stewart

Founder

B2B Community Builder, 3x Best selling author, Speaker, SXSW Mentor, Sustainability and Strategic Alliances, Small Business Advocate and Startup Growth Trainer

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

MENTOR SESSION: SANDY STEWART (THINK BIG! SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS)


Mentor Session: Judy Tint (Counselor At Law/NYU Music Business Program )

Judy Tint

Attorney/Professor/Musician

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 Contracts & Agreements, Educations, and Women in Music.

MENTOR SESSION: JUDY TINT (COUNSELOR AT LAW/NYU MUSIC BUSINESS PROGRAM )


Mentor Session: Nicole Sanzio (InDigi Music)

Nicole Sanzio

Creative Executive

As the Owner and Executive Producer of InDigi Music, Nicole has helped their Artists, Writers and Composers get music placed music in Film, TV & Video. Her accomplishments as an independent contractor has made her a sought after expert within the fast-changing industries of licensing/publishing. Her music placements read like a “what’s hot” list in Film & TV programming, among them: MGM’s RESPECT (Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson), Universal Pictures “Despicable Me 2” and “Fast & Furious” (4, 5 and 6), STX Films “Hustlers”, Better Things (FX), All American (CW), All American: Homecoming (CW), Queen Sugar (OWN), Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), Last Chance U (Netflix), Taurasi (Amazon Prime), Beauty in Black (Netflix), Showtime’s “Ray Donovan” and “Shameless”, Empire (Fox), NBC Olympic Games, NBC “Today Show” and “Meet The Press”, The Hype (HBO Max), In The Dark (CW), Batwoman (CW), etc. Her company has also secured a hefty list of other music placements on AMC, CBS, NBC, TLC, PBS, USA Network, Lifetime, Nickelodeon, MTV, Animal Planet, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Sync/Licensing, Women in Music, Publishing.

MENTOR SESSION: NICOLE SANZIO (INDIGI MUSIC)


Mentor Session: Hallie Anderson (Rareform)

Hallie Anderson

Co-Founder

Hallie Anderson is co-founder of Rareform, a boutique artist services company built for independent musicians. Rareform has worked with global artists such as Royel Otis, Julia Jacklin, L’Imperatrice, The Blaze, Windser, Genesis Owusu, among others to build custom direct marketing, digital, DSP, and release strategy campaigns that support long-term growth. Prior to co-founding Rareform with her business partner Jess Page, Hallie served as co-General Manager of Mom+Pop Music alongside Page working with artists such as Flume, Courtney Barnett and Tash Sultana. Anderson’s experience traverses all areas of the music business, from labels to live to management, having cut her teeth at AEG Northwest and Foundations Artist Management. A native of Seattle and a Fordham MBA, Anderson is an expert in comprehensive release strategy with a keen understanding of the symbiotic relationship between US and global music markets. Her scrappy approach and entrepreneurial spirit has helped support strategic development for GRAMMY-winning artists and emerging creators alike.

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

MENTOR SESSION: HALLIE ANDERSON (RAREFORM)


Producers Mentor Session: Paul Alvarado-Dykstra (TBD Post)

Paul Alvarado-Dykstra

Executive Producer

Executive Producer, Longform (Film/TV) at TBD Post; Co-Founder, Fantastic Fest; Co-Host, Multiplex Overthruster (the ’80s summer movie podcast); Honorary Chairman of the Vacation® Leisure Council; SXSW 2026 Mentor

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 Development, Narrative Filmmakers, Producers/Production.

PRODUCERS MENTOR SESSION: PAUL ALVARADO-DYKSTRA (TBD POST)


Round Table: Producing: Carl Effenson, Jordana Glick-Franzheim, and Alan Luna

Alan Luna

Producer/Casting Director

Alan Luna is a Producer and Casting Director for TV, Film and Animation. With close to 15 years casting, development and producing experience, he's collaborated on projects with Disney, Netflix, Max, Amazon, Nickelodeon, Hulu, Lionsgate, Marvel Studios, amongst many more. Some recent feature credits include If I Go Will They Miss Me (Sundance 26'), The Long Game (SXSW 23’, Narrative Spotlight Audience Award), Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (TIFF 22’, produced by Lin Manuel Miranda), Blumhouse' Run Sweetheart Run (Sundance 20'), Felipe Vargas horror debut Rosario and upcoming feature Mouth of the Furnace, The Remedy (Cannes Fantastic Pavilion Galas 25'), Sam Raimi/Marvel's Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 52nd State (Executive Produced by Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings), and Pedro Pan starring Emmy winner Néstor Carbonell and Oscar nominee Andy Garcia.

His work in television includes the Netflix series' One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Chosen One, Selena: the Series, and the peabody nominated Gentefied, Amazon's 1st Multilingual Western La Cabeza de Joaquín Murrieta, Disney's remake of the their 1st Disney Channel original movie Under Wraps, it's sequel Under Wraps 2, and TV series Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion, AMC's Allblk network Send Help created by Jean Eli and Mike Gauyo, amongst others.

AA first generation Chicano, Alan believes supporting and mentoring emerging artists and filmmakers creates a lasting impact in entertainment, including promoting authentic representation on screen and behind the scenes, and creates a pipeline for historically unseen communities to share their stories. He's worked on various films/fellowships such as Lena Waithe/Hillman Grad Indeed Rising Voices Program (premiering at Tribeca Film Festival), Cate Blanchett/Dirty Films POC, Rideback Rise, Film Independent/Project Involve, Netflix/LALIFF Fellowship, PBS, Warner Bros Access, MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives, Outfest x Concord, The Short Film Project (with Producers Guild of America, Google and Paul Feig), as well as various student films with AFI, USC, NYU and others.

Alan is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Jordana Glick

Producer

Jordana is an independent producer who has provided development and producing services on both scripted and unscripted projects for over thirty years. She has worked for studios, independent film companies, international production companies and streaming platforms in documentary, narrative film and podcasts.

Her feature film credits include THE UNFORGIVABLE starring Sandra Bullock for Netflix; WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER, starring Chris Evans, Anna Faris and Chris Pratt for 20th Century Fox; EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES, starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser for CBS Films; Miguel Arteta’s YOUTH IN REVOLT, starring Michael Cera for Dimension Films; MANAGEMENT starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn, Woody Harrelson and Richard LaGravenese’s FREEDOM WRITERS, starring Hillary Swank for Paramount Pictures.

Her documentary credits include the Paramount+ four-part doc series THE WILD and the LA Film Fest winner FIRE ON THE HILL; AT THE FORK for Samuel Goldwyn, IVORY WARS for Discovery International and the award winning ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT for OWN.

Jordana has several high-profile scripted podcast producing credits including  STEPHEN KING’S STRAWBERRY SPRING; PLAYBOY INTERVIEWS with Gael García Bernal as Salvador Dali and Natasha Lyonne as Mae West among other A-list actors and AMERICAN TABLOID starring Shea Whigham, Brian Cox, Bobby Cannavale and Maya Hawk and documentary series HUSTLE RULE for Nike and the award winning MAEJOR FREQUENCY for Audible.

Educated at Pitzer College with a Bachelor of Arts in Film, Fine Arts and Communications, Jordana also attended high school in Switzerland at Ecole d’Humanité and the American International School in Nice, France. She is a member of the Producers Guild and International Documentary Association and resides in Los Angeles.

Carl Effenson

Producer

Carl Effenson is an award-winning independent film producer known for telling socially impactful, emotionally resonant stories. His work spans critically acclaimed, festival-winning features to heartfelt crowd-pleasers — all grounded in authenticity and crafted to spark conversation.

His credits include Mudbound (Netflix), directed by Dee Rees and starring Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, and Jason Clarke. The film made Oscar history with four Academy Award nominations and was awarded the Humanitas Prize and Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards. It was also named Best Picture of the Year by both The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times.

Carl executive produced Bob Trevino Likes It (Roadside Attractions), starring Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo. The film premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, winning both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award to rave reviews (95% Rotten Tomatoes).

He also produced Mending the Line (Sony Pictures), starring Brian Cox, Sinqua Walls, and Wes Studi — a moving story about a Marine with PTSD who finds healing through fly fishing. The film debuted on Netflix in 2024, where it quickly rose to #1 on the U.S. Top Ten chart.

Recent projects include Maybe We Should, a heartwarming family drama set in a therapy center for children with special needs, starring Heather Graham, Lil Rel Howery, Jeremy John Wells, and Kevin Nealon. His earlier films include Hide Away (SXSW Grand Jury Prize for Cinematography), starring Josh Lucas and James Cromwell, and Burying the Ex (Venice Film Festival), directed by Joe Dante and starring Anton Yelchin and Alexandra Daddario.

Representative

Round Table: Programming: Landon Zakheim, Monica Garcia Massague, and R.J. LaForce

Round Table: Sales, Acquisitions, and Distribution: Amy Beecroft, Joe Yanick, and Shaked Berenson

Round Table: Producing: Ashleigh Snead, Kelly Williams, and Liz Cardenas

Round Table: Acting: Alexandra Barreto, Alyssa Rodriguez, and Rider Strong

Round Table: Development: Carolina Tamez and Henry Kittredge

An extension of our popular Mentor Sessions, our Round Table Sessions not only allow attendees to learn from the industry experts that sit at each of the three tables in this session but they also allow attendees to learn from the questions and experiences of their peers as well. This Round Table Session will bring together industry experts and SXSW attendees for an enlightening discussion on Producing.

ROUND TABLE: PRODUCING: CARL EFFENSON, JORDANA GLICK-FRANZHEIM, AND ALAN LUNA


Producers Mentor Session: Sara Robertson (Austin PBS)

Sara Robertson

Chief Operating Officer

As Chief Operating Officer for Austin PBS, Sara is responsible for developing and executing the internal operational strategies across the production, marketing and engineering teams. She is also responsible for overseeing acquisition and programming across linear and digital channels, and is the executive in charge for Austin City Limits, the longest running music show in television history. In her tenure, she helped turn the station into Texas' largest producing PBS station and a major contributor to the public media catalog ensuring that on any given day, multiple times a day, viewers at public media stations all across the United States watch programs produced and presented by Austin PBS.

Multidisciplinary projects created by Sara include BBQ with Franklin, the first TV series to be distributed by PBS that originally began on YouTube, and Considering Matthew Shepard, a national public television special and community engagement campaign that examines how art can address issues of acceptance, compassion and bullying. Recently she oversaw the launch of the station’s first weekly news and feature journalism show Austin InSight.

Sara is an active volunteer and is Chair of the Board of Directors, CLOVES Syndrome Community. Before coming to public media, she worked in broadcast news and received her journalism degree from the University of Georgia.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Producers/Production, "Sales, Acquisitions, & Distribution", Programming.

PRODUCERS MENTOR SESSION: SARA ROBERTSON (AUSTIN PBS)