Bita Jedo has 9+ years experience in the creator economy, spanning global platforms (TikTok), consumer tech (Bumble) and creative agencies (Dentsu), leading partnerships with globally recognised talent including Barry Keoghan, Aaron Pierre and Amelia Dimoldenberg.
She also sits on advisory boards for VidCon, Global Influencer Council, Soho House, and is a judge for the bcreator & Shorty awards. She has recently been named in Forbes 30 under 30 and the Future is Female award.
Keely Cat-Wells is the Founder and CEO of Making Space, a platform that has supported over 10,000 Disabled professionals in building meaningful careers. Under her leadership, Making Space made history by training and placing the first-ever Disabled hosts on NBC Sports’ Paralympics broadcast. Other partners include Indeed, Netflix, and Visa. Keely also co-founded Making Space Media, a division producing film and TV content centering Disabled voices, securing a first-look deal with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.
Notably, their documentary “Fight To Fly” exposed the inequalities that Disabled travellers face, triggering policy reform. Before Making Space, Keely founded C Talent, an agency that reshaped disability representation in media and grew a roster reaching more than 50 million people. Acquired in 2022, C Talent became the largest acquisition of a company specializing in Disabled talent. Keely is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, a Diana Award recipient, and has served on the advisory board of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. She currently sits on the Los Angeles City Major Event Advisory Council, Human Rights Watch LA Committee and holds the distinction of being the youngest-ever Presidential Leadership Scholar. Additionally, she is an Obama Leader USA, White House Mental Health Youth Action Forum Leader, and inaugural Gloria Steinem Fellow.
Megan Lightcap is a Partner at Slow Ventures, where she helped build, and now leads, the Creator Fund alongside Sam Lessin since 2022. Before joining Slow, Megan held roles at L Catterton, J.P. Morgan, Olive, and others — bringing a strong foundation in finance and consumer investing and operations to her expertise.
Megan also writes Slow Upload, a newsletter exploring trends in the creator economy and how creators can scale their businesses by cultivating deeper, more durable relationships with their audiences.
Megan focuses on backing creators who are best-in-class in their category — those with high engagement, real influence, and a clear vision for building businesses that go beyond content. These creators are building enterprises powered by community trust, content and media, and long-term ambition.
Paul Brown is an expert at the intersection of creative strategy and technology. He is a Global Client Partner at London-based CreativeX, where he works at the forefront of creative AI. He guides global giants like Mars, Colgate-Palmolive, and Bayer, helping them make their advertising more effective by unlocking the power of creative data. Paul is also passionate about mentorship, and is an Industry Advisor for the Marketing and PR degree at the University of West London.
CreativeX recently released their study "Are Creators Really Effective", which outlined how brands can unlock more effectiveness from creator content, and their annual "Gender in Advertising Report" which shows how much and in what way women are being represented in digital advertising.
Before joining CreativeX, Paul had a front-row seat to the startup world as the 6th employee and Head of Customer Success at Spirable, a data-driven creative platform that was acquired in 2021. His journey in the industry began in client-facing roles at top creative agencies, including Ogilvy and TMW, giving her/him a deep understanding of what makes brands and their stories succeed.
Fiona Frills is a Gen Z founder, creator, & storyteller passionate about building community-driven brands and tools that empower the next generation.
She started Frilliance at 13 after struggling with acne and realizing how many beauty products were packed with harsh ingredients. Today, Frilliance is available worldwide at major retailers like CVS, Amazon, SuperDrug and TikTok Shop, serving a vibrant teen community that values self-expression & real conversations around beauty.
She is also the Co-Founder of Aurelia, an AI-powered platform giving micro-influencers smarter tools to pitch, grow, and get paid. Deeply passionate about Gen Z empowerment, teen innovation, creator economy, & building products that actually make a difference, Frills is quickly ascending.
Jeff Frommer is a tech entrepreneur and investor, known for founding MALKA, an adaptive content studio, which he sold to MoneyLion in 2021 for $75M. Frommer’s career has spanned close to 20 years, and he continually strives to positively impact the lives of those around him. His professional experience includes working in technology, the creator economy, talent management, content production, and investing in various-stage startups. Through MALKA, Frommer previously produced eight feature films for Netflix, Amazon, and Showtime, as well as ran some of the largest digital shows, including Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin, All the Smoke with Barnes and Stack, and Kevin Garnett Certified. He spent more than five years at Adobe, leading the Digital Publishing SaaS business. In 2025, he founded and launched OWM, the first creator marketplace platform that helps founders discover, connect with, and activate creators as investors, advisors, and long-term strategic partners.
Xyla Foxlin is an award-winning mechatronics engineer and YouTube creator who shares the creativity and joy of engineering through a blend of technical skill, craftsmanship, and art. Featuring everything from proving impossible physics demonstrations to building a viable camper in just weeks, to high-power rocketry and organic chemistry.
An advocate for women in STEM, she founded Beauty and the Bolt, a nonprofit now operated by Reinvented Inc that taught thousands of kids to use their first power tool and has worked with AAAS as an IF/THEN ambassador.
She is also a voice for the Pilot Mental Health Campaign, advocating for the Mental Health in Aviation Act which would allow pilots to seek mental healthcare without losing their careers. The bill passed in the House unanimously in September as is expected to be introduced in the Senate this fall.
Based in Los Angeles, she spends her free time flying her 1946 Cessna 140, backpacking, and building big ideas.
Emily Hare is the Global Influencer Lead at Publicis, driving innovation and excellence across influencer, social, and emerging platforms. She leads global client support and growth initiatives, including client education, strategic responses, top-to-top engagements, and collaboration with Global Client Leads (GCLs) for brands such as Haleon, McDonald's, PepsiCo and Mondelez. She played a key role in Influential and Captiv8 acquisitions and market rollout, vetting potential companies and working closely with in-market teams to adopt new offerings and go-to-market strategies
Marina Mogilko, known online as Silicon Valley Girl, is a YouTube creator, entrepreneur, and investor with a global community of over 18 million followers. She’s the co-founder of LinguaTrip, a language learning startup she launched after immigrating from Russia to the U.S., and now hosts The Silicon Valley Girl Podcast, where she dives into entrepreneurship, AI, money, and the creator economy. Through her content and conversations, Marina helps millions build meaningful careers, grow online, and think like founders.
The Business of Creativity, part of the Whalar Group, launched Beyond Your Limits, a first-of-its-kind 7-week course created in partnership with former Nike Chief Marketing Officer Greg Hoffman. Built for modern Athletes, the program empowers them to confidently express who they are, shape their narrative on their own terms, and unlock opportunities that extend well beyond the game.
Greg Hoffman is a global authority on brand leadership, the former Chief Marketing Officer of Nike, and founder of the brand advisory group Modern Arena. Over a 27-year career at Nike, he held senior roles across marketing, design, and innovation, most recently serving as Vice President of Global Brand Innovation, where he led teams exploring the future of storytelling and consumer experience. Today, through Modern Arena, Greg helps brands and leaders build bold, distinctive identities that inspire connection and cultural impact.
Ben Lee is an entrepreneur and investor committed to unlocking human potential through creativity. He is the co-founder and CEO of The Business of Creativity, a platform that partners with leading experts to help individuals and organisations harness creativity as a strategic advantage. Previously, Ben was a partner at The Garage Soho where he led investments into a portfolio of early-stage consumer startups, supporting founders as a board member and helping them scale through building distinctive brands. Ben continues to champion creativity as a catalyst for growth, innovation, and cultural impact.
Ayden Syal is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at MOGL, the leading athlete influencer marketing platform. He has been named to Sports Business Journal’s New Voices Under 30 list, has been recognized as a Sports Business Journal NIL Power Player, and won the 2022 SXSW Pitch competition on behalf of MOGL. MOGL was also recognized as part of the Forbes 30 Under 30.
Prior to founding MOGL, Ayden held key roles at Morgan Stanley, Lexington Partners, and S&P Global. His diverse professional background has positioned Ayden as a visionary leader in the NIL space, where he is dedicated to helping brands reach Next-Gen audiences at scale and with precision.
Ayden graduated from the University of Notre Dame, served on the Young Alumni Board at the University of Notre Dame and is a proud partner of SeeHer and Every Kid Sports.
Diandra Binney is Director of Communications, North America at Xero, a global small business platform that helps owners supercharge their businesses with smart automation, strategic insights and expert support. With nearly 15 years of experience in B2B technology communications, Diandra specializes in building powerful brand narratives that drive market leadership and business results. At Xero, she leads the North American strategy for media relations, executive visibility and corporate reputation across the region. Before joining Xero, held senior roles at several high-growth agencies, where she played a pivotal role in helping clients navigate periods of rapid scaling, funding rounds and new market entry.
Jacques Keyser is the Director of Programming at VidCon, where he leads the strategy and execution of event programming across the US and international markets. With over 15 years of experience in music, entertainment, and the creator economy, he has worked with leading platforms, labels, creators, executives, and global brands.
At VidCon, Jacques has helped launch and scale events worldwide, curating industry-leading programming that unites creators, executives, and fans on a global stage. Previously, he held senior roles in talent management and artist development, shaping the careers of top UK digital and music talent while building strategic partnerships across the industry. Jacques also shares insights on the creator economy through his bi-weekly VidCon industry newsletter.
Jessy Grossman is a long time entrepreneur in the digital media space. She's passionate about supporting women in business and being at the forefront of innovation. She’s been quoted in the New York Times (again here), Forbes and was awarded a spot in the “Influencer Top 50” by Talking Influence. In less than two years she created one of the fastest growing influencer talent agencies in the country. Amidst unprecedented growth, she sold the multi-six-figure agency and pivoted to focus on her long-time passion project: Women in Influencer Marketing (better known as WIIM). Founded in 2017, WIIM is the premiere professional organization for those who work with influencers.
The community offers networking and new business opportunities, career services, continuous education and so much more. Jessy also does consulting, advising and influencer marketing recruiting through her consultancy Tribe Monday. You can find inspiring stories and more about Jessy on the WIIM Podcast. Check out iamwiim.com and tribemonday.com for more information.
Aidan Brannigan is the Founder of No Boring Brands, the content agency making Memes + Skits for Fortune 500 companies, SaaS Unicorns, and legacy brands. They are generating 100s of millions of organic views for their B2B clients via evergreen content and built the largest marketing meme page on IG in less than 2 years. He lost $500k in crypto when he was 20, lost a spam eating contest to Joey Chestnut in front of 14,000 people and can probably hit a 4 hybrid further than you.
He spoke at SXSW about memes - is a twin - his mom checks his follower count every day and takes a screenshot, so you better follow or you'll upset her - Featured in AdAge for a skit filmed in his bed.
Julie Alvin is a digital media executive, consultant, editor, and speaker. She has led cross-platform content strategy at brands like Refinery29, TheSkimm, InStyle, Real Simple, and Bustle, and now has her own content strategy and brand marketing consulting practice, taking on clients across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, wellness, tech, politics, and the nonprofit space. She is a former adjunct professor for NYU’s master’s in publishing program, a founding member of Chief executive women’s network, a board Member at FOKO, and a former regular on Fox News.
Julie's still very relevant piece in Adweek.
Bill Zimmerman is an assistant teaching professor in the department of advertising and public relations in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State. He’s the author of “Understanding the Creator Economy: Making Digital Media Work for You,” published by Kendall Hunt. He teaches courses such as Digital PR and PR Campaigns, and in the spring semester will offer Digital Content and the Creator Economy, a new course launching Penn State's content creator certificate program. Prior to teaching, he worked as a newspaper reporter and public relations professional in higher education. He also holds the Accreditation in Public Relations.
With 15 years’ experience spanning some of fashion’s most influential global names, including Stella McCartney, Farfetch, and Net-a-Porter, followed by senior roles in both nimble independents and major network agencies, Lucinda Bounsall brings a rare blend of brand-side insight and agency-honed expertise. Her practice is rooted in both doing and thinking, interrogating outdated models and reimagining how strategy is applied for the way modern brands actually operate. The result is a sharper, more culturally attuned approach that bridges big-picture vision with tangible impact.
If you haven’t seen the ad just yet, “Driven” kicks off with a high-octane brand campaign starring Chalamet and directed by Oscar-nominee James Mangold (A Complete Unknown, Ford v. Ferrari). The spot blends cinematic flair with automotive innovation, with Chalamet and a bride (played by Larsen Thompson) hijacking the Lucid Gravity SUV from a top-secret desert facility in a two-minute “director’s cut.”
Akerho “AK” Oghoghomeh is the Senior Vice President & Global Head of Marketing at Lucid Motors, where he’s redefining what it means to build a premium brand in the EV space. Known for blending creativity, culture, and strategy, AK has led some of the most transformative campaigns in food, beverage, and now mobility. At Lucid, he’s steering global storytelling and cultural partnerships around the launch of the Gravity SUV and beyond.
Before Lucid, AK was Chief Marketing Officer at Beyond Meat, where he helped reshape how people think about food, and Senior Vice President of Marketing at Red Bull North America, where he drove record-breaking U.S. growth. From scaling Amazon’s recruitment engine to building lifestyle movements with Red Bull, AK thrives on turning bold ideas into brands that inspire.
Ian Grody is Chief Creative Officer of Giant Spoon, an independent, integrated agency that expands the ways people experience brands. As the only creative agency on Fast Company’s Top 50 Most Innovative Companies 2023 and #1 in its Advertising category, Giant Spoon is known for turning marketing upside down. Obsessed with culture and driven by insatiable curiosity, the agency is composed of teams across creative, media, and strategy to stir shit up for ambitious brands.
Leading creative at Giant Spoon, Ian has produced award-winning work for clients like Lucid, Autodesk, HBO, Johnnie Walker, Netflix, Away, Marvel, and Savage x Fenty across offices in New York City and Los Angeles.
Over the course of his career, Ian has been named one of Adweek's 100 People Shaping Culture and Media and included on The Drum's 100 Most Awarded Creative Directors in the World. Ian has written superhero shows, dystopian thrillers, and raunchy country musicals for networks like MTV, SyFy, and CMT; optioned features domestically and abroad; and published a graphic novel with AWA Studios and The Tribeca Film Festival.
Latha Sarathy is the founder of SALIENT HQ, a first-of-its-kind research agency and advisory service providing best-in-class, real-world-tested insights and strategic guidance on a fractional basis. In an age of AI, SALIENT HQ is committed to blending human intelligence with rigorous, intentional research to help clients achieve their goals.
With over 30 years in media and market research, Latha has held senior leadership roles across blue-chip companies and industry organizations. Most recently, she served as Chief Research Officer at the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), overseeing analytics, insights, and measurement while driving initiatives such as SeeHer.where she laid the groundwork for industry insights and benchmarks in gender equality in media and marketing.
Previously, as SVP of Insights & Strategy Activation at Ipsos North America, she managed a multimillion-dollar portfolio of global consumer insights projects for leading media and technology clients. She has also built high-performing research teams at NBCUniversal, Univision, CBS, Disney Publications, Interactive One, and Wenner Media.
A frequent industry voice, Latha has presented at Cannes Lions, ANA conferences, Advertising Week, ARF, Comexposium Japan, and CTAM. She has also led strategic workshops for brands including American Express, Walmart, Georgia-Pacific, and General Mills, helping organizations translate insights into innovation and growth.