It's No Fluke

Vikki Chowney has spent over 20 years shaping how brands create and connect through content - spanning social, partnerships, and influencer strategy. At Burson, she leads the global influencer team, helping protect and build brand reputation through credible, creative, and data-driven collaboration.

Previously, she was Global Head of Content & Publishing and U.S. Innovation & Creative Lead at Hill & Knowlton, where she built the agency’s U.S. Innovation & Creative Hub and led a global network across editorial, branded content, social, and influencer marketing - delivering award-winning work for Pfizer, ANA, Intel, Huawei, and the United Nations.

Vikki has also held senior roles at TMW Unlimited, where she launched the agency’s social media department for clients including Unilever, INFINITI, Canon, and Sony, and at Condé Nast Britain, where she developed brand-owned content strategies with the talent behind iconic titles such as Vogue, GQ, and Vanity Fair. A former journalist, she has written and edited for titles like Econsultancy, Contagious, The Guardian, and Marketing Week.

Recognized as a PRWeek U.S. 40 Under 40 and in PRovoke’s inaugural EMEA Innovator list, Vikki is also a sought-after speaker and mentor, sharing her expertise at events such as Cannes Lions and SXSW. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with her three children, Reformer Pilates, and curating the perfect playlist.

Josh Ott is a sales and marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in startups and media. He is currently Head of Revenue at The Shade Room, the leading digital media platform covering Black culture, with over 42 million followers across social channels. The early years of his career were spent leading ad sales and partnerships with former roles at ABC, BET, MTV,Scripps, and Pivot. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to create a successful grass-fed beef company, which further fueled his passion for brand growth and development.

MAGNA Media Trials and The Shade Room released new research that quantifies how Black culture drives consumer spending globally. Despite this influence, brand investments in Black creators and Black-led platforms fall short. The report, Cultural Capital: What Black Culture Means for Modern Brands, highlights the growth opportunity and the risk for marketers who fail to engage authentically.

Madeline Temple is a global brand and communications strategist who has spent many years flinging herself into the unknown. It seems to be a theme in her life. That, and good hair. Fingers crossed both continue.

She is a firm believer in taking calculated risks, both personally and professionally. Sometimes they don’t work out as planned, but the stories have always been worth it.

Madeline’s calculated risks have provided real-world, international experience you can't find in a style guide or the latest marketing best-seller. She’s experienced in branding, strategy, design, corporate storytelling, advertising, cultural trends, PR, content, social media, and research — both on the agency and client side in the US and UK; in B2B and B2C companies; and at Fortune 500 corporations, PE firms, and startups. She’s been quoted in the Chicago Tribune and Wired magazine and has appeared on BBC Radio 4’s flagship program Today in London.

Currently, Madeline is VP, global brand, communications & content at Safeguard Global, the company that started the global EOR category and industry. Prior to this, she was Hillrom’s VP, corporate marketing. There, she wrote the brand story that turned a $3 billion medical device maker into a medtech company acquired by Baxter in 2021.

Patrick Zielinski has been creating content since before it was called content. He'd record skateboarding videos to tape and play his boombox in the background to underlay music – everything from filming, editing, and burning videos to disc drives in the early days of digital media.

He understands the creator hustle because he lived it, working in TV, film, and digital entertainment through high school, college, and the early days of YouTube. His career spans talent representation and leading teams at Cameo and LinkedIn, where he helped shape talent-driven campaigns with top creators, celebrities, and athletes.

Today, Patrick is CEO and Talent Manager at The Drive Agency, representing creator-entrepreneurs in B2B, tech, career, and lifestyle verticals. His roster includes creators who align perfectly with enterprise brands and B2B products – the kind of talent who can authentically speak to professional audiences and drive real business outcomes. Having worked across every wave of the creator economy, Patrick founded The Drive to champion creators who are building thriving communities around their expertise with a long-term mindset.

Former A+E Networks and Canal+ executive, Fabienne Fourquet founded 2btube along with her friend and media veteran Bastian Manintveld in september 2014. 

2btube is a leading digital content solutions consultancy working with more than thousand brands and managing content from more than 700 creators and media channels worldwide managing creators, brands and media digital presence with an original focus in Spanish speaking markets. 

Its audience exceeds 500 million subscribers and reaches 5 billion views per month on YouTube. 2btube has more than 80 employees in its offices in Madrid, Miami, Mexico and Ecuador. 

2btube owns the leading entertainment brand in Latin America and among LatinX, EnchufeTV.

Tinja Anderson is an award winning wealth manager and certified exit planning advisor dedicated to driving excellence through comprehensive financial planning strategies that grow and preserve wealth for her clients. As Chief Revenue Officer for EG Capital Holdings, a boutique investor solution firm, she brings strategic leadership and deep market expertise to institutional investment management.

Raised in her family's consultancy, Tinja understands firsthand the critical importance of planning with the end in mind to build and protect businesses, families, teams, and legacies. This foundational experience, combined with over 15 years as a strategic sales and business optimization consultant, has equipped her with unique insights into developing transformative proposals that drive change and exceed global market demands.

Her exceptional performance in wealth management has earned prestigious recognition, including MassMutual Greater Houston's "Rookie of the Year" (2019), NAIFA's "Rising Star" (2020), and "Jr. Advisor of the Year" for MassMutual Greater Houston (2021, 2022). Beyond her professional achievements, Tinja was crowned Ms. Texas International in 2022.

A first-generation American with an exceptional athletic background, Tinja was a Collegiate All-American in Sailing (2006), 5-time National Champion in sailing, held swimming records, and played Olympic development soccer. She maintains an active lifestyle through running, swimming, cycling, and sailing. She is also a published cookbook author, founder of the Pursuit of Excellence Podcast, and a devoted Blue European Doberman dog-mom.

Jerrica Long is a creative strategist and digital showrunner with 12+ years shaping stories, brands, and fanbases at CAA, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, and Netflix. She’s worked on Harry Potter, Barbie, American Girl, and UNO, while also championing pay equity and fair creative labor. Today, she runs Studio Jerrica, a TV and Film studio, and Greenlight Yourself, a consultancy helping creators and companies build loyal audiences without Hollywood-sized budgets.

Cam Hogan is a creative strategist, outdoor enthusiast, and lifelong believer in the power of reinvention.

He’s helped shape campaigns and brand storytelling for tech and product powerhouses like Crypto.com, Instagram, IBM, Microsoft, Nuvei, and Samsung, crafting narratives that span from product launches to cultural relevance. At Meta, he played a key role in launching the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, ensuring the experience felt both intuitive and intelligent.

When he's not behind a screen, Cam is usually chasing snow or sleeping under the stars. He has backpacked and skied across the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Japan, and Chamonix, believing that time outdoors—through adventure and exploration—isn’t just an escape, but a way of thinking, moving, and pushing past limits. He also volunteers with CatRock Ventures, a nonprofit organization that utilizes outdoor experiences to help young people from underserved communities develop confidence, leadership skills, and a connection to the natural world.

Cam’s work and story reflect a deep commitment to self-trust, creative freedom, and building a life that feels good to live.

Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE is the Founder and CEO of Growth Owl, LLC and author of The Boardroom Playbook: A Not So Ordinary Guide to Corporate Funding for Your Purpose Driven Organization. She's a recognized leading expert in generating corporate sponsorship support from Fortune 1000 companies on behalf of creators and purpose-driven organizations throughout the United States. Lori has earned a reputation for establishing pathways quickly to help clients exceed revenue/fundraising goals via corporate sponsorship.

She also specializes in facilitating high-impact corporate sponsorship training both in person and online. She’s regularly called upon by  leaders to work with them one-on-one in developing their mindset and message for successfully engaging with C-suite decision makers. She earned her MBA in Systems Management from Baldwin Wallace University and earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification by the American National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Lori speaks at national conferences and facilitates workshops on all aspects of generating corporate sponsorship and funding–from the mental to the message and to the motion. She’s also been a featured guest on a variety of national podcasts to discuss her best-practice processes as well as her success.

Lori is also an Amazon best seller list author for her suspense fiction novel Under Caution.

Brent Lilley is an accomplished entertainment executive and entrepreneur at the forefront of digital media and live events. As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Real Good Touring, Brent has redefined the touring landscape for creators, leading the charge in producing large-scale live experiences for the world’s most influential YouTube and digital talent.

In addition to his work at Real Good Touring, Brent serves as the driving force behind Game Grumps, the wildly popular comedy-gaming brand that has amassed over 7 billion views globally and cultivated a fiercely loyal fanbase. A former agent and manager, Brent’s career includes representing Academy Award-winning writers and directors, giving him a unique perspective that bridges traditional entertainment and the creator economy.

He resides in Los Angeles with his dog Lincoln, a renowned expert in treats and affection.

Arin Hanson is a pioneering creator, performer, and entrepreneur whose influence spans animation, comedy, music, and live entertainment. As Co-Founder and Creative Director of Real Good Touring, Arin channels his extensive experience in content creation into designing innovative live experiences that bring digital communities together in the real world.

Arin is best known as the co-creator and face of Game Grumps, the iconic comedy-gaming channel boasting over 7 billion views and millions of fans worldwide. His creative vision and charismatic storytelling have helped shape the online entertainment landscape, inspiring a new generation of creators to build meaningful, fan-first connections.

Based in Los Angeles, he continues to blur the lines between digital and live entertainment with passion, humor, and an unwavering commitment to fans.