Speakers

Mike Allen

Co-Founder, Axios

Sarah Alspach

Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Bluebird Bio

Sarah Alspach is SVP, External Affairs at bluebird bio, where she is responsible for driving bluebird’s external engagement – including corporate communications, investor relations, patient advocacy, government affairs and alliance development. Through her work at the
intersection of business and science, Sarah amplifies the role innovative medicines can play in transforming the lives of people living with rare diseases and their families.

Sarah joined bluebird bio in September 2021 as Chief Communications Officer and led communications strategy and execution through a period of significant transformation for the company, culminating with the FDA approval and commercialization of three first-in-class gene therapies, including one for sickle cell disease.

Sarah also serves as the executive sponsor of bluebird’s employee resource group for women influencing leadership development (bWILD), which aims to provide an inclusive environment to support, develop and grow women leaders.

Prior to joining bluebird, Sarah served as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the world’s leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. She also spent more than a decade at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) where she
was Vice President for U.S. Pharma and Corporate Communications, with responsibility for communications, corporate brand and reputation, and philanthropic giving in the US. Sarah holds a B.S. in public relations from the University of Texas at Austin and lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband and three children.

Kathy Baird

Chief Communications Officer, The Washington Post

Kathy Baird is the Chief Communications Officer of The Washington Post and a marketing and communications strategist with 25 years’ experience across Fortune 500 companies. At The Post, Kathy leads teams across multiple disciplines, including corporate communications, public relations, talent management, community impact and the Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership. Prior to working at The Washington Post, Kathy was a senior global communications leader at Nike and leveraged the power of sport to shape a healthier planet, active communities, and an equal playing field for all. Her work spanned across Nike’s employee communications efforts for a 73K workforce, the establishment of a publishing function for Nike storytelling (news.nike.com) and purpose and advocacy initiatives for the company including civic engagement and communications for Nike’s eight employee resource groups. She also led communications and engagement for the Nike N7 collection which brings visibility to and representation of Native people and co-chaired Nike’s Native American Network. Before Nike, Kathy was the Managing Director and Head of Ogilvy’s Washington, DC office where she oversaw a cross-functional integrated business and profit center. Clients included The Washington Post, Smithsonian Institution, BP, Mozilla, Twitter, and Five Guys among others. While at Fleishman Hillard, she led the Integrated Marketing team, served as one of the agency’s leading digital voices during her tenure and led some of the agency’s largest global accounts including Visa, Inc., the Abu Dhabi Government (Tourism) and others. She served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University for ten years in their Masters in Corporate Communications and Public Relations school where she taught Digital Communications, Integrated Marketing and Leadership courses. Kathy is Sicangu Lakota, an enrolled citizen of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and is also a descendant of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. She serves on the advisory board of IllumiNative, a non-profit working to increase the visibility of Native Nations and peoples in American society. She also serves on the board of the American Indian College Fund. Kathy is a recipient of the ColorComm Circle Award, the only award of its kind recognizing women of color who are changing the face of the communications/PR industry. She was also a finalist for the Washington Women in Public Relations’ Woman of the Year award. In 2014, Kathy co-founded The Unified Scene Theater, an improv comedy theater that brought classes and workshops to students and businesses in DC and across the U.S. In her spare time, she enjoys running, sport, Lakota-style beadwork, writing, and improv comedy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from The George Washington University, her MBA from Georgetown University and studied theater at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.

Rohit Bansal

Group Head of Communications, Reliance Industries

Ron Bonjean

Co-Founder and Partner, ROKK Solutions

Ron Bonjean has over 30 years of public affairs and crisis communications experience and has managed some of the most significant business and policy debates affecting the lives of millions of Americans.

He also remains the first person to serve as the lead spokesman in both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

At the request of the White House, Bonjean served as the communications strategist for United States Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch. He also acted as a top strategic communications adviser for the Presidential Transition Team assisting cabinet nominations through the confirmation process.

Bonjean was Chief of Staff to the Senate Republican Conference under Senator Jon Kyl; Communications Director to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert; head of public affairs for Secretaries Don Evans and Carlos Gutierrez at the Department of Commerce and the top spokesman to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott. The Politico wrote, "Ron Bonjean is one of the most popular communicators in Washington — and that’s quite an achievement in a town with this much hot air"; Reuters called him a “Washington Public Relations
Heavyweight” and Buzzfeed says that Ron is the most "Washington of Washington Strategists."

For the better part of a decade he was named to the Roll Call Newspaper's Fabulous Fifty as one of the top movers and shakers behind the scenes on Capitol Hill. A frequent guest on many national news programs, Bonjean provides insightful political analysis to millions of viewers across the country. He currently serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of Wisconsin Madison Department of Political Science and recently served as a Fellow at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy.

Bonjean received his master's degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from the American University and his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jeremy Bowers

Global Chief Technology Officer, POLITICO

Jeremy Bowers, Global Chief Technology Officer, where he manages the globally distributed technology team.

Bowers comes to POLITICO from the Washington Post where he served as Director of Engineering, leading a team of 40+ engineers supporting newsroom engineering and publishing tools. Prior to the Washington Post, he held various roles at the New York Times, NPR and the St. Petersburg Times.

Bowers was one of the core developers behind the Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact.com and was on the team that won an Emmy for his work on “Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt.” He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg. He resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Becky, and two daughters.

Craig Buchholz

U.S. CEO, Burson

Dara Busch

CEO, Havas PR North America

Carlisle Campbell

Head of Corporate Communications, Capital One

Paula Chirinos

Senior Account Executive, Ketchum

Denise Dahlhoff

Director of Marketing and Communications Research, The Conference Board

Denise Dahlhoff is the Director of Marketing & Communications Research at The Conference Board, a non-partisan, member-driven business and economic research company. She produces insights on current marketing, communications, and consumer topics through quantitative and qualitative research and discusses insights with members and other executives at roundtables, council meetings, conferences, and on web-/podcasts.

Recent topics have included the evolving role of the CMO and CCO and these executives’ collaboration with the CEO, corporate preparations for the US presidential election, the new corporate neutrality on social/political issues, performance measurement in marketing and communications, and consumer attitudes about sustainability, health, and other current topics.

In 2023, Denise won The Conference Board’s Employee of the Year Award. Denise is also a Senior Fellow at the Wharton School’s Lauder Institute for Management and International Studies. Previously, she was the Research Director of the Wharton School’s Baker Retailing Center and held positions with Wharton Executive Education, Nielsen’s Marketing Analytics team, and global pricing consultancy Simon, Kucher & Partners. Denise has taught marketing courses at the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and the Indian School of Business.

Sarah Davanzo

Innovation Leader, Porter Novelli

Sarah DaVanzo is innovating the future of data, analytics, insights, foresight, and cultural strategy. She spent two decades working internationally in 22 countries for F500 companies, consultancies, agencies, and start-ups. Experienced start-up entrepreneur, agency leader and corporate executive, today, Sarah leads the Consumer & Market Insight & Foresight (including Cultural Intelligence & Cultural Foresight) for the L’Oréal Groupe driving corporate and product innovation. She is a quantitative data-driven futurist with >70% accuracy (a.k.a. “superforecaster”) who has helped over one hundred businesses future-proof. Her futurized insights have been published in Time, The New York Times, Forbes, Fast Co., Wired, The Guardian and featured in TV, podcasts, radio, and cited in books and research papers all over the world. Sarah is a super-user and hacker of technology to scale, amplify, communicate and transform insights and foresight. She is a master of data. A student of Design Thinking, Sarah holds several patents. She is continuously building and creating. Her latest ventures include: www.insightalchemy.io www.curious-futures.com CULTURAL FORESIGHT Sarah combines the disciplines of foresight and cultural strategy into Cultural Foresight: Anticipating with data cultural shifts and emerging culture to design growth strategies (i.e., corporate, innovation, brand & marketing strategies) with the power to shape industry and society. APPLIED CURIOSITY The original Chief Curiosity Officer, Sarah has dedicated over a decade of research, including a master’s degree, to studying ways to cultivate curiosity. Today, she is focused on “Applied Curiosity” – the measurable application of curiosity for business growth (e.g., insights, innovation, problem-solving, corporate culture, etc.). She has two TEDx talks on using curiosity strategically in business and in life. A curiosity diagnostic tool and techniques to amplify and apply strategic curiosity are amongst her inventions. LIVING CURIOUSLY Sarah’s “curiouser & curiouser” secret is to actively #LiveCuriously. She believes a new class of people, defined by their curiosity, not socioeconomics, is rising. Sarah leads by example while coaching people to see, feel, think and do everything more curiously. A few of Sarah’s curious adventures include circumnavigating the globe twice (once by boat, once by air), living as a monk for two months, attending astronaut training camp, leading an expedition in West Africa and building the Gold of Africa Museum. University lecturer, author, artist, and keynote speaker.

Megan Doern

Head of External Communications, Deloitte

Megan leads External Communications for Deloitte Consulting LLP with a team of 20 public relations professionals. Together, this team elevates Deloitte Consulting’s brand in the news media on topics like tech transformation, human capital trends, sustainability, and customer experience. Additionally, she runs its Leader Eminence Program, working with key leaders on their external platforms. She joined Deloitte in 2014 as the PR lead for its federal government practice. With 25+ years of experience in communications, media relations, and public affairs, Megan has worked for a variety of organizations -- in government, a PR agency and corporate communications. She has guided organizations and clients through complex communications issues and worked with high-level executives and elected officials. Last year, her team nominated her for a Ragan Top Women in Communications Award for her leadership. She also serves on the board of Doorways, an organization that serves survivors of domestic and sexual violence. A Seattle native, she lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, two daughters, and their dog, Mochi.

Mike Doyle

Global CEO, Ketchum

Mike Doyle leads one of the world’s top communications consultancies, with offices and affiliates in more than 70 countries. He and his colleagues help companies tell their stories, connect with the people they care about most and use communications to inspire action. Mike has helped clients launch products and services, merge or acquire new companies, navigate issues and crises and determine their purpose in an increasingly competitive, connected and consumer-empowered global society. He is the executive sponsor for Omnicom’s global OPEN Pride employee resource group and serves on the global Board of Directors for GLAAD, the world’s leading organization dedicated to accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community. Mike is also a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, the foremost professional association for senior communications executives and educators

Mark Durney

Executive Vice President, Public Relations and Integrated Communications, Porter Novelli

Mark is an accomplished strategist and Executive Vice President at the forefront of digital transformation and innovation. With extensive experience in global and domestic branding, marketing, and communications, Mark specializes in consumer products, healthcare, and oil and gas. His expertise earned him a spot in PRWeek's 2023 Class of "40 Under 40."

In his role as EVP of Digital and Innovation at Porter Novelli, Mark spearheads a digital transformation across the organization, fostering a culture that embraces cutting-edge technologies. By integrating artificial intelligence and other next-gen solutions, he has designed AI-powered strategies that empower both organizations and individuals to enhance their communication efforts and achieve greater impact. His leadership has resulted in a fivefold expansion of the team, all while maintaining a strong, collaborative environment with zero voluntary attrition over the past three years—demonstrating his commitment to building high-performing and engaged teams.

Mark is highly skilled at embedding data-led, audience-first strategies into communications initiatives, supporting product launches, corporate reputation campaigns, issues and crisis management, and internal change initiatives. He has led the development of award-winning, integrated campaigns for Bayer, Lilly, Capgemini, and more.

Before joining Porter Novelli, Mark was the New York Digital Market Leader for BCW Global, working with clients like ExxonMobil, NYC Department of Transportation, Nestlé Waters, Medtronic, and Sanofi. He also built and led social and digital teams at Ketchum and Havas, expanding digital practices and providing senior counsel to a range of clients.

Mark began his career in the non-profit sector, launching his own non-profit before moving on to a role as Social and Digital Strategist for Capgemini North America’s marketing and communications team, where he enhanced the brand’s social presence and spearheaded CRM and demand generation strategies.

He holds a B.A. in History from Trinity College and an M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies from the University College London’s Institute of Archaeology.

Neby Ejigu

Senior Partner, Digital Transformation, FINN Partners

Neby Ejigu, a Senior Partner at FINN Partners, leads the Digital Experience and Transformation efforts. FINN Partners is a global integrated marketing agency known for its expertise in public relations, marketing, and digital strategy.

As a Strategic Leader and Digital Transformation Evangelist with over 19 years of experience, Neby has driven operational excellence and spearheaded digital transformation for Fortune 500 clients, including Sony, Pfizer, and Google. His expertise lies in leveraging digital technologies, AI, and analytics to enhance business processes, operational efficiency, and customer engagement.

Neby's extensive career includes notable positions at AKQA, KPMG, AOL, and WFP, where he developed a deep understanding of the digital landscape and honed his skills in delivering impactful solutions. He has also worked on government transformation projects across Sub-Saharan countries.

Neby holds both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology and Computer Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

Andreas Fischer-Appelt

Partner and Founder, Fischer-Appelt

Chris Foster

Chief Executive Officer, OPRG

Daniella Foster

Senior Vice President and Head of Global Public Affairs, Market Access & Sustainability, Bayer

Daniella Foster is the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Public Affairs, Market Access and Sustainability for Bayer’s Consumer Health Division. In this role, she is responsible for global public affairs and policy, and embedding sustainability into the divisional business model, including strategy and ambition development, stakeholder engagement, proactive issues management, digital integration,
implementation and impact stewardship.

An integrity-driven leader, Foster has worked with billion-dollar brands and across private and public sectors, from Hilton and Mars to the United States White House, State Department and United Nations. She has a proven track record in driving strategy, change management, business integration and transformation across consumer goods, health, hospitality and government industries. In her nearly 20 years of experience, she’s led corporate and government affairs, business turnarounds, ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) and strategic partnerships.
 
Additional Leadership Roles:
 Board Chair: Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
 Board advisor: Cure Xchange (Health AI for Good)
 Board member: Harvard Women’s Leadership
 Former Board Chair: United Nations Global Compact Network USA
 World in 2050 Brain Trust, focus on AI, Sustainability, Economic Growth
 Co-founder: Emergent Leaders Network, a non-profit that provides scholarships and mentoring
to community college students. 
 Angel investor, working with Pipeline Angels, which aims to invest in and create capital for
female entrepreneurs.

Nathan Friedman

Co-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Understood.org

Nathan leads the multifaceted brand strategy, product marketing, consumer engagement, communications, creative and production functions. He brings more than 20 years of experience building iconic brands, crafting impactful campaigns, and leading teams through complex operational challenges to his role as Co-President and Chief Marketing Officer. Nathan began his career at Ogilvy, where he drove strategic marketing and communications efforts, and held numerous roles, including managing director of its Chicago office and global account leader. He eventually led the firm’s four-office West Coast operation where he directed the rollout of the Affordable Care Act in California. Previous roles include General Manager of a mid-sized agency and President of a consultancy focused on branding and marketing strategy for startups in the impact space. He serves on the board of directors of the Point Foundation – the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ scholarship fund. 

Evelyn Furia

Senior Marketing Director, Opill & Market Activation, Perrigo

Evelyn Furia is the Senior Director of Marketing and Opill lead for Perrigo.

Evelyn holds over 12 years experience in brand management and marketing within consumer healthcare. She has worked in consumer and expert marketing in consumer healthcare across Rx to OTC switch, OTC, dietary supplements, and personal care. Evelyn has an undergraduate degree from George Washington University and her MBA in Marketing & Strategy from Georgetown University. Outside of work she is a world class aunt and enjoys exploring all the food and theater that Jersey City and NYC have to offer.

Victoria Glazar

Managing Director, GE HealthCare Foundation, GE HealthCare

Victoria Glazar is a dynamic leader passionate about advancing equitable access to precision healthcare. As the Managing Director of the GE HealthCare Foundation, she spearheads social impact initiatives aimed at making healthcare more accessible, personal, human, and flexible. Building on GE HealthCare’s legacy, Victoria collaborates with nonprofit organizations to remove barriers that separate underserved communities from quality healthcare. 

Her commitment extends beyond funding—Victoria’s work focuses on improving maternal health outcomes globally by training a skilled workforce to provide critical support throughout pregnancy and childbirth. By investing in community-led solutions, she strives to help moms and babies receive the care they deserve, regardless of where they are in the world.

As a strategic communicator over the past two decades, Victoria’s expertise lies at the intersection of social impact and environmental sustainability, where she has made significant contributions to health equity issues and the dialogue on climate change and human health. She has held previous roles at Bristol Myers Squibb, leading ESG reporting and CSR communications, as well as at Verizon, where she directed communications and reporting for the Chief ESG Officer.

Anne Green

CEO, Principal, G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group

Anne taps over 30 years of experience in integrated marketing communications for her role as CEO and a principal at G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group. She is responsible for ensuring excellence across all areas of performance and operations of both its go-to-market agencies, G&S Business Communications and MorganMyers, a G&S Agency – from client service to each agency’s integrated offerings to cultivating a vibrant and growth-oriented culture. Anne also leads key external relationships, such as the agency’s membership in global network PROI, and serves as the executive sponsor of the G&S DE&I Task Force and Generative AI team. Anne is passionate about providing counsel to clients in such sectors as healthcare, professional services and financial services, and is an accomplished media trainer and speaking coach. She previously served as president and CEO of CooperKatz & Company, Inc., an award-winning communications agency she helped build for over two decades before its acquisition by G&S. Anne is currently a Trustee of Vassar College and has previously served on the boards of the PR Council and New York-based anti-trafficking non-profit, LifeWay Network.

Aaron Guiterman

U.S. Head, Edelman Global Advisory

Aaron Guiterman is the US Head of Edelman’s Government and Public Affairs business unit, Edelman EGA. Based in our Washington, D.C. headquarters, he also recently served as Edelman’s Chief Digital Public Affairs and Innovation Officer.

Aaron leads a team of seasoned political and public affairs professionals dedicated to designing rapid response campaigns that manage political risk across the entire client portfolio of Daniel J. Edelman Holdings (DJE).

With over twenty-five years of experience in public affairs, political campaign design, digital communications, and integrated media, Aaron has guided clients through high-stakes legislative, reputational, and regulatory battles — as well as organized labor issues. His portfolio includes high-profile clients in technology, telecom, energy, manufacturing, industrial, and aerospace and defense. He has also advised on campaigns to alleviate poverty and improve access to vital resources in rural Alaskan villages.

Recognized as an industry expert, Aaron specializes in creating fully integrated issue advocacy campaigns, reputation management, ballot initiatives, and referendum efforts for leading industry associations, corporations, and organizations striving to shape favorable political and policy outcomes.

An early pioneer of digital issue advocacy and reputation campaigns, Aaron excels in utilizing custom and syndicated research, rapid response polling, and field intelligence to develop innovative and disruptive creative strategies to win challenging battles.

A 10-year veteran at Edelman, Aaron previously held senior-level positions at Young & Rubicam, McCann-Erickson, and the Glover Park Group.

Aaron also lectures frequently at industry events and universities, including American University, Georgetown, West Virginia University, and George Mason University. He resides in Virginia with his wife and three children.

Nikki Haley

Former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor, Vice Chair of Edelman Global Advisory

In 2010, at age 38, Nikki R. Haley was elected the 116th governor of South Carolina. She was the youngest governor in the country and first minority female governor in America. She is the only female governor in South Carolina history.

During Governor Haley’s tenure, South Carolina was a national leader in economic development. Known as the “Beast of the Southeast,” the state’s unemployment rate hit a 15-year low, it saw over $20 billion in new capital investment, and her administration announced new jobs in every county in the state. 

In 2013, her husband Michael, a combat veteran, deployed to Afghanistan making her the first governor in U.S. history to have their spouse deployed. 
 
The people of South Carolina decisively reelected Haley in 2014. Two years later, Time magazine named her 100 most influential people in the world. 
 
In 2016, at age 45, President Donald Trump nominated Haley as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.  In that role, she served as a member of the President’s Cabinet and on the National Security Council.
 
As ambassador, she ensured the American people saw value for their investment, defended U.S. interests, kept our country safe, and championed human rights. For her work at the UN, Forbes named her one of the world’s 100 most powerful women.  
 
After serving in the Trump administration, she founded Stand For America and Stand For America PAC.

At age 51, Haley ran as a Republican candidate for president while her husband was deployed to Africa. In 2024, she outlasted thirteen other candidates and became the first Republican woman to win a presidential primary. She continues to fight for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a strong foreign policy that keeps America safe, has the backs of our allies, and holds our enemies to account. 

Nikki is married to Major Michael Haley and has two children. 

She is a two time NYTimes best selling author for With All Due Respect and If You Want Something Done.

Gail Heimann

Chief Executive Officer, The Weber Shandwick Collective

Gail Heimann is Chief Executive Officer of Weber Shandwick and oversees The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC), the leading earned-first network – a strategic communications and consulting powerhouse built for “the era of earned”.

TWSC is fueled by a breadth and depth of sector and service expertise across 11 brands with offices in 6 continents. Its wide range of proficiency spans from organizational transformation to public affairs to digital transformation. Gail is dedicated to continuing to build a global organization differentiated by the power of its specialist expertise, its commitment and willingness to innovate and its culture of collaboration.

As CEO, Gail elevates and accelerates the kind of big picture, convention-breaking thinking that drives action – love, loyalty, awe, advocacy – and earns enduring change. At her core, she’s an idea maker and future shaper with a relentless drive to discover the new and the next. Throughout her storied career, Gail has helped to build brands and burnish reputations for a significant percentage of the Fortune 500 and has worked on iconic brands and campaigns across every sector.

Gail was a catalyst in Weber Shandwick being named as the only PR agency to the prestigious Ad Age Agency A-List in 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2024, and featured as an A-List “Standout” Agency in 2017 and 2018. Ad Age also named Weber Shandwick to its Best Places to Work list in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also honored as PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year in 2024 and for four years in a row (2015 to 2018). Additional accolades include being named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list (2024), PRWeek’s Purpose Agency of the Year in 2020 and 2021, PRovoke‘s Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2017 and 2019 – and PRovoke Global Agency of the Decade in 2020.

Under Gail’s leadership, Weber Shandwick has won 225+ Cannes Lions in partnership with leading brands around the world. Gail has served on five juries at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: President of the Public Relations jury in 2012; a member of the inaugural jury for the Glass Lions, which celebrate work that breaks through gender bias and stereotypes, in 2014; a member of the Cannes Lions Titanium jury in 2018 and a member of the Young Lions jury in 2022.

In 2020, Gail was named the PR Agency Head winner in Campaign’s inaugural U.S. Agency of the Year awards. In 2019, she was honored twice by PRWeek as US Agency Professional of the Year and Global Agency Professional of the Year. In 2016, she was inducted into PRWeek’s inaugural Hall of Femme (now Women of Distinction), recognizing female trailblazers in communications. And in 2015, Gail was named to PRovoke’s North America Innovator 25 list, which celebrates individuals who accelerate innovation and push boundaries within the public relations industry. Earlier in her career, Gail was named an Ad Age Woman to Watch.

Gail sits on the Board of Directors for the Susan G. Komen organization, The LAGRANT Foundation and Ad Council.

Gail and her husband have two daughters and live in New York City.

Adam Hodge

Managing Director, BPI

Adam Hodge, a Managing Director at BPI, is a veteran communications strategist with experience advising senior government officials, c-suite executives, political leaders, and advocacy organizations in high profile arenas across a range of sectors.

Most recently, Adam was the Spokesperson for the National Security Council in the White House, leading the Biden-Harris Administration’s foreign policy communications operation through several global crises and international engagements. Adam also served as the Assistant United States Trade Representative for Public Affairs where he provided strategic counsel on policy, public engagement, and internal issues while leading the agency’s communications operation.

Before returning to public service, Adam was the Senior Vice President for External Affairs at Ariel Investments. Prior to joining Ariel, Adam worked for SKDKnickerbocker and was the Communications Director at the Democratic National Committee, having previously held the role of Regional Press Secretary during President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. Adam previously served in the Obama-Biden Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Treasury Department where he led the communications efforts for a range of domestic finance issues and received the Distinguished Service Award.

Earlier in his career, Adam served as the Press Secretary for House Majority Whip James Clyburn, on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and in the office of former Senator Christopher Dodd. He has appeared on CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and international news outlets throughout his career.

Originally from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Adam is a graduate of Wesleyan University with a B.A. in government, concentrating on International Relations. He serves on the Board of the French-American Foundation and lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and two children.

Paul Holmes

Founder & Chair, PRovoke Media

Paul Holmes, founder and chair of PRovoke Media, has been writing about public relations for more than 25 years. Paul began his career in local newspapers in the north of England and also worked for a newspaper group in South London before joining PR Week as news editor in 1985.

In 1987 he moved to New York to launch the short-lived US edition of that publication, and after that project came to an inglorious end worked with Adweek and Adweek’s Marketing Week for a year.

In 1989, he launched his own company, initially publishing Inside PR, and later Reputation Management magazine, both focused on providing analysis of critical trends and issues in the public relations industry. He created the annual Public Relations Agency Report Card, which included profiles of the leading PR firms in the US, and the Creativity in Public Relations Awards, which grew to become the largest in North America.

Early in 2000, Holmes launched The Holmes Group, which provides knowledge and insight to public relations professionals across a variety of platforms, including a website, an e-newsletter, events, printed reports, research and consulting assignments, and the SABRE Awards competition. The group’s flagship title, PRovoke Media (p/k/a The Holmes Report), covers the public relations business in the Americas, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and the Asia-Pacific region. In 2011, Paul was inducted into the ICCO Hall of Fame.

Rebecca Honeyman

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, SourceCode Communications

Agency leader with almost 20 years of experience creating B2B, consumer and corporate campaigns for tech businesses. Specializes in strategic messaging and brand narrative development.

Harry Hope

Chief Technology Officer, Business Insider

Harry Hope is the Chief Technology Officer at Business Insider, the publication focused on business, tech and innovation, where he leads a global team focused on delivering a fast and innovative news platform for both the audiences and employees of BI. Before joining Business Insider, he led Time Inc.’s Platform Engineering team for brands such as Time, Sports Illustrated and People. He has spent most of his career at the intersection of news media and technology and believes strongly in the power of journalism to create a better, more informed world.

Adina James

Account Director, Allison

Aaron Kwittken

CEO & Founder, PRophet

Award-winning entrepreneur Aaron Kwittken leads the way in communications technology. With over 30 years of experience, he's the Founder and CEO of PRophet, a suite of essential, AI-powered tools purpose-built to empower modern communicators to perform more efficiently by quickly uncovering and authentically engaging with high-authority journalists and leading influencers. He also steers the Comms Tech Unit for Stagwell Marketing Cloud. Aaron’s deep expertise in AI and communications technology is recognized by industry leaders like ICCO, Cannes LIONS, and PR Week. He's a consistent honoree, including a three-year streak (2022-2024) on PR Week's Dashboard AI Edition 25 list, highlighting his innovative contributions to the field.  

Jeff Lambert

U.S. Chairman, LLYC

Collin Lawson

Senior Director, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund

Collin Lawson serves as the Senior Director of Private Sector Engagement at World Wildlife Fund, the world’s leading conservation organization. In this role, he leads the strategic development and implementation of consumer and employee engagement programs, working to engage millions of Americans in WWF’s conservation mission and raise funds for WWF’s critical programs in the field.

During the last five years at WWF Collin had led major initiatives with Bank of America, Starbucks, Disney, Amazon, the Kroger Company, BlackRock and Procter & Gamble. Collin has held speaking roles at Sustainable Brands, SXSW, and Cannes Lions. He also sits on the board of EarthShare, which coordinates employee giving efforts for more than 600 environmental organizations.

Mei Lee

Design Lead, Retroviral

Iskren Lilov

Head of Marketing and Communications, Ruepoint

Iskren Lilov is the Head of Marketing and Communications of Ruepoint – a leading global media intelligence company. He is responsible for overseeing the brand marketing activities, external communications, events and strategic partnerships of the company. Iskren is a (re)branding and B2B specialist with extensive consultancy experience and in-house roles in the media intelligence, NGO, and cybersecurity sectors, recently shortlisted for the 2024 AMEC Professional of the Year Award.

Alongside his role at Ruepoint, Iskren is leading the AMEC Comms Taskforce and maintains an active role in collaborative initiatives across the industry. Iskren is also an author, consultant, and university-level lecturer, teaching branding and strategic communications. He is part of a mentorship and upskilling charity program, helping students and young professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds develop their careers.

Diana Marszalek

Senior Reporter, PRovoke Media

Michael Maslansky

CEO, Maslanksy + Partners

Since writing The Language of Trust in 2010, Michael has become one of the leading experts on reputation and crisis communication in the world. He has served as a senior advisor to Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Bank of America, PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer, among others, and has helped industry associations in financial services, energy, and personal care navigate major industry transformations and crises.   

Hayley Matz-Meadvin

Executive Vice President, Communications, Precision Strategies

Hayley Matz Meadvin is a native Washingtonian and political communications veteran. After graduating from law school, Hayley has spent her career in political communications, helping people and organizations lead conversations and grow their brand. At Precision, Hayley provides communications strategy to corporate and non-profit clients and national advocacy campaigns to help them increase visibility and strengthen their reputations. No stranger to crisis communications, Hayley helps clients prepare for the worst to ensure they come out their best. Hayley re-joined Precision after serving as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Education in the Biden-Harris Administration, building upon her previous experience in politics and public service. During the Obama administration, she served in the White House as a communications director to Dr. Jill Biden and in several other communications roles.

Jason McGrath

Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Reputation, Ipsos

Jason McGrath is Executive Vice President and Head of the Ipsos Corporate Reputation practice in the US. He also serves as a member of the Ipsos Global Corporate Reputation leadership team. Jason consults with corporate, government and NGO clients on reputation measurement and evaluation programs and serves as a trusted advisor providing strategic guidance to optimize clients’ marketing, communications and stakeholder engagement programs for the greatest reputational impact.

Since joining Ipsos in 2015, Jason has contributed to the profitable growth of the US Corporate Reputation practice, leading the successful pitches for many of the group’s largest global accounts, including Visa, Facebook, Twitter, and PepsiCo. Jason leads a team of research strategists, consultants and analysts across the US to ensure high quality, actionable reporting to Ipsos clients. He also drives greater collaboration and coordination between the US Corporate Reputation practice and the Ipsos Client Service organization, supporting new
opportunities with current Ipsos clients. Jason also leads the team delivering the Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index, evaluating the strength of 50 nation brands globally.

Jason joined Ipsos from Edelman, where as a Senior Vice President he ran the primary research operations for the Washington, D.C. office and led the integration of research services with Edelman communications programs. These research services included corporate reputation measurement, campaign testing and optimization, and communications program evaluation.

While at Edelman, Jason also served as global director of food and nutrition insights, overseeing research work conducted on behalf of clients such as Yum! Brands, Sara Lee, Jimmy Dean, Darden Restaurants, PepsiCo, Quaker Oats, Kraft Foods and Monsanto. Additionally, Jason led the development of IP studies such as the Edelman Field to Fork program, exploring the food and agriculture space. Jason has written white papers and presented for various conferences and organizations, such as the Global Food Safety Conference and IFC International Food Safety Forum.

Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from The College of New Jersey, is a Burke Institute-trained statistical analyst, a RIVA-trained moderator, and holds a certificate in market research from the University of Georgia.

Emily Metz

President & CEO, American Egg Board

Emily Metz is president & CEO of the American Egg Board, the national marketing organization for the U.S. egg industry. In this role, she directs strategy and oversees national programs spanning consumer marketing and PR; CPG manufacturing and foodservice engagement and R&D; health and nutrition research and communications; and exports to drive demand for U.S. eggs and egg products domestically and abroad. Metz is a professional communicator, marketer and strategist who has built her career around a passion for agriculture in roles supporting U.S. dairy, beef, pork and poultry farmers. An attorney specializing in food and drug law, she has held communications, marketing and advocacy positions at the USDA, the Animal Agriculture Alliance, National Milk Producers Federation and, most recently, at the world’s largest animal genetics company, Genus Plc. She is delighted and honored to serve America’s egg farmers and support the nation’s love affair with the incredible egg.

Ed Mitzen

Co-Founder of Business for Good, Author of Wealthy and White 

Over the past 25 years, Ed has started three healthcare marketing firms – consisting of two health and wellness advertising agencies and one healthcare marketing consulting group – whose combined revenues are north of half a billion dollars. At his last firm, Fingerpaint, the Saratoga-based company he founded in 2008, he worked with some of the most recognized brands in the country. In 2020 Ed stepped down as the day-to-day leader of Fingerpaint and, along with his wife Lisa, formed Business for Good, a venture philanthropy that aims to achieve social change through business. Ed’s passion to turn his good fortune into good for local communities and beyond is truly an inspiring story. He is also the author of Wealthy & White: https://wealthyandwhite.com/

Eliot Mizrachi

Vice President, Strategy & Content, Page Society

An experienced non-profit executive and strategic communicator, Eliot Mizrachi is a member of the leadership team at Page, the world’s premier professional association for chief communication officers and other senior comms leaders. Eliot develops organizational strategy and KPIs and is responsible for Page content, which includes all of Page’s research, reports and related resources; podcasts (he hosts Page’s New CCO podcast); newsletters; website and blog; and Page Conversations. He also oversees Page’s professional development programs, including webinars and the Future Leaders Experience, a two-year executive education program rooted in Page thought leadership.

Prior to joining Page, Eliot was senior director of communications for the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the self-regulatory body for the video game industry. Eliot managed media relations and communications, working especially closely with the government affairs teams – including a 2012 Supreme Court case testing the validity of state laws restricting the sale of certain video games to minors – and developing Public Service Announcement campaigns in partnership with public officials and major league sports franchises.

Before the ESRB, Eliot held communications positions in New Jersey state government with the Board of Public Utilities and the Office of the Governor, where he supported diplomatic affairs and Jewish community outreach.

Eliot received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Syracuse University in 2000, and a master’s in communications management from Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2011. He lives in Huntersville, NC with his wife Meg and two sons, Ari and Leo.

Rodell Mollineau

Co-Founder and Partner, ROKK Solutions

Rodell Mollineau is a political and public affairs strategist with 25 years of experience developing national message campaigns, managing crises and leading high-level communications operations. A veteran of Capitol Hill, state government and electoral politics, he has provided strategic guidance to a multitude of elected officials, political candidates and organizations.

Mollineau served as a top aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and was tasked with crafting the communications strategies for some of the most significant policy initiatives and legislation in a generation. As Staff Director of the Senate Democratic Communications Center he also led the long-term planning, message development and rapid response operations of the Senate Democratic Caucus while working closely with the White House and House Leadership to coordinate programs and tactics. Mollineau started his career as a press aide to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and then as Communications Director for U.S. Senator Mark Pryor. He later served as Communications Director to Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, who currently serves as USDA Secretary, gaining valuable insight and experience
navigating the inner-workings of state government.

Mollineau has played senior roles on several U.S. Senate and Presidential campaigns and has been regarded as one of the nation’s top political influencers by the trade magazine Campaigns and Elections. As the first President of American Bridge 21stCentury, he is credited for having built the research Super PAC into a multi-million-dollar organization active in dozens of federal and state campaigns. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton.

Allison Murphy

Chief Operating Officer, Axios

Allison Murphy is Chief Operating Officer at Axios, where she is responsible for the national and local media businesses, including strategy, revenue, marketing and communications. She joined Axios from Capital One, where she led strategy and defenses to combat identity fraud. Prior to that, Allison spent nearly eight years at The New York Times in a variety of roles, including leading teams in product and ad innovation, and driving digital transformation initiatives within the business.  

Allison was honored as a 2018 Digiday Changemaker and as a 2020 Ad Age 40 Under 40 recipient, recognizing her work in privacy-first ad technology while at The Times. She has an M.B.A from Harvard Business School and holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of Virginia

Piper Overstreet-White

Senior Vice President of Government and Community Relations, Las Vegas Raiders

Piper is in her third season with the Las Vegas Raiders. As Senior Vice President of Government and Community Relations, Piper operates at the intersection of policy, sports, and community. She leads the club’s local and state legislative efforts to advance initiatives and engage stakeholders around the organization’s strategic business priorities. Piper oversees the Raiders’ community impact efforts, philanthropic giving, and football development initiatives.

Since her youth, Piper has been driven by a strong sense of community. She is committed to volunteerism and currently serves on local nonprofit boards. She is also active in community-based organizations such as the Las Vegas Chapter of Jack & Jill of America Inc. and the
NAACP. Piper is a proud alumna of Hampton University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Jim Papa

Partner, Global Strategy Group

Jim runs Global Strategy Group’s Washington, D.C. office, where he advises companies and non-profits advocating for change and navigating various legislative, regulatory, and reputational challenges. Some of his current and former clients include brands such as General Motors, H&R Block, and LEGO, as well as non-profits such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), League of Conservation Voters, FWD.us, and People for the American Way.

Prior to joining GSG, Jim worked in government and politics for fifteen years. He served as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs in the Obama White House.

Earlier in his career, Jim served on Capitol Hill as senior advisor to Rahm Emanuel, where he managed the incumbent protection program for the House Democratic Caucus. Jim also served as Chief of Staff to Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey, staff director and press secretary to Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, and deputy staff director of the U.S. Senate Democratic Technology & Communications Committee.
Jim also hosts STAFFER, a podcast featuring influential guests that have worked in government or politics at any level, celebrating the work and exploring their stories and experiences.

Maja Pawinska Sims

Associate Editor, PRovoke Media

Maja Pawinska Sims has been the EMEA editor of PRovoke Media since January 2018. She has been writing about public relations and communications for 22 years, first as features editor of PRWeek and then as a freelance writer and editor for PR agencies and their clients around the world, including three years as Weber Shandwick’s EMEA editor. She was named Journalist of the Year at the Global Women in Marketing Awards in 2019, where the judges noted: “Maja proves how empathy can drive brilliant editorial thinking. She is clearly an absolute expert in her field and proves that you can challenge an industry while also championing it.”

Madison Pietrowski

Director of Brand US, GetYourGuide

Amith Prabhu

Co-Founder, The PRomise Foundation

Amith Prabhu is a pioneering Public Relations and Reputation Management professional with over 20 years of experience, having worked, in India and in the USA at leading marketing communication companies. He is the co-founder of India’s only weekend offsite summit for the profession – PRAXIS under the aegis of The PRomise Foundation, which is a member of the Global Alliance (GA). He is on the international board of GA. He writes the longest running weekly online column on Public Reputation and it features on Reputation Today – the first 52 of which were published as a book in 2015. He is the Founding Dean at the School of Communications & Reputation (SCoRe) in Mumbai. He is a Living My Promise signatory. He has a Master’s in Public Relations and Communication Management from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune. In 2023, he co-authored a book on Public Relations published by Westland, titled The Pursuit of Reputation

With nearly two decades of work experience, including at four leading firms: Genesis Burson-Marsteller (GBM) in the field of media and public relations,  APCO Worldwide in the field of corporate advisory and reputation management, Starcom MediaVest Group + VivaKi as the leader of internal and external communications in India and at Edelman Public Relations in Chicago, Amith is an extraordinary professional who seeks a career in political communication management in the future. He had a taste of that as the first ever student summer intern in the history of India’s oldest political party in 2003. He also volunteered for the re-election campaign of President Obama in the area of grassroots advocacy.

Amith loves travelling, food tasting and reading author-signed copies of books. He hails from Mangalore. When he is not travelling, he is based in Gurgaon near New Delhi. 

Chris Ridley

Vice President of Communications and Media, Moderna

Chris Ridley is Moderna’s Global Head of Media, responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic communications and global media relations. With extensive experience in corporate communications within the biotech sector, Chris plays a key role in shaping Moderna’s narrative and fostering impactful engagement with stakeholders. His leadership supports Moderna’s mission to advance mRNA technology and deliver innovative healthcare solutions worldwide.

Prior to joining Moderna, Chris led Media Relations at Gilead Sciences and previously worked at Edelman and Genentech.

He resides in Wellesley, MA, with his wife and two young children. Chris holds a JD from Albany Law School.

Jennifer Risi

Founder and President, The Sway Effect

Jennifer Risi leads The Sway Effect, one of the fastest-growing marketing and communications agencies today. At the heart of The Sway Effect’s work, the agency is focused driving brand reputation while putting diversity, equity, and inclusion at the center of everything that we do. Risi is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of experience in strategic global media relations, CEO positioning, investor relations and issues management. Risi was named a PR News Top Women in PR for three years in a row. The Sway Effect was named 2023 PRNews Women Owned Agency of the Year and 2024 PRovoke Media North American Boutique Agency of the Year.

This Robot

A Robot Designed This Panel, Porter Novelli

A Lively Discussion with a Robot about Empathy, Emotion, Ethics, and Equity in Industry 5.0 Storytelling

Samantha Rothaus

Partner, Davis+Gilbert

Samantha Rothaus is a partner at the law firm Davis+Gilbert LLP, practicing in the firm’s Advertising + Marketing and Intellectual Property + Media departments. Samantha works with agencies and marketers exploring innovative and compelling ways to reach their audiences, and provides counsel on navigating agreements, regulatory obligations, and best practices by balancing legal risk with business objectives.

Often involved at the earliest stages of a client’s project, Samantha brings an attentive and practical approach to avoiding problems and crafting solutions. Her thoughtful and individualized guidance supports clients launching marketing and publicity campaigns in traditional and emerging media, sponsoring influencer content, and developing branded entertainment produced by media partners. Samantha also routinely counsels clients seeking to explore new technologies such as Web3 and generative artificial intelligence.

Prior to joining Davis+Gilbert, Samantha was an intellectual property litigator with an expertise in brand protection. She holds a Masters of Law degree in Media & Entertainment Law from UCLA, and a JD from Boston University School of Law.

Dina Ruden

Senior Director, Public Relations & External Affairs, Goodwill

An experienced communications professional with a demonstrated history of working in the public policy and association industries, Dina Ruden joined Goodwill Industries International in 2023. Her career began in journalism at a daily newspaper and progressed to leading communications teams in travel and tourism, the labor movement and government. Her role as an editor in the travel industry took her around the world from meetings at 10 Downing Street to safaris in Africa. She headed communications departments at private companies and nonprofits, conceiving and implementing award-winning national advocacy campaigns with integrated marketing, member communications, and public education components.

Dina holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Youngstown State University and a master’s degree in Communications from the University of Hawaii.

Dori Salcido

Partner, Precision Strategies

Dori Salcido brings more than 25 years of communications, crisis and public affairs experience across the federal government, and the public and private sectors. Throughout her career, she has developed communications plans, crisis mitigation strategies and media relations plans for three U.S. Presidents, federal agency leaders, healthcare organizations, non-profits, biotechnology companies, academic institutions, technology firms, and educational startups. Prior to joining Precision, Dori served in the Biden-Harris Administration, leading communications for the White House COVID-19 Response Team and in the Obama Administration, Dori played a key role in the launch and crisis management of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), one of the largest public health education campaigns in agency history. 

Kim Sample

President, PR Council

Patricia Santa Marina

CEO and Founder, Minerba

Mathew Shearman

Global Health Practice Lead, APCO

Mathew Shearman advises clients on shaping their business environment through integrated, cross-functional strategic communications. He serves as the chair of the Global Health Practice. With APCO since 2022, Mathew brings unique experience working at the intersection of health care public affairs and crisis, policy, market access and corporate reputation disciplines to advise clients on enhancing their corporate reputation, protecting their license to operate and communicating the value of innovation.

Mathew counsels executives from leading health care companies to navigate the geopolitical, issues-driven and health care trends that are rapidly disrupting their operating environment. Drawing on experience from the US, UK and EU markets, he guides APCO’s global health practice in empowering clients to promote health and advance health care equity.

Mathew joined APCO from Burson (formally Burson-Marsteller, BCW Global) where he provided strategic counsel to numerous Fortune 500 companies. He has counseled clients to successfully navigate reputational risks during litigation, product recalls, counterfeiting, clinical data readouts and cybersecurity challenges. With deep experience developing both disease awareness and policy-focused campaigns, he has supported patient access to numerous medical and diagnostic products for conditions including cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease and immune-driven diseases.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mathew was a senior counselor to companies at the forefront of the global public health response, helping to translate complex scientific and business developments to consumer audiences. From early 2020, he supported the first authorized treatment for COVID-19, developed a crisis response strategy for a major Washington, D.C., hospital system and led U.S. advocacy efforts around a client’s vaccine.

Mary-Kate Smitherman

Senior Director of Communications, Oatly

Mary-Kate Smitherman is the Senior Director of Communications at Oatly, where she oversees all external relations for the North American market. With over a decade of experience in communications and brand strategy, Smitherman has managed client accounts across various lifestyle sectors, including fashion, beauty, food, wellness, and hospitality, with a focus on mission-driven, sustainable brands. Since joining Oatly in July 2021, she has played a key role in developing and executing national campaigns and communications strategies, while enhancing the brand's media presence.

Prior to joining Oatly, Smitherman held senior positions at Derris, where she was instrumental in transforming the brand consultancy into a full-service agency with over 80 employees. Her leadership and strategic insights have driven successful brand positioning, media relations, and launch strategies for numerous high-profile clients. Her experience also includes roles at Edelman, Newsweek, and CBS News.

Smitherman earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Indiana University Bloomington and currently lives in Westport, Connecticut. 

Michael Steel

Senior Vice President of Communications, Business Roundtable

Michael Steel serves as Senior Vice President for Communications at Business Roundtable. In this role, he provides strategic guidance and management of BRT’s efforts to advocate for better public policy solutions. He joined Business Roundtable after five years at Hamilton Place Strategies, a Washington-based public affairs consultancy.

Prior to that, he worked on Capitol Hill for a dozen years, serving as spokesman to then-Speaker John Boehner, the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Republican Policy Committee.

He also has extensive political experience, serving as a senior advisor to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s presidential effort in 2016, and as spokesman for then-Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan in 2012, in addition to roles on Senator Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign, at the National Republican Congressional Committee and statewide races in Oklahoma and North Carolina.

He began his career as a reporter at National Journal, and graduated from the University of North Carolina and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Steel serves on the board of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, which supports wounded warriors’ caregivers, the Board of Advisors at UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism, and has been inducted into the North Carolina Journalism and Media Hall of Fame.

Michael Steele

Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, Former RNC Chairman

When he was elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003, Michael Steele made history as the first African American elected to statewide office; and again, with his subsequent chairmanship of the Republican National Committee in 2009.

As chairman of the RNC, Michael Steele was charged with revitalizing the Republican Party. A self- described "Lincoln Republican," under Steele’s leadership the RNC broke fundraising records (over $198 million raised during the 2010 Congressional cycle) and Republicans won 63 House seats, the biggest pickup since 1938. His commitment to grassroots organization and party building at the state and local levels produced 12 governorships and the greatest share of state legislative seats since 1928 (over 760 seats).

As Lt. Governor of Maryland, Mr. Steele’s priorities included reforming the state's Minority Business Enterprise program, improving the quality of Maryland's public education system (he championed the State’s historic Charter School law), expanding economic development in the state and fostering cooperation between government and faith-based organizations to help those in need.

Mr. Steele’s ability as a communicator and commentator has been showcased through his current role as a political analyst for MSNBC. He has appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and Comedy Central's The Daily Show. In addition to his work in television, Mr. Steele co- hosted the daily radio program, Steele & Ungar on the POTUS Channel on SiriusXM and is the host of the podcast The Michael Steele Podcast.

Mr. Steele���s writings on law, business and politics have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Hill.com, The Grio.com, Politico.com, The Root.com, BET.com, Townhall.com, The Journal of International Security Affairs and Catholic University Law Review, among others.

He is the author of Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda, which is a call to arms for grassroots America and co-author of The Recovering Politician’s Twelve Step Program to Survive Crisis.

Kara Swisher

New York Times best-selling author, host of On with Kara Swisher & Pivot podcasts, editor-at-large, New York Magazine

 Why Kara Swisher is Captivating Audiences.

Kara Swisher is good at what she does. And she knows it. Kara Swisher is the host of On with Kara Swisher and co-host of the Pivot podcast. She’s editor-at-large at New York Magazine and a CNN contributor. Swisher is the co-founder of the technology website, Recode, and tech conference, Code, which is the country’s premier conference on tech and media. Swisher was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Webby Award.

Considered the top reporter in the tech game, Swisher has been reporting on the industry since the early 1990s. She was there when Amazon was looking for its first headquarters in Seattle, when Google was in its garage and when Netflix was just a small startup. Once called “Silicon Valley's most feared but revered journalist” by New York Magazine , Swisher has established herself as the oracle of the tech world with unrivaled access to the industry's most significant leaders.

Swisher's new book Burn Book: A Tech Love Story is part memoir, part history, and ultimately a witty, scathing, but fair accounting of the tech industry and its founders who wanted to change the world but broke it instead. Burn Book includes soaring tales of innovation and brilliant entrepreneurs, as well as Silicon Valley’s much more complex history of striving, success, and failure. The book details how the commercial internet came into being and how, for all it has given the world, it now sits at the  center of global power, creating a clear and present danger to humanity. Yet despite the damage she chronicles, Swisher remains optimistic about tech’s potential to help solve problems and not just create them. She calls upon the industry to make better, more thoughtful choices, even as a new set of powerful AI tools are poised to change the world yet again. At its heart, this book is a love story to, for, and about tech from someone who knows it better than anyone. She is also the author of aol.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads and Made Millions in the War for the Web, published by Times Business Books in July 1998. The sequel, There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for a Digital Future, was published in the fall of 2003 by Crown Business Books.

Swisher was named to The Hollywood Reporter’s list of “Podcast Power Players” in 2022 and 2023, and to the 2023 Out 100. She also received the “Pioneer Icon” award at the 2023 iHeart Podcast Awards. Additionally, Pivot was named one of the “Best Podcasts of 2022” by the New York Times and “Best Thought Leadership Podcast” at the 2022 Adweek Audio Awards.

She was previously a contributing New York Times opinion writer and former host of the podcasts, Sway and Recode Decode. She co-founded the technology website, Recode, and, before that, co-produced and co-hosted The Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference series (now called the Code Conference) with Walt Mossberg starting in 2003. It was, and still is, the country’s premier conference on tech and media, with interviewees such as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Tesla Technoking Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, and many other leading players. Swisher worked in the Wall Street Journal’s San Francisco bureau and as a reporter at the Washington Post.

She was also a contributor to NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC. Swisher played herself on HBO’s Silicon Valley and Fox’s The Simpsons, and is a regular guest on national broadcast programs. She also hosted HBO’s Succession podcast, which was named Adweek’s 2023 “Podcast of the Year.” For many years, she wrote the column BoomTown, which appeared on the front page of the Marketplace section and online at WSJ.com. Previously, Swisher covered breaking news about the web’s major players and internet policy issues, and she also wrote feature articles on technology for the paper. Earlier in her career, Swisher worked as a reporter at The Washington Post and as an editor at the City Paper of Washington, D.C. She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and her graduate degree at Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

Grzegorz Szczepański

CEO, Poland , Burson

European PR veteran with over 30 years successful business experience on both inhouse – where he served as CCO in the leading international players in Poland in the banking (UniCredit Group) and FMCG sectors (Heineken), and consultancy – Burson-Marsteller, Edelman and finally Hill & Knowlton (now Burson) where in 2022 he won the Central & Eastern European Agency of the Year title by PRovoke.

Expert in corporate strategies, stakeholder engagement, and crisis management in sectors spanning from food & beverage, retail, and healthcare to finance, defence, and energy & industrials.

PR industry enthusiast engaged in a number of pro-bono projects including the largest scale UNDP Weather Kids Campaign ’24. Since 2022 President of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) the world's largest trade organization, uniting over 3,000 PR agencies from 81 countries worldwide.

Fiorenzo Tagliabue

CEO, SEC Newgate

Caitlin Teahan

Senior Vice President, FleishmanHillard

Caitlin Teahan brings more than 15 years of experience to the Brand Marketing, Corporate and Technology groups at FleishmanHillard, working with both B2B and consumer household brands to leverage cultural moments and generate creative concepts that lead to bold programming and headlines in top-tier earned media coverage. In addition to her client leadership roles, she oversees FleishmanHillard’s global Generative AI Center of Excellence. She brings experience from a variety of industries including CPG, emerging technology and travel, and has launched everything from rebrands and partnerships to products and major news moments.

Amy Terpeluk

Managing Partner, Global Purpose and Social Impact Practice Lead, FINN Partners

As leader of FINN Partners’ Global Purpose and Social Impact Practice, Amy works across geography, industry sector, and issue profile, leading teams engaged in corporate purpose and reputation, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, sustainability and ESG communications, and employee engagement work on behalf of a wide spectrum of clients. She is a noted expert on shifting narratives and purpose-driven activities to catalyze societal and environmental change and fuel business goals. Amy has been tapped by leading brands, nonprofits, and thought leaders to architect campaigns that are integrated with business strategies and deliver social impact.  Recognizing her expertise, CBS Mornings tapped Amy as a commentator on purpose-driven businesses in our era of increasingly charged public discourse.

Her dedication and effort were instrumental in the launch of the NO MORE foundation, founded to build awareness and drive action to end domestic violence and sexual assault, on whose board she still serves.

Lucy Turland

Global Director of Molecular Marketing Disease States, BD

Lucy is the Global Director of Molecular Marketing Disease States at BD. An agile authentic, motivational, and results-driven leader. Powered by a fast-learning, deep-listening, customer focused, can-do mindset, Lucy joined BD 9+ years ago. During her tenure she has successfully led multiple strategically important portfolios, has worked in country, regional and global roles, and transferred with BD from the UK to the USA to continue her pursuit of excellence in her field.

Melissa Waggener Zorkin

Global CEO and Founder, WE Communications