E171 James Heath: Why Creator Trust is 25% Higher in the Hispanic Community

James Heath is the VP of Creator Marketing at TelevisaUnivision, boasting 8 years of experience in the creator economy. With a career spanning various roles in growth strategy, audience development and talent management, James has navigated every creator era, from MCN to TikTok house.

In his current role, he has reshaped TelevisaUnivision’s creator capability by launching a new model for brand partners that integrates U.S. Hispanic creators into Latin culture’s biggest moments across music, sports and more, executing campaigns for 40+ blue-chip brand partners. James is at the forefront of developing innovative practices in the ever-evolving creator marketing landscape.

E170 Creators Corp: Why UGC and Gaming are The Future of Brand Activations

Anne-Margot Rodde, Founder & CEO, Creators Corp.

For nearly two decades, Anne-Margot Rodde has been a pioneering force in video games, digital media, and the metaverse, holding strategic roles at leading agencies and driving high-profile projects for brands like Microsoft Xbox and PlayStation. Margot launched her first gaming venture with experiential agency WePlay, serving clients such as EA, Riot Games, Nexon, Epic Games, and IGN. After the pandemic opened new doors, she transitioned from the agency world to launch Creators Corp., an award-winning Fortnite Creative studio at the intersection of the creator economy and the metaverse. Creators Corp. specializes in designing original games that inspire and engage global audiences, partnering with IP holders and content creators across entertainment and gaming, while thoughtfully integrating brands where it adds value.

Jake Laumann, Data Analyst at Creators Corp. 

As a former esports leader at Major League Baseball and video game expert, Jake Laumann holds the position of data analyst at Creators Corp., where he supports the team with gameplay optimization and on-platform marketing. 

E169 Kevin Herrera: Scaling and Longevity in the Creator Economy

Kevin Herrera is a veteran of the creator economy with 18+ years in the game. Currently operating TheMachine and previously at The Gersh Agency, Kevin's prophetic thought leadership has led to a sizable LinkedIn following, hundreds of millions of dollars earned for his clients and a network of creator representatives nearing 1,000 members. Kevin is a rare mix of storyteller and business acumen. He is based in Southern California.

E168 Armando Turco: Social Burner Phones & The Gooey Center of Culture

Armando Turco is the President of Mojo Supermarket, a certified minority owned agency headquartered in Chinatown, NYC. Mojo Supermarket helps make brands more interesting, and is the Social Content AOR for brands like TikTok, Lululemon and The Truth Initiative.

Armando Turco was previously the SVP of Global Brand & Creative at Oatly, the world’s original and largest oat milk company. In his role leading the Oatly Department of Mind Control, Armando was responsible for all global brand strategy and creative development, earning him a spot on the Adweek Creative 100.

Prior to joining Oatly, Armando spent 20 years managing brand partnerships at Vox Media and agencies including BBH and McCann. He has developed strategies and content with leading brands like Sephora, PlayStation, Johnnie Walker, Axe and Verizon. He lives in New York City with his rescue mutt Andre Johnson.

E167 Jennifer Wakefield: How to Market an Entire City

Jennifer Wakefield, APR, is the President and Chief Executive Officer for the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP). In her role, she is responsible for collaborating with public and private sector stakeholders to set and drive the organizational vision.

She assumed her current role in February 2021 after joining the organization in 2017. During her time as President and CEO, she created a new strategic framework for the organization, doubled the size of the Board, added new investors and increased the private sector budget over 70 percent in the last 3 years. 

Prior to GRP, Jennifer served as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Orlando’s regional economic development organization for 11 years. She worked on numerous transformational projects including the Amway Center, Citrus Bowl, Lake Nona Medical City, SunRail, and the merger of two Orlando-area economic development groups.

In her 20+ year career, she has garnered extensive experience in strategic planning, marketing and communications, operations and management and is a recognized thought leader in developing marketing strategies for economic development. Jennifer also has experience in the transportation, utility and financial services industries.

E166 Alessandra Catanese: How Smosh Builds Upon a Creative Culture

Alessandra Catanese serves as CEO of Smosh, the internet’s largest sketch comedy brand and a pioneer in creator-first entertainment, redefining comedy for the digital generation. Catanese’s career has spanned the evolution of the digital creator space, from helping establish the talent department at Maker Studios during the early days of YouTube, to launching the Los Angeles division of Patreon in 2016. She went on to become a leading talent manager at Anonymous Content, where she signed creators including BennyDrama, Anthony Padilla, and Kelsey Darragh. In 2020, Catanese co-founded Pressalike alongside Padilla, producing digital-first creator content that has earned multiple Streamy nominations and a Webby Award.

In 2023, she helped lead Pressalike’s acquisition of Smosh, where she now oversees operations for the pioneering comedy collective, helping it double in size, both in fanbase as well as employees. Under her leadership, Smosh continues to build on its legacy, having grown into an independent media and production company pushing the boundaries of digital-first comedy.

E165 Jillian Janaczek: Curiosity is More Durable than Certainty

As CEO of Porter Novelli, Jillian Janaczek manages talent and operations of the strategic communications company globally, nurturing key client relationships, and driving business growth across Health, Corporate + Brand, Food + Ag + Nutrition, Purpose + Impact, Tech, and Government, as well as strategic services. She is part of OPRG’s (Omnicom PR Group’s) global leadership team. ​

 Before Porter Novelli, Janaczek was President, BCW New York, spearheading the firm’s largest market and managing Fortune 500 clients. She sat on BCW’s Global Board and was Chair, Client Risk Committee. ​

Earlier in her career, Janaczek was Managing Director of Healthcare at Cohn & Wolfe. Her background includes extensive work with prescription medications and Rx to OTC switches. She has worked closely with leading companies such as AbbVie, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis and Novo Nordisk, among many others, providing strategic counsel for U.S. and Global programs. She expanded her role with Novartis Pharma AG by working in-house as Global Brand Manager in Basel, Switzerland. ​

E164 Dakota Lowe: Climbing Cringe Mountain

Dakota Lowe is an award-winning social strategist with nearly a decade of experience helping brands break through with innovative digital storytelling. As VP of Social Strategy at Edelman, Dakota leads social engagement for iconic names across CPG, e-commerce, and food with an emphasis on their earned-centric campaigns—including Degree, Dove, Hellmann's, and Mars.

Previously at GSD&M, Dakota modernized Fruit of the Loom’s social presence, including launching the TikTok with 150% month-over-month growth and 10M+ views, and secured the agency’s first TikTok AOR with Stanley, leading all social creative outputs.

Recognized by AdAge, Adweek, Fast Company, the Clio Awards, the Webby Awards, and (of course) the Shorty Awards, Dakota’s work has earned various industry honors. With a passion for mentorship and a deep understanding of digital culture, Dakota thrives on helping brands break through the noise—always ready to connect, strategize, and cheer you on (just don’t ask for free deodorant). You can find her on LinkedIn and Substack.

E163 Scott Sutton: The Time is Now for Later

Scott Sutton is the CEO of Later, where he leads the company's strategic vision and operations. Previously, he served as Chief Business Officer at ZoomInfo, helping grow the business from $150M to over $1.2B ARR through 10 acquisitions and an eventual IPO. Scott holds a Bachelor's and Master’s in International Management from Portland State University and studied business analytics at Harvard Business School.

Listen to Scott's podcast Beyond Influence.

E162 Sixteenth Sports: How to Change With The Culture

Alexis Ramos & Ray Brown are Co-Presidents of Sixteenth Sports,  a division of Sixteenth, one of the leading, global Athlete Creator talent partnership companies. They lead Sixteenth Sports under the Whalar Group umbrella, creating a new stadium for Athletes to collaborate with brands beyond social media reach and build IP worthy of long-term partnerships.

A visionary leader and influential Hispanic woman in the sports industry, Alexis is known for her strategic insight and transformative leadership. As one of the few Hispanic women to represent a 1st-round pick in the NFL draft, her career spans nearly a decade in the sports industry.

Alexis began her career with the European Cup, enhancing fan engagement through innovative Fan Zones, and later joined the Las Vegas Raiders, where she discovered a passion for player and community initiatives. Since then, she has shaped player development and strategy for elite NFL talent, influencing the careers of stars such as Maxx Crosby, Najee Harris, Cameron Jordan, and Quentin Johnston. Renowned for her collaborative approach and creativity, Alexis encourages philanthropy and leadership amongst her athlete partners.

A seasoned entertainment industry veteran, Ray Brown is celebrated for his talent discovery, management, and producing skills. His career highlights include working with Alfonso Ribeiro on "The Fresh Prince" and managing Shemar Moore on "Criminal Minds" and "SWAT." Ray co-founded Ncredible Entertainment with Nick Cannon, creating impactful projects like "Star Camp" and the "School Gyrls" films.

Ray was instrumental in discovering Grammy and Oscar-winning artist H.E.R. and has collaborated with influencers like Sommer Ray to launch successful consumer brands.