Greg Boone

“Our mission is to redefine how brands tell their authentic stories, which we will accomplish by leveraging AI and automation to build engagement, fostering meaningful connections, and delivering measurable results,” said Greg Boone, incoming CEO at Walk West. “As the industry becomes more integrated with AI capabilities, Walk West will be at the forefront of this evolution, ensuring our clients are seen, heard, and cited by humans and machines alike — for maximum results.”

Boone is an expert in Digital Experience with an impressive career building solutions for Fortune 500 companies. His leadership at Blue Acorn iCi, which culminated in a $125M acquisition by Infosys, demonstrates his ability to scale digital operations and deliver commercially successful experiences for brands like Walmart, Charter Communications, NASCAR, and Panera Bread.

Named by NC Tech as tech executive of the year in 2018, the Durham native has made significant contributions to the Triangle’s business community as an investor, board member, and mentor. With Boone at the helm, Walk West is setting a bold course for the future, pioneering AI-driven storytelling and next-gen marketing solutions that elevate brands and drive business success.

Dr. Marcus Collins

Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator. He is the former chief strategy officer at Wieden+Kennedy, New York, a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and the author of the best-selling book, For The Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want To Be. Marcus is an inductee into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Achievement and a recipient of the Thinkers50 Radar Distinguished Achievement Award for the idea most likely to shape the future of business management. His strategies and creative contributions have led to the launch and success of Google’s “Real Tone” technology, the “Made In America” music festival, and the Brooklyn Nets, among others. Before his advertising tenure, Marcus worked on iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple and ran digital strategy for Beyoncé. He writes a column for Forbes CMO Network and contributes to business scholarship.

Ray Day

Coming soon!

David C. Edelman

A sought-after advisor on digital transformation and marketing strategy, David developed foundational business concepts such as “The Customer Decision Journey,” and “Segment-of-One Marketing.” Most recently, he guided Aetna (now part of CVS Health) through becoming a digitally-oriented, customer-centric enterprise.

David has been repeatedly recognized by Forbes as one of the “Most Influential CMOs in the World,” and by AdWeek as one of the “Top 20 Marketing and Technology Executives.” His writing and work has attracted over 1.1 million followers to his LinkedIn blog, and he has delivered dozens of keynote presentations at conferences around the world.

Jennifer Healan

Coming soon!

Priya Krishnan

Priya Krishnan, Chief Digital and Transformation Officer at Bright Horizons

A recognized leader and innovator in the child care and education space, Priya brings a unique blend of expertise in category growth, early learning and information technology (IT). Early in her career, she worked across consulting, sales and client growth with global companies, including Accenture, PwC, Mphasis, EDS, and HP across various geographies. This experience gave her a front row seat and a wide lens on the issues major companies face. Later, in India, Priya identified a gap in the business landscape—new mothers struggling with the return to work. She founded and ran KLAY, which grew to become the country’s largest premium child care provider, with 180 centers across India, caring for more than 16,000 children. Priya also founded a not-for-profit school for marginalized children, which has been recognized worldwide for its approach to learning.

Today, Priya brings her vision, deep expertise, and infectious energy to the entire Bright Horizons organization. In her multi-faceted executive leadership role, Priya’s initiatives in consumer and product growth, marketing, partnerships, acquisitions, and customer experience, all drive the success of Bright Horizons. She oversees enterprise shared services to transform digital and physical connection points with families, learners, and clients. Priya has won multiple entrepreneurship awards, and she holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Mumbai University and an MBA from London Business School. Priya lives in Boston and enjoys spending free time with her husband and two sons.

Laurie Lam

Laurie Lam is the Chief Brand Officer at e.l.f. Beauty, a multi-brand global portfolio which includes namesake brand e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Naturium, Well People and Keys Soulcare. She is responsible for strengthening e.l.f.’s branding and setting its strategy for growth across all categories, as well as championing their mission to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip, face and skin concern.

With nearly 20 years of experience building global brands, she’s an accomplished business leader and dynamic marketer in the beauty industry. Prior to joining e.l.f. Beauty, Laurie was at L’Oréal USA where she has held several leadership positions within the group’s Professional Products Division and Consumer Products Division in the US, France and Asia-Pacific. Her experience spans across Marketing, E-commerce & Digital, Acquisitions & Business Development and Innovation.

Nitin Mathur

Nitin Mathur is a high-impact senior executive specializing in marketing, digital transformation, and technology. With extensive experience across industrial, semiconductor, technology, consumer internet, and eCommerce sectors, he drives sustainable revenue growth by crafting omnichannel customer strategies, leading brand-to-demand marketing, and leveraging customer insights to enhance business performance.

Most recently, Nitin served as Chief Marketing & Digital Transformation Officer at Analog Devices, where he led global marketing, eCommerce, and customer insights, building an industry-leading digital customer experience and launching AI-driven initiatives to accelerate growth. Previously, as Chief Digital Officer at TE Connectivity, he pioneered a new digital business function, developed a differentiated digital customer strategy, and generated hundreds of millions in new revenue. Earlier in his career, he held key leadership roles at Yahoo! and Sapient, driving brand growth, customer engagement, and marketing innovation.

A respected industry thought leader, Nitin serves as an Advisory Board member for startups Zuddl and Seintiv and as a CXO Advisor for Fusion Fund. He has been a keynote speaker, media contributor, and expert commentator for leading outlets, including WSJ, BBC, CNN, and CNBC. A passionate advocate for technology-driven customer experiences, he actively mentors mid-career and C-suite executives in marketing and digital strategy.

Dan Moriarty

Dan Moriarty was appointed Chief Marketing Officer of Chicago Fire FC in December 2023. As an experienced marketing executive, he oversees branding, advertising, media, and promotional activities to boost ticket sales, enhance corporate partnerships, and expand awareness of the Club both locally and globally. He also leads initiatives for the Chicago Fire Foundation, Fire Pitch, youth and recreational soccer, and serves as the primary link to Major League Soccer’s marketing department.

Before joining Chicago Fire, Moriarty was Vice President of Marketing for the Chicago Bulls, where he unified brand, digital, and performance marketing teams, launching a strategic framework that grew corporate partnerships and ticket revenue. His earlier roles included Senior Director of Digital for the Bulls, where he modernized digital strategy, and Digital Consultant to the Chicago White Sox, strengthening digital capabilities and cross-departmental collaboration. Moriarty also spent five years at Hyatt Hotels, guiding international digital strategy, and began his career with marketing agencies.

Originally from England, Moriarty holds a B.Sc. in Business Management from the University of East Anglia, along with certifications from Harvard Business School and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Managemen

Jessica Murphy

Jessica oversees Strategy and Operations for global marketing across all Hasbro brands, from Peppa Pig, to Transformers, to Play Doh and many more. Leading an international team, she has transformed the go-to-market process at Hasbro to up-level channel effectiveness, creative quality, and support of all lines of business. Prior to this, Jessica led the Entertainment Brand Marketing division at Entertainment One, launching 7 titles in the Kids Top 10 on Netflix in addition to helping grow the licensing business double-digits. Having spent over a decade at Paramount, she leverages her time there as VP of Retail Marketing to understand the full path to purchase and her previous agency experience to keep her curious about emerging brands, media and cultural trends. She’s a mom of two and lives in the greater NYC area.

Polly Nicholas

Polly Nicholas is the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of Unum Group, a Fortune 500 company that provides workplace benefits and services to employers of every size. As CXO, Nicholas has accountability for the end to end customer journey – driving awareness and perception of the Unum brand in the market all the way through influencing a client’s decision to renew and each touchpoint along the way. Specifically, Nicholas oversees Marketing, Field Effectiveness, Customer Enablement and Satisfaction.

A leader in the employee benefits space for more than twenty years, Nicholas is driving disruption in the industry by leveraging technology to enable more personalized, intuitive and scalable experiences. Nicholas joined Unum in 2021 as the Senior Vice President, Unum Solutions, where she led the successful expansion of the Solutions business, influencing innovation and solving key challenges for our customers. Prior to Unum, Nicholas held leadership roles at global firms Alight Solutions and Aon Hewitt, launching new offerings and driving growth. Dedicated to enhancing customer experience and driving financial performance, Nicholas is a proven leader with a track record of change management and P&L growth.

Throughout her career, Polly has remained passionate about connecting people, purpose and results to drive meaningful impact for customers and create opportunities for fulfilling work for the teams she leads. In her role as CXO, Polly ensures an unwavering customer focus remains at the forefront of innovation, and brings together strategic capabilities, technology, and insights to define the benefits experience of the future, shape the Unum brand value story in the market and ensure excellence for customers.

Steve Phelps

Steve Phelps was appointed Commissioner of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), North America’s leading motorsport, in March 2025. With this appointment, Phelps became the first-ever individual to hold this position since the sport was founded in 1948. In this position, Phelps is responsible for oversight of all operations NASCAR, as well as the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) and all 15 NASCAR-owned or operated tracks.

Under Phelps’ leadership as President beginning in 2018, NASCAR transformed its business and strengthened the sport’s position for long-term growth and success, with a focus on delivering the best motorsports racing in the world, providing outstanding entertainment experiences, and building a global community of loyal fans. The transformation of NASCAR under Phelps’ stewardship resulted in landmark broadcast rights agreements commencing in 2025 with FOX, NBC, Amazon’s Prime Video, TNT Sports and The CW. The 7-year partnerships were the result of Phelps’ focused, long-term strategic plan, providing the industry with financial stability and positioning the sport for continued success.

In 2019, Phelps led NASCAR through the sanctioning body’s landmark merger with International Speedway Corporation (ISC), integrating its operations into one, new, unified company with 14 racetracks across the country. The historic merger helped create an aligned vision for the sport while positioning a now stronger NASCAR for new growth opportunities.

The following year, Phelps guided NASCAR through its most challenging and unprecedented season to date. NASCAR swiftly implemented COVID-19 safety protocols to become the first sport to return to competition, first to safely welcome back fans and first to complete a full season schedule. Additionally, NASCAR emerged as a leading voice in the national conversation on racial equality and social justice, with Phelps rallying the NASCAR industry to reaffirm its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Under Phelps’ leadership, NASCAR introduced sweeping social changes across the sport – critical efforts that led to a surge of new fans, partners and diverse race team ownership. In recognition of this strategic shift and its immediate success, NASCAR earned Sports Business Journal’s coveted League of the Year award in 2021.

With Phelps at the helm, the sanctioning body refocused its priorities to ensure that a best-in-class racing experience is delivered to NASCAR fans on a weekly basis at track, at home or on the go. Through increased collaboration and consensus-building with the industry, NASCAR in 2021 unveiled the sport’s most dynamic new race schedule in 50 years featuring several new venues, markets and track layouts. That same year, NASCAR introduced the Next Gen race car – the most technologically advanced car in NASCAR history and a testament to the sport’s ongoing commitment to innovation. These changes led to one of the best NASCAR Cup Series seasons to date, with 2022 setting new records for both total individual race winners and total green flag passes for the lead, all while delivering a near-record average margin of victory of 1.011 seconds.

The success of this strategic transformation culminated on numerous fronts in 2023, with NASCAR running its first-ever street race in Chicago over 4 th of July weekend, introducing its fourth international series with the NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, and launching NASCAR IMPACT, the sports’ social responsibility and sustainability platform. Notably, under Phelps’ direction, NASCAR committed to a number of important sustainability benchmarks, including the goal of net zero operating carbon emissions by 2035.

Phelps joined NASCAR as Vice President of Corporate Marketing in 2005. Beginning the following year, he spent 12 years as Chief Marketing Officer and oversaw all marketing functions for the sanctioning body. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in April 2018 before transitioning to President in Septmeber 2018.

During his time at NASCAR, Phelps has won Adweek’s prestigious Sports Marketing Executive of the Year and was named its Brand Genius Award winner in the “sports” category. In recognition of his leadership elevating the sport, Phelps has been a finalist multiple times for SBJ’s Executive of the Year, as well as regularly being named to SBJ’s “Most Influential People in Sports Business” list.

Prior to joining NASCAR, Phelps was Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Wasserman. In 1990, Phelps began a 14-year tenure at the National Football League where he served as Vice President.

Corporate Marketing. A native of Vermont, Phelps has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Boston College. He resides in Daytona Beach.

Anup Shah

Anup is an innovative brand leader with 25+ years of diverse experiences in consulting, marketing, and general management for multinational CPG companies such as PepsiCo, Molson Coors, Constellation brands and SC Johnson as well as the startup space. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer for PLEZi nutrition which is PE backed startup trying to disrupt the kids beverage market with lower sugar, more nutrient dense options for kids. He is responsible for the P&L and strategic delivery of plan to the board and oversees marketing, strategy, finance, operations, and HR.

He has led the growth of multiple iconic billion-dollar brands through consumer driven innovation, digital transformation, award winning integrated marketing campaigns, and flawless go to market execution. He is a collaborative leader who builds high performing teams inspired to win in the marketplace. Anup challenges his team to push creative boundaries by encouraging bold brand action and embracing risk. Passionate about employee engagement and career development, he serves as a coach and mentor to his team, empowering them to create impactful work, while championing the rising generation of brand marketers.

Outside of his professional career, Anup spends his time being an avid outdoorsman– running, biking, basketball, golf, or snowboarding. He is originally from Mendota Heights, Minnesota and still is hoping his Vikings break the curse one of these days. Anup, his wife Seema, and their three daughters, Sienna (15), Aria (13) and Naya (9) reside in Vernon Hills, IL (suburbs of Chicago).

He also serves on the board of MMA North America. Crain’s notable marketing executives of 2021. Campaign Live 40 over 40 recipient. He holds a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA in business from the University of Michigan.

✉️ anupshah77@gmail.com

📞 847-757-8032

linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/anup-shah-64b6b7/

Shelley Willingham

Shelley Willingham stands out as a seasoned entrepreneur, founder, and accomplished C-suite executive renowned for her multifaceted business expertise and often likened to a “Swiss Army knife” in the business world. With substantial experience across start-ups and large-scale, enterprise corporations, she’s forged an impressive track record of driving revenue growth, devising innovative business strategies, and fostering inclusive marketing practices and corporate cultures.

She is the Chief Revenue Officer for The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options company. In this role, she leads the client acquisition strategy and execution while supporting each TDM business unit's development. She focuses on enhancing customer value, building competitive differentiation, and driving revenue and profit growth.

Shelley speaks at various business events and leadership conferences, coaches and consults aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners, and is a frequent on-air contributor to CNBC.

Bridget Winston

Bridget Winston is the Chief Commercial Officer of Chief, the largest and most powerful private membership organization for senior executive women.

In her role, Bridget oversees the entire acquisition and customer journey for Chief members, prioritizing a meaningful, human-centric and tailored approach throughout their experience. Prior to joining Chief, Bridget was the Chief Revenue Officer of Shutterstock where she led Sales & Customer Success. Prior to Shutterstock, Bridget held senior leadership roles for a range of technology companies.Passionate about public service and paving the way for future generations, Bridget serves on the Board of ChildFund International and serves as a mentor for women throughout their careers.