Jeffrey Mirman – VP of Marketing, Turner Sports

Jeffrey is responsible for maintaining the brand vision for TurnerSports’ online properties which includes Bleacher Report, NASCAR.com, PGA.com, and PGATOUR.com. Mirman also oversees marketing of the NBA Digital portfolio, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA League Pass, NBA League Pass Broadband, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com. Additionally he is charged with strategic marketing and planning for Turner Sports’ television sports properties, which includes the NBA, MLB, NASCAR and professional golf.

Mirman comes to Turner Sports from Starwood Hotels and Resorts as director of brand integration and mobile strategy as well as director of interactive marketing, overseeing brand marketing and interactive media. He led Starwood’s global strategy for mobile applications, as well as the strategy for Sheraton.com which created a unique, branded consumer experience and created a global merchandizing program.

Ema Carr - Marketing and Communications Manager, YEAH! BURGER

YEAH! BURGER is one of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants and an area leader in small business social media use. Ema has significantly, and organically, grown the small chain’s social media fan base by establishing a brand identity, listening to her consumer and using real-time customer service.

With a background in marketing and public relations, Ema specializes in growing Atlanta-based brands into hospitality and entertainment industry leaders, with a strong focus on social media strategizing. For social media tips, or the occasional foodie photo hash tagged #BeenThereAteThat, follow @emmycupcake on Twitter and/or Instagram.  YEAH! BURGER is also active on Twitter and Instagram @yeahburger.

Mathilde Piard - Social Media Manager, Cox Media Group

Mathilde oversees strategy for 11 broadcast television stations, 86 radio stations, four metro newspapers, more than a dozen non-daily publications and 130 websites. In her role as the company’s subject matter expert, Mathilde consults with publications and stations across the country on the best ways to leverage social media and engage communities. She is also the product owner for social features and functionality integrated across all Cox Media Group websites, managing related partnerships and business development.

Mathilde has spoken on social media at conferences around the country, including for the Online News Association, the National Association of Science Writers, Key Executives Mega-Conference, past SoCon events, and more. In June 2012, she was asked by the U.S. Department of State to spend a week with the African Union in Ethiopia working on their social media strategy, followed by a week training various groups of journalists in Senegal.

Prior to joining Cox Media Group, Mathilde served as an internet producer for the Palm Beach Post, a Cox newspaper in Florida. There she designed and implemented social media innovations and helped direct blogging and social media training for reporters and editors. She holds a masters degree in digital media from Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York.

Connect with Mathilde on Twitter @MathildePiard 

Russell Sauvé - E-Commerce and Social Media Manager, The Fox Theatre

Russell Sauvé is the E-Commerce and Social Media Manager for the Fox Theatre where he guides all content creation and publishing to various static and interactive platforms including; social media, the historic Fox Theatre marquee, interior plasma screens and all eblasts. The Fox Theatre has the #1 social media presence for any theatre or performing arts center in North America and #7 overall behind such national recognized brands as Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Madison Square Garden, Rupp Arena, and the Staples Center.  Prior to joining the Fox, Russ was the Event Services Manager for The Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, Georgia, and Event Coordinator and Theatre Manager for The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. In his spare time Russ enjoys spending time with friends, his wife Ellen, and their 3 year old daughter Tess, who will one day be an astronaut, President of the United States, and baseball’s 1st female Cy Young award winner.

Lindsay Reene - Social Tech Geek (Social Engagement Manager), Engauge

Lindsay is immersed in social strategy, social engagement, and digital marketing. She has led progressive social media initiatives and has been actively using social channels personally for eight years. She has led social strategy and engagement for tier one CPG, loyalty, and retail clients, including multiple Coca-Cola brands. Lindsay loves the local neighborhoods of Atlanta. Follow her on Twitter/Instagram at @GeekLindsay, on her blog at LindsayReene.com, or catch her frequent conversation on the #geekout hashtag.

Paul Eulette – Digital Marketer, 22 Squared

Paul has years of digital marketing experience, specializing in interactive community management and content strategy for CPG, technology and entertainment brands. His passion for connecting people around brands online stems from his background in journalism. Running the online publication Quarterlife Magazine and teaching local Atlanta writers about ePublishing, Paul is dedicated to providing the online population (both brands and people) with great content.

Mike Lorey – Marketing Operations Manager, Emcien Corporation

Mike Lorey is an Atlanta-based creative professional, real-food advocate, meadmaker, and CrossFitter…among other things. He is currently working as the Marketing Operations Manager at Emcien Corporation, a leading provider of pattern-based analytics solutions, where he makes all the marketing-related systems play nicely together. Mike also is a Crop Mob Georgia Mob Boss, a member of the Georgia Organics Communications Committee, and was the consulting Meadmaker at Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega. His varied interests and passion have certainly left their mark on many people…and of course the Internets…just type his name into your favorite search engine.

Session: Even Big Data Needs Big Data: Solving the Challenges of Marketing an Unknown Product

Maria Stephens – PR Manager, Emcien Corporation

Maria Stephens has been swimming in some of the most technical waters out there: oil/gas, smart grid, and supply chain. In addition to working as a creative in these challenging sectors, she has also managed social media for dozens of B2B technology companies. Today, she is actively combining her creativity with her interests in mathematics and technology as the PR Manager at a technology corporation. Maria also volunteers for the TEDxPeachtree marketing and planning committee. When she’s not reading, listening to doo-wop, or snuggling with her cat, Mr. Toast, she’s tweeting at @B2B_Maria.

Session: Even Big Data Needs Big Data: Solving the Challenges of Marketing an Unknown Product

Grayson Daughters – Digital Content Editor, The Daily Report

Currently, Grayson Daughters is Digital Content Editor for a very old Atlanta daily newspaper, the Daily Report. Thus Daughters’ professional work is positioned in the center of the digital divide between crafting print and digital journalism -  a place where the media rubber meets the road, so to speak. Her long and varied background in Georgia media is within traditional broadcast media, communications for large corporations, and entrepreneurial endeavors. She immersed herself in numerous new media endeavors and experimentation with the company she founded, WaySouth Media.

Daughters has been engaged, active and instructive, both professionally and personally, in a variety of social media tools and platforms. She is an avid photographer, videographer, writer, and a voracious pan-media consumer as well as a content creator. She is keenly interested in and aware of Georgia politics – particularly as applied to emerging media platforms. Find her on Twitter at @SpaceyG.

Session: Is the Data Tail Wagging the Journalism Dog?

Josh Martin - Manager of Social Media, Arby’s

In this role, Josh is responsible for developing and executing social media strategies and tactics for all of Arby’s social media platforms. Josh oversees Arby’s communities on Facebook and Twitter and has launched Arby’s presence on several social media platforms including Foursquare, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Prior to joining Arby’s, he was a Social Media Strategist at Engauge where he led social media strategy for several clients including Chick-fil-A, Hershey’s, and Food Lion. You can follow him on Twitter at @Jmart730 or follow his blog at http://welcometojmart.com/.

Session: Customer Engagement in the Palm of Your Hands, Going Mobile

Matt J. Duffy, Adjunct Professor, Georgia State University

Dr. Matt J. Duffy teaches journalism and communication courses at Georgia State University and researches international media law. He’s taught communication law for years, both in the United States and in the Middle East. Duffy’s written extensively about how different jurisdictions approach the regulation of defamation and copyright infringement. He just finished a book for the International Encyclopedia of Media Laws on the regulatory environment of the United Arab Emirates. Follow him on Twitter: @mattjduffy

 Session: Law, Ethics, and Social Media: A Primer on Copyright Law, Fair Use, and Defamation in a Digital World

Jim Hodgson - Editor-in-Chief, The Atlanta Banana – Owner, Hodgson Marketing

Jim’s a hoot, quite frankly. As founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Atlanta Banana, a satirical news site chronicling interesting (and often fictitious) happening around the city, Jim combines his passion for graphic design, writing, and humor. He has published multiple books, including a title on organic marketing in the digital age. Jim is also the founder of Hodgeson Marketing, a one-stop-shop melding his love for the visual arts, writing, and innovative approaches in the changing media landscape. Prior to setting off as an entrepreneur on multiple fronts, he taught HTML and Adobe Illustrator at Creative Circus, a premiere advertising and graphic design school in Atlanta.

Session: Organic Marketing and the Big Dumb Internet, Featuring: Cat Photos

J. Steve Miller - Founder and President, Legacy Educational Resources

J. Steve Miller is the founder and president of Legacy Educational Resources, providing global resources for teachers of life skills in public schools, churches, and service organizations at www.character-education.info. A self-styled “wisdom broker,” he collects wisdom from many fields and packages it for teachers and writers via his published books and the Web. Steve is an educator, entrepreneur, and speaker, having taught audiences from Atlanta to Moscow. He’s known for drawing practical wisdom from serious research and communicating it in accessible, unforgettable ways. His wife, Cherie, and their seven sons continually remind him what works and what doesn’t. Connect with him at www.jstevemiller.com.

Session: Getting on the Write Side: Social Media for Authors

Matt Druin – Photographer and Owner, Matthew Druin Photography

Matt Druin is an Atlanta-based professional photographer and owner of Matthew Druin Photography, specializing in awesome people and relationships. He is also a freelance editorial and commercial photographer that has been published in Jezebel Modern Luxury among other publications. His superpowers include being a visual problem solver and making people feel comfortable. He has a passion for people and their stories which is why his professional and personal work is strongly focused on portraits in one way or another.

Matt has a varied background in business, sales, management, and design. In his free time, Matt loves to draw, teach others, and give back to his community. You can find out more about Matt and view his work at www.matthewdruin.com, www.mattdruin.com, and his blog at www.matthewdruin.com/blog.

Session: Detective Work: Using Social Media to Grow Your Business IRL

Wendy Darling – Communications Specialist, Health Sciences Communications at Emory University

Wendy Darling is Communications Specialist for Health Sciences Communications at Emory University. There she manages web content, social media strategy, multimedia production, and other digital communications related to the health sciences – medicine, public health, nursing, healthcare and research. In addition to her full-time job, Wendy operates a popular Tumblr blog, Art Deco Architecture, and developed extensive experience with many other social media and online communities – from LiveJournal and DeviantArt, to Twitter and Facebook – especially in connection with specific fan or niche topic communities. Wendy is also a published author and editor, recently credited as editor and contributor to the Para Imminence anthology. Follow her on Twitter at @WCDarling.

Session: Making That Tumblr Tumble

Cory Inman – Doctoral Candidate in Psychology, Emory University

Cory Inman is a doctoral candidate at Emory University whose research focuses on understanding the cognitive and neural basis of memory formation and retrieval of emotionally meaningful events. Through his research career he has employed various techniques, including eye tracking, functional brain imaging, and deep brain stimulation to examine how emotion influences cognition and memory. While it sounds complex, Cory is dedicated to being a translator of “the jargon of science” and explaining how social interactions, technology, and ours mind intersect. Follow him on Twitter at @IM_Inman.

Session: Your Brain on Social Media, Weird Science

Guy Bailey - Social Media Supervisor, Kennesaw State University

Guy Bailey has more than 15 years of digital and social media experience with major brands, non-profits, and education systems from around the globe. Guy is the only dedicated social media specialist at any University System of Georgia school, overseeing social strategy for Kennesaw State University. He has a great track record of coordinating campaigns, messaging, media outreach, content production, and public relations for international brands including the British Broadcasting Service (BBC), Open University, RE/MAX, and now KSU. Guy’s first book “Fancy Purple Mouthwash,” a humorous account of his first four years as an Englishman in the heart of the New South, is due out in early 2013. Follow him on Twitter at @guyrbailey and @kennesawstate.

 Session: 365 Days of SOcialMEdia: Trials, Tribulations, and Successes Wrangling a University’s Online Voice

Lisa M. Russell – Instructional Designer, Mohawk University – Mohawk Industries

Lisa M. Russell, former administrator of the Georgia Writers Association worked to make the organization a literary trust agent for the diverse writing communities in Georgia. As a freelance writer, she wrote about creating a social media constellation in the non-profit sector for Social Media in Context: Writers Explore the Marketplace. Lisa teaches how to make words work. When Lisa was an adjunct professor at Georgia Northwestern Technical College where she taught students how to utilize writing to land a job and keep it in a difficult economy. In her current position with Mohawk Industries, Lisa designs E-Learning courses about social media to help small businesses prosper in hard times.  Lisa makes words. On Twitter at @LMRussell.

Session: Digital Rhetoric: Making Your Words Work for You Online

Richard Kirby – Founder, Executive Impact

After 25+ years successfully climbing the corporate ladder in start-ups and Fortune100s, Richard Kirby chose to establish his own career consulting firm in 2002. Since then, he has had the opportunity to advise a broad spectrum of professionals and executives in a wide range of industries and professions. During those years he became an early adopter of LinkedIn (# 305865 of the current 200 million) and has continually advised clients regarding the use of social media in their careers … especially regarding job and career change. Richard speaks regularly on career topics and has spoken previously to the Georgia Tech alumni, Emory business school, and others. His book, Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!), is the 21st century replacement for What Color Is Your Parachute. On Twitter at @ExecutiveImpact.

Session: Career Maker or Breaker? LinkedIn, Social Media Meet Online Credibility

David Moeller - CEO & Co-Founder, CodeGuard

David Moeller is the CEO and co-founder of Atlanta-based ATDC startup company CodeGuard. He has raised over $1.8M to fund the growth of the innovative website and backup service, and received awards from TechCrunch Disrupt – NYC, VentureAtlanta, ATDC/TAG CapVenture, and the MIT Enterprise Forum. CodeGuard is a TAG Top 40 Innovative Company in Georgia. After being featured on ABC’s “American Inventor” in 2007, David co-founded a company and licensed technology to Whirlpool. He then grew a startup SAT/ACT test preparation business, Ivy Insiders, to several hundred employees and over $2M in annual revenues before leading it to an acquisition. David has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, highest honors, from Georgia Tech, and an M.B.A from Harvard Business School. He holds five patents, was selected by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association as a Top 30 under 30 (2008), was a TAG Spirit of Endeavor – Outstanding Leadership Finalist (2011), and received the TiECON Southeast: Top Up-and-Coming Entrepreneur Award (2012). Tweet him at @David_Moeller.

Session: Breaking a Leg with Social Media, Without Breaking an Arm (Or The Bank)

Carrie Montagna – Marketing Manager, McKesson

Carrie Montagna is Marketing Manager at McKesson, the largest pharmaceutical distributor in North America, with more than 12 years of experience in Atlanta’s non-profit and corporate sectors. Through her career, Carrie has worked in everything from boot-strapped start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. She’s the manager of the LinkedIn group “Non-Profit Marketing,” convening more than 20,000 members. In addition, Carrie oversees social media for McKesson, a Fortune 14 company, and several nonprofits. She truly believes in “using social media for good.” On Twitter at @CCMontagna.

Session: The Sweet Smell of Success: Is Your Non-Profit Blooming Online?

Yalanda Lattimore - Editor & Founder, DryerBuzz.com

Yalanda Lattimore is a well-respected advocate, social good, and entertainment news blogger with more than a decade of experience blogging, and two decades launching Atlanta into the social medie sphere. She is the Editor and Founder of DryerBuzz.com, which she grew from a salon newsletter to a competing news blog. On Twitter at @DryerBuzz.

Together, Liberty and Yalanda have a strong reputation for creating buzz around Atlanta. They recently ran two history-breaking streams, covering the presidential election and BlackGirlsHack, a 24-hour hackathon in Atlanta.

Session: BAM! Changing the Game Overnight

Liberty White - Exectuive Producer, RouteTV

Liberty White is the Stream Queen and Executive Producer at RouteTV and the Chozen Awards. Recentlt Liberty served as Executive Producer of Transit 22, a weekly video magazine. On Twitter at @RouteTV.

Together, Liberty and Yalanda have a strong reputation for creating buzz around Atlanta. They recently ran two history-breaking streams, covering the presidential election and BlackGirlsHack, a 24-hour hackathon in Atlanta.

Session: BAM! Changing the Game Overnight

Drew Hawkins - Director of Digital and Social Media, The DeMoss Group

Drew is the Director of Digital and Social Media at The DeMoss Group, a PR firm specializing in work for nonprofit and faith-based organizations. In addition to currently working with some of the largest nonprofits in the world, he’s worked with over 30 brands, including a lot of time spent with B2B social media and leading strategy on several CPG brands. Drew’s collaborative work with several former Engauge co-workers on Pinterest’s “Board of Man” has drawn publicity from media outlets such as Mashable and National Public Radio. In his spare time, he blogs over at www.brainwads.net and is working with his wife Megan on teaching their dog that Macbook chargers aren’t an appropriate chew toy. Find him on Twitter at @DrewHawkins.

Session: Why Are We On Social Media, Again?

Chad Bryant - Social Engagement Coordinator, Engauge

Chad has several years of social media experience and currently works as a Social Engagement Coordinator at Engauge. His brand portfolio is diverse with most of his time currently being spent helping lead social strategy for a large grocery clients and even working with a few Coca-Cola brands. Prior to Engauge, Chad let social strategy at No Limit Media, working almost exclusively with national franchise brands. In his spare time, when he’s not helping his fiancee with wedding planning, Chad is a contributing writer for The Sunbelt Hockey Journal, a publication providing quality hockey coverage for fans across the Southern US. On Twitter at @ChadATL.

Session: Why Are We On Social Media, Again?

Erin Everhart - Director of Web Marketing, 352 Media Group

Erin Everhart is the Director of Web Marketing at 352 Media Group. A former journalist and book editor, Erin specializes in social media, SEO and content development. She’s worked with some of the company’s most prominent clients, including Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and Tampa Bay Times. Erin is a professional speaker at SMX and SES, and a contributing writer for Mashable, Small Business Trends and Search Engine Land. She is an alumna of the University of Florida and currently lives in Atlanta where she’s an avid tennis player and one of the few people who actually likes grammar. Tweeting from @ErinEver.

Session: Social Media is About Relationships, Its About Time You Learn to Build Them

Meredith Pruden - Principal, MER-itocracy Creative

Atlanta native Meredith Pruden brings nearly 20 years of creative services expertise to her project work. During that time, she has worked in a variety of contract roles for industry leaders, including Atlanta Spirit (Hawks and Thrashers), PGA of America, Parisian department stores, Epson Printers, Coca-Cola Company, BIS Benefits, Global Healthcare Resources, Prenet Media and Brown-Forman (Southern Comfort and Woodford Reserve). She has been an integral member of the editorial launch teams for several print and online magazines, including Cover and Atlanta Salon & Spa, as well as the group buying web site MyDailyThread. A compelling writer, editor and strategist, Meredith is a content specialist who repeatedly has led teams to produce high impact informational and marketing copy for both traditional print and online consumption. She has been published hundreds of times as a feature journalist with specific expertise in all things lifestyle, including fashion and beauty, dining, home improvement and real estate and popular culture.  In addition to her aptitude for crafting dynamic copy, Meredith also has extensive experience realizing the artistic vision of campaigns. She has consistently ensured the logistical and aesthetic success of marketing campaigns and collateral while choreographing the production of visually riveting photography, acting as on-site art director, program/project manager and corporate liaison. She holds a Master of Arts in Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a concentration in Media Studies. Tweeting from @MER_Creative.

Session: The Art of the Hashtag: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (#fail) & How to Make Twitter Work for You

Terri founded award-winning Atlanta-based PR firm Thornton Communications more than 15 years ago. A former TV and radio reporter and producer, she also contributes to the PBS MediaShift website, and is a freelance editor for two accounting publications. Coincidentally, she did PR for KSU’s Cole College of Business for several years. On Twitter at @Ttho.

Session: Superstorm Sandy, Social Media, and the Work of the American Red Cross

Ruben Brown - Media Relations Specialist, Atlanta chapter of American Red Cross

Ruben Brown is Media Relations Specialist for the Atlanta chapter of the American Red Cross. A skilled public relations professional, he is also active on many social media platforms. Tweeting from @AtlantaRedCross.

Session: Superstorm Sandy, Social Media, and the Work of the American Red Cross

Eric Moran is the Chief Revenue Officer at Flashissue. FlashIssue is designed for people who want to create marketing content quicker and easier. It’s based on the premise that you shouldn’t need a double Phd in HTML Formatting to get a newsletter out the door. The goal of the platform is to allow you to discover, organize and package content (aka curation) for online marketing in an insanely easy way.

Eric was formerly the Director Of Advertising at Creative Loafing Atlanta and also Regional Advertising Manager at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He has been responsible for launching multiple digital sales efforts for publishers along with Daily Deal platforms including Loafdeals.com for Creative Loafing, DealSwarm for Cox Media Group. Eric lives in Marietta, Ga. with his lovely wife Kelly and daughters Kaitlyn and Kelsie. And he’s on Twitter at  @Eric_J_Moran.

Session: If Content is King, Curation is Queen: The Emergence, Ethics, and Practicality of Content Curation

Marcel is the Founder and CEO of Soket. He’s a serial entrepreneur with a background in social, technology, and online customer engagement, including significant experience on the front lines of solution development (aka coding), business analysis, start up prestidigitation, and operations.

Soket is a Social Content Management System that provides a single place for local businesses to orchestrate “all that online stuff” related to
customer engagement. Simplifying how businesses use technology to reach patrons helps them succeed while making it easier for people to find places they are passionate about. For Marcel, his passion lies in the blend of technology and local, community cultivation. Follow his tweets at @MCrudele.

Session: Going Loca-Social: Local Business + Events = Social Fuel for Customer Passion

Shannon Rentner – Director of Marketing, Emcien

Shannon Rentner has worked with dozens of technology start-up companies as a consultant, helping them build brand awareness and grow market share. Shannon brings more than a decade of business technology marketing experience to Emcien in her current role as Director of Marketing. Prior to Emcien, she served as a Fractional Director of Marketing, Director of Marketing/Content Management at BrightWhistle and Director of Global PR and AR at Servigistics. Previously, the Notre Dame grad worked as a business
technology reporter at the Austin Business Journal and an educator. You can reach her on Twitter at @ShannonRentner.

Through is role as Digital Strategy Director for the Georgia Technology Authority, Nikhil Deshpande manages content, social media presence, and the content management platform for the State of Georgia web portal, www.georgia.gov. He is also an adjunct professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Atlanta where he teaches principals of interactive media. Give him a tweet at @nikofthehill.

Session: Dialogue with the Government: A Collaborative Society

Scott Sauvé is the Programs and Media Manager at the American Institute of Architects where he publishes over 80 events a year for architects in Atlanta. Scott specializes in non-profit work, and believes strongly in the amplifying the sectors digital presence and image around the globe. A lifelong resident of Atlanta, and alumni of KSU, Scott has a strong background in content production, strategy, and not-for-profit initiatives. He has produced an interactive television show for kids called “Live It Live!” Scott spends his spare time with his friends and family, including his wife Lisa, and their 6 month old daughter Caroline.

Session: Non-Profits Need Love Too: Drumming Up Volunteers and Participation

Ed Peterson is an Atlanta-based integrated marketing consultant with 20 years of B2B sales and marketing experience.  Ed has designed social media marketing programs for AT&T, mobile loyalty platform SparkQuest, and more than 30 other small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. and Asia.  He is currently part of the team creating a demand generation program for YP, North America’s largest local search, media and advertising company. Prior to his focus on digital marketing, Ed worked in China for five years as the head of marketing for Test Rite International, a major Taiwanese trading company.  Ed holds an MBA from Georgia State University and a BA from Westminster College (MO).  He is designated as a Certified eMarketer.

Session: Welcome to LegoLand: Building Blocks of B2B Social Media

Judi and her company, New Tricks, has created a stellar track record and reputation for excellence, by helping hundreds of small businesses build and maintain a professional and easy to manage online presence and, most importantly, grow their business using Social Media. Not your typical web designer, Judi brings an unusual wealth of experience to her work, with a background that includes being a Ph.D. Psychologist, CEO of a medical records software company, and a successful real estate designer/developer. Judi is the organizer of the Atlanta WordPress Users Group with more than 1,100 members and WordCamp Atlanta 2012, is a blogger, frequent national speaker, and publishes Just a Digital Minute, a popular weekly newsletter providing actionable social media tips.  She also lives by the New Tricks motto, “It’s Never too Late” … to start a new business, to have a great website, or learn to leverage new technologies to grow your company. Follow her on Twitter at @JudiKnight.

Session: Don’t Have a Job or Need a New One? You’d Best Be Blogging

Julia Cantor is a Senior Digital Publicist at Engauge, a full-service marketing agency in Midtown Atlanta. She works leads Social Influence Marketing; building strong bonds between brands, online influencers, and their audiences. Throughout her career, Julia has worked with Fortune 100 brands across verticals including Coca-Cola, General Motors, Verizon Wireless, and Cisco Systems.  A Boston native, Julia holds a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from Emerson College and a Bachelor’s degree from Union College in New York.

Session: Influencer Marketing: 6 Steps to Gaining the Attention of Top Brands

It’s been more than a year since Carlos Quinones and a small band of game developers quit their “day jobs” to dive into mobile game and app development full-time. In 2012 alone the company he helped co-found, Secret Library, produced two games, learned first-hand the struggles facing independent developers, and laid the foundation to launch their fun-loving business practices into the stratosphere in 2013. Download Cool Pizza and Centrifeud from an app store near you. Before boot-strapping Secret Library, Carlos was a Senior Developer at Game Tap where he collaborated on games browser plug-in and other projects. He holds a degree in Game Design and Development from Full Sail University.

Session: Flooded Channels and Frigid Tears: Getting Discovered in a Saturated, Mobile World

April Phillips is the Communications Director for the American Red Cross Southeast Blood Services Division, supporting eight blood service regions in 12 states and one U.S. territory.  With nearly a decade of experience in non-profit marketing, communications, and management, April has spent the majority of her career working with non-profit organizations to enhance their brand identity and client loyalty through quality initiatives and partnerships – developing traditional programs with a digital spin.  April has pioneered the use of social media tools within the international blood banking industry, and presently oversees the social engagement efforts of eight communications staff throughout the Southeast.  She leads the national Red Cross biomedical services social and digital engagement strategic development team. Find her on Twitter @aprilmphillips.

Session: There’s More than One Way to Inspire Loyalty: How the Red Cross Uses Cross-Platform Marketing and Social Engagement to Develop Advocates

Leonard Witt holds the Robert D. Fowler Distinguished Chair in Communication at Kennesaw State University and was named an Eminent Scholar by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in May 2008. In August 2008, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Kennesaw State University. With $1.5 million in new funding from the Harnisch Foundation, he is the founder of the Center for Sustainable Journalism at Kennesaw State University. He was a journalist for more than 25 years, including being editor of Sunday Magazine at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minnesota Monthly magazine. Before entering academia in 2002, he was the executive director of the Minnesota Public Radio Civic Journalism Initiative. Follow him on Twitter at @LeonardWitt.

Session: The Power of Niche Publishing