Beth Harrington

Beth Harrington is an Emmy-winning Grammy-nominated indie filmmaker whose work explores American history, music and culture. Her films have premiered at scores of festivals here and abroad including multiple times at SXSW. She’s also worked with public television stations WGBH in Boston and OPB-Portland creating shows for local and national air.

Rollins Theatre at the Long Center

Cornbread Mafia

Addiction/Recovery
Legal
Senior/Aging
Social Issue

Action
Biography
Comedy
Crime
Documentary

African American
Books/Literary
Celebrity

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

In 1979, David Greenberger, a recent art school grad became activities director at a Boston nursing home. David began interviewing the residents, rejecting pat questions with the unexpected: "Which do you prefer – coffee or meat?," “What is embarrassment?,” and “How close can you get to a penguin?” The result was The Duplex Planet, an early ‘zine characterized by humor, warmth and sincerity. Today David’s work takes the form of spoken word shows and recordings. Beyond the Duplex Planet explores notions of aging and its intersection with art and community. It’s also a slightly ironic look at the life of an artist devoted to documenting the elderly who is himself in his senior years.

Beyond The Duplex Planet

In 1979, artist David Greenberger's talks with senior citizens become a word-of-mouth hit 'zine, "The Duplex Planet." Four decades on, now a senior himself, he has much to tell us about the nature of art, conversation and growing old.

David Greenberger, Penn Jillette, Louie Perez, Ed Ruscha, Michael Stipe, Norabelle Greenberger, Rae Greenhart, Tyson Rogers


Amy Scott

Amy Scott is a filmmaker passionate about capturing human stories that spotlight artists, musicians, and underdogs. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Amy's directing credits include Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? (2025, HBOMax), Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken (2024, Paramount+), Sheryl (SXSW 2022, Showtime), and Hal (Sundance 2018).

Alamo Lamar 5

Seahorse

African American
Health/Disability/Illness
Social Issues
Women

Follow Wilson as she redefines the modern country star, proving that staying true to yourself can lead to major success. The film explores her personal journey, struggles, and triumphs as she captivates fans on stages across the country.

Lainey Wilson: Keepin' Country Cool

Mandelyn Monchick
Josh Miller
Katie Admire
Jillian Apfelbaum
Nicolas Gordon

Angus Wall
Kent Kubena
Terry Leonard
Thomas Tull
Jillian Share
Jason Owen
Jen Gorton

Additional Cinematography & Still Photography: Erick Frost


Dario Russo

Dario Russo is an Australian writer/director working internationally across feature film and series. He created, co-wrote, and directed the viral web series "Italian Spiderman" and the cult television show "Danger 5". Dario has completed production on his debut live action feature film, "The Fox", a dark comedy produced by Causeway Films ("Talk To Me", "The Babadook", "You Won't Be Alone".) Dario is represented by United Talent Agency.

Alamo Lamar 6

Dead Eyes

Dir: Richard E. Williams. DOP: Julian Panetta

Mischa Heywood as Lilly - Dir. Richard E. Williams

#Skyking

Health/Disability/Illness
Politics
Social Issues

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

Black Zombie

African American
Education
Politics
Social Issue

Nick (Jai Courtney), affable heir to a wealthy rural landowner, discovers his fiancée, Kori (Emily Browning), is cheating on him and wants nothing more than to just fix the problem. One night, he captures a rogue Fox (Olivia Colman), and she offers him a trade-off: if Nick lets her live, the Fox will help him save his relationship. All he has to do is push Kori into a magic hole with the power to change her into the perfect partner. Nick follows the Fox’s advice and the Kori who re-emerges seems to be everything he ever wanted. Until her strange new quirks make him question his decision.

The Fox

In this darkly comic folktale, an affable foxhunter encounters a talking Fox who offers him an opportunity to transform his fiancée into the perfect woman.

Jai Courtney
Emily Browning
Daniel Negret
Dario Russo
David C. Lancaster
Salman Al-Rashid
Jamie Mcclurg
Dale Roberts
Blair Ward
Anders Erdén
Lauren Case
Del Mondor

Kristina Ceyton
Samantha Jennings
Carly Maple

Jai Courtney, Emily Browning, Damon Herriman, Claudia Doumit, Sam Neill as The Magpie, with Miranda Otto, and Olivia Colman as The Fox

Costume Designer: Chloe Spalding, Make Up & Hair Designer: Rebecca Buratto, Animatronics & Prosthetics Effects: Odd Studio, VFX Supervisor: Paul Nelson, Casting Director: Nikki Barrett, Music Supervisor: Andrew Koťátko


Registration (JW Marriott)

Pick up your SXSW Badge or Music Wristband in Griffin Hall of the JW Marriott. Your badge is required in order to attend any sessions, events, or socials.


Registration (Downright Austin)

Pick up your SXSW Badge or Music Wristband on the Capitol View Terrace of the Downright Hotel. Your badge is required in order to attend any sessions, events, or socials.


Free JonnyPops Samples - A Better Pop for a Better World!

Stop by the JonnyPops tent to enjoy the simple ingredients, delicious taste and kindness in every pop! Free pops and swag will be distributed each day.

https://www.jonnypops.com/

FREE JONNYPOPS SAMPLES - A BETTER POP FOR A BETTER WORLD!

JonnyPops

We're traveling around the country sharing Kindness and delicious pops everywhere we go! Stop by the JonnyPops tent for a free sample of our delicious pops, which are organic, made with simple ingredients and no artificial dyes!


The Verdadero 360 Tequila Experience

The Verdadero 360 Tequila Experience is a 21+ tasting and education experience designed to let guests experience the Spirit For More. Guests sample different expressions while learning about agave, craftsmanship, and what sets Verdadero apart. The experience encourages curiosity, conversation, and connection. A 360 photo booth allows guests to capture and share the moment.
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Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verdaderotequila/
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Verdadero Tequila

Born in Austin and crafted in Jalisco, Verdadero is an ultra-premium, clean tequila made from 100% Blue Weber agave sourced from both the highlands and lowlands for natural balance and depth. The lineup includes a crisp Blanco, a smooth oak-aged Reposado, and a refined Añejo, each designed to be savored, shared, and enjoyed with intention. Verdadero is tequila for quality enjoyment, meaningful moments, and living well.


Congress Avenue Block Party

The Congress Avenue Block Party (formerly known as the Registrant Lounge) is the go-to space for all SXSW attendees to maximize their SX experience, offering daily complimentary drinks, food, and sponsor swag. Open throughout the conferences & festivals, this convenient and relaxing meeting point near the hub of SXSW action is an ideal spot to unwind and connect with other attendees. New for 2026, the Block Party is free and open to the public!

TooFar Media

World Premiere of Xiphactinus – An Immersive Storyworld Experience!

TooFar Media is an award-winning Arts Technology company, based in Silicon Valley, that creates Immersive Storyworlds, which combine Book, Music, Art, Animation and Film, to reimagine how stories are told and experienced.

Step inside TooFar Media’s Immersive Portal Experience @ Creative Industries Expo, and at TooFar Media’s PopUp @ Congress Ave Block Party, and discover the world premiere of Xiphactinus!

Plus, download the FREE TooFar Media app!


My/Mochi, the original and world's largest mochi ice cream brand, is inviting SXSW-goers to Taste the Joy! Our delightfully delicious ice cream wrapped in pillowy sweet rice dough comes in more than 20 flavors like Cookie Dough, Strawberry and Mango. So stop by our Joyfully Chill Ice Cream Shoppe at the Congress Ave Block Party Mar 12-18 to experience the joy for yourself!

MY/MOCHI JOYFULLY CHILL ICE CREAM SHOPPE

My/Mochi

Treat Yourself to a Taste of Joy at the My/Mochi Joyfully Chill Ice Cream Shoppe!

My/Mochi is the original and world's largest mochi ice cream brand - and we are inviting SXSW-goers to Taste the Joy! Our delightfully delicious ice cream wrapped in pillowy sweet rice dough comes in more than 20 flavors like Cookie Dough, Strawberry and Mango (and all are gluten free, nut free and 90 calories or less!). So stop by our Joyfully Chill Ice Cream Shoppe at the Congress Ave Block Party Mar 12-18 to experience the joy for yourself!


The Painterland Sisters' Yogurt Farm Stand

Step into the Painterland Sisters' Yogurt Farm Stand to sample our organic skyr yogurt and for hands-on farm education. Learn what organic regenerative farming really means, explore sensory elements from the farm, and taste some simply yummy skyr yogurt packed with probiotics and protein. Straight from the pasture to your spoon - made with love!

Painterland Sisters

Making a difference, one cup of skyr at a time!

Painterland Sisters is a woman-, family-, and farmer-owned organic skyr yogurt brand on a mission to connect consumers with the source of their food and restore the health of the land, people, and communities through organic regenerative agriculture. Their simply yummy, nutrient-dense yogurt is made with milk from their farm and other farms like it in the area, supporting American farmers in every cup.


Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film

Robb Boardman

Robb Boardman is a writer-director based in Los Angeles. He co-created, co-wrote, and directed the series, "The Dress Up Gang", at TBS. The show initially had its premiere at Sundance in 2019. He has since gone on to direct a sketch pilot for Hulu and his work has appeared on HBO. Robb also directs the viral CholoFit web series with frequent collaborator and comedian Frankie Quinones. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Film & Media program.

Alamo Lamar 1

I Got Bombed at Harvey's

Biography
Crime
Documentary
Drama
Thriller

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

An offbeat comedy about friendship, purpose, and trying to grow something real in a city built to keep people apart.
Cory is a lonely, doomscrolling thirty-something whose most consistent relationship is with his Instagram algorithm. His apartment? An emotionally vacant, sterile, void. His fridge? Mostly Celsius. And his idea of connection is dodging calls from the one person who still tries: Fox, a soft-hearted, ex-con with terrible advice rooted in institutional paranoia and his love of films.
Everything shifts when Cory has a run-in, literally, with Plantman, a rogue horticultural crusader armed with a mysterious dossier of negligent plant owners.

PLANTMAN & BLONDIE: A DRESS UP GANG FILM

A lonely man escapes working from home when he meets Plantman...a mysterious man saving the neglected house plants of Los Angeles.

Mark Ankner
Robb Boardman
Cory Loykasek
Donny Divanian
Frankie Quinones
Jay Patumanoan
Adam Karm
Ben Wagner

Cory Loykasek, Donny Divanian, Frankie Quinones, Kate Berlant, Blake Anderson, Kirk Fox, Brent Weinbach, Jamar Neighbors, Christian Duguay, Kevin Camia

Co-Producer: Maria Carrasco, Co-Producer: Parker Mays


Matty Wishnow

Matty Wishnow is a serial entrepreneur, the author of "Listening for Growth" & now a documentary film director. Previously he was the founder of Insound—the internet's first record store—as well as Clearhead, one of Austin's best places to work & fastest growing companies in 2015 & '16. Matty spends his time between Austin, TX & Waitsfield, VT.

Alamo Lamar 8

Dead Deer High

Education
Social Issues
The Arts/Theater
Youth/Teen

Sixty years & a million records ago, Robert Christgau invented Rock music criticism. Anyone who has ever read or written a Pop music review has been influenced by Christgau, who canonized legends from The Ramones to Public Enemy & infuriated icons from Lou Reed to Billy Joel. Now in his eighties, Bob is still at it—amazingly with the same vigor, wit, concision and craft that has defined his expansive career. But in a world where albums are irrelevant, where print is dead & where algorithms have eclipsed critics we are forced to ask: What happens next—for Bob, but also for all music criticism? Is this the end of something? Is Robert Christgau the last critic?

The Last Critic

Robert Christgau, The Dean of American Rock Critics, whose work has inspired & infuriated readers for sixty years, is still at it in his eighties—grading records, interrogating commas & listening to absolutely everything (except Metal & Prog).

Robert Christgau, Carola Dibbell, Thurston Moore, Boots Riley, Randy Newman, Colson Whitehead, Ann Powers, Joe Levy, Amanda Petrusich, Greil Marcus

Producer/Editor: Paul Lovelace, Producer/Director of Photography: Ben Wu


John Carney

John Carney is an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, producer and former bass guitarist of the Irish band 'The Frames'. John's breakout feature 'Once' won numerous accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and it was adapted for the stage, winning eight Tony Awards. He helmed 'Begin Again', Sing Street', and is the creator and showrunner of the anthology series 'Modern Love'. His recent feature ‘Flora and Son’ starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Eve Hewson, premiered at Sundance and is now available on AppleTV+. John’s next film, ‘Power Ballad’, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, will be released in cinemas later this year.

When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves - even if it means risking everything he cares about. From writer-director John Carney (Sing Street, Once), POWER BALLAD is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.

Lionsgate presents, in association with 30WEST + Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, a Likely Story / Distressed Films production, in association with Treasure Entertainment.

Power Ballad

"Power Ballad" follows a talented but past-his-prime wedding singer and a young rockstar who uses the wedding singer’s songwriting prowess to revitalize his own career.

Micah Green
Daniel Steinman
Dan Friedkin
Cathleen Dore
Keith Potter

Anthony Bregman
John Carney
Peter Cron
Rebecca O’Flanagan
Robert Walpole

Michelle Fingleton (Sound Design & FX Editor)

Gary Clark and John Carney (original songs and score)

Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor

Casting by: Jeanne McCarthy, CSA and Amy Rowan, Costume Designer: Triona Lillis, Co-Producer: Sarah Hong


LGBTQ
Sex
Social Issues
Mature/Adult
Social Issue

Small Town Boys: The Murder of Billy London

Rachel Mason

Rachel Mason's films have won awards at Tribeca, Outfest, Inside-Out, NewFest, BFI London, Sidewalk International, Camden, Traverse City, Hamptons among other festivals.  Her film projects include "Last Take: Rust and The Story of Halyna," "An Update On Our Family (series)" and "Circus of Books."

Alamo Lamar 9

Your Attention Please

Health/Disability/Illness
Politics
Technology
Social Issue

Time and Water

Archival Materials Courtesy of Andri Snær Magnason

The unsolved murder of Billy London, a gay adult film performer brutally killed in West Hollywood, was an urban legend for 33 years. A documentary intended to honor his life took an unexpected turn when members of the community joined forces to uncover overlooked clues, and seek a resolution to the mystery of who killed him. Drawing on a rare trove of VHS and personal footage, the film reveals a chilling overlap between the victim and some of the suspects who were captured on camera in films made in the narrow window of Billy's death.

My Brother's Killer

Impassioned members of the LGBTQ community band together to try to solve one of the most gruesome and mysterious murders in Los Angeles history.

Penelope Spheeris
Josh Braun
Ben Braun
James Cude

Christopher Rice, Eric Shaw Quinn, Clark Williams, ChiChi LaRue, Wendi Berndt, Krystal DeLight, Phil St. John, Sabin Grey, John Lamberti, Marc Rabins


Jo Rochelle

Jo Rochelle is a Jamaican-American screenwriter and filmmaker based in California, originally from Minneapolis. She attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts as a Drama major, where she discovered her passion for writing and directing stories and hasn't stopped. She has written and directed award-winning short films and the feature film, “Jasmine is a Star” (streaming on FUSE+). Jo’s an alumnus of Teach for America where she taught 6th grade English and Social Studies in the Mississippi Delta. She was also a writer on seasons four and five of “Good Trouble” on Freeform/Hulu.

In the aftermath of a tragic shooting, a once-brilliant slam poetry team has lost their voice. Now, their English teacher must overcome his crippling fear of returning to the classroom to help them find healing through words on the stage.

Dead Deer High

Created by teachers, DEAD DEER HIGH follows a team of high school slam poets and their English teacher as they prepare for a national poetry competition one year after a tragic shooting changed their lives forever.

Scott Segal
Jim Bellinson
Randy Weiss
Michelle Segal
Carolyn Bellinson

Zack Kozlow, Holden Goyette, Kyla Brown, Christian Cruz, Ayanna Berkshire, Joseph Bertót, Madelyn Grace, Aaron Cammack, Julia Prud’homme, Audrey Kennedy Kozlow

Casting: Lana Veenker and Eryn Goodman, Costume Design: Lisa Marie Hanson, Unit Production Manager: Randy Weiss, Assistant Director: Laura Jean Cronin, Gaffer: Bill Baxter, Key Grip: Gideon Buchleiter, Makeup and Hair: Sable Desiree, Script Supervisor: Allycea Weil, Stunts: Freddy Tse, Studio Teacher: Evan Brown


Design in Tech Report 2026: UX to AX

John Maeda

VP Engineering

American technologist and product experience leader. Currently VP Eng, Microsoft CoreAI and member Board of Directors MillerKnoll $MLKN. Author of five books including a gentle intro to AI/ML "How To Speak Machine (Penguin)" and the "Laws of Simplicity (MIT Press)." Represented in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, NYC and the Cartier Foundation, Paris. First recipient of White House’s National Design Award for algorithmically-generated visualizations informed by data.

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

Designers make screens/flows for stakeholders to review, for users to test, and for many teams to adjust until everything matches the brand. But as AI acts on human intent directly, we’ll be designing for agents. Not users. Grounded in research, this talk explores the shift to Agentic Experience (AX), moving from crafting interfaces to orchestrating outcomes with zero visual affordances. Early-career designers will snap to this new reality, late-stage folks get to skip it, but mid-career Product people have the most to lose and need to redesign themselves for the AX era.


Own the Fan, Own the Future: Artists Building Loyalty

Alice Young

SVP, Global Fan Strategy

Alice Young is an experienced, forward-thinking executive with a tremendous track record of success in management, labels, and DSPs. In her decade-plus career in music she has distinguished herself as a fierce advocate for artists and a leader in global artist marketing.

After receiving her Masters from the Clive Davis Institute of Music at NYU, Alice began her career as Marketing Director at mtheory, where she led global campaigns for international superstars like Flume, Zac Brown Band, and Zedd, including the number one smashes "Stay" and "The Middle".

Alice went on to work for the product team at Spotify, helping develop and market tools for artists and labels. Wanting to be closer to artists, she moved to her native Australia and took over as MD of Future Classic, one of the most culturally significant independent label brands in the world. In her capacity as MD she oversaw label, publishing and management operations for a roster of international acts including Flume, G Flip, and SOPHIE.

At Virgin Music, Alice recently led the Grammy-winning campaign for St. Vincent, and oversees a team that runs marketing for artists including Clairo, Tove Lo, Tom Odell, and Sofi Tukker. It is in this capacity as an executive and leader where her experience truly shines through. She is currently focused on helping artists’ grow their owned audiences and cut through the noise in today’s marketplace.

Capitol Ballroom E

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Tour Support 2.0: How Mental Health is Reshaping Live Music

From Streams to Strategy: The Label Services Evolution

Rock’s Biggest Promoter on the Future of Festivals

Music Nostalgia: The Secret Weapon in Modern Advertising

In 2025, music campaigns live or die by fan connection, yet most artists don’t own their audience. Virgin Music Group’s Alice Young unpacks why taking control is more crucial than ever. From privacy-compliant data to personalized fan journeys, learn how to build long-term relationships beyond algorithms. Whether launching your first single or scaling globally, you’ll gain real tactics, tools, and creative strategies to turn passive followers into active superfans.

OWN THE FAN, OWN THE FUTURE: ARTISTS BUILDING LOYALTY


The Consumer’s Guide to Beating the Bots

Doha Mekki

Senior Fellow

Doha Mekki held the top roles in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, serving until 2025 as the acting assistant attorney general — the agency’s top antitrust official. She served previously as principal deputy assistant attorney general, the division’s second-in-command, where she supervised all aspects of the Division’s work, including civil and criminal enforcement, litigation and trial, appeals, domestic and international policy, competition advocacy, and expert analysis programs. During her tenure, the division filed more monopolization cases than it had in nearly four decades. Mekki oversaw the investigation and litigation of landmark cases to stop criminal cartels, illegal mergers, and anticompetitive corporate practices in sectors across the U.S. economy.

Emily Stewart

Senior Correspondent

Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent on Business Insider’s Discourse team. She focuses on consumerism, culture, and the economy, among other topics. Some of her biggest stories have explored middle-class shoplifting, and convenience stores’ struggles. She also writes regularly about work, millennials, and economic trends. Emily appears regularly on nationally syndicated radio shows and podcasts, including Marketplace, The Weekend Dive, and Today, Explained. She has guest hosted C-SPAN’s “After Words” and moderated multiple panels on economic policy and workplace dynamics. Before joining Business Insider, Emily was at Vox, where she covered business and the economy and wrote a newsletter, “The Big Squeeze,” about how people experience the forces of the economy and capitalism day to day.

Alvaro Bedoya

Senior Advisor

Alvaro Bedoya is a Senior Advisor at the American Economic Liberties Project. He was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as a Commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission in May 2022 and served in that role until his resignation in June 2025. At the FTC, Commissioner Bedoya focused on how antitrust law could do more to protect workers and labor unions and warned against rapidly advancing workplace surveillance technology. He took a special interest in the challenges facing small-town grocers and pharmacists and helped coordinate the Commission’s revival of the Robinson-Patman Act, a long-dormant antitrust law that was passed to give small sellers a level playing field against retail giants. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School.

Lindsay Owens

Executive Director

Lindsay Owens, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the economic think tank Groundwork Collaborative and author of the forthcoming book, GOUGED: The End of a Fair Price in America. Widely known for her ability to communicate pressing economic concepts and arguments, Lindsay has been credited with changing the way we understand inflation by leading the charge to expose – and articulate – the role of firm pricing power and corporate profiteering in price increases. Previously, Lindsay served as a senior economic policy adviser to Sen. Warren, and deputy chief of staff and legislative director to Reps. Ellison and Progressive Caucus Chair Jayapal. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

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

Corporations are weaponizing your personal data to inflate prices, suppress wages, and undermine transparency and basic fairness. This panel will expose how a convergence of corporate power and new technology has created a dizzying array of deceptive pricing practices. From surveillance pricing on airfares to algorithmic price fixing by landlords, companies are leveraging troves of consumer data to rip off customers. Our panelists will share how they have successfully defeated some of these nefarious practices and what policymakers, regulators, and consumers can do to fight back.


Featured Session: Human-Centered Storytelling: Create Connection & Community

Cheryl Miller Houser

Founder

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Cheryl Miller Houser works with brands and organizations to create connection, engagement and positive action through storytelling. She directs and writes documentaries, commercials, branded content and all forms of human-centered storytelling that shift people's attitudes and behavior and shape culture. Cheryl also gives inspirational keynotes and workshops globally on how to use the craft and science of storytelling to move people deeply and coaches high level execs to help them shape their stories. Some of Cheryl's credits include feature documentary GENERATION STARTUP following 6 young people launching startups in Detroit, TRUTH TO TRANSFORMATION about the overhaul of the foster care system in NJ, web series, commercials and launch videos.

Hilton Grand Ballroom (Salon HJK)

Featured Session: Moonshots that Move the Needle

SXSW Community Service Awards Recognition: The Bell

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

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

The most successful brands and leaders tell stories that move people deeply, spur connection and create community. Cheryl Miller Houser provides a powerful storytelling framework that achieves this by tapping into universally shared human emotions to foster understanding and belonging. Participants leave with actionable tactics they can apply across all platforms to build strong brands, shape culture, ignite loyalty, drive growth and mobilize positive change.

American Sign Language
Open captioned
Closed captioned

FEATURED SESSION: HUMAN-CENTERED STORYTELLING: CREATE CONNECTION & COMMUNITY

Brand & Marketing track sponsored by Youtube


Flag Football’s Startup Moment: Building a Global Sport for LA28

Stephanie Kwok

VP, Head of Flag Football

As VP and Head of Flag Football at the NFL, Stephanie Kwok leads the League’s flag football strategy and programs in the U.S. and globally, driving participation, engagement, and fandom. As part of her role, Stephanie is focused on growing the sport for girls and women, creating high school and college opportunities, and partnering with IFAF and LA28 on flag football’s debut on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles in 2028. Stephanie has been part of the flag football ecosystem for the last 15+ years, playing in leagues in New York City and operating a tournament company. Previously, Stephanie held roles at FanDuel, Madison Square Garden, and Parthenon-EY. Stephanie earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Political Science from Stanford University, where she was co-captain of the varsity squash team and a member of the national championship women’s club rugby team. She serves on the Board of Directors for Henry Street Settlement and co-founded/runs the Hell’s Kitchen Community Cupboard.

Diana Flores

World Champion, Quarterback & Captain

Diana Flores is the Captain and Quarterback of Mexico’s World Champion National Flag Football team. Flores also serves as a highly sought after game analyst and sports broadcaster for major networks like FOX Deportes and Univision, including coverage of Super Bowl LVIII. Working alongside the NFL and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) as the sport’s Global Ambassador, Flores seeks to advance Flag’s reach internationally.

A flag football superstar, Flores has competed in numerous national and international tournaments, representing Mexico on the world stage. She has won several awards and accolades throughout her career, including four National Titles since 2017, a Bronze World Cup Medal in 2016, a Silver Medal in 2021, Best Offensive Player at the World Flag Football Championship in Panama in 2018, and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2022 World Games where she led her team to a Gold Medal.

Flores was also recently recognized by FORBES MAGAZINE in their prestigious “30 Under 30″ List for the Class of 2024. She also served as the Offensive Coordinator for the AFC at the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games – alongside head coach, Peyton Manning— and was the featured star in the NFL’s Super Bowl LVII advertisement, “Run With It,” which won an Emmy in 2023.

Cynthia Frelund

Reporter / Analyst

Cynthia Frelund is NFL Media's first analytics expert, contributing to a variety of NFL Network marquee shows and platforms. She appears on NFL GameDay Morning, NFL Fantasy Live, and NFL GameDay View. Frelund also provides on-site coverage for major events like the Super Bowl, NFL Scouting Combine, and NFL Draft.

Before joining the NFL, Frelund worked at ESPN as a Predictive Analytics Analyst for two years. Prior to that, she served as a business development manager at Disney ABC Television Group and a finance analyst for the NFL.

Born and raised in Okemos, Michigan, Frelund graduated from Boston College with a B.S. in Biology in 2005. She later earned an MBA in Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation and pursued an M.S. in Predictive Analytics at Northwestern University.

Outside of her professional career, Frelund is a dedicated marathon runner, having completed 25 marathons across 25 states. She is also actively involved with Bright Pink, a national nonprofit focused on preventing breast and ovarian cancer in young women.

Drew Brees

Nfl Legend

Drew Brees is the former 2009 Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback for the New Orleans
Saints. A native of Austin, TX, Brees attended Westlake High School and earned his Bachelor’s
degree in Industrial Management from Krannert School of Management at Purdue University,
while lettering in football from 1997-2000. Drew went on to play five years with the San Diego
Chargers and fifteen years with the New Orleans Saints. He has been elected to 13 Pro Bowls
while being named 2004 Comeback Player of the Year, 2006 All-Pro Team, 2006 Walter Payton
NFL Man of the Year, 2008 and 2011 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and Super Bowl XLIV
Champion and MVP.

As much pride as Brees takes in his on-field performance, he takes even more pride in his
community service endeavors. Drew and his wife, Brittany, established the Brees Dream
Foundation in 2003 and since then have contributed over $50,000,000 to help improve the
quality of life for cancer patients and provide care, education and opportunities for children and
families in need. In addition to his personal foundation, Drew has co-founded SHIELD 1
Foundation to address the greatest needs in our communities including but not limited to
housing, healthcare, education, business opportunity, economic development, urban
farming, support of HBCUs, social justice and legislative reform.

Brees is a proud partner of the GBX Group, Jimmy Johns, Walk-Ons Enterprises, Football N
America, Smalls Sliders, and Franworth. He participates as a Board Member for Surf Sports,
Stretch Zone, Franworth and formerly with the NFLPA and President’s Council for Fitness,
Sports and Nutrition.

Brees has also proudly participated in five USO trips visiting Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany,
Turkey, Djibouti, Dubai, Okinawa, and Guantanamo Bay. Drew currently lives with his wife
Brittany and children Baylen, Bowen, Callen and Rylen in San Diego, CA.

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

Football is a cultural institution in America – it’s even taken over its own day of the week. But at the same time, its newest form, flag football, is still in its early stages. With the sport’s forthcoming debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, flag football is at an inflection point, scaling from community and high school leagues to the world’s biggest sporting stage.

In many ways, flag football is operating like a startup inside one of the world’s biggest legacy organizations. It has the agility, accessibility and grassroots appeal of a disruptive product, while also having the NFL’s platform and resources to help it scale.

This session will explore how the sport is growing internationally, why it resonates with the next generation of athletes, and what lessons innovators can take off the field by learning about what it takes to create the next Olympic sport.

FLAG FOOTBALL?S STARTUP MOMENT: BUILDING A GLOBAL SPORT FOR LA28


Mentor Session: Ari Krzyzek (Chykalophia Creative & Web)

Ari Krzyzek

CEO & Head of Strategy

Ari Krzyzek, CEO & Head of Strategy at Chykalophia (see-ka-lo-fia), transforms B2B websites into growth platforms through her web & creative agency. Co-author of bestseller Made to Sell: Creating Websites that Convert, she supports entrepreneurs through organizations like 1871, Chicago Innovation, and as board member at DePaul University's Coleman Entrepreneurship Center.

For 14+ years, Chykalophia has delivered high-quality web design, branding, and UX services, helping 250+ businesses achieve 7-figure success. Their WBENC certifications, award-winning work, and 5-star Clutch rating distinguish them in the industry.

Trusted by Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, Gold House Ventures, and SBDC for mentoring programs, Ari has been featured in Forbes, Thrive Global, and Buffer. In recognition of their outstanding work, Chykalophia was recently named to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's CO—100: America's Top 100 Small Businesses list, solidifying their position as a leader in the field.

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, Marketing/Advertising/PR, Product Management/Development.

MENTOR SESSION: ARI KRZYZEK (CHYKALOPHIA CREATIVE & WEB)


Mentor Session: Ji-Sook Yim (Alight Solutions)

Ji-Sook Yim

Product Design Lead

I'm a Product Design Lead at Alight Solutions, where I drive the design strategy and vision for Alight's AI-powered experiences across employee benefits and employer analytics platforms. Through my role, I collaborate with multiple teams, including product managers, researchers, engineers, accessibility, content design, and design systems. I bring 15+ years of experience, including 8+ years in UX research and design, with diverse perspectives shaped by my previous roles as a content strategist at a branding agency and as a merchandiser for an e-commerce startup. Outside of work, I am a mentor on ADPList, providing mentorship to aspiring designers with resume and portfolio reviews, and to designers looking to grow their career into more senior or management roles.

As a mentor, I can help with: - Questions around the changing landscape of the product design role in face of AI tools and the blurring division of roles between product managers, engineers, and designers - Using AI tools for team productivity and efficiency - Designing for experiences powered by AI - Forging cross-functional partnerships to drive strategy, and breaking out of the ""execution-only"" design role - Showing value as a designer as an essential member of the product trio

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

MENTOR SESSION: JI-SOOK YIM (ALIGHT SOLUTIONS)


Mentor Session: Laurel Prime (Google)

Laurel Prime

AI Lead, Sr. Partner Manager

Laurel Prime is an award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and technologist at Google. As a founder/operator, she built companies in media, edtech, and consumer genAI - backed by Peter Thiel and partnering with industry leaders like Character AI. Now, Laurel advises bleeding edge startups, serving on the board of the Entrepreneurship at Cornell and Harvard iLab ecosystems. At Google, Laurel is an Partner Manager in Ad Sales and a Product Manager on the Cloud AI team. She has led Google-wide hackathons, accelerating the internal adoption and launch of Gemini throughout Google and Alphabet. Beyond Google, Laurel serves as Google’s Chief Technical Representative in the AI Alliance, where she is setting industry standards for ethical AI development through benchmarks, tools, and methodologies that ensure responsible innovation.

Prior to Google, Laurel studied CS and Applied Economics & Management at Cornell, and she is currently pursuing Executive Education in Artificial Intelligence at Stanford.

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


Mentor Session: Andee Connors (Pandora AMP / SiriusXM)

Andee Connors

Sr Manager - Catalog & Creator Services/Head of Metal, Punk, New Age & Experimental Programming

I am a drummer, musician, artist, DJ, music curator, former record store owner and former record label owner.

I manage the Catalog & Creator Services team at Pandora / Sirius XM. We oversee Pandora’s AMP creator tools and help artists navigate the world of streaming services, promote their music and manage their careers. I also program Metal, Punk, New Age and Experimental music on Pandora.

I ran a store called aQuarius recOrds in San Francisco from 1994 - 2016. There’s an Aquarius documentary out right now on Amazon Prime. I’ve been running tUMULt, a record label that has existed for 20+ years, with more than 50 releases.

I’ve been playing drums since I was 9, touring and recording since I was 19. I played in all kinds of bands: math rock, noise-pop, punk rock, stoner metal, post rock and more. I also played drums in two performances with Japanese experimental outfit The Boredoms: in 2007 with 77 drummers, and then with 88 drummers in 2008.

I still tour and record regularly with Common Eider, King Eider, a ritualistic doom/drone duo, and a doom synth duo called My Heart, An Inverted Flame.

I live on the top of a mountain in the middle of the woods with one panther-sized cat, four special needs kittens, two goats and one bunny named Mayonnaise.

Tannehill

Global Stage @ Downright Austin Backyard

Mentor Session: Arnaecia Alridge (Methix)

Mentor Session: Isabella Uknis (Universal Music Publishing Group)

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

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

Mentor Session: Noel Morrison (SiriusXM/Pandora)

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

MENTOR SESSION: ANDEE CONNORS (PANDORA AMP / SIRIUSXM)


Mentor Session: Eric Elizalde-Knapp (YouTube)

Eric Elizalde-Knapp

Music Publishing Partnerships and Business Development

"ric Elizalde-Knapp works in Music Publishing Business Development and Partnerships for YouTube Music. His focus is on engaging the publishing and songwriting communities, growing partnerships with music publishers and those who control compositional rights, and improving the YouTube product for music partners via new technology and product offerings.

Eric also works on direct songwriter and producer initiatives at YouTube; leading dozens of workshops with hundreds of writers from around the globe, empowering attendees to get the most out of the platform.

An attorney by trade, Eric joined YouTube via music-tech startup RightsFlow, which was acquired by Google/YouTube in 2011.  In his free time, he is a co-founder of nonprofit animal rescue organization Animal Lighthouse Rescue, where he sits on the board of directors.

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

MENTOR SESSION: ERIC ELIZALDE-KNAPP (YOUTUBE)


Mentor Session: Randy Haaga (SoSouth Music Distribution)

Randy Joe Haaga

President

Randy Haaga started his professional career in the music business as a drummer in the mid-80s. He later became the manager of a DIY rock band, touring the U.S. several times in his early 20s. It was a dream job, but came with little pay, no benefits, and no notice before it ended. Randy worked much of the 90s at Southwest Wholesale, a historically important outlet for Texas Rap and other regional music, serving as the initial CD and cassette distributor for many classic releases. During the same decade, Mr. Haaga opened a CD shop and launched an online store focused on the Texas underground rap scene that originated at Southwest Wholesale. The online store was among the first to distribute DJ Screw mixtapes, Swishahouse, Slim Thug’s Boss Hogg Outlawz, and other Texas legends to the world.

Then, as the digital era began and physical product sales declined, Mr. Haaga was in the right place at the right time. He launched SoSouth Music Distribution in 2005, when iTunes was only two years old—years before Spotify was launched. The service quickly gained traction, attracting hundreds of significant customers within the first few years. Randy worked with artists and catalogs such as DJ Screw, Big Moe, Lil’ Keke, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, and later breakout acts like Megan Thee Stallion and Finesse2Tymes, among others. Mr. Haaga continues to be the president of SoSouth Music Distribution, now distributing via Virgin Music Group, a part of Universal Music, along with the added service of SoSouth’s music publishing administration, which is partnered directly with Universal Music Publishing worldwide.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Distribution, A&R, Publishing.

MENTOR SESSION: RANDY HAAGA (SOSOUTH MUSIC DISTRIBUTION)


Funding/Artist Support Mentor Session: Sharon Arteaga (Austin Film Society)

Sharon Arteaga

Senior Manager, Filmmaker Support

SHARON ARTEAGA is a film director from Corpus Christi, Texas, whose work playfully navigates themes of generational, linguistic, and cultural differences between people. Her award-winning short films include the 2021 HBO Latinx Short Film Competition Winner, When You Clean a Stranger's Home, now streaming on Max, and IN TOW, which received support from various funding entities and screened at the Oscar-qualifying Austin Film Festival and New Orleans Film Festival. Arteaga is a WarnerBros. Discovery 150 Artist, a Rainin Grant Fellow, and was a Gotham Market participant in 2022.

She was a 2019 Tribeca Chanel Through Her Lens finalist and earned a Gold Signal Award while working as the Story Producer on the KUT/Identity Productions Tacos of Texas podcast. Arteaga is one of the founders of the Tejanas in Film and is the Sr. Manager of Filmmaker Support at the Austin Film Society. She is passionate about empowering others to make their own films.

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 Funding/Artist Support, Narrative Filmmakers, Producers/Production.

FUNDING/ARTIST SUPPORT MENTOR SESSION: SHARON ARTEAGA (AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY)

Film & TV track sponsored by Crunchyroll


Funding/Artist Support Mentor Session: Elyse Taylor Liburd (Portland Film Office)

Elyse Taylor Liburd

Film Industry Manager, Portland Film Office

I serve as the manager of the Portland Film Office, which is a part of the city’s office of events and film housed at Prosper Portland. A native Oregonian, I bring solid entertainment experience, having studied, worked and performed for over 15 years in both New York and Los Angeles. I hold a BFA, and a graduate certificate in the Business of Entertainment from NYU. I have performed in off-Broadway productions and nationally, along with working at studios in production such as Warner Bros, Next Entertainment, and ABC Studios. Most recently I attended SXSW as not only a film mentor, but as the public relations manager for the World Premier of Oregon made film "Trash Baby".

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 Producers/Production, Publicity & Marketing, Funding/Artist Support.

FUNDING/ARTIST SUPPORT MENTOR SESSION: ELYSE TAYLOR LIBURD (PORTLAND FILM OFFICE)


Funding/Artist Support Mentor Session: Alfred Cervantes (Houston Film Commission)

Alfred Cervantes

Executive Director

Alfred Cervantes, Executive Director of the Houston Film Commission and a native Houstonian, has worked in the film industry in various capacities since 1992. As a freelance crew member, some of the movies he has worked on are Reality Bites, The Chase, Jason's Lyric, Powder, and Apollo 13. His role with the film commission is to promote the greater City of Houston & Harris County area to film/TV/media producers, production executives and independent filmmakers, to scout locations, and to facilitate any production's local filming experience.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Narrative Filmmakers, Producers/Production, Development, Below the Line.

FUNDING/ARTIST SUPPORT MENTOR SESSION: ALFRED CERVANTES (HOUSTON FILM COMMISSION)


Funding/Artist Support Mentor Session: Jessica Sloan (First Take and Women in Film and Television Austin)

Jessica Sloan

First Take: Owner/Consultant, WIFT: Community Partnerships Chair

Jessica Sloan is a native Austinite and the founder of First Take, a consulting firm dedicated to teaching the business of acting and empowering creatives to navigate their careers with confidence. With nearly two decades of experience in the entertainment industry, she continues to build community partnerships and create opportunities for growth within the Austin film scene. Jessica currently serves as the Community Partnership Chair for Women in Film and Television Austin and is a proud member of Austin Business Woman.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Funding/Artist Support.

FUNDING/ARTIST SUPPORT MENTOR SESSION: JESSICA SLOAN (FIRST TAKE AND WOMEN IN FILM AND TELEVISION AUSTIN)


Mentor Session: David Peris (True Faith Digital)

David Peris

Founder/Principal

In a 25+ year career fusing music + technology, David was one of the first members of the Sony Music ""online"" department, helping to create the first websites for Bob Dylan, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Jeff Buckley and hundreds of other artists.

An Austin resident, he has maintained a thriving independent consultancy for the last decade plus, working closely with Roger Waters (throughout the record-breaking tour of The Wall and the recent THIS IS NOT A DRILL tour), Steve Miller Band, Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos, Sheryl Crow, Thievery Corporation, the Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, The Beach Boys, Def Leppard, Guns 'n Roses, U2, RIAA and many other artists and organizations in developing their web presence, social media and online promotion.

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, Music Tech, Emerging Technologies.

MENTOR SESSION: DAVID PERIS (TRUE FAITH DIGITAL)


Funding/Artist Support Mentor Session: Taylor K. Shaw-Omachonu (Kickstarter)

Taylor K. Shaw-Omachonu

Head of Film

Taylor K. Shaw is a Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment honoree, Shadow & Act Rising Executive Award winner, and the founder of award-winning animation studio, BWA (Black Women Animate) Studios. Variety announced her appointment as Film Outreach Lead at Kickstarter, where she brings her expertise as an artist, entertainment company owner, and brand builder to support artists with navigating the evolving film landscape. Her groundbreaking work has been featured in Deadline Hollywood, Emmy Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and The LA Times, highlighting her impact on empowering marginalized voices in entertainment.

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)

FUNDING/ARTIST SUPPORT MENTOR SESSION: TAYLOR K. SHAW-OMACHONU (KICKSTARTER)


Alphabet of Tomorrow: Trends in Typography

Ilana Griffo

Partner

I’m a lettering artist and Author in Upstate New York. After becoming an adjunct professor, I became passionate about helping others pursue their creative passion, which inspired my first book, Mind Your Business. I’m also the co-owner at Goodtype. We champion good type and good business.

Katie Johnson

Parter

I'm a lettering artist and co-owner of Goodtype, a community of over 1 million artists who love typography. I do freelance lettering/illustration work and art licensing through Goodtype Studio, and I spend the rest of my time teaching and providing resources to help our Goodtype community make more money from their art.

Lope Gutiérrez‑Ruiz

Art Director & Creative Director

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

Typography is shifting fast—shaped by AI tools, new aesthetics, and a global wave of independent designers. In this session, two of the field’s sharpest trendspotters break down the seven emerging type trends poised to reshape branding, culture, and creative work in the year ahead. Expect a rapid-fire tour through what’s coming next, why it matters, and how you can use these signals to stay ahead of the curve.

Drawing on Monotype’s annual Type Trends report and the curatorial research behind the international exhibition Hundred Points, this conversation distills the most important patterns shaping visual communication today—and what they reveal about the future of design.

ALPHABET OF TOMORROW: TRENDS IN TYPOGRAPHY


Funding/Artist Support Mentor Session: Stephanie Whallon (Texas Film Commission)

Stephanie Whallon

Director

Stephanie Whallon received her MFA in film production from the Columbia University School of the Arts Graduate Film Program with a concentration in screenwriting. After graduating, she worked in film production finance for companies located in New York, Los Angeles, and all over the world. While in Los Angeles she worked for Warner Bros and Clint Eastwood’s company, Malpaso Productions on films including Flags of Our Fathers, Nights in Rodanthe, Changeling, Gran Torino and as a visual effects accountant on The Dark Knight.

Stephanie has served as Director of the Texas Film Commission since 2018. Having been at the Commission for 15 years, she previously served as Manager of the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program. In her spare time, she can be found collecting way too many books and volunteering her time to teach writing for veteran’s programs.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Funding/Artist Support, Producers/Production, Screenwriting.

FUNDING/ARTIST SUPPORT MENTOR SESSION: STEPHANIE WHALLON (TEXAS FILM COMMISSION)


Mentor Session: Matt Katz (Instrument)

Matt Katz

Executive Strategy Director, Product

Matt Katz is an executive strategy director leading teams that focus on the intersection of UX and brand. He is fiercely focused on delivering exciting creative that drives business results, center the user, and tells compelling stories. His work over the past decade has spanned across B2B and B2C industries, including work with Nike, Samsung, Time Magazine, Verizon, Cisco, Amazon, and more. A jack of all trades, Matt is equally comfortable leading high-level workshops or sketching out concepts in Figma.

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 Future of Work, Journalism, Storytelling, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning.


Mentor Session: Helena Ngo (Nex Playground)

Helena Ngo

Head of Music

Helena’s diverse resume spans various fields within the music industry including artist management, music licensing, marketing, and key account management at NYC-based agencies. Her agency work included music supervision, music strategy, artist partnerships, audio branding and client support for brands and tech companies like Microsoft, Skype, Corona, Hertz, MOSCOT, and Rockbot.

At Dolby, Helena led content licensing and strategy before being tapped to build music marketing as a new category. In this role, she led global launches of Dolby Atmos spatial audio with major partners: Apple Music, Amazon, and TIDAL. She was responsible for leading the brand's largest campaigns to date, featuring artists like Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Olivia Rodrigo, J Balvin, Justin Bieber, Lizzo, and Post Malone.

At Fender, Helena led the Artist Marketing team and oversaw the LA and London-based artist relations teams to reinforce Fender’s leadership and dominance in the musical instrument space. This included leading artist strategy for tier 1 marketing campaigns, collaborations with Signature artists, and launching new music partnerships.

Helena has recently stepped into a brand new role at motion gaming company, Nex Team Inc., where she is responsible for music strategy, licensing, and artist partnerships.

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, Music Tech, Women in Music, Sync/Licensing.

MENTOR SESSION: HELENA NGO (NEX PLAYGROUND)


Unbland Your Climate Brand

Michu Benaim Steiner

Partner & Chief Creative

Michu Benaim Steiner is Managing partner at In-House International. She leads brand transformation strategy projects that enable new technologies to unlock their growth and scale. She's the author of “Becoming Obvious,” a free guide to unlocking adoption for climate tech, and a co-producer for Shiftmakers, a video series about climate innovation by design.

Jessica Appelgren

Senior Vice President, Communications And Marketing

Jessica Appelgren is the SVP of Communications and Marketing at Palmetto Jessica has 20+ years of experience in the climate space, helping category-defining technology companies scale faster, raise more, and stand out, from Impossible Foods to Alphabet’s X, The Moonshot Factory.

Room 201-202

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

The Geography of Prosperity: A New Map for Resilient Cities

Saving Monarchs With Machine Learning and Computer Vision

Where Climate Science Meets Industry Innovation

Before climate tech can change the world, it needs to attract customers. So why do so many climate companies look like they’re trying to blend into the background?  This highly visual show-and-tell session is about the power of expressive design to drive growth. Join industry leaders who’ve built category-defining brands as they dive into climate design visual clichés and discuss standout brands using design to drive growth. They’ll also reveal the design choices in their work that made customers pay attention and what they learned building brands people want.


Mentor Session: Michael Berke (Accenture)

Michael Berke

Director Connected Customer Experience - H&PS

A little about me… I live in Austin Texas with my wife and 2 daughters. I am a Marine Corps veteran and have worked for Accenture doing technology delivery for over 20 years. At Accenture I’m part of the AWS Business Group where I focus on leveraging cloud solutions to support health and public sector clients. I’m passionate about creating great omni-channel experiences and helping agencies better serve the residents who rely on our social service programs for their well being.  In my free time I spend time fishing, kayaking, and hiking.

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

MENTOR SESSION: MICHAEL BERKE (ACCENTURE)


Mentor Session: Sunila Levi (Removery)

Sunila Levi

CTO/VP Product & Technology

As a Tech Executive leader with extensive experience in healthcare, I have held key roles such as Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer - Data and Product. My track record as a change agent includes leading clinical, business, and technology transformations in both public and private-owned hospitals and health systems.

My approach involves providing strategic, tactical, and operational support that aligns with the vision and mission of healthcare organizations. I have successfully guided business decisions, resulting in immediate cost savings and ensuring future growth (ROI). Operating within large organizations with annual budgets of $200 million, I bring a diverse expertise from Enterprise Architecture, Digital Health, AI/ML, Microservices to Data Lakehouse, serverless architectures and a legacy of delivering high-impact projects. Additionally, I have helped mature IT organizations into valued thought partners within the overall structure.

As an experienced professional, University of TX HIHIT, TEXAS State University speaker, SXSW speaker/Mentor, AI & HealthTech author/publisher, I am passionate about leveraging and defining technology to enhance patient care and drive operational efficiency. I firmly believe that my contributions can significantly benefit healthcare organizations.

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Business Development, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, MedTech, Product Management/Development.


Female Voices Shaping the Next Era of Preventive Health

Dr. Poonam Desai

Founder, Cmo Of Longevity Place, Founder Of Her Longevity, Longevity & Precision Med Expert, Lifestyle Medicine, Menopause Certified

Dr. Poonam Desai is a leader in the health industry working with high-profile clients worldwide, founder of a longevity center, a TEDx speaker, social media educator, consultant, and a mom. Her expertise spans precision medicine, functional medicine, anti-aging and longevity, menopause, perimenopause, fitness, nutrition, and health optimization. Dr. Poonam Desai, an osteopathic physician, is double-boarded in Lifestyle Medicine and Emergency Medicine and NAMS-certified in menopause care. Fellowship-trained in point-of-care ultrasound and precision medicine, she has also specialized in functional medicine and anti-aging medicine to help individuals optimize health and prevent disease. Dr. Desai has over 10 years of academic experience as faculty at Weill Cornell Medical School and NewYork-Presbyterian. Her keen interest in education led her to a prominent amount of following on her social media aimed to educate on health matters.

Rhonda Patrick

Ceo And Co-Founder At Foundmyfitness

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a scientist and health educator recognized for her leadership in aging and disease prevention. As the founder of FoundMyFitness, she provides evidence-based insights to a global audience through her website and podcast. On YouTube, she engages millions in in-depth discussions on evidence-based strategies for improving healthspan.

Kayla Barnes-Lentz

Longevity Entrepreneur And The Most Publicly Measured Woman In The World

Kayla is one of the world’s top female longevity experts and has been studying female longevity for over a decade with speaking engagements all around the world.
She has dedicated herself to the pursuit of preventative and regenerative methodologies aimed at optimizing female human health. Kayla has shared her labs and protocols and is the most publicly measured woman in the world. Her endeavors have garnered international recognition from notable publications and she has been named a top longevity leader globally. Kayla has been featured in: The Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar, Fortune, Forbes, Business Insider, The New York Post, MSN, Yahoo, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Daily Mail, The Guardian and many more. Kayla was also a co-founder in one of the country’s most innovative longevity medical clinics.

Salon FGH

SXSW Pitch-Healthcare, AssistiveTech & BioTech

SXSW Pitch-Sustainability, AgTech & Food

SXSW Pitch-Smart Cities, Transportation, Manufacturing & Logistics

SXSW Pitch-Smart Data, Security, and FinTech

Personalized health and longevity are no longer niche topics—they’re becoming cultural priorities that will define the future of medicine, wellness, and human potential. This panel brings together leading female voices in integrative medicine, nutrition, longevity, and lifestyle optimization to explore how cutting-edge science and holistic approaches are reshaping the way we think about aging and long-term vitality. From cellular function to optimizing hormones, nutrition, brain performance, and exercise routines, these experts will share what’s next in the rapidly evolving field of longevity—and why women are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.

FEMALE VOICES SHAPING THE NEXT ERA OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH

Vibrant Wellness

Advanced Specialty Lab Testing for Personalized Longevity

Vibrant Wellness is an advanced lab that helps people better understand what’s happening inside their bodies. Our tests explore how genetics, lifestyle, and environment work together across the most critical health domains, including heart and brain health, hormone, gut, immune, and cellular function, food and nutrients, and environmental toxins. We pair standard-of-care clinical markers with innovative and emerging ones to provide a more complete view of health.

Unlocking Her Next Chapter | Fitness with Kayla Barnes

Unlocking Her Next Chapter | Fertility with Dr. Molly Maloof, MD

Unlocking Her Next Chapter | Food & Nutrition with Dr. Poonam Desai, DO


Featured Session: Ibogaine in America:  The Parable of Our Time

Marcus Luttrell

Author

Marcus Luttrell is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, Navy Cross and Purple Heart recipient, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lone Survivor.. Marcus is also the host of the Team Never Quit podcast and a nationally respected speaker on service, resilience, and leadership. He and his wife, Melanie, have been married for 15 years and are proud parents of three children.

Bryan Hubbard

Chief Executive Officer

Bryan Hubbard is the Chief Executive Officer of Americans for Ibogaine (AFI), a nonprofit advancing education and awareness about ibogaine as a potential breakthrough treatment for substance use disorders, brain injuries, and mental health conditions. A nationally recognized policy leader, Bryan previously served as Chairman and Executive Director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, where he helped shape one of the nation’s most ambitious state-level responses to the opioid crisis. His career spans law, public policy, and healthcare reform, with leadership roles addressing disability policy, Medicaid, child support enforcement, and judicial responses to mental health and substance use challenges. Raised in Virginia’s coalfields, Bryan brings both personal heritage and professional expertise to his mission of building equitable solutions for communities devastated by addiction and trauma.

Dr Gul Dolen

Professor, Parsons Endowed Chair

Dr. Gül Dölen is a Professor and the Renee and Bob Parsons Endowed Chair in the Department of Neuroscience and the Department of Psychology, the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, and the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics at the University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, Dr. Dölen maintains an adjunct professorship in Neuroscience and Neurology at Johns Hopkins University and is the Director of the PHATHOM project (Psychedelic Healing: Adjunct Therapy Harnessing Opened Malleability). Dr. Dölen earned her M.D., Ph.D. at Brown University and MIT and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University. Dr. Dölen is a pioneer and world leader of psychedelics research. Based on a series of breakthrough discoveries she has formulated the hypothesis psychedelics may be the long sought “master key” for unlocking critical periods across the brain. Importantly, understanding psychedelics through this framework dramatically expands the scope of disorders that might benefit from adjunct therapy with psychedelics. Dr. Dölen is the recipient of the Joukowsky Family Foundation Award, the Conquer Fragile X Rising Star Award, the Angus MacDonald Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the Society for Social Neuroscience Early Career Award, the Searle Scholars Award, and the Johns Hopkins University President’s Frontier Award.

Rick Perry

Chairman of the Board

Rick Perry served as the fourteenth United States Secretary of Energy from March 2017 to December 2019.  As Secretary, he was responsible for successfully executing President Donald J. Trump’s energy agenda and the expansive mission of the Department of Energy (DOE), including maintaining the safety and security of the nation’s nuclear arsenal, protecting the electric grid from cyber threats, ensuring access to reliable and affordable energy, overseeing scientific research and development, and promoting the development and export of American technology and energy all over the world. Under his leadership, the nation ushered in a historic energy era, becoming the number one producer of oil and gas in the world, a world leader in the production and generation of renewable energy, and the dominant global force in Supercomputing, Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

Prior to joining the Trump Administration, Perry served as the 47th Governor of Texas from 2000-2015. As the longest serving governor of the Lone Star State, he championed conservative pro-growth principles that made Texas the world’s 12th largest economy and the economic envy of America. During his time in Austin, Governor Perry also implemented transformative reforms in the areas of security, criminal justice reform, energy, education, healthcare and the economy.

As Chief Executive both as Governor of Texas and Secretary of Energy, Perry understood that the success of government is only as strong as its partnerships with the private sector. He advocated for smart regulatory reforms and strong public-private partnerships, empowering industry rather that creating more bureaucratic barriers. He started the Texas Enterprise Fund which lured hundreds of millions of dollars in private sector business and jobs to Texas. At DOE, he appointed the first ever Chief Commercialization Officer who was tasked with bridging the gap between the world-class R&D at the Department’s 17 National Laboratories and commercialization in the private sector.

Rick Perry is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he flew a C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout his career, he has been deeply involved in supporting both the active duty and veteran community, most recently as an advocate for using the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver precision health care to warriors suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other conditions.

Perry earned distinction early in his life as an Eagle Scout. He was one of the first in his family to go to college, earning a degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and a Yell Leader. He is a lifetime member of both the NRA and American Legion Post #75.

Perry married his childhood sweetheart, Anita, in 1982. They have two children, two beautiful granddaughters, and two handsome grandsons.

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

An ancient African medicine, Iboga, contains the most powerful psychedelic on the planet - ibogaine.  Known for decades in the underground of the West as a profound interrupter of drug addiction, U.S. military veterans have been fleeing to Mexico to access ibogaine treatment in a desperate struggle to save themselves from the physical, psychological, and spiritual ravages of war.  Recent medical discoveries related to ibogaine’s impact on the brain suggest that it may also be the most sophisticated molecule on the planet, holding revolutionary potential to transform the lives of millions across the world whose debilities are not responsive to synthetic pharmacology.  The pursuit of ibogaine’s medicalization within the United States is a daunting mission uniting diverse communities with common afflictions against institutional obstacles which expose and illuminate the dysfunctions of power over people as well as the monumental opportunity we now have for people to prevail over power.

FEATURED SESSION: IBOGAINE IN AMERICA:  THE PARABLE OF OUR TIME


Making a Mind Live from SXSW: When AI Agents Leave the Lab

Danielle Perszyk

Cognitive Scientist & Head Of Human-Computer Interaction, Amazon Agi

Danielle Perszyk, PhD, cognitive scientist and member of the technical staff, Amazon AGI SF Lab,
leads the human-computer interaction (HCI) team at the Amazon AGI SF Lab, which is
developing foundational capabilities for practical AI agents that can act in both digital and
physical environments. She received her PhD from Northwestern, where she studied language
evolution and the development of social cognition. Prior to Amazon, she was at Adept and
Google.

Michael Giannangeli

Head Of Product, Agentic AI - Nova

Michael leads Agentic AI for Amazon’s Nova foundation models, focused on building the capabilities for intelligent systems to reason, act, and scale in the real world. Before that, he helped grow Alexa from 1M to 100M+ customers, culminating in the launch of Alexa+. Along the way, he led the Echo and Echo Dot product lines to become the #1-selling product on Amazon.com, and founded Alexa’s computer vision initiative to make Alexa more personalized and adaptive. Before Amazon, Michael earned an MBA from MIT, worked as an economic consultant, interned on Wall Street and Capitol Hill, and played NCAA basketball.

Amanda Doerr

Vice President, Core Shopping

Amanda leads Amazon's Core Shopping organization, overseeing the end-to-end customer experience across homepage, navigation, product pages, reviews, and Alexa Shopping worldwide. She's at the forefront of AI-powered shopping innovation, leading teams that help customers discover, evaluate, and purchase products both within Amazon's store and across the web through agentic features like Buy for Me, which enables direct purchases from brand websites. Since joining Amazon in 2010, Amanda has driven product innovation across Kindle, Supply Chain Optimization Technology (SCOT), and Shopping. Prior to Amazon, she spent a decade at Microsoft leading global product launches for Windows and the Entertainment & Devices group.

Salon E

The Creative Economy is Thriving: Why Founders Keep Building for Creators

The Lucky 10%: CPGs Flipping Off the Startup Failure Rate

The Art of Scaling Your Startup Without Venture Capital

Who Owns What: The State of Startups & Top Trends to Watch

Now is Japan's Time: Leading the Future with Deep Tech

Everyone's talking about AI agents, but what actually happens when companies deploy them to do real work? This live recording of the "Making a Mind" podcast explores the gap between how we think agentic AI should work and how it actually behaves in the wild. Cognitive scientist and podcast host Dr. Danielle Perszyk sits down with Michael Giannangeli, head of product, agentic AI for Amazon Nova, plus industry voices from Amanda Doerr, vice president of core shopping at Amazon and more who've recently launched agents into production. Together, they'll dissect real implementation stories—the successes, the surprises, and the moments where human expectations collided with AI reality. We'll explore the fundamental questions emerging as AI agents become collaborators: Where do humans want control versus autonomy? How do we build trust with systems whose reasoning we can't see? And how does cognitive science research translate into product decisions—from tool-calling architecture to the design choices that determine when agents act independently versus ask for help? This isn't a demo. It's an honest conversation about what we're learning as agentic AI moves from theory to practice—and what it reveals about both artificial and human intelligence.

MAKING A MIND LIVE FROM SXSW: WHEN AI AGENTS LEAVE THE LAB


Author Meet Up

Precious L. Williams

CEO

Precious L. Williams, proud Founder and CEO of the Perfect Pitch Group, is a 13-time national elevator pitch champion, 5x #1 bestselling author and international professional speaker. Besides training entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals, she is also a TOP Fortune 100 corporate sales trainer, teaching them how to take their sales, media, or elevator pitches from TRASH to straight CASH!  Having successfully appeared on “Shark Tank” Season 8 in 2016, Precious is also a world-class speaker for global brands including Verizon, BMW, Blackstone, Dominion Energy, Thinkific, SiriusXM, HubSpot, Conde Nast, Harvard University, Columbia University, IMEX, Destinations Marketing International, and many more.   As a sought-after global speaker, she is also hired to Keynote international conferences, summits, and events.

Room 408

Convene, Collaborate, & Cultivate Connection: Moms Meet Up

UNLEASH YOUR INNER AUTHOR!

Stop dreaming and start dominating the literary world! Join the one and only #KillerPitchMaster Precious Williams for an electrifying deep dive into ALL THINGS AUTHOR.

Whether you're a seasoned writer or just tapping out your first chapter, Precious is peeling back the curtain on the secrets to success:

Pitch Like a Pro: Talk shop about contracts, marketing strategies, and killer pitches that get your book published—traditionally or self-published.

Conquer the Page: Defeat writer’s block, harness inspiration, and learn the best way to leverage emerging technologies to elevate your craft.

Your Genre, Your Rules: Get insights on dominating everything from non-fiction to the latest hot genre, long-form novels, and short stories.

Connect with authors at every stage, share your journey, and learn how to celebrate every milestone. This is more than a talk; it's your launchpad to literary greatness!


Mentor Session: Ogden Payne (FTS)

Ogden Payne

Founder

Ogden Payne is a contributing writer at Forbes Magazine. He has collaborated on articles with Chance the Rapper, Migos, and Dreamville Records, as well as industry professionals such as Dre London (Manager, Post Malone) and Chris Zarou (Manager, Logic) and more. In 2017, Payne founded For The Students, a company dedicated to creating to educational programming to provide college students with unique access into the music business. Since its inception, For The Students has hosted its programming at NYU, University of Maryland and University of Texas.

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 Education, Management.


Mentor Session: Sally Lehrman (The Trust Project)

Sally Lehrman

CEO

Lehrman founded and leads the Trust Project, for which she was awarded a Gold Globee as Female Achiever/Communicator of the Year and named one of MediaShift's Top 20 Digital Innovators. For ten years, the nonpartisan Trust Project® has been a trailblazer in strengthening integrity and transparency in news, enabling an informed public to engage more fully in civic life.  Lehrman guides Trust Project operations, trains news leaders to build a trustworthy press, and is a sought-after speaker. Lehrman’s award-winning journalism on medicine/science has garnered a Peabody, duPont-Columbia, John S. Knight Fellowship & recognition for diversity work, with bylines in Scientific American, Nature, Health, among others, and several public radio documentary series distributed by NPR.

Room 400-402

Mentor Session: Ali Tager (National Cryptocurrency Association)

Mentor Session: Aniesia Williams (dreambloc)

Mentor Session: Avantika Bagri (Centana Growth Partners)

Mentor Session: Brittan Heller (Stanford Law School)

Meeting with this mentor is highly recommended if you're interested in Content Strategy/Production, "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion", Ethics, Journalism, Nonprofits, Storytelling.

MENTOR SESSION: SALLY LEHRMAN (THE TRUST PROJECT)


Mentor Session: Meredith Nadeau (The Orchard)

Meredith Nadeau

Director, Brand Marketing & Communications

As Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and a nine-year veteran at The Orchard, Meredith Nadeau oversees all of the indie distributors' content, events, and sponsorships, across 50 cities worldwide. She has cultivated some of the brand's most noteworthy events across the music industry's top conferences including SXSW, GRAMMYs, and Music Biz. Meredith is always working to strengthen The Orchard identity as an inclusive and diverse community of independent artists & labels. She frequently utilizes The Orchard platforms and partnerships to center artists across all intersectionalities.

Last year, Meredith was accepted into the 2024 Keychange U.S. cohort, a gender-expansive development program for artists and innovators in the music industry. With the support of Keychange U.S,. Meredith participated as a panelist at A2IM’s Indie Week and has been selected as a Mentor at SXSW for the Spring 2025 conference. Meredith serves as Membership Co-Chair of Membership on the Board of Queer Capita, a non-profit for LGBTQIA+ music industry professionals. She is currently working to build their membership offering and was instrumental in the application process that awarded QueerCapita a $25,000 grant from Sony’s Social Justice Fund.

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

MENTOR SESSION: MEREDITH NADEAU (THE ORCHARD)


How to Build a B2B brand with Swagger: Lessons from B2C

Jim Lesser

Chief Brand Officer

Jim Lesser is the chief brand officer at ServiceNow. He and his team are working to build ServiceNow into an iconic brand that drives us toward our goal of becoming the defining enterprise software company of the 21st century. He joined ServiceNow in January 2021 from BBDO where he served as President & CEO. During his tenure as President and CEO at BBDO San Francisco, he helped build a team that increased revenue 300%, doubled operating margins and grew the bottom line 500%. Prior to this appointment Jim held several positions within the agency. Earlier in his career he was the first ever Creative Director in Residence at the University of Texas's School of Advertising and Communication.

Waterloo Ballroom 3

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

The Learning Geeks: How to Think When Machines Think Faster

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

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

Forget Moments Marketing: Welcome to Worldbuilding

In this talk, the Chief Brand Officer of ServiceNow offers three rules that B2B marketers can use to build a great brand, based on his B2C experiences. He will share tactics he is using to connect his brand with audiences and show up in unconventional places – Tribeca Film Fest, Aston Martin Aramco F1 cars, ads starring acclaimed actor Idris Elba – and how you can apply the lessons he’s learned to your own company, regardless of your budget. Discover why sounding like a human, personalizing your pitch, and using AI to fuel (not replace) your creativity are the keys to winning the brand wars.

HOW TO BUILD A B2B BRAND WITH SWAGGER: LESSONS FROM B2C


Expediting Psychedelic Research to Qualify for Right to Try

Logan Davidson

Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) & Texans For Greater Mental Health (T4GMH)

Legislative Director

Dr. Sue Sisley, MD

Scottsdale Research Institute/Field To Healed Foundation

Principal Investigator & CMO

Dr. Sue Sisley, MD is Montana/Arizona-based physician practicing Internal Medicine & Psychiatry. Sue serves as Principal Investigator of nonprofit Scottsdale Research Institute for myriad FDA-approved randomized controlled trials examining safety/efficacy of LSD, psilocybin mushrooms & intact cannabis flower. Sue holds 7 different DEA schedule 1 licenses as researcher & manufacturer. 5 years ago, SRI secured the only DEA schedule 1 manufacturer license in US for farming whole cannabis flower & natural psilocybin mushrooms instead of synthetic molecule. Her current Cannabis research is FDA phase 2b trial examining inhaled cannabis flower in 320 military veterans with pain/PTSD.  SRI received greenlight from FDA to perform 1st ever controlled trial with intact, natural P. Cubensis mushrooms.

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

EXPEDITING PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH TO QUALIFY FOR RIGHT TO TRY


The Cost of Inclusion: Who Pays When Equity Isn’t Trending

Lee Christian Parker

Executive Director

Lee Christian Parker is an Executive Director and Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Lee works closely with some of the most influential clients in the Washington, DC area, including diverse business founders, women wealth creators, and endowments and foundations. She serves as a powerful champion in connecting clients with the full force of J.P. Morgan so that they may grow and protect their assets, and establish important legacies for future generations.

Before joining J.P. Morgan, Lee was a Senior Vice President and Philanthropic Client Manager at Bank of America Private Bank. Previously, she directed philanthropic advisory services for the Greater Washington Community Foundation. She holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Maryland.

Jamila Taylor

President and CEO

Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, is a national health equity leader and seasoned health policy researcher. Throughout her 20+ year career, Dr. Taylor has championed the health and rights of women, promoting policies that ensure access to vital health care, including building support for abortion access, ensuring safe and compassionate reproductive and maternal health care, and dismantling structural racism within the US health care system. She has testified before Congress and published and presented extensively on various public policy issues. Dr. Taylor has held leadership positions in national organizations, such as the Center for American Progress, the Century Foundation, the National WIC Association, and others.

Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman

Doctoral Student

Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman is a researcher, writer, science communicator and activist, whose work has been featured in Teen Vogue, The New York Times, Slate Magazine, NPR, Fortune, Marketplace, and The Guardian. She is the co-founder of The Sadie Collective, the only nonprofit organization addressing the lack of Black women in economics and related fields. In 2020, she became the youngest recipient for the CEDAW Women's Rights Award by the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Angelina Spicer

Comedian/Founder

Angelina Spicer is a stand-up comic, writer, producer, actress, mother, and accidental activist who blends humor and advocacy to spotlight maternal health. Spicer’s groundbreaking advocacy has earned recognition from former President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris for normalizing conversations around postpartum depression. She works with lawmakers as a March of Dimes ambassador, and collaborates globally with hospitals and U.S. Embassies promoting the Sustainable Development Goals. Spicer is the founder of Spicey Moms, an organization committed to ensuring gender equity in health solutions by redefining maternal care.

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

Remember when every brand promised to do better? In 2020, diversity and inclusion roles were created overnight, corporate pledges made, and equity became a buzzword. Fast forward to now, when those diversity offices and leadership budgets are vanishing, and DEI programs face contact attacks. Where does that leave leaders—especially Black women—who were once vaunted as symbols of progress? Expect data, sharp insights, and real stories as we unpack what it takes to create systems where Black women’s leadership can thrive even when equity isn’t trending.

COST OF INCLUSION: WHO PAYS WHEN EQUITY ISN?T TRENDING

Workplace track sponsored by University of Cincinnati


How to Be Seen, Heard, and Remembered on LinkedIn

Don F. Mclean

President

Don F. McLean, MBA is an award-winning PR strategist, LinkedIn expert, and founder of McLean Media. He helps life sciences companies, AI innovators, and entrepreneurs grow their visibility through modern communication strategy. Don is the author of The In Crowd for LinkedIn Mastery and a sought-after speaker, with recent sessions at the Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE), the NAGC Communications School, and Madonna University’s School of Business.

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

LinkedIn is where your reputation takes shape in public. In this session, Don F. McLean reads from The In Crowd for LinkedIn Mastery (#1 in its category on Amazon in its first week!) and shares how professionals can build a presence that opens doors. Attendees will learn how to communicate clearly, show up with consistency, and turn visibility into meaningful opportunity. This talk challenges outdated habits and introduces a sharper, more strategic way to use LinkedIn for growth.

HOW TO BE SEEN, HEARD, AND REMEMBERED ON LINKEDIN


Say Vagina: Platform Censorship, Algorithms, and the Cost to Women's Health

Alexandra Fine

CEO and Co-Founder

Alexandra Fine is the co-founder and CEO of Dame Products, a pioneering sexual wellness company known for its innovative products and mission to close the pleasure gap. Recognized in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2018, Alexandra leads Dame Products in designing user-centered tools that enhance intimacy. Since its inception in 2014, the company has expanded its offerings and impact, all while advocating for women's health and breaking barriers in advertising.

Laine Bruzek

Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer

Laine Bruzek is co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer of Evvy, where her mission is to close the gender health gap, starting with demystifying and destigmatizing vaginal health.

Evvy’s innovative vaginal healthcare platform, powered by their first-of-its-kind vaginal microbiome test, is the first to combine state-of-the-art testing, precision care, and 1:1 coaching to give women and people with vaginas the care they deserve.

Laine is a creative brand builder and designer, previously at Google Creative Lab and Tribeca Enterprises, where she spearheaded initiatives across branding, marketing, emerging tech, data privacy, and product strategy.

At Evvy, she also authored “100 Effed Facts About the Gender Health Gap”, a coffee table book about disparities in medical research. She has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, Inc Female Founders 200, InStyle, Create & Cultivate, and more. Her work at Evvy has received top honors from Fast Company Most Innovative Companies, Innovation By Design, World Changing Ideas & Brands That Matter and The Webby Awards.

Laine received her B.S. in Product Design Engineering and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University, where she was a Mayfield Fellow.

Monica Cepak

CEO

Monica Cepak, MBA, is the first female CEO of Wisp, the largest pure play women's telehealth company in the U.S. focused on providing sexual and reproductive health solutions. Monica has been instrumental in expanding Wisp's services to address various aspects of women's health and has grown its user base to over 1.5 million patients. She has launched 30+ products during her year and a half as CEO—  including a fertility vertical, menopause care solutions, and at-home testing options. AdAge’s 40 Under 40  highlighted her as a leader in women’s health in 2024, showcasing her 20+ years of experience in brand and marketing leadership, and work across Fortune 500 companies.

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

Across the country, platforms like Meta and the NYC MTA are blocking ads and posts that mention vaginal health, fertility or menopause— censoring essential medical terms and allowing misinformation to spread. In this panel, brand leaders and marketers will explore how censorship is shaping the way women’s health is discussed— or not discussed— in public spaces, and how companies are navigating censorship challenges. It will examine why naming matters and how bold, stigma-breaking messaging can educate, empower, and shift the narrative.

SAY VAGINA: PLATFORM CENSORSHIP, ALGORITHMS, AND THE COST TO WOMEN'S HEALTH


Smells Like Brand: The Future of Scent Branding

Michele Y. Smith

CEO

Michele Y. Smith is the CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP). Her people-centered leadership approach is the driving force behind her work at MOPOP which emphasizes a steadfast dedication to the democratization of philanthropy, the universal language of pop culture, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and mentorship of emerging leaders. Prior to her role at MOPOP, Michele served as the Chief Business & Financial Officer at the award-winning cultural institution, the Woodland Park Zoo, where she played a pivotal role in navigating the organization through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Seen in Observer, Hyperallergic, Forbes)

Christophe Laudamiel

Master Perfumer

Christophe Laudamiel is the Master Perfumer at Generation by Osmo. He is actively involved in fundamental research in scent digitalization as well as the selection of new captive molecules. Over the last 20+ years, he has worked at or with prominent industry companies including Procter & Gamble, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), Firmenich and Mane, and the largest air management company in the world for shows at the Guggenheim Museums; founded his own company, DreamAir studios; composed top scents such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Béyoncé, Clinique, Tom Ford, and more. His passion to teach and protect the art and ethics of Perfumery at the highest level, to defend every single ingredient of value, be it molecular or natural, has been widely recognized.

Alex Wiltschko

Founder and CEO

Alex Wiltschko is Founder and CEO of Osmo and Generation by Osmo, on a mission to give computers a sense of smell. He is a repeat entrepreneur and has spent much of his career exploring new frontiers and building businesses at the intersection of AI and biology. Previously, he was a research leader at Google DeepMind, has founded and exited two AI companies (Syllable, sold to Neumora; Whetlab, sold to Twitter), and was named to the Top 100 people in AI by Business Insider. Alex holds a Ph.D. in Olfactory Neuroscience from Harvard University. (Seen in Fortune, CNBC, Glossy, Axios)

Kaitlyn Barclay

CEO and Co-Founder

Kaitlyn is the CEO and co-founder of Scout Lab, an acclaimed creative communications agency that works with scaling disruptor brands, as well as global players like Adidas, Wix, Venmo and Casetify. She volunteers her time as the Data Director of Do The WeRQ, an organization that aims to increase queer creativity and representation in the marketing industry. Her writing has also been featured in Adweek, McSweeney’s, Glamour, Fast Company. Before Scout Lab, Kaitlyn led acquisition marketing at Levi Strauss after selling her startup to ClassPass in 2015.  She has her MBA from Columbia Business School.

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

Every brand has a scent, whether designed or not. Now, brand leaders can control it. This panel explores the frontier of scent branding and the new AI-powered technology that enables it. With the development of olfactory intelligence (OI), brands can harness our most powerful sense, capturing consumers’ memories and influencing their associations. Hear from Generation by Osmo’s Founder and Master Perfumer on how OI has made fragrance accessible for brands and creators of all sizes, and from brand leaders harnessing its power to develop signature scents, including the Museum of Pop Culture.

SMELLS LIKE BRAND: THE FUTURE OF SCENT BRANDING