Video is Eating the World

Alex Batdorf is a 3X entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Get Sh!t Done, the superpower scaling sidekick supporting Womxn entrepreneurs in gaining traction to scale their companies on their own terms. Their motto is F*ck 4% because Womxn entrepreneurs make up nearly 50% of entrepreneurs yet their companies only generate 4% of TOTAL business revenues. Alex believes womxn entrepreneurs deserve better, can do better, and we will by getting sh!t done and gaining traction, together. Get Sh!t Done’s tribe of Womxn Founders gives 4% the middle finger by slaying traction from increasing revenues 5000% in 30 days, increasing revenues 5X YOY, raising millions from investors, acquiring companies, and much more. Prior to founding Get Sh!t Done, she was co-founder & CMO of ZipFit Denim, a multi-million dollar venture-backed eCommerce company that was acquired in 2019. She’s been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and has spoken around the nation at Harvard, Turner Broadcasting, etc.

Maya Brewster-Dorian is Chief Productions Officer of VaynerX where she oversees all production efforts.

Maya has been a leader in the production industry for over many years, bringing best-in-class communications, events and experiences for global brands, companies and advertising agencies.

Beginning her career at Saatchi & Saatchi, Maya worked her way up the ladder on Madison Avenue, joining J. Walter Thompson. She was soon sought after by multiple production companies, such as Anonymous Content, Partizan Entertainment and RadicalMedia, where she held global executive roles.

In 2015, Maya launched her own company, Network Réseau, as a way to create a new level of thinking in the ever-changing world of content creation.

Maya is a trailblazer in the industry. Her unique background and passion for driving change in the industry allow her to uncover effective solutions for clients, delivering innovative solutions to improve their brand visibility, while addressing the complexities of the industry.

Lynn Casey is a highly sought after consumer behavior expert and futurist committed to tapping empathy to inspire innovation. She is driven by the belief that critical analysis of human culture, behavior and trends can help uncover the strongest brand narratives and ensure the biggest leap towards human connection.

Lynn inspires companies including Instagram, Facebook, Fox Studios, Mattel, Sephora, Coca-Cola and more to make decisions informed by authentic, emotional customer stories of experience and desire. Lynn is a frequent speaker, panelist and author, helming her own trend blog: www.thescoutlook.com, and overseeing a consulting group: Shine Scout, Inc.

As Facebook Branded Content Partner, Claire Daugherty helps facilitate impactful branded content partnership programs. Before Facebook, she helped established and disruptor brands build effective digital influencer campaigns, working with the likes of YouTube, Uber and many others.

Prior to coming to the Institute for Family, April spent more than a decade in marketing agencies, helping corporations, membership-driven organizations, and non-profits master the art of brand storytelling. She earned a bachelor’s in corporate communications from Elon University.

As a wife, mother, and daughter, April is driven by the Institute for Family’s vision of expanding the opportunities all families have to flourish

Stacy Katz is a veteran brand builder and co-creator of the best-selling, award winning family game Not Parent Approved.  Her newest game is What the What?! The Party Game: Reinvented. One of her greatest missions is to get her son off the screen and into life. She’s determined to make real life more entertaining than any virtual world and more satisfying than killing zombies or posting selfies. Well Why Not Media develops products and media that infuse wonder, curiosity, magic, and levity into homes and hearths worldwide.

Jason Holland serves as President of Global Business at Firework, the short-form video platform designed to bring a shoppable, livestream video experience to any website. Since joining Firework in July of 2020, Jason has been integral to the company’s meteoric rise in profile and rapid expansion into markets across the globe. To fuel such growth, Jason draws from a 20-plus-year wellspring of experience as a leader, innovator, and driver of change within the digital media and marketing ecosystems of multiple Fortune 500 companies, including Coca-Cola, Kraft, Unilever, Kellogg’s, among others. Jason plays a pivotal role in the ongoing success of Firework introducing the company’s vision for the future of e-commerce to direct-to-consumer brands, retailers and media publishers — a decentralized future in which brands can create and host immersive, shoppable video content on their own websites by adding just a single line of HTML code. Jason is continuously spearheading strategies for company partners to cater to new consumer demographics with short-form and livestream video, including the company’s recent industry-first partnership with grocery goliath Albertsons Companies, Inc.

Prior to joining Firework, Jason served as Global Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Evolve Media LLC. Throughout his 8 years at Evolve, Jason oversaw internal and external global operations playing a critical role in the company’s private equity rounds plus expanding the company’s footprint beyond the US, successfully establishing their international brand in markets such as Canada, the UK, and Australia. By the time he ended his tenure at Evolve, Jason had led their TotallyKidz brand to become the 3rd largest online platform for children in the world, generating a 20+% increase in global gross margin. Today, Jason remains as an Advisor to the business.

Michelle spent over 15 years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and worked in leadership roles ranging from business development, sales and marketing. In 2013, she founded VIM & VIGR stylish compression legwear, a wellness apparel brand sold in over 1,300 locations throughout the US and internationally. In 2018, VIM & VIGR was named one of the fastest growing private companies by INC 5000. Michelle is currently working on ShopDot, a platform that empowers retailers to build and grow their online product assortment without operational hassle or inventory risk.

Michelle earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago in Economics and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Kellogg Northwestern School of Management. She is also a lecturer at the University of Montana.

Michelle has been featured on Forbes, Entrepreneur, INC, Thrive Global and QVC.

A business development and sales executive possessing over 22 years of professional experience in the entertainment industry, Kyle Kaczmarek is as an expert within the niche areas of digital media, distribution, and new technology. Having successfully demonstrated a well-rounded skill set including strategic planning, business development, team leadership, project management, and supply chain management skills throughout his career, Kyle is consistent in analyzing market trends and capitalizing on domestic and global market opportunities to create high-profit, high-visibility partnerships through product development, brand positioning, and innovative marketing and new media solutions.

Currently serving as CEO and co-founder of Kaczmarek Digital Media Group, Inc. (KDMG), Kyle is responsible for the development and growth of profitable new business, as well as developing and maintaining effective key partner relationships within the organization. Accountable for overseeing corporate sales goals and projections, Kyle also maanges the organization’s strategic business goals, quality customer service, and workforce processes, all while staying abreast of state-of-the-art technology and new business opportunities for both KDMG and the organization’s clients.

In the bio of a 3rd grade book report, Carla Lee announced that she wanted to be a “Comedy Clown” and has been making you laugh ever since. Carla’s passion is tackling creative projects that surprise, delight, and challenge people, and prioritize inclusivity and representation. She’s the Creator and EP of QPOC-led sketch comedy collective NICE TAN, one of 6 winners of the 2019 Yes, And Laughter Lab for original comedy projects about topics that matter. Nice Tan’s sketches have appeared at the 2018 Audience Awards Race To Justice film competition, the 2019 BESLA conference, SF Sketchfest, the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, and on numerous digital platforms. Carla successfully funded Nice Tan’s series pilot through Seed & Spark, and is excited to start production in 2022. She serves as an Executive Board Member at SF Bay Area sketch comedy powerhouse Killing My Lobster, where she has written and performed in numerous live shows, including “Pyler Terry Presents Pyler Terry, A Pyler Terry Production” and “Honey I Shrunk the Whites” an all POC-led production for which she took home the 2018 Theatre Bay Area Award for Outstanding Performance In A Principal Role. You may also recognize her from the occasional commercial, or as a performer/facilitator at corporate events throughout Chicago and the SF Bay Area. Carla currently has an original social commentary horror feature in development, because what better way to channel pandemic-era creative energy than towards something irreverent and terrifying?

Sandra E. Lopez is VP for Intel Sports and is responsible for partnering with the sports and media industry to provide future fans with the next generation of immersive media experiences. In her role, the team is focused on leading the business, marketing, and market development efforts of Intel Sports and Studios. Lopez is also the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on VR/AR/XR.

Over the course of her career, Lopez has received numerous recognitions, including “Most Powerful Women in Tech” (National Diversity Council), “Top Women in Media” (Cynopsis), “Top 10 Latina Executives” (LatinaStyle), “Most Influential and Notable Hispanic Professionals in Information Technology” (HiTec) and “Game Changer” (Sports Business Journal).

Julian is the founder and CEO of GetGlobal, the largest summit on international expansion, strategy, and operations in North America. He founded GetGlobal to gather the leading voices in international business, as well as to provide companies with the relationships they need for success in foreign markets. Since its first edition in 2016, the GetGlobal summits have broken new ground in gathering executives and senior leaders from all major industries as well as from across the global business landscape covering every region.

Julian is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he specialized in South Asian security, economics, and politics, earning his degree in International Relations and Business with graduate course work at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India. Prior to his time at USC, he worked in the entertainment and online media industry as the Southern California director of a diversified event, media, and marketing firm assisting Fortune 100 companies.

Connect with Julian on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter.

Amanda Manna is Vice President and Head of Strategic Narrative, leading Singularity University’s methodology for helping organizations and leaders create a future-focused vision and strategy. Through strategic narrative, organizations partner with SU to discover probable, possible future scenarios; define the future they desire out of those possibilities, and explain their vision to key stakeholders in order to inspire and engage them in realizing that future.  

Previously Amanda was co-founder of Uncommon Partners, which was acquired by Singularity University in 2019. Prior to that, she was a Director of Lowe’s Innovation Labs, where she led development of future narratives and partnerships for the Fortune 50 home improvement retailer. Her leadership secured global recognition for the company’s breakthroughs, including in-store autonomous robotics, exoskeletons for employees, and the first store in space—a 3D printer aboard the International Space Station.

Amanda earned a BA in Communications from North Carolina State University. Outside of work, you can find Amanda spending time with her family in Charlotte, NC where they love to cheer on the Carolina Panthers and the Charlotte Hornets.

Aidan McLaughlin is the director of storytelling and branded content at Indeed. In his role, he is responsible for creating content at Indeed, in any format, that is entertaining, engaging and informative, that people are willing to consume and share with their networks. Indeed is at the intersection of the global labour market with over 200 million job seekers and 16 million jobs every month. It represents the number of opportunities we have—each and every day—to change people’s lives by helping them get jobs. But in the billions of annual visits to Indeed, it’s Aidan’s role to tell the incredibly powerful stories of individual job seekers.

Colin McRae is an internationally recognized Executive Producer, Development Executive, Creative Director and Filmmaker who’s work for streamers, studios, broadcasters and brands has earned accolades and awards. Colin leads the development and production on premium content initiatives for Shopify.

Recently, he Executive Produced “Own The Room”, Shopfiy’s first feature documentary and the first fillm to be acquired by National Geographic and Disney+ together. He has built partnerships, co-developed and Executive Produced projects with Anonymous Content, Discovery, NBCU, Disney+, Wheelhouse / Spoke Studios, NHL, NFL, WWE, Uninterrupted, Banger Films, Campfire Studios, Bunim Murray, Red Bull Media House, CBC, MTV, Muchmusic and more.

Colin was also a part of the award-winning team that developed and produced the inaugural slates for Viceland (Canada / USA) working closely with the New York and Los Angeles teams, under the creative leadership of Spike Jonze. He Executive Produced a number of signature VICE documentaries and series.

He continues to play in the white space, creating premium entertainment solutions with filmmakers, creators, producers, brands and distributors. The goal always; to create sticky content that audiences crave and platforms need.

Dustin Curtis Murphy is an award-winning filmmaker from Los Angeles who now resides in London. After winning Best Student Short at the age of 18 at Shriekfest, Hollywood, Murphy has continued to make short films that have screened at top tier international film festivals. His latest film Samaritan was supported by The Climate Story Lab (BFI Network and Exposure Labs). It has won the Grand Prize at the Pattrn & The Weather Channel’s #EarthFilmChallenge, won Best International Short at the Sedona Film Festival, and was a Semi-Finalist at the Academy Award Qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival. His previous film festival hit, Nora, premiered at the BFI as the centrepiece of a TED Talk event and won 19 awards at various festivals, including two for best director. Murphy is currently shifting from shorts to features while also creating commercial and branded content for a variety of brands.

More info at: www.dcmfilmmaker.com

Executive Producer, Megan Murray has nearly 13 years of Production experience. Her career in commercial production began in a photography studio where her enthusiasm for all things production quickly flourished, sending her full force into the field, and motivating her to sharpen her skills. She has spent the better part of her career, over 10 years, as a Producer at Dell Technologies and has since produced numerous award-winning spots and photography. Megan currently manages the Consumer, Small Business, and Gaming Content Production Team on Dell Blue, of Dell Technologies, one of the largest in-house agencies in the world. She has a personal interest in raising awareness around diversity & inclusion within the field of production. And admires the encouragement and initiative of Dell Technologies and its team members to take giant leaps necessary to make noticeable change.

Isabel Rafferty Zavala is the Founder and CEO of Canela Media, a leading digital media tech company that effectively connects brands with multicultural audiences through various touchpoints including its newly launched streaming platform, Canela.TV, influencer marketing, branded content, and more than 180 exclusive Spanish-language sites. She is recognized in the industry for her avant-garde approach and success launching digital marketing companies and is regarded as one of the most accomplished Hispanic business leaders in advertising. 

Prior to launching Canela Media, Rafferty founded Mobvious Media in 2016, a company devoted to reaching U.S. Hispanic and African American audiences through mobile advertising. Under her leadership, Mobvious became the second largest Hispanic-focused ad network according to Comscore and was acquired by PRISA Group in 2017. From 2012-2016, Rafferty was Vice President at Adsmovil and led the company’s expansion in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, offices, driving annual sales from zero to ten million dollars. 

Rafferty has also worked for renown Hispanic media companies such as Entravision and Impremedia helping them deploy their digital media products and expanding their sales initiatives using cross-channel strategies. 

She earned her B.A. in Business and Marketing from the California State University San Marcos and was Culture Marketing Council’s 2019 Rising Star Award recipient. Rafferty resides in New York with her husband and three sons, and actively serves the community as a Board Member of Father Joe’s Villages, one of the largest and most recognized nonprofits serving the homeless.

Quentin is the Founder and CEO of @movements4movements, a nonprofit organization centered on using movement to help individuals navigate their way through mental physical trauma and dissociation.

Quentin’s dancing and expertise has been featured on many platforms such as being a speaker at Athena Pride Women’s conference 2019, Business Innovative Factory conference 2018-2019, TEDx Bozeman, I Am Interchange, HATCH, VIDCON 2015-17, Last Best Conference 2016-17, BET to name a few. He was also featured on a Netflix series called Move, Directed, Produced and written films Breaking Barriers, Tis Of Thee and Black Magic in which he’s starred in.

Hello. I love building the convergence between well-chosen words, smart design, digital strategy, and thoughtful media outreach to reach people with stories and inspire progressive movements forward. I’m a public speaker, writer and seasoned communications leader with nearly 15 years of experience fluidly working between local politics, global brands, the UN and international NGOs. My expertise is in leading teams to help organizations drive positive impact in the world. Previously based in Paris, Geneva, DC, San Francisco and Vermont. Currently living the nomad life with my coffee maker.

From her start in beauty on the Estee Lauder brand PR team, to leading client groups, such as Sephora, Avon and Carol’s Daughter at Tractenberg & Co., to managing global communications for skincare brand philosophy, Tiffani’s experience allows her to break the traditional marketing mold. While at philosophy, Tiffani was instrumental in creating the brand’s first brand-wide charity, the Hope & Grace Initiative, wherein 1% of proceeds are donated to women’s mental health organizations.

Most recently, Tiffani commanded integrated communications, including paid media, digital strategies, content development and influencer marketing for the SHISEIDO brand in the US. At SHISEIDO, Tiffani created a new stream of communications initiatives focused on elevating content deployment and nurturing influencer communities. Within the company, Tiffani also led the Shiseido Americas DO IT NOW Diversity & Inclusion Network.

Gina Wassemiller is the Parent Ally for the FIRST Legal Clinic. Gina is also a Contracted Social Service Specialist with the Office of Public Defense Parent Representation Program. She has many years of experience working with families involved in the child welfare system. Gina helps parents overcome obstacles and reach a positive outcome. Gina has been a member of the Snohomish County Table of Ten. She also was the facilitator and member for Snohomish County Parent Ally Committee. She also facilitated the Life During CPS support group. Gina has been a voting member of the Washington State Parent Ally Committee. She has also participated in the Birth Parent National network. Gina has been the Coordinator for the Parent for Parent program at the YWCA.
Gina brings true passion and hope to the work she does with families. Gina was one of the parents she works with today in December 2006. Her case ended in a relinquishment of her parental rights by choice. In September 2009 she became involved again in a voluntary case. She continues to advocate for the parents for the best outcome. Gina believes a positive outcome is one, a parent can live with forever. She knows this from her own experience. She is a survivor of Domestic Violence and a recovering addict. Gina meets parents where they are at and instills hope into each parent she works with. Gina is living proof that People Change and Families Reunite.

Nia Weeks is a native of New Orleans, and has spent years fighting for the rights of women, children, and families. Graduating with a law degree from the Loyola School of Law, her post Law School career has been immersed in work that focuses on addressing a variety of systemic issues that marginalized community members have asked to be examined. She is currently the founder and Director of Citizen SHE United, which mobilizes Black Women around the state to actively participate in changing the system so that it begins to work for them and their children. Her work focuses on the intersectional issues of economically and socially disadvantaged black women in Louisiana so that they may be fully informed about their options and be given a full breadth of understanding of the totally of the life impact on any decision they make
Nia brings over 20 years of grassroots activism that includes; political strategy rooted in systemic change and drafting legislation focused on intersersectional community issues. As Founder of Citizen SHE United Nia has a vision to be part of the answer to righting the wrongs of systemic oppression in Louisiana. SHE is an advocacy group in Louisiana that is building an aligned base of Black Women who inform, advocate for and enact a collective policy agenda to address the needs of Black Women across the state. This decentralized base is well-coordinated and supported by an interactive social media presence. Building power for Black women in Louisiana through a comprehensive strategy that builds the skills, capacity, and profiles of Black women who can advance a proactive policy agenda and represent a vibrant and activated statewide base that informs, supports, and advances Black Women’s vision for Louisiana.

Jabeen Yusuf is a seasoned social impact
strategist and brand marketer with a passion for improving health and wellness for children and families. Prior to founding Health+ Studio, Jabeen served as Vice President, Strategic Engagement at Center For Youth Wellness, a pediatric health care non-profit organization founded by California’s Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris to improve health outcomes for children impacted by trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Jabeen led the Center’s marketing communications, thought leadership and public
education initiatives.