Speakers

Bradley Akubuiro

Partner, Bully Pulpit International

Bradley Akubuiro is a Partner at Bully Pulpit International (BPI) where he focuses on corporate reputation, executive communications, and high-visibility crisis management and media relations efforts. He also provides equity, diversity, and inclusion counsel to clients.

Previously, Bradley was the Chief Spokesperson and Head of Global Media Relations for The Boeing Company, the largest aerospace manufacturer in the world. In this role, he was responsible for leading Boeing’s team of media relations, media research, and media intelligence professionals enterprise-wide in their efforts to advance and protect the company’s interests around the globe. Akubuiro provided leadership and counsel through the company’s response to COVID-19, the national conversation around race, and several news-making challenges and milestones in its effort to return the previously grounded 737 MAX to commercial service. He was a founding member of Boeing’s enterprise-wide Racial Equity Task Force.

Brian Besanceney

Partner at CommsCollectiv, Former CCO at Boeing

Brian Besanceney is an accomplished C-Level Corporate Affairs & Communications Executive with an impressive +25-year career in demanding senior leadership roles helping globally-renowned brands, including Boeing, Walmart, Disney, and the White House.

A two-time Fortune 50 Chief Communications Officer, he has a unique set of experiences in not only protecting and enhancing the reputation of brands at serious high-profile junctures, but transforming the way communications organizations work in an increasingly digital and connected world with changing stakeholder expectations.

Most recently as CCO of The Boeing Company, Brian led a 475-person team with responsibility for internal/external digital communications, media relations, crisis communications, brand marketing, and merchandising. He took immediate action to modernize the communications function after years of leadership transition. This included reinvigorating the team with a clear vision for the future; introducing new best practices such as the widespread adoption of Axios Smart Brevity as an internal communications model; and expanding the use of digital insights,analytics, and AI tools. These actions strengthened the team and played an essential role in navigating a high-profile operational and reputational crisis in 2024.

Previously, Brian served as a SVP and CCO for Walmart Inc. As Walmart’s first-ever CCO, he led the company’s global communications team, including media, associate, and stakeholder communications, along with the company’s corporate social and digital channel strategy and special events. Brian transformed this previously disconnected and defensive-minded group into a world-class communications team, bringing the company’s story to life in new and innovative ways – a key center of excellence in Walmart’s widely recognized corporate affairs function.

Prior to this, Brian held executive roles at The Walt Disney Company, serving as SVP of Public Affairs for Walt Disney World leading internal/external communications, government relations, and corporate citizenship for the world’s largest single-site employer. As well, he led worldwide government and industry relations across Disney’s global Parks & Resorts division. In his first role at Disney, as VP of Public Affairs for Business Development for the Parks & Resorts division, he played a key role in ensuring Disney’s successful market entry into Shanghai.

For eight years, Brian held leadership roles in the administration of President George W. Bush. He served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Communications Director in President Bush’s first term.  In the second term, he was Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,  and later served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the U.S. Department of State.

Early in his career, Brian served as Communications Director for then-U.S. Rep. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), as well as a public relations and state government relations consultant.

Brian currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Orlando Health, a high-performing $7+ billion health system in the Southeast United States.  Brian is an investor in and consultant to several emerging companies, and recently became a partner in CommsCollectiv, which is pioneering the fractional executive leadership model in corporate affairs and communications.

Additionally, he is on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Public Relations, and is a member of Page and Communications 50.  In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, who are competitive rowers.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Brian launched his career upon obtaining his B.A. in Political Science & History from The Ohio State University, where he is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Arts & Sciences.

Heather Craft

CEO, North America, Hotwire

Heather Craft is the North American CEO for Hotwire, responsible for managing overall client experiences and health, as well as overseeing the People and Culture and finance departments in the US. With over thirteen years of experience, Craft has extensive expertise and a proven track record leading integrated communications programs of scale, from early stage startups to established public companies.

Will Crain

Head of North America CEO Communications Advisory, Weber Shandwick

In his role as North America Head of CEO Communications Advisory Will Crain brings experience working directly with CEOs and on high-profile corporate transformations, including advising some of Weber Shandwick’s largest clients. 

Will’s experience spans multiple industries, including technology, industrial, aerospace and retail, and draws on his expertise in corporate and financial communications, CEO positioning, public affairs and issues management.

He is responsible for managing multi-disciplinary teams to help CEOs advance their agendas, drive value and transform their companies. Prior to Weber Shandwick, Will Crain served as General Manager and a Corporate Affairs lead at Edelman. Will led the agency’s Transaction through Transformation Group. This specialty practice worked with clients navigating high-stakes transactions from pre-announcement through to close and beyond, and brought together financial communications, investor relations, corporate and public affairs, employee experience and other functions to deliver value for a diverse array of businesses.

Previous engagements include:

• Enabling the three-way demerger of an industrial conglomerate in what is known as one of the fastest, most successful demergers in history

• Managing the break-up of a top tech company and the launch of two, independently traded companies

• Advising an industry leading logistics company on a major acquisition and execution of its digital transformation strategy

• Repositioning a Fortune 25 global technology company as part of a multi-year turnaround, restructuring and demerger

Before joining Edelman, Will served as a communications and policy advisor to multiple Members of Congress.

Abhijit Dutta

Leader, North America Communications and Global Head, Brand and Innovation Communications, Kimberly-Clark

Abhijit Dutta is a global corporate affairs leader and currently serves in a dual role leading Kimberly-Clark's North America communications team, and as its global head of brand and innovation communications. Prior to this role, he served as the head of communications and government affairs for the company's Asia Pacific division, based in Singapore. Before joining Kimberly Clark, he served in a number of senior leadership roles at Rio Tinto and Procter & Gamble in Singapore, on their APAC corporate affairs teams. He is currently adjusting to the Chicago winter.

Richard Edelman

President and CEO, Edelman

Richard Edelman is the CEO of Edelman, a global communications firm, and Chairman of Daniel J. Edelman Holdings, the firm’s holding company. Founded in 1952 by his father Dan, Edelman remains independent and family owned with more than 6,000 employees in 66 offices across 28 countries.  

The firm was selected as Global Agency of the Year by PRovoke in 2022. Edelman was named to Advertising Age’s A-List in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2019 and was honored as “PR Agency of the Decade” by both Advertising Age and PRovoke. At the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Edelman won a Gold Lion in the Sustainable Development Goals category and was named Co-Independent Agency of the Year for the Good Track. At Cannes in 2021, Edelman became the first PR Agency to win a Grand Prix as lead agency in the Entertainment Lions for Sport and was named Independent Agency of the Year in the Entertainment Track.

Richard was named CEO in 1996 taking over for his father, who remained Chairman until he passed away in 2013. Now in his 26th year as CEO, Richard is one of the longest tenured agency leaders in the marketing services industry. During that time, he’s guided the firm’s entry into Digital, Creative, Performance Marketing and Advisory. Under Richard’s leadership, Edelman’s revenue increased 11.5 times enabling it to become the largest communications firm in the world surpassing $1 billion in revenue. DJE Holdings’ revenue increased 14 times during that same period making it the largest independent communications holding company. He also serves as Chair of Edelman’s sister agency Zeno, which was named large agency of the year in 2021 and 2022 by PRWeek. Zeno employs 730+ people across 18 offices.

Richard has extensive experience in marketing and reputation management, having led assignments with major corporations, NGOs and family businesses. He has advised senior executives through significant disruptions within their organizations, including Samsung, Starbucks and United Airlines, and worked on the largest professional services merger in history of Ernst & Whinney and Arthur Young & Co. Richard works with numerous clients including Unilever, Dairy Management Inc. and Chobani. He has counseled countries in every region of the world on economic development programs. As the creator of the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, Richard has become one of the foremost authorities on trust in business, government, media and NGOs. Now in its 22nd year, the Edelman Trust Barometer is widely recognized as the leading piece of research on trust with its cross-cultural insights regularly cited in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, Fortune, Forbes and other media. The survey also informs academic studies on trust and provides insights to thought-leaders and opinion-shapers around the world.

In 2022, Richard was inducted into the American Advertising Hall of Fame, the first PR executive to ever earn this honor. In 2019, Richard was named the PR Agency Professional of the Past 20 Years by PRWeek and was inducted into the publication’s Hall of Fame; in 2014, Richard was inducted into the Arthur W. Page Society’s Hall of Fame; Advertising Age named him Agency Executive of the Year in 2008. Richard is regarded as an industry thought leader and has posted weekly to his blog since 2004.

He serves on the Board of Directors of the Ad Council, the Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP), the Atlantic Council, Project HOOD, P33, and the 9/11 Museum. He is a member of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, World Economic Forum and PR Seminar.

Richard earned his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1978 and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard

Michael Gonda

Senior Vice President, Chief Impact Officer of North America, McDonald’s USA

Michael Gonda is the Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer of North America for McDonald's. In this role, Michael leads efforts to drive one holistic brand strategy across Communications, Government Relations, Sustainability & ESG and Philanthropy in the U.S. and Canada. Together, the teams he oversees work to engage stakeholders and communities to protect and enhance the McDonald’s brand. 

Prior to his current position, Michael served on the McDonald’s global senior leadership team as Global Chief Communications Officer, where he was responsible for increasing brand trust and communicating the vision and values of the business. In this role, Michael oversaw some of the most critical work for the business—including communications management around the COVID-19 pandemic, the launch of the Accelerating the Arches strategy and the development of the company’s purpose, mission and values. Further, Michael developed strategies and creative content to make McDonald’s one of the most admired brands in the world, contributing to an unprecedented increase in positive brand sentiment, employee engagement and business growth. 

Before joining McDonald's, Michael held the role of Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Chobani, where he solidified brand identity and recognition, earning certifications like “Great Place to Work,” Fortune’s “Change the World” and Fast Company’s “25 Brands that Matter Now”. Michael began his career as a reporter and earned a BA with Honors from Brown University. 

Michael has been consistently recognized for his personal leadership and the accomplishments of the teams he oversees. PRWeek named him Global Professional of the Year and one of the 50 most powerful leaders in the industry. He has also been recognized by PRovoke Influence and Business Insider as one of the 100 most influential in-house corporate affairs professionals. 

Michael currently serves as the co-executive sponsor of McDonald's Black Employee Network, BGLDN (pronounced Be Golden), where he is committed to driving representation, equity and inclusion by putting action to allyship.  

He lives in Chicago with his wife, Emma and two children Lazlo and Indie.

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.

Michael Lamp

Chief Digital & Social Officer, Hunter

After joining HUNTER in 2008, Michael specialized in traditional PR before establishing the Social + Digital Media Group in 2011. This team of one quickly grew into a robust group of more than forty social strategists, influencer specialists, community managers, media planners/buyers, copywriters and digital account managers. As HUNTER’s Chief Digital + Social Officer, Michael now oversees the entire Digital Group, providing ongoing counsel and acting as lead architect of client digital strategies across Hunter’s 10 business units.

Michael excels at elevating PR programs with social campaigns that earn consumer attention across every conceivable channel. He’s led digital campaigns for some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including TABASCO, Diageo, Johnson & Johnson/Kenvue, King’s Hawaiian, Kraft and countless others. Michael was named to PRSA New York’s 15 Under 35 List in 2018. Five years later, he was selected as part of the PRWeek 40 Under 40 class in 2023. He also co-created HUNTER’s immersive Social Boot Camp workshops in 2011, an ongoing effort that helps the agency’s clients develop and articulate their unique brand personality in the social space. Most recently, Michael launched agency Digital Town Halls to bring in external speakers each month and drive continued digital education for all HUNTER staff.

Lori Lightfoot

Former Mayor, City of Chicago

Diana Marszalek

Senior Reporter, PRovoke Media

Sheila Mulligan

President, Central Region, Weber Shandwick

Sheila is the President of Weber Shandwick’s Central Region which includes Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis, and St. Louis. She has extensive experience advising C-suite clients across a diverse set of sectors and dynamic problem sets, including business transformation, CEO transition, and crisis and issues. Her region’s client portfolio represents some of the largest global enterprises across food and agriculture, CPG, healthcare, and retail.

Before joining Weber Shandwick, Sheila spent almost two decades with Edelman where she most recently served as Managing Director of the firm’s U.S. Corporate Brand and Reputation practice. Sheila led the modernization of the firm’s corporate reputation capability set and served as senior advisor to some of the firm’s largest, global corporate clients.

Prior to Edelman, she worked for Chicago-based public affairs firm Jasculca/Terman & Associates (JT). Her political-event work with JT, includes the Clinton Presidential Library Opening, the American Democracy Institute Chicago and Philadelphia Summits and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s campaign launch.

Sheila sits on the Board of Trustees for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago. She is also a member of the Women Executive 50, part of the World 50. She’s the proud mother of her three children, Brynn, Mick, and Maeve.

Adam Pawluk

Head of JPA Labs, JPA Health

As Head of JPA Labs, Adam Pawluk dedicates himself to inspiring change that makes the world healthier. With decades of experience leading high-performing, multidisciplinary teams, Adam’s work has won dozens of awards, contributed to positive health outcomes, and generated significant return on investment for clients. A visionary thinker with a creative director at his core, Adam has worked with nearly every major pharmaceutical company to mobilize HCPs, patients and advocates; rally influencers; earn news and social media attention; and capture the imagination to change hearts and minds.

Emily York

Global Head of Communications, Russell Reynolds Associates

Emily York is the Global Head of Communications at Russell Reynolds, a preeminent leadership advisory firm. In her role, Emily is responsible for communications strategy, employee communications and corporate external communications.

Prior to Russell Reynolds, Emily founded a boutique firm focused on communications strategy and corporate reputation, supporting clients in the education, consumer goods, and alcohol sectors. She previously led corporate communications at Suntory Global Spirits, a leading spirits company with brands like Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Hibiki, where she was responsible for internal, external, frontline and sustainability communications, and supported crisis management.

A former reporter, Emily has held staff writing positions with the Chicago Tribune, Ad Age, and the Los Angeles Business Journal, and contributed to a variety of consumer magazines, including Shape and Chicago. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, two kids and the family rescue dog. When she’s not writing messaging or policing screen time, she enjoys boxing and making a mess in the kitchen.

Eileen Ziesemer

Vice President, Global PR and Partnerships, Culligan International

With a belief that the greatest work is not work at all, Eileen Ziesemer approaches each day as an opportunity solve problems, add value, push boundaries and grow. As vice president of communications and partnerships at Culligan International, the global leader in water transformation, Eileen focuses on strategic internal and external storytelling. Her entrepreneurial spirit and people-first style bring insight-based strategies to life and drive meaningful results. In her role, she establishes a vision and engages the enterprise to meaningfully drive our share of voice, executive visibility and awareness across key audiences.

Eileen joined Culligan in March 2023 to shape and amplify narratives that underscore how the company democratizes access to clean, great-tasting water. Her efforts drove the debut of Culligan’s first-ever sustainable aluminum water bottles within holistic partnerships with the United Center, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks as well as the Chicago Marathon.

Prior to this position, she served as vice president of PR at the nation’s largest beauty retailer, creatively conceptualizing strategies to strengthen the retailers’ leadership position. During her tenure, she successfully launched Ulta Beauty at Target, Conscious Beauty, the company’s first DEI commitments as well as managing a successful CEO transition to cement her team as a best-in-class center of excellence. At MSL, Eileen led the firm’s consumer practice - the largest in its U.S. portfolio – to create award-winning campaigns while increasing margins and reducing attrition.

Honored by PRWeek as a “40 Under 40” honoree in 2019 and a Woman to Watch in 2021, Eileen is a Chicago native, Marquette University alumna and Midwestern to the core. Her ethos is to always make time for others and win together. Eileen’s most cherished title is Mom as she navigates the ropes of parenting Zoey (7) and Jimmy (6) with her hockey-loving husband Tim. When she’s not voraciously consuming media, you’re likely to find Eileen at a concert or cheering her kids on in various sports.