Conference Agenda

WELCOME REMARKS

Warren Marenco Chase

Vice President, Managing Director, Copper Giants In-House Agency Liberty Mutual Insurance

NAVIGATING AI’S IMPACT ON THE SEARCH CHANNEL

Within Wells Fargo’s Paid Media Center of Excellence, search continues to be a significant channel for brand awareness and consumer engagement. To keep pace with changing consumer behaviors around search, Elizabeth Avery and her team are leaning into AI. Here, Elizabeth will offer key learnings and advice on how in-house teams can approach AI for search while also providing examples of AI use cases that demonstrate AI’s incredible potential as well as its key challenges. 

Elizabeth Avery

Vice President, Media Platform Wells Fargo

THE POWER OF REFILLING YOUR CUP: GETTING THE BEST, NOT THE MOST, FROM YOUR IN-HOUSE CREATIVE TEAM

A typical challenge of in-house agencies is the desire to provide full-service capabilities to their companies without the bandwidth to support everyone’s marketing needs equally. At Window Seat, Delta Airlines’ award-winning in-house agency, creative quality takes priority over deliverable quantity. Hear from Window Seat’s leader, Maya Dukes, on this refreshing workflow strategy. 

Maya Dukes

Managing Director Global Brand Strategy, Creative & Social Media Delta Air Lines

FIRESTARTER SESSION BY ANALYTIC PARTNERS: CALIBRATING CREATIVITY: THE SCIENCE OF TURNING DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHT INTO CREATIVE IMPACT

They say great marketing is both an art and a science. You’ve got the creative talent, but are you maximizing the commercial impact of your work? In this firestarter session, we’ll discuss how leading in-house agencies are using Commercial Analytics to guide decision-making, from brand vs. performance investments to channel strategy and audience engagement. Hear how brands can elevate creative impact with data-driven insight.

Kristin Moody

Senior Vice President, Customer Engagement Analytic Partners

STAY INSPIRED: THE ART OF DAYDREAMING

This is the story of how a fine arts kid from the U.S. Midwest built a creative center of excellence for a multibillion-dollar business and some of the world’s most admired brands, from Moen to Master Lock. It’s a profound examination of not just creative that resonates but also the humans who make it and the kind of thinking that inspires it. 

Emily Koehler

Creative Director Fortune Brands Innovations

GIVING IN-HOUSE AGENCIES THE KEYS TO B2B EXPERIENCES

The annual Molson Coors Distributor Convention is the biggest opportunity to build belief and momentum with Molson Coors’ Distributor partners. Volt Studio, Molson Coor’s in-house agency, was trusted to become the lead agency to execute their company’s most important event of 2024, and they delivered. Here, Volt Studio’s leaders remind us of two important truths: 1) there is creativity and innovation to be found in B2B campaigns, and 2) in-house agencies have the potential to be strategic centers of excellence for the marketing organization. 

*Please note: This session is available for live viewing only and will not be accessible on-demand.*

Liz Cramton

Director of Marketing, Imports, Above Premium Beer Molson Coors

MAXIMIZING IN-HOUSE CONSUMER RETAIL MARKETING WITH AI: HOW ESTYLE IS DRIVING INNOVATION WITH STAGWELL MARKETING CLOUD

As the #1 hair gel brand in the U.S., ESTYLE faces the challenge of staying top-of-mind while driving awareness and reducing reliance on external agencies. To stay ahead, the brand needed in-house tools to streamline concept development, content creation, and media flighting. Partnering with Stagwell Marketing Cloud, ESTYLE now leverages AI-powered tools seamlessly integrated into their marketing workflows—enhancing in-house efficiency to support innovation. Join us to explore how ESTYLE and Stagwell Marketing Cloud are reimagining marketing with AI—boosting efficiency, driving smarter content creation, and shaping the future of brand growth.

Julie Marchant-Houle

Chief Executive Officer ESTYLE

CLOSING REMARKS

Warren Marenco Chase

Vice President, Managing Director, Copper Giants In-House Agency Liberty Mutual Insurance

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

Conference attendees will have the option to join a themed table and have breakfast with peers knowledgeable about and interested in a similar topic starting at 7:30am. These will be informal discussions that allow attendees to network with each other to start the day. To join a table, simply look towards the front of the breakfast room for the tabletop sign with the breakfast theme you would like to attend. You do not need to register or reserve a seat at your desired table in advance of breakfast.

1. Getting Started with In-Housing
   Moderated by:
   Laurie Schiada, VP, Creative & Content, The Hive - Humana
2. Transforming the In-House Process with AI
   Moderated by:
   Beth Anne Mandia, Director, Brand & Creative Services – TruStage
   
   Andrew Swinand, CEO – Inspired Thinking Group (ITG)
3. Nearshoring for Creative Production Outsourcing
   Moderated by:
   Scott Armstrong, Partner & CEO – Brainrider
   Nolin LeChasseur, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer – Brainrider
4. Pros and Cons of In-House Billing Models
   Moderated by:
   Mary Frank-Arlt, Director, Brand & Studio Operations – Kohler
   Jackie Jags, Senior Director, In-House Agency - Chick-fil-A
5. Taking Care of the Creative Team: Avoiding Burnout and Boosting Morale
   Moderated by:
   Amanda Mellen, Senior Director, ID8 (In-House Agency) Account Management & Operations – Gen Digital
6. Talent Acquisition and Retention
   Moderated by:
   Yvette Steinhardt, Executive Director, Marketing Creative and Production Services, Lilly Marketing Studios – Eli Lilly and Company

PUTTING INTELLIGENCE BACK INTO AI: WHY WE NEED TO FOCUS ON INTELLIGENT, NOT ARTIFICAL, SOLUTIONS

AI will radically transform how we work, but there is also so much noise in the marketing world today on AI, it is hard to know what is real.  This session will focus on what is possible today with AI and how Operational AI versus Generative AI is the fastest path to delivering tangible value by streamlining processes, eliminating traditional bottlenecks, and automating tedious manual tasks within a brand’s marketing operations. Learn from the best practices being deployed today across +200 global brands.

Andrew Swinand

CEO Inspired Thinking Group (ITG)

PRESENTING SPONSOR REMARKS

Adam Komack

Vice President, Enterprise & Regional Marketing monday.com

OPENING REMARKS

Bill Duggan

Group EVP ANA

WELCOME REMARKS

Warren Marenco Chase

Vice President, Managing Director, Copper Giants In-House Agency Liberty Mutual Insurance

AI UNLEASHED: SUPERCHARGING YOUR IN-HOUSE AGENCY FOR EFFICIENCY AND INNOVATION

In today's business environment, in-house agencies face the daunting challenge of managing skyrocketing content demands, business expectations, and increased productivity with fewer resources. AI can revolutionize how in-house agencies operate when used effectively, driving efficiency and results. Melanie Huet, CMO of Newell Brands, will share her insights on how Newell leverages AI in its consumer insights, marketing strategies, content management, and employee upskilling. Learn how Newell developed 20 AI consumer personas for testing and idea generation. These personas have enabled Newell to generate actionable insights and ideas, reducing research costs and time investment. She will also discuss how AI is being used to rebuild the team’s internal content supply chain and upgrade their marketing technology stack with a vision of delivering 5X content without increasing internal headcount. By leveraging AI, Newell’s in-house team is unlocking value creation and enhancing its strategic capabilities to win in the marketplace.

Melanie Huet

Co-CEO Home & Commercial Segment Newell Brands

THE BEST IN SHOW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BAYER AND ENERGY BBDO: CLARITIN DIVERSITREE

2024 Best in Show winner at the ANA In-House Excellence Awards, Claritin Diversitree, showcased Claritin’s commitment to sustainability by creating a world with less pollen by planting more female trees. The bold marketing strategy behind the project was a close partnership between Bayer’s in-house media team and the creative minds at Energy BBDO. Together, they demonstrated the impact in-house agencies can have with external partners, and how in-house media is transforming the way brands engage with their audiences. 

Ryan Gang

Head of Social & Search Ad Buying, Consumer Health Bayer

FIRESTARTER SESSION BY SYSTEM1: LEVERAGING EMOTION TO AMPLIFY CREATIVE’S COMMERCIAL IMPACT

How can creative deliver the strongest short- and long-term results for brands?
Join System1's Alex Banks and Mike Perlman for an educational session that highlights how in-house creative teams can leverage the power of emotion to make better, more impactful ads. Get inspired by a few of consumers' favorite Super Bowl ads of 2025 and the key takeaways for developing entertaining creative that elicits emotions in audiences and leads to business and brand effects.

Alex Banks

Senior Vice President System1

UPGRADING YOUR IN-HOUSE AGENCY: TAKING YOUR TEAM FROM STARTUP TO STANDOUT

With over 80 percent of ANA member companies taking advantage of in-housing, the story is no longer about the beginning stages of building an internal team. Now, the focus is on updating and upgrading to maximize the in-house team’s potential. At Progressive Insurance, in-house agency ninety6 has scaled their operations to manage more than $1 billion of media spend completely in-house. Learn how ninety6’s leader, Matt Dillon, has led this transformation. 

Matt Dillon

Business Leader Creative Development Progressive

MASTERING CHANGE MANAGEMENT TO OPEN MORE ROOM FOR IN-HOUSE CREATIVITY

At Airbnb, Hoon Kim optimizes workflows at scale to let creatives do what they do best and not be bogged down by process. With optimization comes change management, the ability to continuously improve systems without disrupting the work. From Hoon’s experience, learn how to navigate your in-house agency around internal and external changes, as well as the significant transformations that come with ever changing technologies such as AI.

Hoon Kim

Content Production Lead, Marketing and Creative Operations Airbnb

HOW THE LARGEST BICYCLE MANUFACTURER TRANSFORMED ITS MARKETING OPERATIONS

Learn how Giant Bicycles revolutionized its in-house agency model using monday.com. Led by Chris Degenaars, associate manager of global digital experience, and Doug Barnett, global marketing communications manager, this session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Giant Bicycles effectively manages its portfolio of brands across international markets. Learn how Giant accelerates workflows, gets teams working together, and allocates resources for maximum impact.

Doug Barnett

Global Marketing Communications Lead Giant Bicycles

LUNCH SESSION: POWERING SCALE WITH DATA AUTOMATION

If utilized well, data and automation has the opportunity to power creativity and scalable transformation. Foundations of the current and the future creative teams need to include: knowing how to manage and visualize data, streamline workflows with automation and engage partnerships to enhance your vision. Your team’s future is here.

Crystal Burback

Senior Director Agency Partnerships & Delivery Aquent Studios

THE GIFT OF SIMPLICITY

Join Jamily Knight, VP, Creative at Chewy, as she shares her expertise on driving growth and success within in-house agencies. With a focus on navigating the evolving marketing landscape, Jamily will provide insights on building a thriving in-house agency model that delivers exceptional results. In this informative session, Jamily will explore key trends and challenges impacting in-house agencies today, strategies for optimizing in-house agency operations and workflows, and best practices for fostering creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Gain valuable insights from Chewy's successful in-house agency model and learn how to position your in-house team for continued growth and success.

*Please note: This session is available for live viewing only and will not be accessible on-demand.*

Jamily Knight

Head of Creative Chewy

UNLOCKING IN-HOUSE AND EXTERNAL PARTNER SUCCESS

With a proven track record of driving groundbreaking work for clients like Marvel, FanDuel, and eos, Mischief will share their unique perspective on creating a collaborative and fearless environment where creativity thrives. In this insightful session, they will explore the power of strong agency/in-house partnerships, strategies for developing a culture of collaboration and innovation, and how to overcome challenges and maximize the potential of in-house agencies. Discover how to unlock the full potential of your in-house agency and achieve extraordinary results.

Dana Buckhorn

Associate Creative Director Mischief

FIRESTARTER SESSION BY XR PAY: THE HIDDEN ENGINE BEHIND CREATIVE FREEDOM: WHY GLOBAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT SHOULDN’T BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT

As brands increasingly shift creative operations in-house, they gain control—but also face new risks. In this session, Michael McGuire, President of XR Pay, explores how the explosion of content across platforms has magnified the need for proactive global rights management. Drawing on real-world examples from top brands, he shows how connecting rights, payments, and asset data in a unified system not only protects against costly missteps but unlocks creative agility and savings. Discover why rights management is no longer a back-office function—it’s your creative insurance.

Michael McGuire

President XR Pay

YOUR NORTH STAR ADVANTAGE: HOW VALUES-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP ELEVATES YOUR CAREER

Scott will reveal how identifying and aligning your personal mission, values, and strengths can be the key to accelerating career growth and maximizing impact. Through his proven, actionable framework, attendees will learn how to elevate their performance, cultivate authentic leadership, and unlock deeper personal and professional fulfillment.

Scott McAllister

Founder & CEO MCA Executive Services

THE GOLD IS IN THE BUILDING: EVOLVING THE EDWARD JONES AGENCY, BRICK BY BRICK

In three years, the EJ Agency went from doing mostly design and production work to attaining AOR status. How did they build out their capabilities and build up their reputation? Maeve Dohogne, ECD and the ANA’s inaugural In-House Leader of the Year (2024), helped lead the change. She shares how focusing on high-impact creative work and staying true to defined core values have helped EJA grow as a team, generate demand, and foster a culture of collaboration and generosity. Get a behind-the-scenes take on a couple of key successes, what they’ve learned along the way, and the “gold bricks” EJ Agency is putting in place next. 

Maeve Dohogne

Executive Creative Director Edward Jones

CLOSING REMARKS

Warren Marenco Chase

Vice President, Managing Director, Copper Giants In-House Agency Liberty Mutual Insurance

FROM VENDING MACHINE TO VISIONARY: USING CREATIVE OPERATIONS DATA TO EARN A SEAT AT THE STRATEGY TABLE

Austin Wessel

Senior Enterprise Customer Success Manager Lytho

AI-READY OR LEFT BEHIND: WHY THE NEXT MEDIA ADVANTAGE STARTS WITH STRUCTURE

AI is transforming marketing—but without the right foundation, it can’t deliver real results. In this dynamic keynote, Alex Högman, Co-Founder & CEO of Camphouse, will share how leading brands are preparing their media operations to thrive in an AI-powered world. You’ll discover why creative excellence alone is no longer enough, how structured media data is becoming the ultimate competitive edge, and why the right mix—creative, channels, timing—wins every time. From Lego metaphors to real-world case studies, Alex will challenge in-house teams to rethink the way they build campaigns—and show why AI readiness is now business readiness.

Alexander Högman

Co-Founder & CEO Camphouse

Enjoy the opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues in-person. This reception kicks off an evening of celebrating the incredible creativity and innovation of in-house marketing teams. No one knows your brand better than those in-house. 

Access included with registration.

Category grand prize winners will be announced across 22 main categories for the top in-house teams delivering the best creative, strategic, and growth-driving marketing campaigns of the year. The event culminates with the In-House Leader of the Year, In-House Agency of the Year, and Best in Show award announcements, honoring the best in-house work of 2024 as selected by the ANA In-House Excellence Awards Grand Jury.

Join us for an evening of dinner, drinks, and to celebrate individuals and organizations that have achieved outstanding success!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

Conference attendees will have the option to join a themed table and have breakfast with peers knowledgeable about and interested in a similar topic starting at 7:30am. These will be informal discussions that allow attendees to network with each other to start the day. To join a table, simply look towards the front of the breakfast room for the tabletop sign with the breakfast theme you would like to attend. You do not need to register or reserve a seat at your desired table in advance of breakfast.

1. Measuring the Financial Value of In-Housing
   Moderated by:
   Yvette Steinhardt, Executive Director, Marketing Creative and Production Services, Lilly Marketing Studios – Eli Lilly and Company
2. Transforming the In-House Process with AI
   Moderated by:
   Beth Anne Mandia, Director, Brand & Creative Services – TruStage
3. Pros and Cons of In-House Billing Models
   Moderated by:
   Lori Hobson, SVP Managing Director – The Wonderful Company
4. Building Trust with Internal Stakeholders
   Moderated by:
   Donovan Stohlberg, Director, Internal Creative Agency – Securian Financial
5. Transitioning from External Agency Life to In-House
   Moderated by:
   Annie Castellano, Head of Brand + Agency – Edward Jones
6. The Future of In-Housing
   Moderated by:
   Mary Frank-Arlt, Director, Brand & Studio Operations – Kohler

SO HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL? SELECT INSIGHTS FROM INNERINDEX IHA SENTIMENT STUDY

The performance of in-house agencies isn’t just shaped by tools and workflows - it’s shaped by people. In this interactive session, InnerGroup CEO Fred Schuster will introduce the InnerIndex, a proprietary comprehensive benchmarking and cultural sentiment study of the IHA community worldwide, that reveals the emotional and psychological dynamics driving, or draining, team performance. Attendees will hear actionable strategies to turn sentiment data into clear operational improvements that enhance efficiency, culture, and outcomes. This study would benefit in-house agency leaders, CMOs, and marketing operations leaders who want to drive smarter decisions by listening deeper.

Fred Schuster

CEO InnerGroup

WELCOME REMARKS

Warren Marenco Chase

Vice President, Managing Director, Copper Giants In-House Agency Liberty Mutual Insurance

THE EVOLUTION OF IN-HOUSE CREATIVITY: A COCA-COLA PERSPECTIVE

Join Islam ElDessouky, Global Vice President Creative Strategy and Content at Coca-Cola, as he explores the evolving role of in-house creative agencies. Discover how Coca-Cola's in-house agency has adapted to meet the demands of a rapidly changing marketing landscape. This session will delve into strategies for fostering innovation, maximizing creative output, and leveraging the unique advantages of an in-house model. Learn how Coca-Cola's in-house agency drives brand growth and delivers impactful content on a global scale.

Islam ElDessouky

Global Vice President Creative Strategy and Content Coca-Cola

THE EXTERNAL AGENCY SKILLS THAT WORK IN-HOUSE & NEW SKILLS REQUIRED

Jonah Bloom has had a diverse career. He was editor of Advertising Age for eight years and followed that up with a stint at creative agency Kirshenbaum Senecal Bond, where he was a member of the leadership team. Now, he leads consumer marketing at Asurion, the world’s leading tech care company. The in-house team there has 60+ people and is responsible for brand strategy, creative, web design and content, SEO, paid media, social media and PR. In this session, Jonah will share perspective on the skills that are valuable and transferable from the external agency world to in-house and the new skills required to maximize success.

Jonah Bloom

Vice President Consumer Marketing, Chief Creative Officer Asurion

FROM BRIEF TO BREAKTHROUGH: RESOURCING AND PLANNING WITH AGILITY FOR BRAND SUCCESS

As creative teams face increasing demand, shrinking timelines, and unpredictable workflows, operational excellence has become mission critical. In this panel, creative operations leaders share how they are evolving resourcing strategies, building healthier partnerships, and staying flexible in a world where much of the work is unplanned. Expect practical insights on managing internal and external talent, scaling with AI and offshoring, and staying aligned with business goals and planning cycles to stay ahead.

Erica Akella

Director of Content, Global Marketing and Creative Grammarly

BUILDING THE IN-HOUSE CREATIVE TEAM OF THE FUTURE TO INSPIRE NEXT-GEN CREATIVES

As a purpose driven leader, teacher and award-winning Creative Director, Rego Marquiis is in perpetual pursuit of the different, novel, human, joyful. His experience building in-house creative agencies for Fortune 20 Brands has helped shape his view on the art and science of systems thinking and the power of creative disruption as a way to drive culture change and business growth. He suggests positive performance can be tracked back to two components of modern marketing: living your truth (superior products, better service, a unique offering, a strong POV etc.); and, putting humans at the center of all you do. Here, Rego will detail the journey of building Rocket Mortgage’s in-house creative team, and how it is designed to not just deliver great work, but to foster great inspiration.

Rego Marquiis

Executive Creative Director Rocket Mortgage

GROWING YOUR TEAM: MEASURING THE VALUE OF IN-HOUSING

One year ago, Bridgestone were attendees of the In-House Agency Conference, eager to take their in-house team from startup to standout. Today, the Content & Creative team has quickly scaled into a strategic center of excellence within Bridgestone’s marketing enterprise. While delivering game-changing creative is an important priority for this team, so too is the importance of proving their value through elevated, consistent content and cost-avoidance tracking. Annie Pickle, manager of the Content & Creative team, will share a timeline of her team’s growth and their strategies for measuring success and gaining stakeholder trust.

Annie Pickle

Manager, Content & Creative Bridgestone Americas

CLOSING REMARKS

Warren Marenco Chase

Vice President, Managing Director, Cooper Giants In-House Agency Liberty Mutual Insurance