North American Leadership Conference

Chris Barton, Founder and Creator of Shazam, wanted a way to identify songs anywhere he heard them. There wasn’t one – so he invented the app called Shazam. Chris seeks to delight people by using technology to make seemingly impossible ideas come to life. Shazam is just one of them. It changed the way the world discovers music and laid the groundwork for the consumer AI industry we know today. In addition to creating Shazam, Chris holds twelve patents and played key roles in the early days of Google and Dropbox.

Chris was a founding member of Google’s Android Partnerships team where he created Android’s mobile operator partnership framework. He also spent four years at Dropbox where he led carrier partnerships and was one of the first 100 people at the company.

Chris’s newest venture, Guard, aims to use AI to detect drowning in swimming pools – a never-before accomplished effort.

When he has time, Chris enjoys speaking at events and sharing lessons learned from his experiences overcoming the impossible. He inspires people with firsthand stories that highlight key take-aways across technology innovation, persistence, removing friction, and entrepreneurship. Chris gives audiences a new framework for making big things happen.

Prior to his technology career, Chris was a strategy consultant and earned two master’s degrees from UC Berkeley and Cambridge University.  When he isn’t working or speaking, you can find Chris enjoying the outdoors and spending time with his son, Jude.

Denise Taschereau, Co-Founder and CEO at Fairware launched the company after realizing how difficult it was to source promotional merchandise that reflected the social and environmental priorities of many of the brands and organizations she admired. She is currently a board member of PromoCares, and is PPAI’s Board Chair.

Tim Howe is the Chief Operating Officer at Spectrum Designs, where he brings global experience, big-picture strategy, and a relentless drive for impact to everything he does.

Originally from Mid Wales, Tim’s story with Spectrum’s co-founder Patrick began back in their school days at Llanfyllin High School.

After earning a law degree from King’s College London, Tim went on to complete a Master’s in Public Administration at LIU Post, specializing in Non-Profit Management. From London to Luxembourg, he’s worked across Europe in a wide range of industries, sharpening his ability to lead complex teams, streamline operations, and drive sustainable growth.

Under Howe’s leadership, Spectrum Designs has expanded its impact significantly. In 2024, the organization achieved a historic milestone by generating over 69,000 hours of paid employment and welcoming 10 new team members. The company’s social media presence also grew substantially, with one video reaching over 25 million views and its accounts gaining more than 100,000 followers. Additionally, Spectrum Designs earned certification from the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, becoming the only nonprofit to achieve this distinction and demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability.

At Spectrum Designs, Tim guides Managers and Department Heads while championing operational excellence and helping hit ambitious sales and growth targets.

A recognized leader in the promotional products industry, Tim holds the Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) designation and has received numerous accolades, including SAAGNY’s Rising Star Award (2017), PPAI’s National Rising Star Award (2018), and a double 40 Under 40 nod from SAAGNY and the Business Council of Westchester (2021 & 2022).

Howe’s dedication to fostering inclusive employment opportunities has been recognized by major tech companies. He has represented Spectrum Designs at events hosted by Google and Microsoft, sharing best practices for creating neurodiverse workforces.

In addition to his role at Spectrum Designs, Howe co-authored the book “INKclusivity: Company Benefits of Disability Inclusion & How-to Implementation Guide for the Print Industry,” further advocating for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the workforce.

He is a proud member of the International Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration, He also serves on the Board of HII Tech, an innovative R&D incubator creating game-changing tools for people with disabilities and aging populations.

Ellen Rissman is an Assistant Vice President of Policy and Communications in the Economic Research Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. In that position, she manages a team providing timely policy analysis, advice, and communications support to the President and other senior executives at the Chicago Fed and is actively engaged in public outreach efforts. Her primary research interests include self-employment and entrepreneurship, structural change in the labor market, and wage and price dynamics. Her research has been published in the Journal of Monetary Economics and the Journal of Labor Economics and has also been featured in Economic Perspectives and Chicago Fed Letter—the Chicago Fed’s research periodicals. In addition, she closely follows national and regional developments in government spending and revenues.

Rissman joined the Chicago Fed in 1985 as a Research Economist. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Michigan and a Master’s and Doctorate in Economics from Northwestern University. Rissman has taught for many years at Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies in the Master of Public Policy and Administration program.

As CEO of Koozie Group, Pierre’s focus on building a dynamic culture that embraces innovation and empowers people to deliver meaningful results. His leadership philosophy combines long-term strategic thinking with a hands-on approach to execution, ensuring alignment across all facets of the business to support sustainable growth and market leadership. With extensive international experience and a deep understanding of private equity-backed environments, he thrives in fast-paced settings where transformative solutions are essential.

Pierre attended NEOMA Business School from 1997 to 2000 where he obtained a degree in Finance, Controlling and Supply Chain. Prior to that, Pierre studied Mathematics-Physics at Aix-Marseille University from 1995 to 1997.  Additionally, Pierre obtained a WSET Level 3 certification from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in 2014 and is an Introductory Sommelier since 2022.

Lindsey Davis, MAS, is the director of business development for PPAI and also oversees the association’s professional development initiatives. A promotional products lifer, she previously served as president of Solar Advertising, a promo supplier founded by her parents, and lead the company’s successful purchase by Raining Rose, where she focused on their promo efforts as director of sales.

As an active volunteer in the industry, she also has served on the Promotional Products Education Foundation’s board of trustees and the PPAI Board, before joining the association’s staff in 2022.

Catherine Graham is the CEO of commonsku, a workflow collaboration platform enabling more than 900 promotional products distributors to work seamlessly with clients and suppliers.  The platform was originally built in-house for Rightsleeve, a promotional products agency, where Catherine spent 12 years as President before selling the business in 2019.

Prior to her time in the industry, she worked in banking, completed an MBA and worked at eBay.  Her last role before joining the industry was as a management consultant at A.T. Kearney, working with Fortune 500 companies in a wide variety of areas including merger integration, marketing strategy and operational efficiencies.

Outside of work, Catherine is a mother to 3 and currently chairs the Board of PromoStandards and Communitech.

Brandon Mackay, MAS has been deeply involved with PPAI, contributing to various committees and currently serving on the Leadership Advisory Committee. He’s recognized as a PPAI Fellow and a consistent figure in industry events and publications.

With a 10-year tenure at the association, Ellen Tucker, a part of PPAI’s executive team, spearheads PPAI’s entire revenue stream and marketing, oversees professional development initiatives and orchestrates the industry’s largest trade show, The PPAI Expo.

Futurist, author, and Hall of Fame Speaker, Crystal Washington equips organizations with the knowledge they need to become “future-proof.” As a technology strategist and certified futurist, Crystal makes complex artificial intelligence, social media, and app technology easy to understand and accessible for everyday people.

Crystal’s clients include Fortune 100 companies, including Google, American Express, and Pfizer. As a sought-after keynote speaker, she has entertained and educated audiences around the globe.

As one of Forbes’ 50 Leading Female Futurists, she appears weekly on season two of the Emmy-nominated show Life 2.0. She’s also appeared in numerous publications, including Entrepreneur and Bloomberg Businessweek, and major television networks regularly call on her as a tech expert.

Crystal is the author of One Tech Action and The Social Media Why.

Kara Keister, MBA, MAS, Promise Keeper at Social Good Promotions, started her promotional professional career on the distributor side 14 years ago in sales.  She was on the OPPA Board in 2015 and served as President of the Board 2017-2019.  Kara has participated in LDW and LEAD, and was elected to the RAC Board in 2020, playing a pivotal role in the shift from RAC to the Regional Relations Committee.  In 2022, Kara was appointed to the PPAI Board of Directors as the RRC Delegate.

Founding Partner, Chris Lamond, brings more than 25 years of experience in developing, managing and implementing government relations strategies to PPAI advocacy agency Thorn Run Partners, which ranks as a top 10 K Street lobbying firm. Formerly a U.S. Senate staffer and presidential campaign advisor, Lamond has built governmental relations career forging coalitions and representing corporate, non-profit and trade association clients before federal, state and local governments. 

In the midst of the chaotic forces impacting business and the economy, Ron Insana delivers clear insights business leaders and financial professionals can use to make smarter decisions. A pioneer in television financial news reporting, Ron is currently senior analyst and commentator at CNBC. He also hosts The Market Score Board Report, a daily nationally syndicated radio program. Ron had a front row seat to the transformative AI revolution during his time as CEO of iFi AI, an AI-powered stock research platform created in partnership with IBM watsonx. He is also founder and CEO of The Insana Entertainment Group, a film and TV production company. Ron is author of four books on investing and financial markets dynamics. In his speeches, Ron makes sense of the business, economic, technological, and political news – distilling it into actionable insights his audience can use to navigate change, protect what they have, and spot fresh opportunities. Besides keynoting, he is also an outstanding moderator and interviewer.

Ron’s career in financial reporting was a total accident. He had graduated from college with a degree in film production when a producer friend at the Financial News Network hired him on as a freelance producer in 1984. FNN was the first television network devoted exclusively to financial news. One day in 1985 the network’s only two anchors got sick on the same day and Ron found himself on the air for a full eight-hour shift. With that, Ron’s financial broadcasting career was born. When the Financial News Network merged with CNBC in 1991, Ron became a regular anchor there and a frequent presence on other NBC News shows.

Ron was named one of the “Top 100 Business News Journalists of the 20th Century” and was nominated for a news and

documentary Emmy for his role in NBC’s coverage of 9/11.

His four books on Wall Street, include: TrendWatching: Don’t Be Fooled by the Next Investment Fad, Mania, or Bubble; The Message of the Markets: How Financial Markets Foretell the Future–and How You Can Profit from Their Guidance; Traders’ Tales: A Chronicle of Wall Street Myths, Legends, and Outright Lies; and How to Make a Fortune from the Biggest Bailout in U.S. History: A Guide to the 7 Greatest Bargains from Main Street to Wall Street.

Ron is a highly regarded lecturer on domestic and global economics, financial markets, and economic policy issues. Ron

graduated with honors from California State University at Northridge.

Bennie F. Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Marketing Association (AMA). As the leading global professional marketing association, the AMA is the essential community for marketers. From students and practitioners to executives and academics, AMA aims to elevate the profession, deepen knowledge, and make a lasting impact. AMA’s vibrant community of marketers spans more than 70 chapters and has a presence on 350 college campuses across North America. AMA is home to award-winning content, PCM® professional certification, five premiere academic journals, and industry-leading live and virtual training events. Bennie is the host of AMA’s podcast, Marketing / And.

He most recently served as the Executive Director of AIGA, the largest professional association for design. AIGA grows the power of design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, business driver and catalyst for positive impact. While at AIGA, Bennie hosted the acclaimed Design Adjacent podcast and the design leadership fireside chat series from 2020 to 2022.

Currently, he serves on the Board of Overseers for Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, and is a former Board Chair of the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. Bennie is also a special advisor to the People’s Graphic Design Archive. He was recently named to the Board of the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC.

Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments.

Bennie graduated from Yale University with a B.A. and from Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies with a M.S., Strategic Communications.

Drew Holmgreen was announced as PPAI’s next president and CEO in December 2024. A dynamic, creative-minded leader, he brings more than two decades of experience in brand strategy, experiential innovation, and organizational growth. With a track record of delivering results across non-profit trade associations and for-profit sectors, Drew has earned recognition as a strategic thinker who drives growth and fosters an environment of collaboration and inclusivity. Most recently, he has served as Chief Experience Officer at Meeting Professionals International, where he oversaw seven core business units: marketing, creative strategy, membership, events, media, chapters, and volunteers.