Encrypted Resistance: Youth Revolt in Memes, Art & Metadata

Angelo Sathorn

Thai youth-led movement leader, member of United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration

Angelo Sathayu Sathorn is a Thai youth activist and law student at Thammasat University, recognized for his leadership with the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD). He joined the pro-democracy protests at age 17 during Thailand’s 2020 movement, as “the second wave” of the youth-led protest, advocating for constitutional reform, monarchy reform, and human rights. Angelo has spoken about the cultural shifts sparked by youth activism and the legal and political pressures faced by protestors. He envisions a democratic Thailand built on equality, truth, and reason, free from the cycles of conflict that shaped his generation.

Eva Galperin

Director of Cybersecurity

Eva Galperin is Director of Cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), leading global efforts to protect vulnerable communities, from journalists and activists in repressive regimes to survivors of domestic abuse, from digital threats such as malware, spyware, and stalkerware. With a background in political science and international relations and early experience in Silicon Valley IT, Eva bridges technical expertise and human-rights advocacy. Since joining EFF in 2007, she has led critical initiatives like the EFF Threat Lab, the Tor Relay Challenge, and co-founded the Coalition Against Stalkerware, pushing the boundaries of how technology and policy can protect the world’s most vulnerable users.

Xiao Qiang

Research scientist at UC Berkeley School of Information; Founder, Editor-in-Chief of China Digital Times

Xiao Qiang is a research scientist at UC Berkeley’s School of Information and the director of its Counter-Power Lab, where faculty and students explore how technology, censorship, and digital rights intersect. He is also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of China Digital Times (CDT), a pioneering bilingual news site that serves as a global archive of encrypted resistance, tracking censorship patterns across China’s expanding digital empire. Trained in theoretical physics at the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of Notre Dame, Xiao shifted from science to human-rights technology after the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. His work bridges data science and activism, revealing how creativity, coded speech, and diaspora networks defy algorithmic repression worldwide.

Joan Donovan

Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies

Dr. Joan Donovan is a sociologist and Assistant Professor at Boston University, specializing in disinformation, media manipulation, and technology’s impact on democracy. She previously led research at Harvard Kennedy School, UCLA, and Data & Society. Donovan is the founder of the Critical Internet Studies Institute and co-author of Meme Wars. Her work combines academic rigor with public engagement, helping journalists, technologists, and civil society navigate today’s complex media landscape.

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 authoritarian regimes from Beijing to Tehran expand digital control through AI-powered surveillance, censorship algorithms, and language policing, free expression faces coordinated attack. These systems now share tools of repression across borders. In response, youth resist in whispers—through irony, creativity, and digital dexterity, they craft encrypted defiance. This panel explores how coded memes, subversive slang, guerrilla art, edgy rap lyrics and diaspora networks fuel encrypted defiance, reshaping protest through cracks in the digital firewall—online and on the ground.

ENCRYPTED RESISTANCE: YOUTH REVOLT IN MEMES, ART & METADATA


Streaming Fraud: Where We Are and How it's Changing

Tori Leche

Senior Manager, Fraud Prevention

Tori Leche is a versatile music industry professional with 8 years of experience in digital music distribution and a dual degree in Music Business/Management and Songwriting from Berklee College of Music. They also co-founded Pink Line Management, a boutique artist management company specializing in bespoke release plans and event planning. Tori currently works at UnitedMasters as the Senior Manager, Fraud Prevention. While they have successfully helped reduce artificial streaming at multiple distribution companies, Tori has also engaged with countless artists to educate them on how to avoid artificial streaming and protect their catalogs. Tori is passionate about helping independent artists succeed, which is why they approach fraud prevention with an education-forward mentality.

Kevin Rutherford

Senior Charts/Data Analyst, Streaming Services & Rock

Kevin Rutherford is a senior charts/data analyst in Billboard's charts department, with a focus on streaming data, social media/short-form video services and the rock and alternative genres.

Josiah Albertsen

Associate Director, Music Licensing

I'm the Associate Director of Music Licensing at SiriusXM+Pandora. I work with our  label partners every day on any old content need that comes up. I'm the licensing team rep for the SXM+Pandora Product Org, and help lead our spin fraud and GenAI detection strategies. I’m the company's DDEX and MusicBiz Board Rep and Co-Chair the DDEX Spin fraud WG. I also speak at events like SXSW, MusicBiz, and MusicBizTrust & Safety. Former cofounder/CEO of Parallel (VR for music). I’ve been apart of many nonprofits and now help the Lake Merritt Institute improve Oakland’s iconic lake. (I also like rowing on the lake!)

My path began with indie labels, touring, managing bands, and managing/talent buying at a DIY venue with a cool disco ball—always surrounded by people who live for music.

Andreea Gleeson

Strategic Advisor; Former CEO, TuneCore

Andreea Gleeson is the former Chief Executive Officer of TuneCore, Strategic Advisory to Believe, and a leading innovator in the music industry. After years as an eCommerce pioneer, she joined TuneCore in 2015 as a member of the senior leadership team, rose to CEO in 2021, and has helped build TuneCore into one of the most dynamic and innovative companies in the music industry. Her support of independent artists has driven the implementation of leading-edge product & technology solutions and artist development programs, establishing TuneCore as the premier development platform for self-releasing artists. Since 2021, Andreea has been included in multiple Billboard Power Lists and, under her guidance as CEO, TuneCore was included in Fast Company’s list of the Most Innovative Companies in the music industry from 2023-2025.

Capitol Ballroom FGH

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Syncrets to Success: Conversation With Music Supervisors

Mexico Amplified: How Música Mexicana is Reshaping Global Music

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

Even after the first U.S. federal streaming fraud lawsuit in 2024, fraud and anomalous behavior remain major challenges. This panel explores recent developments, how AI is shaping both the problem and the solution, and who’s most impacted. We’ll share personal anecdotes, current case studies, and a ground-level view of how streaming fraud has evolved. We’ll also discuss what’s being done now (besides yelling into the void or shaking our fists at bots)

STREAMING FRAUD: WHERE WE ARE AND HOW IT'S CHANGING


Building the Alien: Morphology, Mutation & Future Life

Shane Griffin

Artist & Director

Shane Griffin is an artist and director whose work fuses high-end design, live-action filmmaking, and emerging technologies. Seamlessly blending surrealism with futuristic themes, his distinctive visual language has attracted collaborators such as Apple, BMW, Givenchy, and Nike. Named a Louis Vuitton “200 Visionary,” ADC Young Gun, and TED Speaker, Shane’s ability to combine cinematic craft with cutting-edge design continues to push the boundaries of innovative storytelling.

Claire Isabel Webb

Director, Future Humans

Dr. Claire Isabel Webb is a researcher, writer, and program director at the Berggruen Institute, where she leads Future Humans, a research initiative exploring how life, intelligence, and technology might evolve in the long term.

Claire earned her Ph.D. from MIT in the history and anthropology of science. Her forthcoming book, Reflexive Alienation, explores how scientists have imagined and anticipated alien life through speculative experimentation.

Salon AB

Two Futurists and an AI: Seeing Trouble Ahead

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

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

The Clock Is Ticking for Space – Replacing the ISS

Can Media Survive AI? The Fight for Public Trust

What if we didn’t just search for alien life—but built it? Drawing from Proxima Kósmos, a research project exploring how life and intelligence might emerge under radically different conditions, this session examines the intersection of scientific experimentation and design. Claire Webb and designer Shane Griffin present Xenoterra—a modeled world inspired by evolutionary robotics and AI—that reimagines how we define life itself.

BUILDING THE ALIEN: MORPHOLOGY, MUTATION & FUTURE LIFE


Serious Fun: How to Bring Game Mechanics into Product Design

Ruthie Edwards

Product Design Lead

I design and build interactive experiences, whether it’s a desktop platform or a mobile app, an experimental game or a weird, delightful prototype. By day, I lead design teams at WongDoody NYC. By night, I write code, develop video games, and make strange things just to see what happens.

Room 410

Technology Convergence: Winning the Exponential Upswing

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

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

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

Serious products don't have to be seriously boring. In fact, a little play might be the power-up your product needs. This talk explores how proven game mechanics like feedback loops, progression systems, and "juice" can supercharge your product's design, making it intuitive and addictive (in a good way!). Drawing from indie game dev, client work with major brands, and 40+ game jams, I'll show you how thinking like a game designer creates playful, emotionally resonant experiences. Learn to make your products more rewarding, alive, and user-loved. When in doubt, add more "juice"!

SERIOUS FUN: HOW TO BRING GAME MECHANICS INTO PRODUCT DESIGN


Does Better Health Start with Dignity?

Jewel Jones

Global Inclusion & Health Equity Practice Leader

Jewel Jones serves as Executive Vice President of Global Inclusion & Health Equity at Real Chemistry, where she leads a team of experts who work with health care companies on actioning health equity as a business imperative. Jewel's team incorporates evidence-based considerations and community-first approaches to help unlock more options for more patients to experience better health – regardless of race, gender, zip code, or socioeconomic status.
Jewel has designed and launched initiatives that have driven an increase in trustworthiness – for example resulting in high vaccine adoption in historically excluded communities. She has also created narrative-shifting and culturally-responsive engagements that have garnered media coverage in top-tier news outlets.
Jewel is deeply engaged in community and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She is a graduate of Hampton University, where she serves on the advisory board for the School of Journalism and Communications.

Ivor Braden Horn

Investor, Physician, & Technology Executive

Dr. Ivor Braden Horn has over two decades of experience as an advisor, investor, physician, and technology executive with experience in entrepreneurial, venture, academic medicine, health systems, and research organizations. She is internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of technology, equity, and responsible health innovation. As the founding director and first Chief Health Equity Officer at Google, she led strategies to integrate health equity and responsible innovation into research and product development. Dr. Horn has held leadership roles at Accolade (acquired by Transcarent), Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the University of Washington School of Medicine. She currently serves on the boards of Boston Children’s Hospital, and Acclinate.

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

What does dignity feel like in health experiences and outcomes? Why does it matter now more than ever?  We’ll explore the role of dignity as a transformative force and unpack its emerging as a vital indicator of health quality, trust and connection. Dignity is reflected in how we’re treated, heard and how care is delivered. When it’s missing, the consequences are profound. As we evolve and reimagine the healthcare ecosystem so that it works better for everyone, health dignity offers a powerful lens that reveals opportunities to improve how help make health innovation real for more people.


Arabella Oz

Arabella wrote "Mallory’s Ghost" while working as a mental health counselor in Manhattan, after a circular road from film school to therapy and back again. Her work explores psychological patterns (the ones that don’t seem to quit) while honoring that life is also strange, funny, and beautiful. Her favorite pastime is laughing with her husband and collaborator, Nick Canellakis.

Alamo Lamar 7

Ugly Cry

Health/Disability/Illness
The Arts/Theater
Women

Your Attention Please

Health/Disability/Illness
Politics
Technology
Social Issue

Mallory, plagued by fears of being unremarkable, joins her playwright boyfriend Sam on a retreat to coastal Maine. When she learns he once brought his glamorous ex, Louise, there, she’s struck with an obsessive curiosity about his past. As her jealousy takes hold, Mallory becomes convinced she’s being haunted by the ghost of Louise herself... Pulled into a journey that slips between past and present, rivalry and affection, melancholy and creativity, Mallory drifts further from her old life and toward something essential. "Mallory’s Ghost" is a psychological and playful exploration of envy, and the strange path it can lead back to the Self.

Mallory's Ghost

A young woman becomes convinced that she is being haunted by the ghost of her boyfriend’s ex-lover and muse -- an obsession that takes her on a strange, transformative journey.

Arabella Oz, Nick Canellakis, Anjelica Bosboom, Delphi Harrington, Shahjehan Khan, Evangeline Beasley

Co-Director: Nick Canellakis, Additional Editor: Katie McQuerrey, Assistant Director: Harry McEnermy, Miriam Olken, Sound Mixer: Ashley Kotzur, Script Supervisor: Erica Matz, 1st Asst Camera: Patrick Hanover, Theron Powell, Gaffer: Adam Belanger, Colorist: Filipp Kotsishevkiy, Casting: Matthew Messinger, Hair and Makeup: Alisha Cratty, Teague Vivolo


Nan Feix

Nan Feix is a filmmaker weaving stories of education, heritage, and family through subcultures like skateboarding, food, motorbikes, and dance—crafting films, docs, and art projects that blend social impact with bold, cinematic exploration.

After falling in love with Vietnamese cuisine during a life-changing trip abroad, Jerald—a self-taught chef from small-town Texas—arrives in New York City with one goal: to open his own restaurant. Juggling odd jobs and secretly perfecting recipes in a basement kitchen, he’s running out of time and money. When he meets Nhung, a sharp-witted Vietnamese waitress, their unlikely alliance sparks a bold culinary journey. From improvised street hustles to a hidden speakeasy, they fight to turn Jerald’s dream into reality. A story of passion, resilience, and unexpected friendship in the heart of the city.

Mam

English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese with English Subtitles

A self-taught chef from Texas arrives in New York to open a Vietnamese restaurant. Broke but relentless, he teams up with a witty waitress, and together they cook up an unlikely journey of passion, resilience, and friendship in the city’s underbelly.

Marine Garnier
Gregory Panteix
Nan Feix
Grégoire Musso
Jerald Head
Nhung Dao Head

Jerald Head, Nhung Dao Head, Tuan Bui, Henry Wong, Linh Phan, Lang A Nguyen, Maxence Victor, Kim Hoang, Naoto Ono, An Nguyen Xuan

Producer: Marine Garnier, 1st Camera Assistant: Lily Mars, Sound Engineer: Ada Zang, Sound Engineer: Weixin Zuhang, Production Coordinator: Sam Hewison, Casting & Location Scouting: An Nguyen Xuan, Colorist: Mathieu Caplanne, Music Supervisor: Grégoire Musso


Jared L. Christopher

Jared Christopher is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker from Fort Worth, Texas. With 15+ years in journalism and filmmaking, he is known for his Emmy nominated docuseries "Texas 6" (Paramount+). His work, rooted in journalism, blends emotional depth with raw honesty. His upcoming projects include a docuseries on world champion boxer Caleb Plant, executive produced by Taylor Sheridan and 101 Studios.

State Theatre

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

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

In A Cowboy in London, filmmaker Jared Christopher captures a rare portrait of Charley Crockett on the verge of global stardom. Shot in the verite tradition, the film follows Crockett during a whirlwind week in London: 3 sold-out solo shows at historic Hoxton Hall, candid tv, radio & newspaper interviews, tourist wanderings, and intimate moments with fiancee Taylor Grace, whose camcorder diary intertwines with professional footage. Between forgotten lyrics and celebrity cameos, Crockett confronts the state of America, Ai in music, and the music industry itself, revealing a vulnerable, defiant artist unafraid to speak truth while chasing greatness.

A Cowboy in London

"A Cowboy in London" captures country renegade Charley Crockett's first solo shows in years - three sold-out London nights where nerves, chaos, and triumph collide in an unguarded portrait of a star on the brink of global fame.

Charley Crockett, Taylor Day Grace-Crockett, Joe David Walters, Simon Slater

Additional Camera: Taylor Day Grace-Crockett


Casper Kelly

Casper Kelly is a writer and director best known for creating the viral phenomenon "Too Many Cooks". A veteran of Adult Swim, he co-showran the Emmy-nominated "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell" and wrote for hits including "Archer" and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". His film credits include the "Certified Fresh", "V/H/S/Halloween" and "Adult Swim Yule Log". Kelly returns to Sundance Midnight following his contribution to the cult-classic Mandy, where he created the iconic "Cheddar Goblin.”

Alamo Lamar 4

My NDA

African American
Legal
LGBTQ
Politics
Social Issues
Women
Social Issue

Cookie Queens

African American
Latino
Texas
Women
Children
Disability
Native American/Indigenous
Youth/Teen

Courtesy of Beautiful Stories and AJNA Films

The Life We Leave

Business/Entrepreneurial
Environment
Social Issue

A brave girl and her friends must escape a kids television show.

Buddy

Kevin Flanigan
Dexter Braff
Roberto Linck
Nathan McAuley
Emilio Schenker
Gideon Tadmor
Adam J. Wilde
Geoff Yaw
Ryan J. Kelly

Tyler Davidson
Drew Sykes
Raphael Margules
J.D. Lifshitz
Tracy Rosenblum

Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Topher Grace, Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Shannon, Patton Oswalt

Costume Designer: Shawna-Nova Foley, Casting Directors: Chelsea Ellis Bloch, CSA  Marisol Roncali, CSA, Puppet Designer: Devon Hawkes Ludlow


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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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.


Featured Session: The Innovation Engine You’ve Never Heard of: Your Neighbor

André Zdanow

President

André Zdanow is the President of FirstBuild and the Executive Director of the Small Appliances division of GE Appliances. Prior to GE Appliances, Zdanow served as the Vice President of eCommerce at Gemaire Distributors, a division of Watsco and one of the world’s largest independent distributors of heating, air conditioning, refrigeration equipment, parts and supplies. Before that, he served as the Director at Watsco Ventures, where he oversaw the evaluation of all hardware and Internet of Things investments and distribution opportunities. He has additionally held senior positions at Mophie, StadiumRed Group, and the invention company Quirky, where he was also an early investor in the companies. Zdanow began his career as an entrepreneur operating his own bagel shop, and today is a father of two, the co-executive sponsor of the LouNet Affinity Group, and serves on the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana.

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

Traditional corporate innovation keeps ideas locked away until launch, but GE Appliances innovation arm, FirstBuild, has flipped the script—inviting passionate enthusiasts to co-create products from day one. The result is a 93% failure rate that just so happens to drive million-dollar successes like the Opal Nugget Ice Maker, which raised $2.7 million in crowdfunding after the community helped shape its development. This session will explore how major corporations can harness the power of co-creation, where rough transparency builds more trust than polished presentations, and where your best product ideas might come from a Reddit user with a 3D printer. Learn how FirstBuild proves that building in public, failing fast, and letting communities vote with their wallets creates better products than closed-door development—and why the future of innovation looks less like a pipeline and more like a playground.

FEATURED SESSION: THE INNOVATION ENGINE YOU?VE NEVER HEARD OF: YOUR NEIGHBOR


Featured Session: How CMOs are Rewriting the Rules of Connection

Lauren Stafford-Webb

Chief Marketing Officer

Lauren has served as Chief Marketing Officer of SoFi Technologies since 2019—she oversees all aspects of Marketing including product marketing, performance marketing, brand strategy & creative, media buying, public relations, and web. She joined SoFi from Intuit, where she led global corporate marketing, spearheading the delivery of the company’s first corporate brand strategy and campaign. Prior to Intuit, Lauren held marketing leadership positions at The Procter & Gamble Company, where she achieved impressive results while leading all marketing efforts and overseeing the P&L for some of the world’s most beloved household brands at different stages of growth and innovation. Lauren holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.

Allison Stransky

Chief Marketing Officer

Allison Stransky is CMO of Samsung Electronics America, where she leads U.S. marketing and communications with a focus on AI-powered brand building and cultural relevance. She champions Samsung’s “AI for All” vision—delivering personalized, predictive, and privacy-centric experiences across devices and generations. A dynamic voice in engaging Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Allison blends creativity, technology, and purpose to build brand love, drive innovation, and ensure inclusive access to the future of smart living. She also oversees breakthrough campaigns that shift from product-first messaging to storytelling that resonates emotionally—bringing AI-enabled experiences to life in ways that are human-centered and deeply relevant.

Eleanor Hawkins

Reporter

Eleanor Hawkins is a communications strategist and writer at Axios. She authors Axios Communicators —  a weekly newsletter that examines how leaders, businesses, brands and employers communicate — and runs Mixing Board powered by Axios, a membership organization with over 1,000 of the top communications, marketing and corporate affairs professionals.

Brian Irving

Chief Marketing Officer

Brian Irving has more than two decades of technology and leadership experience across technology companies and household consumer brands. He has served as the CMO of Lyft since March 2024, while also leading iconic global brands including Meta, Eventbrite, Apple, Google, and Airbnb. He also previously served as co-CMO and VP of global digital marketing for Levi Strauss & Co. As CMO at Lyft, Brian leads all marketing, creative, and communications for the brand. This includes developing the strategy for and executing on all product marketing; brand and integrated marketing; marketing sciences; the creative studio; brand social media; and corporate, policy, brand, and product communications. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in international relations from Michigan State University.

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

Modern CMOs have cracked the code: AI doesn't kill authenticity—it supercharges it. In this session, several CMOs skip the hype to share what actually works. They've turned algorithms into empathy and data into deeper human connections. No fluff, no buzzwords—just the real wins, messy learnings, and breakthrough moments that separate leaders from followers. These aren't your typical "AI will save us all" stories. They're practical insights on building marketing that genuinely serves people, not just metrics.

FEATURED SESSION: HOW CMOS ARE REWRITING THE RULES OF CONNECTION

Brand & Marketing track sponsored by Youtube


Beyond the 9-to-5: Rewrite Your Success with a Portfolio Career

Helena Wasserman

Investors For Climate | Unstoppable Media

Entrepreneur and Investor

As co-founder of Investors for Climate, she co-leads a global network of over 400+ climate investors and an investment syndicate. An Earthshot Prize nominator and seasoned angel investor with 11+ startups in her portfolio (including an IPO).

Through her Unstoppable program, she equips early stage founders with the strategies to raise capital($40M raised to date cumulatively) and scale.

She has spoken at the United Nations, Tedx, UBS, Pictet, Super Return, Change Now, Climate Week NYC, Creative Morning amongst many others.

On social media, Helena has a cumulative audience of 30’000 followers across Linkedin and Instagram.

She holds a bachelor degree in Environmental Studies from The New School and Masters in Management from London School of Economics.

Sophie Sumner

Host | Actress | Producer | Mental Health Activist

Sophie Sumner is an English fashion model and television host. Her modeling career became notable after she was runner-up of Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 5 and the first international winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 18.

Sophie’s bubbly personality, positive attitude and love of life has landed her on multiple television networks such as CW , NBC , E4, ABC , Living TV, Music Choice and multiple publications such as Vogue, Marie Claire, Nylon, Cosmopolitan and Harpers Bazaar.

Having coined the name of “Illuminator” for lighting up any room , its a safe bet you will have a good time with this bubbly brit!

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

Explore how the traditional career path (maybe even yours soon) can be replaced by multi-stream careers that combine financial independence with impact. Join us to learn how you can build a career that offers true flexibility - of place, time, and choice - by thinking like a remote entrepreneur, even if you aren’t one yet. Designing a lean, sustainable portfolio with minimal overhead can help you turn your true passions and causes into scalable income streams, one venture at a time.

BEYOND THE 9-TO-5: REWRITE YOUR SUCCESS WITH A PORTFOLIO CAREER

Workplace track sponsored by University of Cincinnati


Mentor Session: Cameron McClendon (Cloudflare)

Cameron McClendon

Senior Product Growth Manager

A native Texan and University of Texas alumnus, Cameron has called Austin home for 15 years. With over a decade in the tech industry, he’s built a career as a growth leader across startups, marketplaces, B2B SaaS, and AI ventures. His holistic approach to growth blends product, marketing, data, and engineering — a perspective shaped by the challenges of scaling businesses in fast-moving tech environments.
The Austin tech community has been central to his professional journey, and now he’s eager to give back. Cameron is passionate about mentoring the next generation of innovators, sharing lessons from both wins and setbacks, and helping entrepreneurs navigate the evolving tech landscape with practical, hard-earned insights.

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 Product Management/Development, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Business Development.

MENTOR SESSION: CAMERON MCCLENDON (CLOUDFLARE)


Mentor Session: Naresh Lalchandani (Shubh Solutions LLC)

Naresh Lalchandani

Chairman

Cloud Modernization | DevSecOps Strategy | Solution Architecture
• Expert in strategic planning, execution roadmaps, and aligning IT initiatives with organizational goals.
• Skilled cloud solutions architect with hands-on experience in designing scalable, secure architectures.
• DevSecOps strategist with over 25 years of experience in secure cloud-native delivery, application security, and public-sector modernization.
• Extensive background in enterprise application architecture and Agile development (Scrum, Lean).
• Experienced in customer journey mapping, design thinking, and user-centric solution delivery.
• Seasoned in program and project management across complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong focus on aligning security architecture with business goals and compliance frameworks (CJIS, CMS, ACA).

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Architecture, Storytelling.

MENTOR SESSION: NARESH LALCHANDANI (SHUBH SOLUTIONS LLC)


Mentor Session: Brandon Cohn (Huckberry)

Brandon Cohn

Director of Digital Product

"UX and Digital Product leader with 15+ years in the ecommerce and retail space. Former creative turned strategist with a yearning to create meaningful, special digital experiences that ride the line between delighting the customer vs. so smooth it's not even noticed.

I've worked with 20+ brands, the majority with annual revenues over $100mm, currently oversee the UX efforts at Huckberry.

Career path: Print Designer > Web Designer > Front End Developer > Project Manager > Retail Store Leader > Ecommerce Agency Strategist > Ecommerce UX Director

Always focused on balancing brand-forward impact with CRO efforts through A/B testing and collaboration. Success through building trust with the customer."

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Fashion/Retail, Storytelling, Product Management/Development.

MENTOR SESSION: BRANDON COHN (HUCKBERRY)


Mentor Session: Kayla Williams (KJ PR)

Kayla Williams

Publicist

Kayla J. Williams, founder of entertainment marketing agency kj pr, has over fourteen years of marketing and publicity experience across music, film, television, events and more. Since its launch in 2022, kj pr has led campaigns for a diverse roster of clients including the Oscar Nominated Short Films, indie rock band Mt. Joy, Nuthouse Sports, the legendary Arlyn Studios, Bob’s Dance Shop, Cattle Country Music Festival, alt-country supergroup Chaparelle, and creative studio Raw Cereal. Other recent work for the company includes support on major tours and events such as Hans Zimmer Live, Beyond Van Gogh, and the BLAST.tv Austin Major.
Before founding kj pr, Kayla spent a decade in agency life leading campaigns for major companies such as Meta, Amazon Prime Video, Bravo, Netflix, Peacock, and Smosh. She also has worked on milestone events in Austin including: the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, Moontower Comedy Festival, SXSW Film, Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Willie’s 4th of July Picnic, X Games Austin and more.
Based in Austin, Kayla earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a proud member of The Recording Academy and Women in Music. She serves on the Board of Directors for the SIMS Foundation.

Tannehill

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Mentor Session: Arnaecia Alridge (Methix)

Mentor Session: Isabella Uknis (Universal Music Publishing Group)

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

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

Mentor Session: Noel Morrison (SiriusXM/Pandora)

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


Mentor Session: Tim Palmer ('62 Studios)

Tim Palmer

Producer/Engineer

Tim Palmer is a renowned producer and mixer with an extensive career spanning multiple decades, working with iconic artists such as Robert Plant, David Bowie, Tears for Fears, Ozzy Osbourne, The Goo Goo Dolls, and U2. Most recently, his work on The Psychedelic Furs’ latest album contributed to a remarkable milestone—UK Top Ten albums across five consecutive decades.

A key highlight of Tim’s career is mixing Ten by Pearl Jam, one of the 50 best-selling albums of all time, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021. He also received a Grammy nomination in 2001 for his work on U2’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind, which won the Grammy for Best Rock Album. That same record featured the Grammy-winning tracks Stuck in a Moment and Elevation, both mixed by Tim.

Now based in Austin, Texas, Tim continues to collaborate with artists including Tears for Fears, Jason Mraz, Blue October, The Polyphonic Spree, H.I.M., and The Psychedelic Furs. In 2014, he mixed Billy Childs’ Map to the Treasure, an album that received three Grammy nominations.

In recent years, Tim has worked alongside Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein, mixing projects for Kandace Springs, Lang Lang, Lizz Wright, Luciana Souza, and two multi-artist jazz tributes to Charlie Parker and Jacques Brel. He also co-produced Ville Valo’s (VV) latest album, which debuted at #4 in Germany, and mixed The Tipping Point by Tears for Fears, which reached #8 on the Billboard 200.

Beyond the studio, Tim has served two terms as a Recording Academy Trustee and sits on the advisory board of Sonic Guild (formerly Black Fret), an Austin-based nonprofit supporting local musicians. Over the past four years, Sonic Guild has provided more than $3.5 million in grants and performance payments to Austin’s vibrant music community.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Audio/Production (Recording/Mixing/Mastering), Music Tech.

MENTOR SESSION: TIM PALMER ('62 STUDIOS)


Mentor Session: Trey Hicks (Painting Pictures)

Trey Hicks

Founder/President

Trey Hicks is a seasoned publicist and creative strategist based in Austin, Texas, with over a decade of experience shaping the stories and experiences behind live events, concerts, and festivals nationwide.

As Founder and President of the boutique agency Painting Pictures, he works hand in hand with artists, event producers, and small business owners to bring their visions to life - from grand openings to intimate pop-ups to massive multi-day music festivals - by building excitement, fostering community, and creating meaningful connections between audiences and the spaces they gather in. Whether supporting global brands, high-profile executives, or beloved neighborhood staples in his own backyard, Trey is known for delivering tailored, high-impact results that cut through the noise.

In addition to his work in music and live events, Trey also supports clients across restaurants, bars, retail, venues, nonprofits, and more, bringing a broad perspective on culture and community. He also proudly participates in industry mentor programs each year, with past support to SXSW, Soho House, and The Recording Academy, among others.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Live Events, Marketing/PR, Media/Journalism.

MENTOR SESSION: TREY HICKS (PAINTING PICTURES)


Mentor Session: Priscila Santana (SummerStage NYC/Charlie Parker Jazz Festival)

Priscila Santana

Programming Operations Manager

With over 15 years of leadership in the creative economy, Priscila Santana is an award-winning cultural leader. She curates one of the United States’ most important festivals, the iconic SummerStage in Central Park, presenting free performances that celebrate the diversity of New York City and make world-class culture accessible to all. Priscila’s influence reaches far beyond New York. She has spoken at major international conferences in Morocco, Cape Verde, Colombia, Canada, Brazil, Spain and in 2025 she was invited as a mentor for the European Festivals Association’s Festival Academy. In recognition of her impact, she received the Portuguese Brazilian Award for her leadership in New York’s cultural scene.
She is also a scholar, currently pursuing her doctorate at Columbia University, one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, where her research focuses on leadership, cultural policy, and Black feminist studies in dialogue with music education. An activist, she also directs the Kilomba Collective, the first collective of Black Brazilian women in the U.S., advancing a vision of racial justice, equity, visibility, affection, and care. Born and raised in Bahia, Brazil, Priscila now lives in the Bronx, New York City, and is the proud mother of Sofia Eloah.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Education, Live Events, Women in Music.

MENTOR SESSION: PRISCILA SANTANA (SUMMERSTAGE NYC/CHARLIE PARKER JAZZ FESTIVAL)


Narrative Filmmaker Mentor Session: Greg Kwedar (Ethos)

Greg Kwedar

Filmmaker

Greg Kwedar is a two-time Academy Award-Nominated filmmaker. His film SING SING garnered three Oscar nominations, along with nods at the BAFTAs, Critics Choice, and Independent Spirit Awards. It won the NBR Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Greg co-wrote and executive produced creative partner Clint Bentley's TRAIN DREAMS. The decorated film went on to win the NBR for Best Adapted Screenplay and received four Oscar nominations including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.

In 2024, Bentley and Kwedar launched their production company ETHOS to develop their own original, individual and joint projects, and to champion artists under the innovative and equitable financing model that they pioneered on JOCKEY and further developed with SING SING.

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, Screenwriting.

NARRATIVE FILMMAKER MENTOR SESSION: GREG KWEDAR (ETHOS)

Film & TV track sponsored by Crunchyroll


Daniel Arsham

Artist

Daniel Arsham is an artist whose work blends sculpture, architecture, performance, and design into a singular vision shaped by time, memory, and material experimentation. His now-iconic “eroded” aesthetic—artifacts rendered as if excavated from the future—has become a signature visual language that speaks to impermanence, nostalgia, and transformation. Born in Cleveland and raised in Miami, Arsham became the youngest artist ever to work with legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham. His work is in the collections of the world's most acclaimed museums and he has collaborated with major brands from Dior to Adidas. He is the author of Future Relic: Failures, Disasters, Detours, and How I Made a Career as an Artist.

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

“Inspiration is for amateurs. I’m a professional artist: I wake up every day and go to work.”

This is the mindset that transformed Daniel Arsham from a student scraping by in his Brooklyn studio into one of the most sought-after artists of his generation. In Future Relic, he breaks through the mystique of the art world and shows what it really takes to make it in any creative endeavor.

He'll discuss the art of the grind: how to run a creative business and why surrounding yourself with ambitious, successful people is non-negotiable.

FUTURE RELIC: FAILURES, DISASTERS, DETOURS, AND HOW I MADE A CAREER AS AN ARTIST


Documentary Filmmaker Mentor Session: PJ Raval (Unraval Pictures)

PJ Raval

Director / Producer

PJ Raval is a queer, first generation Filipinx American award winning filmmaker whose work examines social justice issues through the lived experiences and stories of queer and marginalized communities. Named one of Out Magazine's 'OUT 100′, and POV / American Documentary 2024 Creative Visionary, PJ's body of film work has been distributed widely internationally and has appeared on platforms including PBS, Netflix, Discovery and Showtime.

PJ is a co-founder of the NEA supported queer arts organization OUTsider and he serves on the steering committee of the Asian American Documentary Network (A-Doc) where he is the co-creator and co-lead of the network’s Impact Initiative. He is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Soros Justice Fellow, a USA Artist Fellow, and a Producers Guild of America member, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences where he also serves as the Chair of the Asian Affinity Group.

Executive Room

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

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

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

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

Programming Mentor Session: Haojie Huang (Kaohsiung Film Festival)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Doc Filmmakers, Producers/Production.

DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER MENTOR SESSION: PJ RAVAL (UNRAVAL PICTURES)


Digital Analytics & Innovation Meet Up

Jared Bauer

Co-Founder

Jared Bauer is a data and analytics leader with nearly 20 years of experience in digital marketing and experience optimization. As Co-Founder and Head of Service Delivery at Zilker Trail, he helps brands understand where to invest their resources to drive the most value for their company and customers.

Back by popular demand, this SXSW meetup reunites the data-obsessed and innovation-hungry. In a digital landscape that shifts daily, "analytics" is no longer just about reporting on what happened yesterday—it’s about architecting what happens tomorrow. As the gap between raw data and creative innovation narrows, the role of the analyst is evolving from observer to navigator. Whether you’re a digital analyst, a data scientist or a CMO, join us to move beyond standard KPIs and discuss advanced analytics in product innovation. Come swap war stories, debate ethics, and explore how data democratization is changing the creative process.


Programming Mentor Session: Barak Epstein (The Texas Theatre, Oak Cliff Film Festival)

Barak Epstein

Programmer

Barak has produced feature films that include Wuss, Earthing and Cornman American Vegetable Hero that have all screened at SXSW. He also runs the legendary Texas Theatre in Dallas, co-founded the Oak Cliff Film Festival and consults with filmmakers on production equipment via Texas Film Gear.

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

PROGRAMMING MENTOR SESSION: BARAK EPSTEIN (THE TEXAS THEATRE, OAK CLIFF FILM FESTIVAL)


Print’s Edge in a Culture of Immediacy

Jennifer Prohov

Content Strategist

Jennifer Prohov is the content strategist for Noema Magazine, an award-winning longform journalism publication. Her role sits at the intersection of creative production, global operations and audience cultivation — distilling complex ideas into insights and experiences that keep readers coming back for more. With her expertise, Noema has exponentially expanded. She previously worked with WFAA in Dallas, where her work covering the COVID-19 pandemic was recognized by the Texas Medical Association for excellence in health reporting. Prior to WFAA, she worked at WBIR in Tennessee as a digital content producer, with a focus on generating Instagram and newsletter audience growth.

Caroline Hwang

Editor-In-Chief And Founder

Caroline Hwang is the founder and editor-in-chief of Synonym Magazine, a magazine about the immigrant diaspora and third culture from a food and art lens. She has been in the food media industry for over 10 years, primarily as a creative before venturing into publishing Synonym Magazine.

Kyle Tibbs Jones

Co-Founder And Editor

Kyle Tibbs Jones is Co-Founder and Editor at The Bitter Southerner, the James Beard Award–winning media brand telling stories with its print magazine, books, podcast, a record label and commerce. At The BS, Kyle oversees the vision, voice, editorial, and creative for the brand. She also hosts the podcast, “Batch” (when it’s not on hiatus) and is the author of Your Heart Is Your Home, The Bitter Southerner's first children's book. Always anchored in storytelling, her career has meandered through advertising, PR, creative direction, TV and film. Kyle held creative director roles for companies including WSB-TV and Turner Broadcasting and PR roles at Sea Island Resorts and AMPR in NYC. Alongside her co-founders in 2013, Kyle started The Bitter Southerner, now on a mission to make America, and the world, a better place.

Originally from the small North Georgia town of Dalton, Kyle now lives in Athens, GA.

Vico Puentes

Founder

Vico Puentes is the founder of TOMO mags and a seasoned creative and marketing executive. TOMO mags empowers individuals to pause, reconnect with their creative instincts, and move into meaningful action by delivering experiences rooted in design integrity, cultural clarity, and inclusive representation. Vico has shaped TOMO mags into a hub for independent magazines, art publications, and design, guided by his expertise in human behavior and brand legacy to elevate how people engage with culture and ideas.

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

As digital immediacy accelerates creative output and reshapes our ideas of design quality, questions of intention and integrity are more urgent than ever. This session examines how print media—with its deliberate design and intentional editorial standards—offers a model for clearer communication and higher-quality work. We’ll explore how analog formats encourage depth, accountability, and thoughtful creativity in an era obsessed with speed.


Brands Built for Fandom Report

John Millward

Partner, Chief Creative & Growth Officer

With over 25 years in event marketing and experiential, John Millward has built a career on pushing boundaries. As Chief Creative Officer at SoHo Experiential, he leads sales, marketing, creative, and production with a forward-thinking approach, blending B2C and B2B expertise with cutting-edge activations. Previously, he founded Blue Flame Marketing and served as Chief Innovation Officer at Red Peg, driving groundbreaking projects for the World Economic Forum, the Olympics, and the Super Bowl. His passion for innovation fuels every project, transforming bold ideas into unforgettable experiences.

Reece Hobbins

Futures Director

Reece Hobbins has spent 20+ years in branding, marketing, and design, long enough to watch trends die, resurrect, and die again in a worse font. As Culture Futures Director at SOON Future Studies and a Creative Director in Australia’s agency landscape, he’s shaping the Australian Open’s experiential future, evolving it into a cultural force beyond sport. He’s worked with Nike, LVMH, MECCA, Afterpay, Bondi Sands, and more, crafting experiences that resonate. Co-founding Diemen’s Sauce Company, he took a late-night idea to national distribution, proving great brands mix intuition, risk, and a ridiculous chili tolerance. A lifer of music, arts, hockey, and fashion, he’s obsessed with how AI, design, and storytelling shape culture and our future.

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

Fandom has become one of the last true engines of belonging, meaning, and participation as shared institutions fade and identity moves online. This report, from SOON Future Studies and SoHo Experiential, explores how fandom evolved from subculture to cultural infrastructure and why it now carries the emotional weight of legacy systems. We outline what this shift means for brands and how fandom has become not just what people love but where they choose to live.


Programming Mentor Session: Lars Nilsen (Austin Film Society)

Lars Nilsen

Lead Film Programmer

Lars Nilsen has been a film programmer since 2001. He programmed for the original Alamo Drafthouse from 2001 through 2013. He has worked at the Austin Film Society since 2013 and has been instrumental in creating and sustaining the AFS Cinema, a two screen independent arthouse and cinematheque that is widely known and acclaimed for its adventurous programming and community involvement.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Programming, Publicity & Marketing.

PROGRAMMING MENTOR SESSION: LARS NILSEN (AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY)


Everything Is a Touchpoint: Designing Cohesive Brand Moments

Brooke Westfall

Global Creative Director

Brooke Westfall is Global Creative Director at The Trade Desk, where she leads creative teams across NAMER, EMEA, and APAC. She drives brand strategy, creative concepting, and execution across integrated campaigns, experiential events, digital platforms, and visual identity systems. Her career bridges fine art, design, and advertising technology, bringing a hands-on understanding of craft to strategic brand building. Born and raised in Maui, she's now based in Brooklyn and still figuring out winter.

Shana Hale

Vp, Global Brand + Creative

Shana Hale is VP, Global Brand + Creative at The Trade Desk — a global advertising technology company — where she leads their Creative, Creative Operations and Brand Strategy teams, known collectively as TTD Creative Shop. There, she oversees everything global 360 campaigns, event and activation design, digital experiences, editorial design, and everything in between. She previously worked at various media, tech, and in-house creative roles. Shana is based in the beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood Fort Greene where she and her husband chase after their 2 kids.

Rio Grande Ballroom 2

Pitching to Angels 101: Think Like an Investor

Play to Build: Prosocial AI for Human Connection

Brand Strategy Workshop for Emerging Tech Companies

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

Prompt to Publish - AI Tools for the Modern Content Creator

Every interaction tells your brand’s story. As marketing guru Seth Godin reminds us, “Every interaction, in any form, is branding.” This workshop explores how every facet of your brand, from your website to a digital campaign or even an internal memo, creates a lasting impression. Join us as we break down universal principles of elevated design, brand consistency, and intuitive user experience, drawing on real-world examples. This session blends inspiration with hands-on practice, equipping you with actionable methods for strengthening brand cohesion across every touchpoint you influence.

EVERYTHING IS A TOUCHPOINT: DESIGNING COHESIVE BRAND MOMENTS


Programming Mentor Session: Jesse R. Tendler (Climate Film Festival)

Jesse R Tendler

Actor/Director/Writer/Producer

Jesse is an actor, director, writer, producer, curator, & educator. He has directed and produced short & feature length narrative films, episodic projects, music videos, commercials, theatre, documentaries, & educational content. Past films have won numerous awards, including being selected for Oscar consideration. Jesse is a critically acclaimed actor and former child star with 4 decades of film & TV experience; Director of Indie TV Programming for the Lighthouse Int’l Film Festival, a screener of TV/web pilots for SXSW (since 2018), Sr. Programming Dir. for the Climate Film Festival, & a juror and consultant for multiple other festivals; a graduate of UPenn’s Management & Technology Program with dual B.S.E. degrees in Management, Marketing, & Materials Science Engineering; co-founder of Maximum Potential Education; and a Pratt Institute faculty member. He is passionate about filmmaking, renewable energy, photography, education, the environment, & human rights. IMDb.me/Jesse-R-Tendler

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 Acting, Programming, Producers/Production.

PROGRAMMING MENTOR SESSION: JESSE R. TENDLER (CLIMATE FILM FESTIVAL)


Mentor Session: Liam James Ward (Something Something)

Liam James Ward

Co-Founder/CEO

Liam James Ward is the Co-Founder & CEO of Something Something – a digital native-led content strategy studio that focuses on creative storytelling at the heart of every social media campaign. The London-based global agency works with artists, labels, and cultural brands to bring stories and in-person moments online. Trusted by stars like The Clash, Billie Eilish, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Declan McKenna and Disclosure, Something Something’s understanding of Gen-Z and utilizing fan accounts to supercharge strategies keeps their creativity high-level while remaining reactive in real-time. The company also is a creative strategy partner for the likes of Meta, TikTok, Google, Live Nation, and Soho House, among others.

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 Emerging Technologies, Marketing/PR, Media/Journalism, Startups.

MENTOR SESSION: LIAM JAMES WARD (SOMETHING SOMETHING)


Mentor Session: Sol Tricot (Universal Music Group)

Sol Tricot

Vice President, Digital Strategy & Business Development

Sol began his career in the entertainment industry at Lionsgate, spearheading digital business development in EMEA, where he negotiated licensing deals with companies such as Sky, Amazon and ProSieben for Lionsgate’s film and TV repertoire. Seven years ago, Sol moved to Universal Music Group and fulfilled a lifelong goal to enter the music business, diversifying into strategy and licensing in the rapidly evolving intersection of music and tech. Sol is now based in Venice, California, and leads licensing negotiations across a broad spectrum of UMGs partners. As well as incumbents such as YouTube and Twitch, Sol enjoys working with emerging businesses to establish partnerships that trail blaze the future of the industry.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Emerging Technologies, Music Tech, Contracts & Agreements.

MENTOR SESSION: SOL TRICOT (UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP)


Featured Session: A Conversation with Nothing's CEO and Co-Founder Carl Pei

Carl Pei

CEO

Carl Pei is a founder, product thinker, and challenger of the status quo. In 2020, he launched Nothing – a London-based consumer tech company on a mission to make tech fun again. Backed by GV (Google Ventures), EQT Ventures, and C Ventures, Nothing is one of the only independent tech companies designing and shipping hardware at scale. In just four years, it shipped millions of devices, surpassed $1 billion in lifetime revenue, and built a global community of more than 3 million people. Carl has been featured in Forbes 30 Under 30, Fortune 40 Under 40, and Marketing Week’s Vision 100. But he’s most at home obsessing over the details, building products that break convention and give people something to get excited about again.

Salon 6-8

Featured Session: A Conversation With Spotify's New Co-CEO About The Past, Present And Future Of Delivering Creativity To The World

Featured Session: Shaping Brand Relevance for a New Generation

Featured Session: A Waste of Time with Larry David and Jeff Schaffer

Featured Session: Why Saying Yes to the Unthinkable Works

Featured Session: Albuquerque Aftermath: From Breaking Bad to Pluribus with Rhea Seehorn, Vince Gilligan, and Key Creatives

Join Carl Pei for a wide-ranging conversation about where the tech industry is heading in 2026 - and why Nothing is on a mission to make tech for the next generation. In this session, Carl will reflect on how the consumer tech industry became closed and predictable, and why the next era will require a different mindset. He will share his perspective on some of the biggest shifts facing the industry, including the rise of AI-native hardware, and how AI is becoming a core part of the product experience. The conversation will also touch on Nothing’s own next chapter - from its continued push into audio to the brand’s growing physical footprint with new store openings planned across New York City, Tokyo, London, and India this year. Join Carl for a conversation about rebuilding belief in consumer technology, not by constant product launches, but thoughtful design, cultural relevance and products that people genuinely want to live with.

FEATURED SESSION: A CONVERSATION WITH NOTHING'S CEO AND CO-FOUNDER CARL PEI


The Measurement Gap: Why Clicks No Longer Matter (And What Does)

Frank Freeman

Vp Ai & Digital Disruption

Frank Freeman is Vice President of AI & Digital Disruption at Dermalogica and Unilever Prestige. Since 2017, he has spearheaded digital products such as Face Mapping AI Skin Analysis, The Book GPT for Dermalogica Professionals, and Clean Touch Certification for Skin Therapists, blending technology with education to deliver personalized skincare experiences. Frank now drives cross-brand AI strategy across the Unilever Prestige portfolio, helping shape how emerging technologies transform the future of beauty.

Jeremiah Andrick

Vice President Marketing, Software & Dtc

Jeremiah Andrick is a marketing executive who builds brands by aligning strategy, technology, and creative execution.
As Vice President of Marketing, Software & DTC at SteelSeries, Jeremiah leads multinational teams focused on revenue growth, customer engagement, and building a brand presence that holds up across markets. His work spans commercialization strategy, digital transformation, and content platform development, connecting the technical and creative sides of marketing to drive measurable results.

A technologist at heart, Jeremiah approaches growth marketing and customer experience design through the lens of data and emerging technology. He's built his career understanding how brands maintain relevance in digital environments, and he's committed to sharing that knowledge with the broader industry.

He speaks at conferences, leads training sessions, and writes about digital marketing, with a focus on practical application over theory. Whether he's analyzing performance data, developing go-to-market strategies, or building out his team's capabilities, Jeremiah brings the same approach: make it strategic, make it scalable, and keep it grounded in what actually moves the business forward.

Marina Chilingaryan

Director, Content, Social & Community

Marina is a Director of Content, Social & Community with deep experience leading organic social, creator, brand and community strategies for high-growth startups and enterprise brands. She’s worked with companies like Oura Ring, MongoDB, Amazon (AWS), Match Group, Crunchyroll to build brands people want to follow — and communities they want to be part of.
At NoGood, Marina built and leads the agency’s Creator and Organic Social studio, bringing together strategists, designers, copywriters, community managers and content creators to help brands show up meaningfully across the social ecosystem. Her team focuses on building social capital, turning engagement into brand momentum and making culture work for business.
With roots in editorial and storytelling, Marina brings a sharp narrative lens to every brand she touches. She’s known for translating complex ideas into compelling, culturally fluent strategies that resonate across both technical and non-technical audiences.

Mostafa ElBermawy

Founder & Ceo

Mostafa ElBermawy is a serial entrepreneur and growth engineer with 15 years of experience driving growth for startups and Fortune 500 brands, including Microsoft, ByteDance, P&G, and Amex. He is the founder of Goodie AI, the end-to-end AEO platform that helps brands monitor and optimize their visibility across all major AI search surfaces, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. The platform combines multi-model intelligence with a closed-loop system built for the AI search and agentic web that now controls brand discovery.

He is also the founder of NoGood, a premier growth agency in New York City. At NoGood, Mostafa has assembled a team of creative, performance, and engineering experts that helped many category-leading startups and scale-ups achieve rapid, measurable growth. Mostafa is a regular contributor to Wired, SkyNews, The BBC, and TechCrunch. In addition, he teaches courses on AI search and building AI-native teams through Reforge and Maven.

Waterloo Ballroom 4-6

The B Word: How to Get Creative with Marketing Budget

Meet Gen Alpha: Defying Predictions & Rewiring Marketing

Launching the Ultimate, Research-Driven Creative Power Playbook

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

Your marketing dashboard is likely missing half the story. Impressions, clicks, and keyword rankings were built for a world where Google sent traffic to websites. When 60% of searches end in AI-generated answers without clicks, those metrics don't fully connect to revenue. AI traffic from platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity is already converting at 4-5x the rate of traditional search for some brands — but most marketing teams can't see it, let alone measure it.

This session introduces the measurement framework for AI-first marketing: answer share (how often you appear in AI responses), citation rate (how often you're referenced as a source), and AI-driven conversions (revenue from users who never clicked a traditional link). We'll discuss how to design attribution experiments that prove impact, connect your brand’s AI visibility to actual business outcomes, and build an executive dashboard that ties AI performance to revenue.

MEASUREMENT GAP: WHY CLICKS NO LONGER MATTER (AND WHAT DOES)


Programming Mentor Session: Deborah Gabinetti (Bali International Film Festival)

Deborah Gabinetti

Founder/Director

Deborah Gabinetti is the Director of the Bali Film Center, facilitating international film and television productions throughout Indonesia. Credits include Oliver Stone directed Savages, Ron Fricke’s Samsara, Apple TV+’s Omnivore, and Ryan Murphy’s Eat Pray Love. She has served as a juror, speaker, and advisor at major film festivals and industry forums across Asia-Pacific and North America. Deeply rooted in Indonesia, Deborah founded the Bali International Film Festival (Balinale) in 2007, celebrating independent global cinema alongside Indonesian films. Balinale is an Academy Award® Qualifying Festival for Best Short Film. Her work also extends to industry development, community, and educational initiatives through the Creative Arts Indonesia Foundation.

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 International, Programming, Producers/Production.

PROGRAMMING MENTOR SESSION: DEBORAH GABINETTI (BALI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL)


Resistance, Resilience, and Reality: The Fight for Trans Equality

Morgan J. Walker

Counsel

Morgan Jada Walker (she/her) is Counsel at Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and people with HIV.

Morgan is a seasoned trial lawyer, appellate attorney, and public advocate, with more than two decades of experience in federal, state, and territorial courts, and the court of public opinion. Morgan has completed more than 50 jury and bench trials, six appellate court oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Alaska Court of Appeals, and resolved dozens of cases by negotiation.

Morgan’s first case at Lambda was in 2025, when she joined a trial team that successfully fought for the Constitutional rights of an incarcerated transgender woman in Alaska who needed gender-affirming surgery.

Before joining Lambda, Morgan served longer than eight years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Alaska, where she investigated and prosecuted a wide variety of cases, including civil rights, environmental, national security, white-collar and transnational crimes, and child exploitation. Morgan’s special projects include serving as coordinator of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee, Civil Rights Coordinator, and mentor for other attorneys.

In 2022, Morgan was detailed to the American Embassy in Sri Lanka and U.S. Mission to Maldives, where she designed and delivered capacity-building programs for prosecutors and judges regarding counterterrorism, international financial crimes, digital evidence, and trauma-informed victim engagement. In her capacity as Justice Department leader at the mission, she served on the Embassy’s emergency-action committee during a political and economic crisis. In 2024, Morgan became one of the few (if only) transgender lawyers to prosecute a jury trial before transition and, later, after socially transitioning, defend the same conviction on appeal.

Earlier, Morgan served as a state prosecutor for eight years, when she handled cases in urban and rural communities. Morgan focused on special-victims cases, involving minors and adults, and empowered dozens of survivors to testify. Morgan served as the deputy director of the Alaska Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, during which time she secured one of the largest contested restitution judgments in state history.

Morgan’s prior legal work took her to American Samoa, where she served as both prosecutor and public defender, and to private practice in Seattle. Morgan earned her Juris Doctor in 2004 from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she was on the Dean’s List and participated in immigration and prosecution clinics. Morgan studied philosophy in politics at Earlham College.

Indigo Giles

Special Education Paraprofessional

Indigo is an educator and activist who has been advocating for trans Texans for more than 5 years. They graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2024 with a bachelors degree in psychology. In their time at UT, they founded a student organization dedicated to providing volunteering opportunities to LGBTQ+ students, and served on the leadership board for three years as president, vice president, and communications officer. Since 2021, Indigo has testified before the Texas legislature against dozens of bills targeting transgender youth and has spoken out in support of trans kids in DFPS meetings, panel discussions, media interviews, and rallies. Currently, Indigo works as an educator in the Special Education department at a Texas public elementary school as well as the executive assistant to the director of Parents of Trans Youth, a social impact business providing learning and support to caregivers of gender-diverse kids. They also serve as the Chair for Alumni Service on their high school's alumni board. In their free time, Indigo can be found playing Dungeons and Dragons, crocheting huge blankets, and cuddling with their cats Tofu and Sesame.

Mo Jenkins

Executive Director

Mo Jenkins is a Black trans woman, a proud Texan, and a political strategist who has spent her life turning struggle into purpose. From navigating the foster care system and housing instability to rising through the ranks of Texas politics, her journey is defined by resilience, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to community.

Mo currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff to State Representative Jessica González and as Executive Director of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, working at the intersection of policy and lived experience. Inside the Texas Capitol, her work is focused, strategic, and unapologetically people centered, grounded in the belief that the best policy is shaped by those closest to the pain.

Her political journey began as a trailblazer when she became the first openly trans person elected to student government at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, later serving as Student Body President. That same vision now guides her legislative work, where she has helped advance critical policies including the sickle cell disease registry and the burn pits registry fund, and played an instrumental role in the 2023 defeat of school vouchers through her work with Representative Abel Herrero on the landmark Herrero Amendment.

What drives Mo’s work is both memory and vision. Hearing elders say they “already took on this fight” as the same battles resurface fuels her determination to keep pushing for equality and justice, so the next generation will not have to fight these same wars again.

Sofia Sepulveda

Field Director

Sofia (she/her) is the Field Director at Equality Texas. She has over a decade of experience organizing for healthcare and environmental justice in San Antonio. She is the co-founder of Trans Power San Antonio and organizer of the inaugural Women’s March in San Antonio, as well as co organizer of the march of us, the March for Trans visibility. She sits on the board of Healthcare-Now, the Transgender Education Network of Texas, and the Community Advisory Board for CentroMed in San Antonio. In her free time you might find her doing yoga, hiking, cooking or spending time with her dog Maggie and her cat Hunty.

Salon E

Turning Up the Heat: Climate Content That Clicks

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

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

Culture Under Fire: Storytelling for Public Power

How to Win Friends and Overthrow Systems

In the wake of a steep rise in anti-trans legislation and hostile rhetoric, how can we protect our communities and fight for a better future? Join leading trans advocates as they report from the frontlines—a teacher navigating classroom censorship, a lawyer challenging discriminatory laws, and an organizer educating the public while building community. Moderated by a long-time legislative staffer, this panel will explore what it takes to fight from the inside and survey the political realities in Texas. How is anti-trans legislation reshaping the lives of trans folks and the broader community? What does the path to equality look like, and what can we do to move in that direction? Get the facts and leave with actionable steps.

RESISTANCE, RESILIENCE, AND REALITY: THE FIGHT FOR TRANS EQUALITY


Mentor Session: Michael Starr (Glassnote Records)

Michael Starr

Head of Promotion

Celebrating his 35th year in the music industry in 2026, Michael Starr, runs the promotion department at indie-powerhouse, Glassnote Records, where he has spent the past 15 years launching/developing/supporting the careers of such artists as Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, CHVRCHES, Childish Gambino, Two Door Cinema Club, Jade Bird, AURORA, bby, Tors, Silvana Estrada and more.
Starr's career background also includes stints in retail management, marketing, and artist development.  Michael has spent his entire music career residing in Texas, and he's a proud Austinite who embodies the spirit of SxSW.  He's always happy to lend an ear, offer some input when asked for it, and encourages people to chase their dreams.
Starr loves working closely with artists & managers to help guide them through today's ever-changing industry landscape to put them on the path to success, not just at radio, but at relationship-building, content creation, live show development, mental & physical health & overall well-being.
Prior to his time at Glassnote, Michael had his fingerprints on the development & success of such artists as Evanescence, Seether, Creed, Drowning Pool from the 2000s, as well as Lit, Eve 6, Vertical Horizon, and more from the 1990s.

Tannehill

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Mentor Session: Arnaecia Alridge (Methix)

Mentor Session: Isabella Uknis (Universal Music Publishing Group)

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

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

Mentor Session: Noel Morrison (SiriusXM/Pandora)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in A&R, Management, Streaming & Programming.

MENTOR SESSION: MICHAEL STARR (GLASSNOTE RECORDS)


Mentor Session: John Canning (AMD/Wonderseed Foundation)

John Canning

Director of Developer Relations, Creators/CTO of Wonderseed Foundation

John Canning is the Director of Developer Relations – Creators at AMD, where he is focused on enabling the creative ISV eco system. Both an electrical engineer and creator by training, Canning has a broad history in the interactive and immersive media space: from building core foundational technologies to middleware solutions to content creation. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer and has worked on projects throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania - for Microsoft, Yahoo, Disney, NBC, Digital Domain, AMD and a range of startups.

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 Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Content Strategy/Production, Immersive Technology.

MENTOR SESSION: JOHN CANNING (AMD/WONDERSEED FOUNDATION)


Mentor Session: Catherine King (Healthcare Information Management Systems Society Texas )

Catherine King

Chair

Catherine King is a Digital Transformation Strategist and Healthcare IT Leader. She excels in aligning business strategies with technology solutions, working closely with academic, clinical, and operational leaders. She is a champion for women’s empowerment creating networks and opportunities encouraging collaboration and mutual support. Catherine is Chair of Healthcare Information Systems Society (HIMSS) Texas and also serves on the board of directors with the Central Texas Chapter. Additionally, she serves on the Executive Planning Committee for TEDx South Congress, a licensed TED program.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Entrepreneurship, MedTech, Nonprofits, Policy.

MENTOR SESSION: CATHERINE KING (HEALTHCARE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SOCIETY TEXAS )


The NDA Economy: How Corporations Use Silence as Infrastructure

Juliane Dressner

Director/Producer/Cinematographer/Editor

Juliane Dressner is a director, producer and cinematographer whose  observational documentaries explore civil rights and other pressing societal issues. Her feature-length debut, PERSONAL STATEMENT, premiered as the opening night film at AFI DOCS, was broadcast on PBS and was nominated for an Emmy Award. Juliane’s other films include THE SCARS OF STOP-AND-FRISK, a documentary short that was part of an Emmy-winning season of the Op-Docs series from The New York Times. She won the National Magazine Award for Video for her short film, AN EDUCATION, which was published by The New York Times Magazine. She has also had films published by The Guardian, The Atlantic, New York magazine and Buzzfeed. She is the Director, Producer and Director of Photography of My NDA (2026), as well as of EDUCATING ELIZABETH (2027), which is currently in post-production and is supported by Latino Public Broadcasting.

Miriam Shor

Director/ Producer

Miriam Shor (Director/Producer -My NDA- 2026 SXSW Documentary Feature Competition) has worked as an actor, director and producer in the film and television industry for over 25 years and has appeared in numerous projects including American Fiction, Younger, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  She is currently in the hit Apple TV show Pluribus. Her work can be seen on Apple TV, HBO, Netflix, Disney+, FX, ABC, CBS, NBC and many other platforms.

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

The weaponization of NDAs is a core structural feature of the economy that shapes corporate culture. Using cases from My NDA (World Premiering at SXSW 2026), panelists will expose how NDAs are used to protect brands; enable discrimination, harassment, and corruption to go unchecked; and destroy the careers of whistleblowers who risk everything to speak out. Panelists (including two anonymous participants of the film) will also discuss what an ethical NDA looks like and the simple legislative fixes that can solve this problem.

NDA ECONOMY: HOW CORPORATIONS USE SILENCE AS INFRASTRUCTURE


Designing AI for Human Thriving

Anastasia Uglova

Co-Founder & CEO

Anastasia Uglova is the Founder and CEO of Better Half, a social AI company designing technology that models healthy relationship dynamics and strengthens real-world human connection. She coined the terms “agentic tech” and “tech for human agency” through her graduate research at the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied digital privacy, concealed influence, and cognitive consent — a framework that now informs the investment thesis of AI venture firm ex/ante, where she advises. Previously, she was a Specialist Leader in AI Security at Deloitte Government & Public Services. Her career spans government service, international education infrastructure in Rwanda, media operations at NPR and NBCUniversal, and academic research in privacy and influence.

Salon D

Designing the Future of Human Performance

The Companies Building and Automating Space's Superhighway

What AI Agents Are Doing While You're Not Watching

The New Lab Partner: AI and Future Scientific Discovery

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

AI safety won’t be solved with better guardrails. The real question is what we train AI to optimize for. Anastasia Uglova, founder of Better Half and the technologist behind “agentic tech,” argues that today’s systems reward engagement and dependency – especially in the relational domain. What if we designed AI for agency and human thriving instead? This talk explores why relationships are AI’s highest-risk and highest-potential frontier and how a new design philosophy could unlock entirely new forms of social technology.


The Shortcut to Better Video for Overloaded Teams

Amanda Glaeser

Founder

Amanda Glaeser is a creative director and go-to-market brand strategist with 20 years of experience helping companies—from scrappy startups to global brands—create content that connects. A graduate of UT’s Radio-Television-Film program, she’s led in-house creative at tech companies like Rev and National Instruments and now consults across industries on brand clarity, content strategy, and video. She’s known for making people sound smart and look comfortable on camera—and has been known to tell a dad joke (or five) to make it happen. Amanda has filmed and taught content creation around the world, with a focus on practical tools and real-world storytelling.

Brazos I-III

Division Defiance: Building Cross-Racial Solidarity

In Search of Hope: Teaching Climate Emotions Through Story

Beyond Borders: Diverse Alliances for Immigrant Wellbeing

Future-Proof Your Strategy: An AI Test and Learn Lab

Pitch Camp! How To Win Creative Pitches by Being More Human

Most teams need video—but don’t have the time to wade through tutorials or waste money on the wrong tools. This session is your shortcut to creating high-quality video using what you already have. Learn how to shoot anywhere and make it look good, what gear actually matters, which tools are worth it, and where AI will (and won’t) save you time. Whether you’re creating content for marketing, recruiting, or internal comms, you’ll leave with practical strategies to get results without getting overwhelmed.

SHORTCUT TO BETTER VIDEO FOR OVERLOADED TEAMS


How Sleep Sounds & AI Detect Sickness Days Early

Mikael Kågebäck

Chief Technology Officer

Mikael Kågebäck, Chief Technology Officer at Sleep Cycle, holds a Ph.D. in AI and Machine Learning from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg. Steering Sleep Cycle's technical direction, he spearheads essential machine learning research, leveraging his extensive background in tech, AI and ML, with a particular focus on deep neural networks. Bringing diverse experience as a seasoned system architect and software engineer, Mikael actively drives Sleep Cycle's technological innovation, shaping the future of sleep technology.

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 if your breathing patterns could warn you that you are getting sick days before you have noticeable respiratory illness symptoms? The answer lies in sleep audio analysis powered by AI. This session explores how new advances can help us detect patterns far before our bodies notice. Sound is passive, honest, and scalable, and with AI trained on 3B nights of data, it can turn every bedroom into a node in an early-warning health network. AI has the power to turn sleep audio into a new public health infrastructure: one that listens, learns, and helps us act before symptoms even appear.

HOW SLEEP SOUNDS & AI DETECT SICKNESS DAYS EARLY


How AI Systems Will Make Brands More Human

Suzana Apelbaum

Head of Creative and Innovation, Google Media Lab Global

An industry innovator and award-winning creative, Suzana leads global teams advancing brand storytelling by connecting creativity to technology.
For the past 10 years, she's worked at Google NY across creative technology, media, and effectiveness roles. She led campaigns and innovation projects for Pixel, Chrome, YouTube, and Android, and currently focuses on incubating AI tools to drive marketing's AI transformation.
Before Google, Suzana held executive creative roles at JWT, StrawberryFrog, VML, and Anomaly, working with brands like Converse, Coca-Cola, and Fiat. She co-founded Hello Interactive and helped turn the Africa agency into Cannes' second "Agency of the Year" winner.
She has won multiple international awards and juried at Cannes Lions, the ANDY Awards, and the One Show.

Paul Aaron

CEO

Paul Aaron is the co-founder of Addition, a leading applied AI company that partners with iconic brands to help them develop new capabilities by harnessing frontier AI technology. Addition works with clients like Google, The New York Times, NBCU, Prudential, and Realtor.com, and serves as a leading AI systems design studio for Google's ongoing AI marketing initiatives. Addition's work has been recognized in Ad Age and The Wall Street Journal, and honored at industry award shows like the Cannes Lions. In 2025 Addition joined the R/GA family as their first acquisition after R/GA exited from IPG to become independent. Paul regularly speaks at events such as Cannes, AICP, and the One Show, educating the industry on solving creative challenges with AI.

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

As technology has evolved—from mass media to digital to social—brands have developed new abilities to interact with humans. The real transformation that brands undergo with AI won't be just about efficiency, but rather about showing up in the world in new ways that are adaptive, contextually aware, and authentic. Through recent case studies from Google, we'll explore how brands are embedding human creativity into AI systems to enable entirely new forms of human-brand interaction—and why this shift demands a fundamentally different approach to creativity.

HOW AI SYSTEMS WILL MAKE BRANDS MORE HUMAN


Changing the Game: The Playbook for Creator-Driven Campaigns

Jess Frucht

Director, Global Digital Marketing

Jess Frucht is a seasoned professional in community engagement, creator relations, content strategy & communications within the gaming industry. She currently brings her expertise to 2K, where she leads the global digital marketing team. Before joining the company, she held key roles at Dreamhaven, Epic Games & Riot Games, where she specialized in building and nurturing relationships between brands, developers and top-tier gaming talent. Across these positions, she led multi-platform content campaigns, collaborated with major IPs & was a driving force behind community-first programs in gaming and esports. Whether managing influencer campaigns or developing player-focused content strategies, she brings thoughtfulness, agility & a passion for pushing the boundaries of engagement in gaming.

Mitch Inkrott

Global Director of Influencer Strategy & Relations - Battlefield

Mitch Inkrott is the Global Director of Influencer Strategy for EA’s flagship Battlefield franchise, overseeing end-to-end influencer initiatives that drive audience growth, brand impact, and engagement in the gaming space. Mitch combines deep platform knowledge with creative storytelling to lead programs that authentically connect games with diverse creator communities. His career includes leadership roles at top entertainment and experiential agencies, where he architected influencer and brand partnerships across gaming, events and digital media.

Zachary Diaz

Head of Creator Network

Experienced in digital-first content, Zach has a strong track record in the gaming and esports industry, with expertise spanning content strategy, analytics, production, social media, and marketing. Known for combining creative insight with data-driven execution, Zach has helped brands and organizations build impactful, engaging content that resonates with gaming communities. Prior to joining KRAFTON Inc., Zach held roles at OTK Media, Tik Tok and Twitch.

Waller Ballroom D

Media That Matters: Nuclear Weapons & the Next Generation

Rethinking Higher Education to Build an AI-First Workforce

The Big Blur: Rethinking the Transition from School to Work

Building AI Pathways for HBCU Talent & Community Impact

The Fandom Force: How to Create a Fan-First Social Approach

Gaming is one of the largest forms of entertainment in the world & the creator economy within it is rapidly expanding. A process that once prioritized creators with the largest audiences & revenue streams has since evolved to working with a range of  creators, targeting those with the most engaged audiences. As the industries continue to grow & scale each year, recruiting, managing, measuring & tracking hundreds of creators can feel impossible, but it doesn’t have to. This panel explores how brands & developers are building smart systems that fuel high-performing evergreen creator programs.

CHANGING THE GAME: THE PLAYBOOK FOR CREATOR-DRIVEN CAMPAIGNS


Texas Video Game Industry Meet Up

Manuel Delgado

CMO

Manuel Delgado is CMO at Six Foot, a gaming and entertainment company. With over 25 years of international experience in entertainment, tech, and management consulting, he brings a rare blend of creative insight and strategic rigor to the industry.
He has led campaigns that boosted engagement and game sales across PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Steam, and Epic, while building partnerships with Sony, Microsoft, Amazon, and Valve. He also serves as company spokesperson and oversees crisis response, public policy, and CSR initiatives.
Previously, Manuel founded AGUA, an award-winning marketing agency, and held senior roles at HP, Compaq, BMC, and JWT. He serves on boards including NACD, the Houston Symphony, and the Texas Media Production Alliance.

Brazos

More Analog, Less Noise Please: City Builders Meet Up

Understanding Crypto: Conversations for the Curious Meet Up

From Doom and Age of Empires to Words With Friends and Metroid Prime, Texas has produced some of the most iconic games in the world. Home to the 3rd largest video game industry in the U.S., Texas is a powerhouse of talent — and with expanded state support, including cash grants, there’s never been a better time to work in TX-made games.
Join fellow game makers and fans to explore how we can continue to grow and strengthen our industry together. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, this meet-up is your chance to network, share ideas, and celebrate everything made in Texas


Safety and Security in the Age of AI Autonomy

Numa Dhamani

Head of Machine Learning

Numa Dhamani is the co-author of Introduction to Generative AI, Head of Machine Learning at iVerify, and a lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a natural language processing expert with domain expertise in trust, safety, and security. She has built AI systems for social media platforms, Fortune 500 companies, and mission-driven startups, and she advises on AI safety, security, and governance. Numa has served as Principal Investigator on U.S. Department of Defense research programs, been a fellow at Yale Law School’s Information Society Project, and contributed to the first international study on hate speech with the University of Houston. She is passionate about building responsible AI and working toward a safer, more transparent digital ecosystem.

Maggie Engler

Member of Technical Staff

Maggie Engler is a Member of Technical Staff at Microsoft AI, where she leads technical safety for consumer Copilot. Maggie has spent her entire career in cybersecurity and trust and safety, and has built automated systems from fraud detection to content moderation. She is the co-author of Introduction to Generative AI and the author of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) Red Team Working Group's report on generative artificial intelligence. Maggie has spoken at conferences including TrustCon and MozFest and has been a fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University and the Information Society Project at Yale Law School. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Salon AB

Two Futurists and an AI: Seeing Trouble Ahead

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

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

The Clock Is Ticking for Space – Replacing the ISS

Can Media Survive AI? The Fight for Public Trust

We’re entering an era where AI doesn’t just answer questions—it takes action. From calendar scheduling to full-stack coding, agentic systems are gaining autonomy, unlocking powerful capabilities and introducing novel risks. How do we secure systems that can act on our behalf? Who’s accountable when they fail? In this presentation, Dhamani and Engler, co-authors of the bestselling book Introduction to Generative AI, explore the future of safety, security, and human oversight in a world where AI systems don’t just assist us—they act for us.

SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE AGE OF AI AUTONOMY