Amanda Lai

Consulting Senior Manager and Food Retail Practice Lead, McMillanDoolittle

Amanda Lai is Consulting Senior Manager and Food Retail Practice Lead at McMillanDoolittle, a Chicago-based retail consultancy, where she manages strategic planning, retail concept development, consumer research, and real estate analysis for a diverse range of global retail clients.

Richard Boyd

Founder & CEO | Tanjo AI & Ultisim

Over the last twenty-five years Richard has led or helped create some of the most innovative game technology companies in the industry. He has served as a game technology consultant for a wide variety of industries including energy, healthcare, education, and motion pictures. He is co-founder and CEO of a machine learning company called Tanjo Inc. and co-founder of a simulation learning company called Ultisim Inc. At Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin he created and led a group of innovative engineers and designers across all mission areas called Virtual World Labs. Richard joined Lockheed Martin in 2007 when Lockheed acquired 3Dsolve, a North Carolina based computer game technology firm where he was founder and CEO.

Simon Goldsack

Sr. Associate, Brand Packaging Innovation, HP PageWide Industrial

After joining HP Inc. in 2007, as well as holding regional sales positions and global marketing roles, Simon now specifically engages major brands worldwide as part of the HP PWI Brand Packaging Innovation Team, which highlights the advantages and opportunities afforded when digitally printed sustainable packaging solutions are integrated into a brands digital supply chain and GTM strategy.

Brent Lindberg

Founder / Head of Curiosity, Fuseneo

Brent’s avid curiosity and relentless questioning is what created Fuseneo, the packaging innovation team he formed over a decade ago. Together they help brands find unexpected opportunities in packaging by combining daring creativity with serious expertise

Steve Frenda

Founder / President, Inspiring-Retai

Steve is a veteran of the Consumer Goods industry with a mix of manufacturer, retailer, infotech and industry association experience. His focus lies in effective marketing to shoppers in a marketplace seismically impacted by shifting shopper behaviors, digital enablement, E-Comm and the customer power shift.

Kasey Lobaugh

Chief Innovation Officer | Consumer Industry, Deloitte Consulting LLP

For over 25 years, Kasey has worked with the world’s largest consumer industry companies to drive strategic perspectives, initiatives, and organizational change. He currently serves as the Chief Innovation Officer for Deloitte Consulting’s Consumer Industry and focuses on broad business-based strategy that enables innovative customer experiences, operational scalability, and provides outsized ROI.

Steve Starobinsky

Chief Revenue Office, Gel Blaster

Steve Starobinsky, otherwise known as KID@HEART, has the best job in the world. He’s been in the toy industry for more than 20 years and tracks toy trends around the globe, working with retailers to bring the hottest products and brands to children and kids-at-heart everywhere. As the go-to trend expert in toys, Steve wholeheartedly believes in play and its value in helping society heal. He’s passionate about toy stories, the need for them to be told, and bringing dreams scribbled on a paper napkin to fruition.

Aaron North

Chief Marketing Officer, Ultra | Mint Mobile

Aron North is the Chief Marketing Officer of Ultra and Mint Mobile. Since joining Ultra, he has brought fresh thinking and disruptive behaviors to both brands. Aron has been recognized throughout his career for creating compelling and disruptive campaigns ¬– with his work receiving multiple Cannes Lions, Addy’s, and Effies. His efforts have also garnered company-wide praise, being named Hottest Digital Marketer by Adweek, Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, Marketer of the Year, and “Marketing Genius” by Ryan Reynolds. Aron is the visionary behind Mint Mobile, birthed the brand and has led the team growing the brand to meteoric heights in just 6-years.

Jeff Braunstein

Senior Vice President of Marketing, Mint Mobile

Jeff Braunstein is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Mint Mobile, where he has responsibility for brand, channel, and social media marketing. In his role, he focuses on driving growth and brand affinity by leveraging consumer insights to develop marketing strategies, integrated marketing campaigns and customer communications. Before joining Mint in 2019, Jeff spent 10 years in restaurant and food service marketing, where he held positions at companies ranging in size from a small privately held start-up to large global brands like Taco Bell and Ajinomoto Foods. Prior to that, Jeff had a decade-long career as a television writer where he independently wrote or collaborated with teams of writers on more than 200 episodes of primetime television. Jeff received a BS from UC Berkeley and an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business.

Cari Kwong

Vice President of Marketing, Kinder’s Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces

Cari has 20+ years of marketing and sales experience in consumer goods and specializes in bringing new products to market. For the last three years, she has been instrumental in transforming Kinder’s from a Bay Area startup to the fastest growing flavoring company in the country.

Ron Miller

Principle, R&R Miller Retail Consulting

Ron Miller is a retail marketing executive with 30 years’ experience launching and scaling innovative customer experiences. Currently, Principle at R&R Miller Retail Consulting, where he supports wholesale and retail customers in areas like go-to-market, merchandising and marketing operations. Ron spent nine years in marketing and product management roles at Amazon, where he most recently was Head of Channel Marketing, with responsibility for the in-store experience for Amazon Devices in retailers in North America. Prior to that he worked in product management, developing and launching Amazon’s first physical device retail stores.

Paula Sandoval

Vice President of Operations at Goli Nutrition

Paula Sandoval is currently the Vice President of Operations at Goli Nutrition managing all aspects of Manufacturing, Quality, and Fulfillment. She has been in the CPG business for over 25 years focused on product development, commercialization, production, manufacturing, and supply chain for wellness, pharma, and beauty companies including Hyland’s Naturals, Herbalife, Johnson & Johnson, Neutrogena, and Murad.