Speakers covering emerging trends to shifting expectations and new opportunities in the advertising industry.
Janey Diuguid
Radical Curiosity and a ‘Play’ Mindset in Strategy
Janey Diuguid is a Strategy Director at Big Communications, a Birmingham-based independent integrated marketing and communications agency, where she leads brand and messaging strategy across public affairs, economic development, workforce, healthcare and consumer accounts. With 12 years of experience in integrated communications, Janey has shaped strategy for the Alabama Department of Commerce, the Alabama Department of Workforce, UAB, Innovate Alabama, Eli Lilly, and others developing particular depth in Alabama’s public sector and economic development landscape. Before moving to agency work, she led corporate communications in-house at EBSCO Industries and directed marketing and communications for Highlands School. Her strength is finding the insight that connects consumer behavior to cultural momentum and turning it into strategy that drives growth.
Ashley Rutstein
Stuff About Advertising: Highlevel Trends and Shifts
Ashley Rutstein is a Creative Director and the founder of Stuff About Advertising. She examines all forms of advertising, digging into the details that explain why a campaign lands or falls flat and what you can learn from it. Recognized in Adweek’s Creative 100 with over a decade in the industry, Ashley brings honest, practical insight on creative skills and career growth to people who want the real story.
Stephanie Price
Nostalgia is reshaping how brands connect with customers—and making history more marketable than ever. Discover how your company’s heritage can strengthen brand equity and create meaningful experiences. Learn how renowned historic hotels bring their legacies to life, and explore the redesigned HistoricHotels.org and HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com, both inspired by nostalgia.
Stephanie Price is Senior Manager of Marketing and Ecommerce for Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide, leading digital marketing and ecommerce initiatives that drive revenue for more than 600 historic hotels. She holds degrees from West Texas A&M University and Kent State University, along with hospitality, tourism and Certified Tourism Executive credentials. Previously, Stephanie led marketing for the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and TEXAS Outdoor Musical for 11 years. A longtime American Advertising Federation leader, she has held numerous local, district and national roles, including Chair of the Council of Governors. Stephanie is also an active community volunteer and co-founded Sunshine for Charlotte with her husband, Joseph, in memory of their daughter Charlotte. The movement has raised more than $300,000 for organizations supporting children and families. Her honors include AAF Governor of the Year, Texas Travel Industry Rising Star and recognition from the WTAMU Communications Hall of Fame. Stephanie enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with Joseph, their daughters Madeline and Gemma, family, friends and pets.
Nolen Strals
Language As Image: An image-dense trip through Strals’ career, focused on custom lettering, type, and a love of language.
Nolen Strals is a Creative Director and Designer working with clients nationwide (and occasionally in London) from his office in Birmingham, AL. He is best known for his work in cultural spaces, entertainment, and the food & beverage industries. Nolen is not one to praise himself, but his clients don’t seem to mind doing it. They call him a mind reader, they ask in the middle of meetings “How did you just do that?” and one said he understands their business better than some of their employees. Empathetic observation paired with visuals that bridge the analog and digital divide are hallmarks of his diverse output. The big picture and the smallest details harmonize throughout his work. Strals has served as Creative Director for indie rock outfit Future Islands, was a founding partner at the creative studio Post Typography, taught at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and co-authored Lettering & Type for Princeton Architectural Press. nolenstrals.com
Anne Kierig
Anne Kierig is the Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Advertising Federation (AAF). She guides the organization’s public policy strategies and manages federal, state, and local legislative initiatives across a nationwide grassroots network.
With over two decades of experience navigating the intersection of law, technology, and public policy, Anne is a recognized expert in advertising regulation, digital privacy, AI, and cybersecurity policy. Prior to joining AAF, Anne directed global content policy frameworks and served as a primary corporate subject-matter expert on Section 230 and digital advertising standards for Amazon. She spearheaded federal government affairs and advocacy strategies for artificial intelligence, cloud issues, and cybersecurity for Blackberry. Anne advised Fortune 500 tech and telecom brands on data breach response, ecommerce laws, and privacy compliance at two DC law firms. Anne served as Office Counsel to Senator Dick Durbin and Legislative Assistant to Senator Dianne Feinstein, drafting foundational privacy and security legislation. She is a licensed member of the California and District of Columbia Bars and holds a CIPP/US credential as a Certified Information Privacy Professional.
Delaney Kalea
Creating Chapter Content
Delaney Kalea is a professional makeup artist, esthetician student, and beauty content creator with a combined audience of over 217,000 followers across social media. Through educational beauty content, makeup artistry, and authentic storytelling, she has built a community of more than 4 million likes on TikTok. Delaney is passionate about helping others grow their online presence while balancing creativity with professionalism, and she loves sharing how content creation can open doors within the beauty industry.
Hope Eakins
Creating Chapter Content
Hope Eakins is the Digital Marketing Executive at AlaCOMP, where she leads the organization’s digital marketing efforts and creates content across multiple social media platforms. She has a degree in Communication Studies from Huntingdon College and has created thousands of pieces of content for brands, organizations, and personal platforms, combining strategy with creativity. Hope has served on the AAF Montgomery Board since 2022 and currently serves as President. She enjoys helping organizations create authentic, engaging content using practical strategies, trends, and accessible tools. To her, the best part of content creation is using it as a creative outlet, and if she can make someone laugh along the way, that’s a bonus. When she’s not working, she’s usually traveling, spending time with friends and family (and her dogs), tackling a creative project, or enjoying an iced coffee.
Ellen Rose
Beyond the Click: Digital Advertising in the Age of AI
Ellen Rose is the Regional Sales Manager overseeing the Southeast region at Q1Media, where she has spent the past eight years helping brands and agencies develop strategic, full-funnel digital advertising campaigns. She has extensive experience partnering with clients across the travel and tourism, government, and higher education industries, delivering data-driven solutions that help organizations achieve measurable marketing and business outcomes. In early 2026, Ellen was honored as the Sales Person of the Year at the AAF Austin Big Wig Awards, a recognition of her dedication to clients, strategic approach, and sales excellence. Ellen believes the best client relationships are built on trust, transparency, and measurable results. She partners closely with brands and agencies to develop media strategies that align with their business objectives, bringing a consultative approach and a genuine curiosity about each client’s goals. Her focus is on creating long-term partnerships that deliver lasting value beyond a single campaign.
Leanne Weber
Beyond the Click: Digital Advertising in the Age of AI
Leanne Weber is a Regional Sales Manager at Q1Media with over 20 years of media experience, including deep roots in financial services and a strong track record of partnering with advertising agencies to grow their clients’ business. Since joining Q1Media in 2021, she has partnered with clients across a wide variety of industries to build and execute full-funnel digital campaigns. Before Q1Media, Leanne spent 16 years as an Account Executive with a major business news publisher, working with influential business leaders to grow their companies through advertising strategy. She prides herself on her attention to detail and her ability to bring the right solution to achieve client success, and she is committed to building client relationships that last well beyond the campaign.
Danielle Salley
How to Serve the Koolaid
Danielle Salley is a freelance creative director and designer with a background in branding, advertising, and web development. Located in South Carolina, Danielle has nearly 20 years of experience working in the advertising industry. In 2023, she started her own company, Danielle Salley Creative. Her passion for advertising is clearly seen through her dedication to the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Through this organization, she has been awarded National President of the Year (AAF Midlands, 2014), Member of the Year (AAF Midlands, 2016), National Governor of the Year (AAF District 3, 2020), Legion of Excellence (AAF District 3, 2024) and is a Silver Medal recipient (AAF Midlands, 2021). She also served on the AAF National Board of Directors from 2019 to 2024.