ANA Members-Only Email Evolution Committee Meeting – One Day Immersive (In-Person Only)

Registration is now closed — please email [dmorgan@ana.com] to be added to the waitlist.

Join us in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area on Friday, May 16, 2025, for this Email Evolution Immersive, a one-day committee meeting dedicated to the transformative power of email marketing. As one of the most cost-effective digital marketing channels, email continues to prove its value in reaching, engaging, and converting customers at every stage of their journey. We’ll highlight how brands leverage email marketing to achieve significant revenue contribution while maintaining budget efficiency. Gain insights into the state of the channel, deliverability, tech and operational advancements, and the latest ways marketers are crafting compelling campaigns and journeys that not only drive conversions but also foster long-term customer loyalty.

We'll also delve into the latest trends and innovations shaping the email marketing landscape, like AI, omni-channel and marketing automation. As e-commerce continues to expand, email remains a critical tool for driving online sales and enhancing customer experience. Industry experts will share cutting-edge strategies, from advanced segmentation and personalization to automation and AI-driven content. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or new to the field, this conference offers a unique opportunity to stay ahead of the curve, network with peers, and discover how email marketing can evolve to meet the dynamic needs of today's digital consumers.

AGENDA

9:00am - 9:30am
REGISTRATION OPENS AND NETWORKING BREAKFAST


9:30am - 9:50am
WELCOME, OPENING REMARKS, HOUSEKEEPING

David C. Morgan
Business Marketing Practice & EEC
ANA

Kelly Haggard
VP, Channel Optimization and Innovation
Synchrony / EEC Co-Chair

Jose Cebrian
Senior Partner, CRM & Loyalty 
Merkle / EEC Co-Chair

Scott Cohen
CEO
InboxArmy / EEC Co-Chair


9:50am - 10:00am
WELCOME FROM SYNCHRONY

Jeff Brousseau
SVP of Performance Marketing
Synchrony


10:00am - 10:30am
BOOSTING ENGAGEMENT: VERIZON'S SUCCESS WITH EMAIL SEGMENTATION AND PERSONALIZATION

Discover how Verizon leveraged targeted email marketing to drive growth of telecom products to the Latino audience. This session dives deep into creating culturally relevant content tailored for the Latino customer. Hear how segmentation strategy was tested with both lists and languages. Plus, learn how a comprehensive set of metrics was employed to track the program's effectiveness.

Andrea Kantargis
Associate Director of Marketing
Verizon

Tracy Smith
Associate Director
Ascend Marketing


10:30am - 11:00am
DELIVERABILITY, ENGAGEMENT & ATTRIBUTION - INBOX ACTIVITY THAT ACTUALLY MATTERS NOW

With reports of declining revenue contribution, the struggle is real when it comes to getting proper attribution for email and mobile marketing channels. In this panel discussion, hear from front-line experts who may (or may not) have solved the puzzle - from deliverability to engagement to channel attribution - there’s a range of metrics that matter beyond the open, and new views into accurately measuring them. You'll learn if you’re not just reaching the inbox but, more importantly, connecting with subscribers (and if your competitors are engaging better than you!).

Moderator: Karen Talavera
Founder & Principal
Synchronicity Marketing

Nicholas Einstein
Senior Vice President of Product Marketing
Marigold

Jay Graves
Chief Operating Officer
Blueprint.Inc

Paul Shriner
Chief Evangelist, Co-Founder
Audience Point

Maggie Rose Stover
Director, Email Marketing
ETS


11:00am - 11:15am
NETWORKING BREAK


11:15am - 11:45am
YOUR EMAILS ARE A MESS (AND YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW IT)

Many email agencies and internal teams are failing at email design. Not because they don’t care—but because they don’t know any better. Web designers and print designers often get thrown into email without understanding its limitations, and marketing managers don’t know what to look for when reviewing and approving designs. The result? Sloppy emails that break in the most popular email clients, ignore accessibility, could be setting you up for lawsuits, and harming your brand reputation. This session will expose the industry’s worst habits—and teach you how to fix them.

• The biggest design and coding mistakes in email marketing—and how to fix them
• How to design for accessibility, dark mode, and mobile without cutting corners
• Why email is not web or print design and what that means for you
• What every marketing manager should check before hitting send

Evan Diaz
Director, Creative Services
RPE Origin


11:45am - 12:15pm
THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF BEING AN EMAIL MARKETER IN 2025 (AND BEYOND)

The role of an email marketer continues to evolve and has become more data-driven, strategically focused, and reliant on understanding how to deliver the most from tools and technologies that continue to grow in sophistication. The new email marketer has to have a deep understanding of customer behavior, data analysis, AI, and how their ESP should integrate with other tools in their MarTech stack. From creating personalized and targeted campaigns to customer experience optimization across the entire marketing funnel and lastly embracing an agile way of working, we will cover what it means to be an email marketer today and what skills are needed to drive success for your email program.

Moderator: Jose Cebrian
Senior Partner, CRM & Loyalty 
Merkle / EEC Co-Chair

Kelly Haggard
VP, Channel Optimization and Innovation
Synchrony / EEC Co-Chair

Will Devlin
Senior Vice President of Marketing
MessageGears

Jennifer Hoth
Sr. Director of CRM and Loyalty Consulting: North America
Dunnhumby

12:15pm - 1:30pm
NETWORKING LUNCH AND ROUNDTABLES


1:30pm - 2:00pm
IS THE JUICE WORTH THE SQUEEZE?

Got opinions? In this lively session, we'll have an open forum where we email marketers can debate the merits of the hot topics of the day. AMP for email? Generative AI? Personalization? Let's debate! We'll open the floor to you, give you "Yes/No" paddles, and see where the hijinks take the conversation.

Scott Cohen
CEO
InboxArmy / EEC Co-Chair

Ryan Phelan
CEO
RPE Origin


2:00pm - 2:30pm
THE STATE OF ECOMMERCE EMAIL AND SMS MARKETING & WHAT IT MEANS FOR BRANDS

Consumer confidence is declining, spending is slowing, and shopping behaviors are evolving — forcing brands to rethink their email and SMS marketing strategies. Yet, many don't fully understand how.

Backed by data from 28 billion emails and millions of SMS messages sent in 2024 and 2025, this session will uncover key consumer shopping trends and the strategies brands need to drive engagement, conversions, sales, and retention in a tightening economy.

Key Takeaways:

• The evolving role of email and SMS in today's customer shopping journey
• How economic shifts are impacting email and SMS marketing performance
• The highest-performing tactics for 2025 and why they work
• How to apply these tactics to strengthen BFCM sales

Greg Zakowicz
Sr. Ecommerce Expert
Omnisend


2:30pm - 2:45pm
AFTERNOON BREAK

2:45pm - 3:15pm
THE ESP RFP RECKONING: WHY 2025 IS DECISION TIME FOR BRANDS

The ESP landscape has changed significantly. If you're up for an RFP or thinking about it, and you're not questioning providers' pricing, innovation (or lack thereof), and actual value, you're setting yourself up for a world of regret.

In this session, we'll cut through the marketing fluff and show you how to navigate the ESP RFP process like a pro. No vendor bias, no buzzword bingo—just the cold, hard truths you need to make the right decision. Truths like:

• Audit Before You Auto-Renew – Is your ESP evolving, or are you funding their retirement?
• Big Names ≠ Best Fit – Brand reputation won't deliver results—innovation and transparency will.
• CDP or No CDP? – If your ESP can do the job, why pay for two tools?
• The Real Cost of That "Great Deal" – Hidden fees, implementation nightmares, and push notification upcharges (know the true TCO).
• Think Beyond 2025 – Your choice of ESP today needs to serve you for the next 3–6 years, not just the next budget cycle.

If you're about to sign on the dotted line (or just want to avoid RFP-induced migraines), this session is your survival guide. Let's make sure your next ESP decision is one you won't regret.

Chris Marriott
President & Founder
Email Connect


3:15pm - 3:45pm
RIP UP YOUR MARKETING CALENDAR: LEVERAGING AI TO DELIVER A CUSTOMER LED EMAIL EXPERIENCE

Content calendars are great tools for organizing your marketing strategy but their rigidity leads to campaigns designed for the masses leaving conversion on the table. Ballard Designs shifted this paradigm by adopting AI to focus on a customer-led experience powered by behavioral signals to showcase targeted creative elements.

During this session you'll learn how to:

• Identify what products each of your customers are interested in and how to target them accordingly
• Highlight the value and practicality of an AI tool to your partners
• Maximize the reach and ROI of your creative assets

Robbie Freeman
Director, Strategy (Financial Services)
Movable Ink

Melissa Metcalf
Senior Manager, CRM Marketing
Ballard Designs


3:45pm - 4:15pm
HOW MIZUNO RUNS BOUNDLESS LOYALTY AT SCALE

Every marketer strives to foster true loyalty with customers, building unwavering relationships rooted in trust. But what inspires that level of loyalty? And what sends consumers running to the competition? In this session, learn how Mizuno stays one step ahead by creating personalized email automations like welcome, loyalty sign-ups and cross-sell campaigns based on areas of interest and sport categories.

Lisa Fair
Growth Marketing Specialist
Mizuno

Pauline Passley
Senior Solutions Consultant
Emarsys

4:15pm - 4:30pm
CLOSING REMARKS

David C. Morgan
Sr. Manager, Business Marketing Practice & EEC
ANA

Kelly Haggard
VP, Channel Optimization and Innovation
Synchrony / EEC Co-Chair

Jose Cebrian
Senior Partner, CRM & Loyalty 
Merkle / EEC Co-Chair

Scott Cohen
CEO
InboxArmy / EEC Co-Chair