AAF Pittsburgh 100th Anniversary Page 2 – Speaker Information

Keynote Address, Presented by Gatesman

Pop City: Pittsburgh’s Creative Future

Thursday, October 19 11:05 – 11:45am

Keynote Address

Advertising is Born in Pittsburgh

Thursday, October 19 6:25 – 6:55pm

Welcome Reception

Keynote Address

Five Key Themes DICK’S Sporting Goods is Using to Stay Ahead in Social

Friday, October 20 10:10 – 10:55am

Generational Roundup

Friday, October 20 9:00 – 9:30am

As an accomplished researcher, brand, and product marketer, Marisa has defined and implemented go-to-market strategies and highly targeted media campaigns for Pittsburgh’s top agencies and their clients.

Marisa has her fingers on the pulse of the latest industry trends, making her an instrumental player in helping brands identify and understand their audience and deliver them across highly targeted digital and magazine solutions.

She has been on the board of the Media Association of Pittsburgh since January 2019 as the VP of Education before becoming President for the 2021 – 2022 term. 

Marisa lives in Lawrenceville with her husband, daughter, and their two cats – Homer and Hadley. She enjoys cooking, gardening, and making craft cocktails. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration at The University of Pittsburgh.

One of Us! You Can Be Part of the Games Industry

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

Panel Discussion

Charlie Amis is the Vice President of Product at Schell Games where he leads and manages our product management, playtesting, customer support, product growth, and new product development initiatives. What unites all these efforts is a care and understanding of our players, so the company can make the best possible experiences for them.

Charlie started his career in game development 15 years ago as a designer and over time grew into a project director, manager, and now a player-centered product leader. He began with casual titles for PC at Gamelab in NYC and then moved to E-Line Media as the game design lead for the educational UGC game, Gamestar Mechanic. After that, he started his own game development business, Artizens: a small 2D platformer focusing on UGC. Charlie began working at Schell Games in 2016 and has worked on various projects and platforms, including games for tablets, mobile apps, and experimental AR and VR. He was also the Project Director for the last two DLC levels of the first I Expect You To Die and I Expect You To Die 2.

One of Us! You Can Be Part of the Games Industry

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

Panel Discussion

Evan Beach is the CEO and co-founder of 99ovr, creator of the GamerBox and the GAMER Magazine.

Through a large network of brand partners and streamers, 99ovr has the ability to offer both endemic and non-endemic brands the opportunity to get their products in front of millions of gamers. 99ovr sponsors multiple esports tournaments, gaming expos and tech conferences each year which allows them to be in-person with the community to understand their wants and needs in the ever-changing environment of gaming!

Don’t Be a Jagoff: Micro-Content & Micro-Media Doesn’t Mean Micro-Dollars

Friday, October 20 3:15 – 3:50pm

Oh my, how do you capture John Craig in just a couple paragraphs? Photographer. Cinematographer. Creative content producer. Social justice advocate. John’s expertise in creating videos and digital content that rapidly engage and persuade with clarity is extraordinary. His portfolio spans marketing films, personal branding projects, issue advocacy campaigns as well as traditional photography and broadcast commercial productions. While a member of the Fifth Influence team, John also owns his own media company simply named John Craig Media.

Prior to building a reputation over the last decade as a new media content creator, John co-owned a high-end wedding photography business for 16 years and worked for 9 years in a senior position at Glamour Shots. Don’t scoff. The wedding business perfected John’s client management skills and while at Glamour Shots he traveled the United States team building, teaching photography, and provides sales execution and management coaching.

Perpetual optimism is John’s ethos, and his rapid-fire tempo is inexhaustible. His personal passions are travel, music, and Zen. All combine to elicit fascinating conversations amongst our team and with clients. Ask him about a side project he is considering titled Space Jesus and the Alien Raptures.

John lives in the South Hills of Pittsburgh with his daughter Ella.

One of Us! You Can Be Part of the Games Industry

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

Panel Discussion

Dr. Amy grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and likes to say, “I bleed black and gold.” An ingrained hard worker, with a can-do-anything attitude comes with the territory.

While earning a Doctor of Optometry at “The” Ohio State University, (Yes, she still makes jokes about the “The”), Amy recalls friends from Cleveland poking fun at her for saying things like “WE” did this in the Steelers game on Sunday, and friends asking, “What’s this ‘We’ stuff, what, did all five feet of you suit up?”

Typically, Amy replied with, “That’s why ‘We’ have a team, and you Browns’ fans don’t,” as those were the days Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore. A bit of realistic snark is one of the things Amy absolutely love about being from the ‘Burgh.

Dr. Amy, husband, Tom, and their three daughters settled in Phoenix, AZ in 2000.  As an eye doctor, she’s helped over eighty-thousand people with their sight and ocular health from four- year-olds to 90-year-olds to F-35 pilots. Seeing dramatic shifts in our patients as dependency on digital screens has increased, she wanted to break beyond the four-walls and help more people align better with their natural sleep-wake cycle, or Circadian Rhythm. Also, Amy despises plain water, and wanted to create real solutions for everyday problems by leveraging the power in nature. This passion led to crafting Circadian Beverages® that optimize powerful natural ingredients to support better focus, relaxation, and sleep.

The approach to creating unique, great tasting drinks that disrupt the current beverage offerings started as a grassroots effort. By asking questions from within the gaming and student communities first, then developing product solutions for everyday problems like lack of energy and focus, and needing better sleep, the shift from exam room to the beverage entrepreneurial world has transformed our lives and hopefully millions to come as we launch our 24-hour feel good drinks made for play, Sly™ BOOST, Sly™ CHILL, and Sly™ DREAM, all launching this fall.

The Power of Purpose: Building Authentic Brand Relationships through Cause Marketing

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. After my stint with the Coast Guard, I went to school for Graphic Design where I honed my skills as a designer. A myriad of different career twists and turns led me to a more broad role in Marketing. I currently head the Marketing Department for a Semi-National Alc/Bev company, Island Brands, as the Chief Marketing Officer.

Gen Z Reframed: Common Conceptions in Context

Friday, October 20 3:15 – 3:50pm

Susan English is a strategist, researcher and messaging architect who has a passion for rooting out angles and insights that fuel audience engagement, influence opinions and motivate action. Throughout her 20+ years of agency experience, English has channeled this passion into shaping impactful marketing and communications strategies for her clients, helping exceed their business goals, while driving agency growth and innovation. Her consistent track record of success is one reason she has maintained several client relationships for 15 years or more, and why so many of her programs have been recognized as best-in-class at the national level. Today, she serves as the Director of Strategic Communications for Gatesman and is responsible for leveraging the multi-disciplinary strengths of the agency to help clients hack human behavior and exceed organizational goals.

English has helped her clients establish and evolve their core messaging, such as vision, mission, and values. She has also helped them to identify powerful positioning and thought leadership platforms, and to initiate programs in new areas, such as corporate giving, multicultural marketing, managed care, loyalty programs, research and education, and social media. English has led several research initiatives to develop frameworks for thought leadership and planning in areas such as business leadership, COVID response, and Gen Z opportunities.

English is a respected leader in her local community. She was a founding member of the One Young World Pittsburgh Partnership, is a board member for St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind and is the lead organizer of Gatesman’s Parents for a Pause public service initiative addressing youth mental health. She is an active volunteer at her children’s schools and has been honored as a personal and professional role model for young women.

DEI DNA/ How Tonic Embeds DEI in its DNA

Thursday, October 19 2:20-3:10pm

George Friedman has earned a reputation as a global leader, brand builder, and storyteller, but most of all as a content creation expert specializing in leading teams that produce award-winning content for some of the world’s most respected brands. Having a creative, technical, and operational background provides George with a unique understanding of the entire production process, from conception to launch, across all channels. George is currently the Director of Content Production at Tonic, Highmark Health’s in-house agency where he leads teams creating broadcast tv, video, and photo content, digital advertising and paid social, print production, and web publishing and SEO.

How and When to Scale? Fireside Chat and Q&A

Friday, October 20 2:10 – 3:00pm

Under John’s leadership and direction, Gatesman has grown to be one of the most successful independent agencies in the Northeast, having previously been named one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies for nine years running, along with recognition as one of the top 100 independent PR agencies nationwide and as one of the Best Places to Work for eight years in a row.

He identified and led the successful acquisitions of digital firm Quest Fore in 2014 and Noble Communications in 2017, which expanded agency operations into Chicago. His passion, devotion to our clients, and relentless pursuit of their success continues to be a driving force behind our agency’s mantra, “Good enough sucks.”

Early on, he realized the role that data and technology must play in marcom development and reengineered the agency model to maximize their role in its development. The agency’s Hacking Human Behavior™ approach is at the forefront of marcom planning today.

John has led marketing teams for a diverse portfolio of businesses, including UPMC, Northwell Health, Cohen Children’s, Del Monte, UNFI-SHOP ’n SAVE, Kmart, Cub Cadet, PNC Bank, PPG, Swedish Match, Pittsburgh Penguins, Milton Bradley, Disney and Sesame Street products, PACE Transit, and CFA Institute. He began his career with Ross Roy Group after being selected as one of only six people nationally for its Executive Management Training Program. He eventually moved on to management positions with Ogilvy, Doner, and Ketchum before joining BNY Mellon as senior marketing director and then later Brunner as a vice president of client services before founding the agency in 2006.

John has been active in numerous organizations, including serving as past president of the Pittsburgh Ad Federation, and as a former board member of the American Red Cross and Variety Children’s Charity. He has been cited in various publications, including Chicago Business Journal, Pittsburgh Business Times, Profile, and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Engaging Your Audience: Techniques for Creating Social Media Content that Resonates with Your Target Market

Friday, October 20 11:00 – 12:00 noon

Alysa Gumto has been a Social Media Manager since January 2019. As a Social Media Manager with 4.5+ years of experience, there’s nothing she loves more than all things strategy development, content creation, and customer retention to drive the bottom line.

Additionally, she enjoys conducting in-depth analyses using social media insights to identify critical trends and refine tactics on a weekly and monthly basis.

When she is not working, you can find her hanging out with her Golden Retriever, Truly, and recording podcast episodes for the Telling It Like It Is with Alysa podcast.

The Power of Metaphors

Friday, October 20 11:00 – 12:00 noon

Matt Hancher has always been fascinated by human behavior. He enjoys how predictably unpredictable we can be and is always trying to learn more about what makes us tick. As Insight Director, Matt loves to partner with clients to help answer the tough questions and guide them to leverage consumers insights into
action.

Matt has tackled problems for multiple Fortune 500 companies spanning the globe and has worked across a diverse set of verticals spanning Food & Bev, Tech, Telecom, Pharma and more. His work has also been featured as a finalist for the Quirk’s Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Qualitative Research Impact Award.

Born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania and a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh earning a BSBA in Marketing and minor in Economics, Matt is a true Pittsburgher. He enjoys his downtime spinning some of his favorite records, following all Pittsburgh sports, and trying his hardest to earn the right to hold his #1 Dad mug.

The Dance of Creative Project Management

Thursday, October 19 1:45 – 2:15pm

Heather builds and leads strong teams, championing the creative process and protecting the chaos for great work. She thrives at the intersection of strategy, operations, and relationships to build collaborative teams focused on not only doing what’s best for the business, but for the consumer.

Using Data To Prove Your Marketing Works

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

Katie joined the Hoffmann Murtaugh team four years ago as the Associate Director of Digital Media & Analytics. Since then, she has been promoted to Director of Media Activation & Analytics. In this role, continues to lead the team’s digital strategy and analytics across all clients. She also leads the broadcast and digital activation teams to ensure all campaigns meet our high standards of excellence as well as overseeing HM’s in-house programmatic buying capabilities.

Prior to joining Hoffmann Murtaugh, Katie worked at DICK’S Sporting Goods where she managed a team of digital experts focused on creating and executing top-performing media plans. Katie started her career at a Pittsburgh advertising agency where she was the digital media manager for B2B and education clients. Her favorite part about working at Hoffmann Murtaugh is the team of talented workers she works with who ensure the success and growth of HM by striving to do their best every day.

Will Data Privacy Kill Advertising?

Thursday, October 19 1:10- 2:15pm

Noor Naseer is VP of Media Innovations and Technology at Basis Technologies. She leads client thought leadership and innovative media strategy development. She guides clients on how to evolve media strategy to accommodate fast-changing consumer behavior and media trends.

Noor has written for and been cited in industry outlets including Adweek, MediaPost, Advertising Week and Multichannel News. She has spoken at events for the 4As and the American Marketing Association. She hosts adtech podcast, AdTech Unfiltered. She runs a company-wide DEI speaker series called ‘Basis
Conversations’. Prior to Basis Technologies, Noor served in media roles at Starcom MediaVest Group. She is a graduate of Northwestern University with an M.S. in Integrated Marketing.

The 6 Keys to Inclusive Leadership – How to Get Your Diverse Team to Row in the Same Direction

Bonus Content

Ayo Owodunni is a management consultant who brings over 10 years of experience in coaching, training and strategic direction to enterprise level clients looking to achieve big-picture goals while also focusing on diversity and inclusion. His approach combines expertise, personal stories and humor-all intended to break barriers and facilitate communication. As a result, Ayo’s client list includes renowned companies such as Spotify, Canada Life, Microsoft, Thomson Reuters, CIBC, TMX Group and Hydro One, to name a few.

Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Ayo also shares his immigrant experience and helpful advice through radio segments on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and CityNews Kitchener. His book, Values, Culture, Period – Redefining the Value of Values to Drive Business Results and Inclusive Leadership: The Immigrant View – Helping immigrants Thrive and Soar in Your Organization, also includes practical information for international professionals establishing themselves in Canada.

Ayo holds an MBA in entrepreneurship & Technology. Has a Life Coaching certification. He serves on several organization boards, including immigrantnetworks.com, Leadership Waterloo Region, expedier.co, and Emergency Response Africa. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants.

Prolific in Pittsburgh: Fireside Chat and Q&A

Panel Moderator

Thursday, October 19 3:30-4:45pm

Immediately after graduating from Penn State University with a degree in Communications, Trish launched her career in New York City at Publicis Agency. While there, she soaked up an experience in the creative and broadcast production departments, simultaneously supplementing her education with campaign courses at the Adhouse and the School of Visual Arts. In 2000, Trish moved back to Pittsburgh and took role in copywriting at MARC USA, where she worked on clients in multiple verticals, honing her skills in both the traditional and digital realms. In 2009, Trish joined MarketSpace as a Creative Director, overseeing the agency’s creative endeavors and serving as lead copywriter for all creative work. Today, Trish is President & CEO of MarketSpace, fostering a unique agency environment that makes client shine and champions its team members. She still puts her hand to use for copywriting when needed but spends most of her time leading business development and strategy. Trish loves her MarketSpace family like an extension of her very own, which includes her husband Brett, three kids Carson, Reese, and Keenan, and three cats Ollie, Roxie and Mel.

F*ck TimeSheets! Your Agency Should Abandon Them

Thursday, October 19 1:10 – 1:40pm

CPG companies, retailers, restaurant chains, healthcare concerns, technology enterprises, not-for-profit organizations and issue advocacy & political campaigns. George worked with almost 100 clients across these categories over the last two and half decades. B-to-B, B-to-C, and direct-to-consumer models too. For every one of them, there is a social media and/or digital marketing success story and several pioneering firsts along the way as well. He looks forward to an opportunity to share a couple of them with you and the selection committee.

A highlight of George’s career was leading the social media efforts on the celebrated 84 Lumber Super Bowl ad campaign. It portrays a mother and daughter’s symbolic migrant journey to become legal American citizens. The story conveys that the will to succeed is always welcome here in the United States. On the heels of Trump’s presidential inauguration and his early push to build a wall along the Mexican border, the original ad was deemed too controversial for broadcast. The Super Bowl spot would only be a teaser and the full story revealed in digital and social media, a first. From strategy formulation to managing a 24/7 war room for three weeks, his team’s effort was sine qua non, celebrated in tens of industry publications, and even drawn on for a college textbook.

George teaches digital & social media analytics at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business and guest lectures at CMU, Duquesne and Point Park universities. Speaking engagements include Ad:tech, Digital Summit, HIRI, iMedia, Magnet and the AAF.

George’s prominent brand experience includes: 84 Lumber, Aquafresh, Atlantic Natural Foods, Beazer Homes, Benjamin Moore, Bob Evans, Bruster’s Ice Cream, CARE, Cheddars, Chromalox, Cub Cadet, Del Monte, DeVry University, Eaton, Edwin Watts Golf, Field & Stream, Frosty Paws, Golf Pride, GSK, Home Depot, Huffy, James Hardie, Mattel, MSA Safety, Musselman’s, Mylan, M&M’s, Nestle Drumstick, Olympic Paints & Stains, Ore Ida, Owens Corning, PNC, Premier Nutrition, Stouffer’s, Skinny Cow, TUMS, Vivarin, Westinghouse, Wrigley’s, YellaWood, and Zippo.

How AAF National is Fighting for our Butts in DC

Friday, October 20 9:00 – 10:05am

As Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Rector oversees and directs the lobbying efforts of the American Advertising Federation’s grassroots network of 35,000 advertising professionals in some 150 local advertising clubs and federations nationwide. Together, they have defeated ad tax proposals and other threats to advertising in Congress, nearly every state and numerous cities and counties. In his role as chief public policy advocate for the Federation, Rector meets with lawmakers and regulators to educate them about advertising and represent the industry’s position on important legislative and regulatory matters.  He has testified for the AAF before the U.S. Senate and Federal Trade Commission, as well as numerous state legislatures and city governments.

Prior to joining the AAF in 1988, Rector spent two years on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant for Congressman Tom Luken of Ohio. He also spent three years working in local television in Austin, Texas. Rector is a graduate of the University of Texas and received a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa.

Charting the Course of Marketing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Friday, October 20 9:35 – 10:05am

Alexander Reed is the marketing strategist at Sweb marketing and the co-founder of the cohort, the first community of creators by creators. In his daily work, he works with professionals in all industries including hospitality, professional services, healthcare, and legal, helping to connect individuals with the services and businesses that they need. Prior to joining Sweb, Alex worked in fine dining and pastry kitchens for 7 years in both Pittsburgh and Washington DC. He is a graduate of The George Washington University and the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.

Prolific in Pittsburgh: Fireside Chat and Q&A

Thursday, October 19 3:30-4:45pm

Rebeca Ricoy is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with a specialization in Entertainment Business Management from Vancouver Film School and an MBA from Universidad Anáhuac. She has led digital brand and ecommerce strategies for international companies like Estée Lauder Companies, Avon Cosmetics, Volkswagen, and Coca Cola. Currently, she is at Duolingo, leading marketing for LATAM and EMEA regions.

Rebeca’s career began with content production for on and offline platforms, providing her with a comprehensive perspective on content branding and marketing. She later became an expert in digital brand strategies for boutique agencies like Lunave and Grupo W.

At Avon, she started as the Digital Strategies Sr Manager and later led the entire Integrated Communications team for North Latin America. She then moved to Estée Lauder Companies, where she directed both the e-commerce and consumer engagement areas at a corporate level for the Mexican affiliate.

Rebeca has been with Duolingo for the past 4 years, starting as the Mexico Country Marketing Manager and progressively growing into her current role as Regional Marketing Director. She has been instrumental in driving growth across key EMEA and LATAM markets, leveraging her deep understanding of the region’s market dynamics and cultural nuances. Her innovative approach to social media, influencer marketing, PR, and partnerships has significantly contributed to Duolingo’s brand awareness and user growth in these regions. She is a dynamic leader, managing a team of marketing professionals and consistently contributing to Duolingo’s mission of making education universally available.

Born in Mexico City and raised in Texas and Mexico, Rebeca is a graduate of Communication Science from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM).

How and When to Scale? Fireside Chat and Q&A

Friday, October 20 2:10 – 3:00pm

Tobias is a fractional CMO with more than 20 years of marketing experience. He got his start in marketing at a venture capital firm that specialized in funding healthcare and technology startups. Prior to moving into the fractionalized space, he ran a successful advertising agency for nearly 17 years.

Over the course of his career, he has led multi-year marketing efforts for local, national, and global campaigns for organizations of all sizes. Leaning into his time in the private equity space, much of his career has been spent growing startups and SMBs using a pragmatic and results oriented approach.

Tobias is active on non-profit boards and with industry groups. He was part of the core leadership team for Save The Crew and has served on both the local and District Five boards for the American Advertising Federation. Tobias is also a current advisor for Can’t Stop Columbus, a movement that addresses broad community challenges.

Prolific in Pittsburgh: Fireside Chat and Q&A

Thursday, October 19 3:30-4:45pm

Michelle is a dynamic marketing and people leader with over 20 years of experience spanning agency and company roles in tech, luxury, finance, pharmaceuticals, B2B, and eCommerce. As an emphatic, self-starting, results-driven leader, Michelle is passionate about building and empowering strong and efficient teams, fostering positive work environments, and achieving outstanding marketing results. She has worked for and with companies including Publicis, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Mercedes, Tiffany, Discover, Sallie Mae, ModCloth, and Dräger.

Throughout their career, Michelle has consistently led by example, demonstrating the value of listening, mentoring, and coaching to develop thriving and high velocity teams.

Currently, Michelle serves as the Global Director of Marketing Operations at Duolingo, where over the past 3.5 years she’s made a significant impact building and optimizing a world-class, award-winning global marketing team. She and her Ops team are responsible for marketing’s planning, finance and budgeting, team health and career development, process development and improvement, and all project and campaign management.

Born in Virginia and raised in Hershey, PA, Michelle is a graduate of Penn State University where she majored in Business and Health Policy Administration, and was a varsity student athlete and student assistant.

DEI DNA/ How Tonic Embeds DEI in its DNA

Thursday, October 19 2:20-3:10pm

Amy Spears currently serves as Senior Vice President of Brand, Creative and Media for Highmark Health, a $26 billion national, blended health organization that includes one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network. In her role, Amy leads Tonic — the 100+ member enterprise in-house agency supporting the company’s mission of creating remarkable health experiences and freeing people to be their best. Amy leverages her 25+ years of experience in advertising and marketing with multiple Fortune 40 retail and healthcare companies to build and develop high-performing and award-winning brands and teams with one stellar culture.

How to Improve Your Culture in the Advertising/Media Industry

Thursday, October 19 2:55-3:25pm

Jeff founded Ethic Advertising Agency in 2014 and has grown it into a 15-person agency with a culture and one of the most rapid upward trajectories of any small/mid-size agency in Pittsburgh right now.

Jeff also launched the world’s first do-it-yourself geofence advertising platform with no minimums built for small businesses called Qujam earlier this year. Personally, Jeff is married with two children and a rescue dog. He sits on committees for DePaul School for Hearing and Speech and Animal Friends.

Building Brands with Creative Research Techniques Using AI Technology

Thursday, October 19 2:20-2:50pm

RJ Thompson, MFA is an award-winning marketing and graphic design professional. Currently, RJ is the Manager of Digital Strategy in the Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. RJ is also an adjunct instructor in marketing, advertising, and graphic design at the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration and Katz Graduate School of Business and Point Park University. RJ is presently the Immediate Past-President of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Marketing Association.

One of Us! You Can Be Part of the Games Industry

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

Panel Discussion

Titus Walker is a visionary leader and the driving force behind the revolution in esports. As the CEO of Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL), he has harnessed his passion for gaming and his entrepreneurial spirit to redefine the landscape of competitive gaming. With an unwavering commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive gaming culture, Titus has transformed UEL into the world’s largest multi-game esports league. Titus’s journey began with a deep-rooted love for gaming from a young age. Inspired by his early experiences and motivated by a desire to change the perception of gaming, he embarked on a mission to create a platform where gamers could go pro across diverse game genres. Under his leadership, UEL has flourished into a thriving community of over 30,000 gamers, attracting not only passionate players but also celebrity owners who share his vision. Beyond his role as CEO, Titus is a thought leader in the esports industry. He envisions a future where gaming transcends boundaries, celebrating diversity and connecting people through a shared love for competitive play. His commitment to excellence, innovation, and the power of human connections has positioned UEL at the forefront of esports evolution. Titus Walker’s story is one of determination, innovation, and a profound belief in the potential of gaming to shape lives. Through UEL, he continues to inspire gamers, entrepreneurs, and leaders to embrace the world of esports as a vibrant and empowering community.

Prolific in Pittsburgh: Fireside Chat and Q&A

Thursday, October 19 3:30-4:45pm

Sarah Weber is the founder and Chief Strategy Enthusiast of sweb marketing, a creative agency specializing in thoughtfully curated identities for their clients. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, Sarah’s passion for marketing and advertising began during her corporate healthcare role, where she enjoyed
collaborating with agencies to create compelling campaigns. Her love for the creative process led her to start not only sweb, but most recently, the cohort. Sarah can focus on her favorite parts of the job every day while working with talented creators and clients looking to establish a voice and see growth. Outside of work, Sarah is a self-proclaimed foodie and actively supports local businesses by showcasing their innovations and contributions to the Pittsburgh community.

AAF Pittsburgh President

Maureen “Mo” Rooney graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in integrated marketing communications and a minor in marketing. She catapulted her career at MARC USA, managing the agency’s Rite Aid account and eventually transcending to senior account executive of the agency’s second-largest account, the Pennsylvania Lottery.

In 2010, Mo joined MarketSpace Agency. With her brand management expertise, strategic and integrated marketing ideas, project management and coordination capacity, and some unbelievable passion for the profession, she was promoted to director of account services in 2012.

Today Mo oversees the account executive team, as well as manages many of the agency’s clients in a variety of industries like education, insurance, gaming/entertainment, non-profit, and tourism. Mo can strategize and manage any marketing initiative to garner lucrative results. She serves clients with her calculated account management expertise that exceeds marketing goals in a cost-efficient manner with a dash of energy and a side of enthusiasm. Even better — Mo can multitask a wide variety of projects and clients simultaneously, all the while forming robust partnerships with each client. 

Not surprisingly, Mo has a fancy for not only managing each brand but also illustrating how her strategy and insight have directly impacted client ROI. She thrives off exceeding client expectations and gets a high when she’s afforded an opportunity to execute a largescale integrated campaign.

In her free time Mo loves planning trips with her husband, Kevin. Whether it’s down the road to a Steelers tailgate/game or across the world for a trip to Europe, she’s always up for the next adventure.

One of Us! You Can Be Part of the Games Industry

Panel Moderator

Friday, October 20 1:15 – 2:00pm

How and When to Scale?  Fireside Chat and Q&A

Panel Moderator

Friday, October 20 2:10 – 3:00pm

AAF Pittsburgh Vice President

PGH 100 Co-chair

Dwayne Waite Jr. is a Pittsburgh, PA native who was always drawn to marketing, communications and human behavior. A marketer by trade and consumer behavior enthusiast by interest, Dwayne has always been fascinated about why people behave and make decisions the way that they do.

Dwayne has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a marketing emphasis from the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business at Elon University.

Dwayne spent several years in agency life and consultancy, spending several years working with startup brands. With a background in marketing and consumer behavior, Dwayne then decided to go into teaching. Dwayne taught multiple marketing classes at a comprehensive high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, where several students under his tutelage reached DECA International Competition.

After teaching, Dwayne and his family moved back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he served as the marketing manager at Schell Games, the largest independent entertainment and education game design and development games studio in the United States. There he managed the studio’s social and digital advertising efforts, the influencer marketing program, and the studio’s trade show and event program. Now he is the Marketing Director of Gaming Events for ReedPop, a branch of Reed Exhibitions that oversees some of the largest games conferences in the world. There he manages the marketing strategy for the PAX and EGX events, and the B2B brand positioning for ReedPop in the games industry.

He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife Mackenzie, their two children, and dog, Hero.

PGH 100 Co-chair

With a dynamic marketing career that spans over two decades, Kristin Fornal seamlessly blends innovation with execution. As Brayman Construction Company’s Marketing Director and the driving force behind its internal marketing agency, Kristin crafts the marketing blueprint for both Brayman and its affiliate entities.

Before her role at Brayman, Kristin made a significant mark as the president of Brand pH, LLC. Kristin’s passion for marketing resonates through every campaign and strategy she embarks upon, guaranteeing that clients benefit from her expertise. With a versatile portfolio that spans a broad range of sectors, from entrepreneurial startups to established technology firms and non-profit organizations, Kristin’s skills are as diverse as they are impactful.

Her collaborative endeavors with globally acclaimed brands such as Burton Morris Studios, Survivorman, Tim Hortons, Wendy’s Company, Stanford University, and the National Council of Youth Sports showcase her versatility and adeptness in marketing. Yet, her accomplishments aren’t just in big-name collaborations; she has a consistent track record of delivering tailored solutions that drive companies closer to their desired goals and objectives.

As a valued member of the leadership team, Kristin doesn’t just lead; she uplifts, supporting her team members in their journeys toward personal and professional milestones. Kristin is not just a marketing director; she is a visionary leader, strategist, and mentor.