Full Event Agenda

Digital Summit Chicago | April 7-8, 2026

Full Event Agenda

Day 1

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Opening Power Hour: Check-in | Coffee | Exhibits | Breakfast for VIPs

Networking

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Emcee Opening Kickoff

Steve Krull, Be Found Online (BFO)

Opening Remarks

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Why the Future of Media is Sound-On and What It Means for Marketers

Jenny Haggard, Spotify

Keynote

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM

Tech Showcase: Your Community App - How Community Outperforms Social, Email & Ads

Nikole Hollis, Your Community App · Alli Pyle, Retronyms

Demo

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

Join a Small-Group Discussion: Strategies for the Modern B2B Buyer Journey

Samantha Kermode, Juristat · Dana Schmidt, Slice Communications · Kim Stricker, Social Motto · Liam Wade, Impression · Ayat Shukairy, Invesp

The Growth Roundtable Track

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Breaking the Performance Max Default: Regain Control, Improve Marginal ROI, and Scale Google Ads Profitably [Premium Pass or VIP Pass Required]

Susan Wenograd, Warschawski

The Mastermind Hub Track

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

Video That Moves Pipeline: How to Drive Revenue Impact with LinkedIn Video Across the Full Funnel

Purna Virji, Agent-Led Growth

Next Level Strategy Track

11:15 AM - 11:30 AM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Your Customer Journey Map Isn’t Working: Build a Messaging Compass, not a Map

John Triplett, IDX · Dustin Diehl, IDX

Customer Intelligence & Experience Track

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

4 Steps to Becoming an Email Marketing Queen (or King)

Jessica Best, BetterAve

Next Level Strategy Track

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

Networking Lunch & Exhibits

Networking

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Is Your Brand Invisible to AI? How to Win in AI Search Before Your Competitors Do

Nate Tower, Perrill Digital Marketing

Brand Visibility Track

1:15 PM - 2:45 PM

When Business Goals Break Google Ads: How to Translate Revenue Objectives Into Signals Google Can Actually Optimize For [Premium Pass or VIP Pass Required]

Susan Wenograd, Warschawski

The Mastermind Hub Track

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Actionable Affinity, Unplugged: Turning Customers, Communities & Employees into Loyal Fans

Lauren Teague, FANWAGN

Unplugged Track

2:00 PM - 2:15 PM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

Start a Fire: Deliver Human-First Storytelling in a World of AI Noise

Tyler Farnsworth, Campfire

Creativity, Differentiation & Cultural Relevance Track

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

Turning Expertise into Influence: How B2B Organizations Build Authority and Trust in the AI Era

Samantha Kermode, Juristat

Brand Trust and Safety Track

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM

30-minute Networking Break & Exhibits

Networking

3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM

The Experience Multiplier: Delivering Effective Employee Advocacy that Impacts Your Bottom Line

Dana Schmidt, Slice Communications

Brand Trust and Safety Track

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Human Creativity in the Age of AI: Keeping Your Creative Edge

Monica Cravotta, Bluehost

Next Level Strategy Track

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM

Personas Are Dead: A New Approach to Understanding Your Customers

Ayat Shukairy, Invesp

Customer Intelligence & Experience Track

4:00 PM - 4:15 PM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

The Curiosity Advantage: Protecting Human Value in the Age of AI

Jerri Helms, HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Next Level Strategy Track

4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

The Death of the Brief: Why the Best Ideas Don’t Come from the Deck

Thea Neal, Kansas City Chiefs

Creativity, Differentiation & Cultural Relevance Track

4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

AI, SEO, and Video: A New YouTube Playbook for Marketing Leaders

Michael Hoffman, Gather Voices

Brand Visibility Track

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Happy Hour | Exhibits | 1st Passport Winners Announced

Networking

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Mingle & Market-share: Offsite VIP Reception

Networking

Day 2

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Opening Power Hour: Coffee | Exhibits | Breakfast for VIPs

Networking

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Beyond the Prompt: How AI is Reshaping Creativity, Connection & the Future of Marketing

David Shing, Shingy

Keynote

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

Designing Content Operations for Velocity, Consistency, and ROI

Ariana Keil, Canto

Next Level Strategy Track

10:15 AM - 11:45 AM

The Story-First Strategy: Transforming Content into Connection [Premium Pass or VIP Pass Required]

Derek Hubbard, Global Brand & Communications Executive Leader

The Mastermind Hub Track

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

The Conversion Blueprint: How to Identify, Measure, and Convert Contacts into Real Revenue

Stephanie Ristow, Ristow Marketing

Next Level Strategy Track

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

15-minute Networking Break & Exhibits

Networking

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

Join a Small-Group Discussion – Rebuilding Brand Trust in the Age of AI and Misinformation

Jerri Helms, HarperCollins Christian Publishing · Matt Ingwalson, Optimism Delivers · Tyler Lane, Session Interactive · Michael Hoffman, Gather Voices · Kyle Geib, Be Found Online · Sean Sweeney, First Position Digital Solutions

The Growth Roundtable Track

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

Human-Led, AI-Powered: A Panel Discussion on Designing Digital Journeys People Trust

Michael Heller, IDX · Dana Crow, IDX · Cherie Dupor, Senior Lifestyle · Krystyna Keena, Senior Lifestyle

Customer Intelligence & Experience Track

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Networking Lunch & Exhibits

Networking

1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Performance Marketing Is a Trap (If You Let It Be)

Liam Wade, Impression

Next Level Strategy Track

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Storytelling in the Storm: Communicating with Clarity & Credibility During a Crisis [Premium Pass or VIP Pass Required]

Derek Hubbard, Global Brand & Communications Executive Leader

The Mastermind Hub Track

1:00 PM - 1:45 PM

Building a Visibility Strategy: How Search, Social, and AI Answers Shape Modern Discovery

Tyler Lane, Session Interactive

Brand Visibility Track

1:45 PM - 2:00 PM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Personalization That Performs: Turning Zero & First-Party Data into Mobile Attributable Revenue

John Johnson, Vibes

Customer Intelligence & Experience Track

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM

Using Episodic Storytelling to Build Cultural Movements that Drive Lasting Loyalty and Measurable Engagement

Kim Stricker, Social Motto

Creativity, Differentiation & Cultural Relevance Track

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

30-minute Networking Break & Exhibits

Networking

2:45 PM - 3:00 PM

15-minute Recharge | Network | Exhibits

Networking

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Beyond Rankings: Building Resilient SEO Strategies in an AI-Governed Web

Sahirah Johnson, Meta

Brand Visibility Track

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Seven Proven Strategies for Agencies in the Unhappiness Era

Matt Ingwalson, Optimism Delivers

Industry Spotlight Track (Agency)

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

#AirplaneMode: Inside United Airlines’ Employee Creator Strategy (And How You Can Put It to Work)

Julia Fedor, United Airlines · Paul Holte, United Airlines

Brand Trust and Safety Track