02 — Agenda

Friday,July 17, 2026.

Day Two. John Deere's TikTok influencer. A former White House Press Secretary. We recognize the great Wendy Clark and much more.

Day 01 · July 16Day 02 · July 17

7:30 – 8:00 AM

Networking

Registration Opens + Networking

8:00 – 8:40 AM

Pre-Conference Workshop #1

Write to Last: Inside the Art & Business of Getting Published

For many leaders, writing a book is both a creative ambition and a strategic platform. Co-led by Rishad Tobaccowala — twice published by HarperCollins — this practical workshop explores the realities of writing, positioning, pitching and publishing a book in today's market.

Rishad Tobaccowala

Author & Co-Founder

The Athena Project

8:00 – 8:40 AM

Workshop #2

Take the Stage: How Great Leaders Build Influence Through Public Speaking

Led by Drew Ianni — producer and programmer of more than 150 executive conferences — this practical workshop explores how leaders get selected for major stages, develop compelling points of view, improve delivery, and transform speaking opportunities into long-term industry authority.

Drew Ianni

Co-Founder

The Athena Project

8:00 – 8:40 AM

Workshop #3

To Be Announced

8:45 – 9:15 AM

Opening Keynote

Brand Is a Team Sport — The Expanding Remit and Influence of the Modern CMO

Driving business growth remains the core responsibility of the modern marketing leader — but the levers of growth have become far more interconnected. Today's CMOs increasingly operate across brand, communications, customer experience, culture and enterprise strategy as organizations look for stronger alignment between what companies say, build and deliver. This conversation explores why modern marketing leadership has become less about managing campaigns and more about creating organizational clarity, alignment and momentum across increasingly complex businesses.

Moderator

Danielle Bell

Associate Clinical Professor & Academic Director, Medill Executive Education

Northwestern University

Sherina Smith

Chief Marketing Officer

American Family Insurance

9:15 – 9:45 AM

Session

The Human Side of Reinvention

Every organization is racing to reinvent itself. New technologies, new operating models, new expectations. Yet behind every transformation is a workforce being asked to learn faster, adapt faster, and navigate more change than ever before. As AI accelerates reinvention across every function, leaders face a critical challenge: how do you create a culture that embraces change without exhausting the people responsible for delivering it? This conversation explores how organizations can build capability, resilience, and belief in a moment when employees are being asked not only to do more—but to become more.

Arpit Jain

Global President

marcel.ai

Angie Hannam

Global Chief Talent Officer

R/GA

9:45 – 10:20 AM

Session

Dancing With Machines

What is the future of creativity? How will we know what is genuine? How will we define authenticity? This session explores the emerging tension between speed and soul — and why the real risk isn't that AI replaces creativity but that it dilutes it. AI can generate content at scale, but it can't originate taste, judgment, or instinct. So how do we reclaim originality, protect the brand soul, and learn how to work with machines without becoming one?

Jeff Brecker

Partner, Growth & Innovation

Siberia

Myra Nussbaum

VP, Global Brand, Moen & House of Rohl

Fortune Brands

10:20 – 10:35 AM

Break

10:35 – 11:15 AM

Roundtable

How John Deere's Creator Strategy Engages the Next Generation of Brand Loyalists

What does a 188-year-old tractor company have to teach marketers about the future of influence? This session explores how John Deere is incorporating creator-led storytelling into its brand strategy to build relevance and affinity with a new generation of customers and fans. It's a case study in how influence is evolving from a marketing tactic into a strategic brand capability.

Jen Hartmann

Global Director, Corporate Reputation & Brand Marketing

John Deere

Rex Curtiss

Chief Tractor Officer

John Deere

The State of Influence

Influencer marketing has become one of the fastest-growing and most influential forces in modern marketing. Yet behind the explosive growth lies a more complicated reality: fragmented measurement, inconsistent attribution, questions around authenticity and increasing pressure to balance short-term performance with long-term brand equity. This session examines the evolving creator ecosystem through a wider strategic lens.

Moderator

Judy Franks

Clinical Professor, Integrated Marketing Communications, Medill School

Northwestern University

Sheena Rubin

Head of Social & Earned Media

The United States Army

David Freeman

Founder & CEO

Kynetic Ventures & Former Head of Digital Media & Talent, CAA

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Conversation

The Trust Deficit: The New Demands of Communications Leadership

In an environment shaped by AI-generated content, fragmented media ecosystems, collapsing attention spans and growing public skepticism, the challenge facing modern communications leaders is no longer simply breaking through the noise — it's building credibility, trust and institutional confidence in the first place. This conversation explores the rapidly evolving role of communications leadership at the intersection of business, media, politics and culture.

Bradley Akubuiro

Partner, Bully Pulpit Int'l & Author, “Faster. Messier. Tougher.: Crisis Communication Strategies in an Era of Populism, AI & Distrust”

Robert Gibbs

Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer

Warner Bros. Discovery

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Session

Profiles in Courage

In an era of cultural flashpoints, political polarization, and AI-driven misinformation, the modern leader must balance conviction with communication. This session explores how executives can uphold values, sustain trust and integrity, and guide their organizations through moments of external pressure — reframing narratives, protecting culture, and doubling down on purpose when the public square turns volatile.

Renetta McCann

Chief Inclusion Experiences Officer

Publicis Groupe

12:30 – 1:00 PM

Session

Rocket Man: From Public Enemy to Adventures in Space: Reflections on Authenticity, Ambition & Defiance with Harry Allen

Authenticity used to be a differentiator—now it's contested. In this session, the former Media Assassin and Head of Enemy Relations (perhaps the best job title ever) for the groundbreaking rap group Public Enemy reflects on how technology—from sampling to streaming to AI—has reshaped music, culture, and creative control. Harry will also talk about his new project at MIT where he is working with rocket scientists to send a rap and hip-hop anthology into outer space. We will also be treated to his reflections on a series of rare and inspiring photographs from the early days of Public Enemy.