Agenda

As CEO of Loyalty360, Mark is committed to bringing loyalty to the forefront as a critical marketing strategy. To further this goal, he has created an unbiased, market-driven clearinghouse and think tank through which users and loyalty providers can interact and collaborate with. His finger on the pulse of what’s happening in loyalty, Mark is driven to give members the expert insight and guidance they need to develop strategies and implement programs that effectively engage their customers and employees and build stronger relationships with them.

JR focuses on creating engaging data-driven experiences for brands that customers love. His commitment to craft critical thought-out strategies allows him to perform complex customer analytics and to drive results with relevant data. He specializes in customer analytics, marketing communications and strategic planning.  
 
JR has close to 10 years of experience within the Loyalty Marketing industry and has extensive experience across retail, travel, entertainment, restaurants, and financial institutions. Some of the retail companies that he has worked with are, Warner Bros, PetSmart, Dillard’s, and Walgreens.

Yosef Peterseil is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for marketing technology and a recognized leader in AI-driven marketing innovation. He is the Co-Founder and COO of Blings, a company revolutionizing how brands engage with customers through real-time, personalized video powered by its patented MP5 technology.

Before founding Blings, Yosef worked in venture capital and successfully exited his first business. His career spans consulting, go-to-market strategy, and the development of scalable marketing solutions, with a strong focus on helping enterprises grow through emerging technologies.

Yosef holds an MBA from Reichman University (IDC Herzliya) and The Wharton School. Today, he is regarded as a leading voice in marketing, loyalty, and customer engagement, and currently lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

Nirali is a Senior Product Manager at Forter, where she leads the development of scalable solutions to prevent fraud and policy abuse while preserving seamless customer experiences. With nearly a decade of product management experience, she works closely with global merchants to design configurable tools and policies that align risk mitigation with business goals. Nirali has spoken at industry events including MRC and NRF, and is recognized for her ability to translate complex fraud challenges into actionable, business-friendly solutions.

Don Smith is the Global Consulting Officer at Capillary. Prior to the Brierley acquisition, Don led Brierley’s strategic program design practice, responsible for engineering solutions that balance compelling value propositions with enhanced member experiences and data-driven customer engagement. An avid theater aficionado, Don has a passion for presentation. That passion informs Don's marketing data analytics philosophy in favor of a dynamic storytelling model that brings numbers to life through contextualization and the generation of actionable insights. Don earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Florida State University and spent 11 years teaching statistics and policy evaluation in academia. Prior to joining Brierley, Don was a research director for Dallas County, in charge of database modeling, data mining, and program reporting. He has authored several journal articles and a full-length book.

As CEO of Engage People, Jonathan Silver oversees all aspects of the business, driving long-term strategy, marketing, and sales for one of Canada’s fastest-growing technology companies (as recognized by Profit magazine). With over 20 years of executive experience in the loyalty and technology sectors, Jonathan has a strong track record of building high-growth organizations and delivering impactful solutions.

Before founding Engage People, he held several senior leadership roles in the loyalty space, including Chairman and Co-owner of MyAxs, and CEO and Co-founder of Access (formerly LRG Rewards). Passionate about the customer experience, Jonathan is focused on creating innovative solutions that generate measurable results.

He also serves on Engage’s leadership team and board of directors, and holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.

As CEO of Loyalty360, Mark is committed to bringing loyalty to the forefront as a critical marketing strategy. To further this goal, he has created an unbiased, market-driven clearinghouse and think tank through which users and loyalty providers can interact and collaborate with. His finger on the pulse of what’s happening in loyalty, Mark is driven to give members the expert insight and guidance they need to develop strategies and implement programs that effectively engage their customers and employees and build stronger relationships with them.

Your customers and team know me as Karl Mecklenburg, #77, All Pro Captain of the Denver Broncos. I'm a keynote speaker now. A CSP (Certified Speaking Professional through the National Speakers Association).
 

• 4× First-team All-Pro (1985–1987, 1989)
• Second-team All-Pro (1987)
• 6× Pro Bowl (1985–1987, 1989, 1991, 1993)
• Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
• 2× Second-team All-Big Ten (1981, 1982)

Ryan Gardiner is the Product Manager for Addtowallet. With a deep understanding of wallet technology & a hands-on approach to product development, he ensures that new features are thoughtfully scoped, thoroughly tested, & aligned with real-world user needs. Before joining Avagate & Addtowallet, Ryan held various roles across digital marketing, analytics, & operations — experiences that sharpened his eye for user experience & taught him the value of building practical tools that solve real problems. His work bridges product, QA, & service, making him a trusted partner to both internal teams & the brands using Addtowallet. When he's not troubleshooting wallet pass logic, Ryan enjoys performing music, sitting on a beach, & hanging out with his Westies.
 

Steven Douglas is the Founder and CEO of Avagate and the driving force behind Addtowallet.com, the no-code platform helping brands launch digital wallet passes for Apple Wallet and Google Pay with speed and style. With over 15 years of experience in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Steven helps companies simplify loyalty, improve retention, and modernize their mobile engagement strategies. He’s also the Co-Founder of stashr.io, the first backup and restoration utility for Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and a proud co-founder and investor in Blocks Edit, a growing SaaS platform for visually editing and collaborating on branded email campaigns. A self-taught developer who built his first app at age nine, Steven brings deep technical expertise, creative problem-solving, and a community-driven mindset to every project. Outside of work, he enjoys bowling, kayaking, and playing Mario with his toddler.

With over 12 years of experience working in professional sports, Haylee Becker manages and oversees the Green Bay Packers affinity and fan engagement programs. As Fan Engagement Manager, Becker develops and executes strategies that further enhance the Green Bay Packers’ overall footprint with its fan bases. Becker runs the Packers official kids club, loyalty program, Packers Everywhere website and social channels and leads the NFL fan engagement club directed initiatives related to the NFL Draft and Fan of the Year/International Fan of the Year contesting.

Sean Eidson is a 20 year veteran of loyalty strategy, designing, renovating, or managing over 80 consumer-facing loyalty programs covering retail, QSR, restaurant, grocery, CPG, and B2B. Prior to joining Mastercard, he led the loyalty practice at Material and was SVP Strategy at Brierley where he led insights, analytics and journey strategy.  He has an MBA from the Darden School at UVA.

Caron oversees Merkle’s Promotion & Loyalty Solutions Client Services Team and brings over 20 years of global consumer marketing experience to the team. Caron is passionate about building trusted client relationships focused on driving key business results and has proven experience in customer experience and loyalty marketing across multiple verticals including CPG, Retail, Restaurant, Automotive, Finance, Hi-Tech, B2B and Travel. Before joining Merkle in 2010, she held numerous roles with BBDO / Omnicom.
 

James Riess leads the Loyalty practice at Merkle, helping brands unlock growth through data-driven, technology-enabled customer strategies. With over two decades of global leadership experience, he is a trusted advisor to leading brands, a recognized voice in the loyalty space, and one of the architects behind Human Loyalty®, a framework that blends emotional connection with personalized marketing.

As VP of Loyalty Strategy at Merkle, Kaitlyn Mitchell specializes in fostering deep loyalty with a brand's most valuable customers. With over 16 years of experience in both agency and in-house roles, she excels in developing and optimizing loyalty programs across various industries, including CPG, healthcare, retail, and restaurants.

With over 15 years of experience in strategy and account leadership, Maria excels at developing comprehensive solutions that drive measurable business results for leading brands like Burger King, J.Crew, and Victoria's Secret. Currently serving on the Promotions and Loyalty Strategy Team at Merkle, she transforms customer data into actionable insights to strengthen brand relationships and accelerate growth.
 

Barbara Hagen is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of ThriftBooks, the world’s largest online independent seller of used and new books. Hagen has more than 20 years of experience as a senior marketing executive with an exceptional track record of success at Fortune 100 companies spanning Retail, CPG, and Tech and proven expertise in many areas including global strategy; loyalty and retention; eCommerce, inclusive of digital and performance marketing; omnichannel marketing; media, social, and multi-channel communications. Her previous roles include executive marketing leadership positions at Target, Microsoft, Best Buy and Johnson & Johnson.

As a data-driven marketer she leverages her experience to drive profitable sales growth, establish deep customer loyalty, and bring to market innovative strategies for ThriftBooks. Her extensive background has enabled her to successfully deliver continued top-line and bottom-line growth for ThriftBooks while strengthening the brand’s overall market position within the industry.

Hagen received her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Advertising from Syracuse University, an MBA in International Marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a Master of Science in Business Analytics also from NYU’s Stern School of Business.  She lives in the Seattle area with her husband, three kids, and two much-loved cats.

Aly Blawat is an accomplished CX leader with over 15 years of experience in developing and executing customer-centric strategies that drive business growth. As the Senior Director of Customer Strategy at Blain's Farm & Fleet, she has successfully led various initiatives to enhance customer engagement, loyalty, and personalization. Aly oversees customer research, insights, analytics, loyalty, personalization strategy, and customer growth initiatives at Blain's. She has held positions in Marketing, Loyalty, Ecommerce and Customer Experience with Kohl's and Harley Davidson Motor Company prior to Blain's. 

Erik Kapila is the Loyalty Program Director at Marcus Theatres, the fourth largest theatre circuit in the U.S. with operations in 17 states. Erik led the launch of Marcus Movie Club in November 2024, a paid subscription extension to their Magical Movie Rewards loyalty program. He also leads all email marketing, member research & analytics, and insights-to-action development. In 2021, Erik partnered with Brierley+Partners on a successful launch of Fleet Rewards at Fleet Farm, a Midwest farm, pet and outdoors retailer. Prior to this, Erik spent 20 years at Kimberly-Clark in various retail advisory, analytics and insights leadership roles.  

 

Erik resides in Wisconsin with family and spends his spare time playing tennis, pickleball and watching his kids play in volleyball tournaments on the weekends.  

As CEO of Loyalty360, Mark is committed to bringing loyalty to the forefront as a critical marketing strategy. To further this goal, he has created an unbiased, market-driven clearinghouse and think tank through which users and loyalty providers can interact and collaborate with. His finger on the pulse of what’s happening in loyalty, Mark is driven to give members the expert insight and guidance they need to develop strategies and implement programs that effectively engage their customers and employees and build stronger relationships with them.

Joe Leone is Senior Director of Loyalty and Customer Insights at Tractor Supply Co. where he is privileged to lead the Neighbor’s Club - one of the largest and fastest growing loyalty programs in retail.  With over 40M members and $12B in sales, the program leverages robust analytics and data science to connect each customer with the most compelling marketing and uniquely relevant offers.  Joe is a retail veteran with over 25 years of experience leading teams across the merchandising and marketing spectrum.  He holds a bachelors in Finance from the University of Puget Sound and an MBA from the University of Houston.
 

Shamba, a 25-year veteran of the loyalty industry, partners with brands to determine the best loyalty marketing solutions to reach their objectives and drive growth. She's a strategic thinker and passionate about making loyalty better for all clients and their customers.

The current Head of Loyalty for Giant Food, Ryan Draude has invested his career in the evolution of long-term customer relationships made through the benefits of loyalty & retention programs.

With Giant, he is responsible for fostering the customer relationships with prospective and current shoppers across omnichannel interaction points and forging the path toward benefits and experiences that serve millions of shoppers who shop both in-store and via eCommerce across the Mid-Atlantic.

Ryan formerly led Choice Privileges, the multi-billion-dollar reward program for Choice Hotels, and over a five-year period overhauled the program via the scrutiny of member data and the respect to listen to what members sought from the program. The results catapulted the program to its first major Freddie Award and moved the program from #11 in the country to #2 in the US News & World Report’s Best Hotel Reward Program category.

Prior, Ryan earned a U.S. patent for his work standing up Sallie Mae’s customer engagement efforts via his delivery of the first true-cost college affordability online tool for all families to understand the real education financing. His tenure includes other loyalty, marketing, and financial leadership positions with Rite Aid, Capital One, Citigroup and Switchfly.

He is also an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, teaching Loyalty Strategy within their Hospitality Leadership program at the Master’s level for the past four years.

Karim Chaanine is a growth-hacking business strategist and the Chief Marketing Officer for Papa Johns in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. With over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing, Karim has consistently delivered exceptional results across various industries. His uncompromising approach to business transformation and a rich history in client-side sales and marketing at leading companies like Procter & Gamble and Nestlé distinguish him as a leader in the field.

Karim has also founded a successful media and marketing consultancy and a food and beverage brand in Malaysia. His innovative strategies and ability to disrupt traditional norms have earned him three Effie Awards and recognition for pioneering an efficient, digital-only communication ecosystem within his organizations.
 
At Nestlé, Karim achieved the position of the youngest associate executive manager, leading the company’s largest division with an annual turnover exceeding USD 0.5 billion. In January 2023, he joined PJP Investments as Chief Marketing Officer, bringing his strategic vision and expertise to further propel the growth of Papa Johns in his regions.

Krishna is an experienced business leader with a rare blend of hands-on commercial & technical expertise in building loyalty program infrastructure from the ground up. He currently manages Loyalty & CRM for Nahdi across key markets. In this role, Krishna focuses on program management, guest engagement, and partnerships with P&L responsibility. Since 2022 he has led a revamp of the program Nuhdeek Rewards by redesigning the core program strategy and customer value proposition, driving digital adoption supported by a comprehensive payment strategy. Before joining Nahdi, in a career spanning 16+ years in loyalty he has worked with large conglomerates across MENA and SEA markets leading coalition, multi-brand & monoline loyalty programs.

Donnarie Hales is Director, Loyalty Strategy and Experience with Merz Aesthetics. With over 20 years of marketing experience, she has held diverse roles spanning product management, customer experience and marketing system management. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to establishing strategies and systems that enhance customer engagement, to drive customer retention and revenue growth. Her expertise and commitment have led her to spearhead an aesthetic loyalty program with over 1 million members.

Abbey is a retail marketing professional who has spent the last 10 years finding new and exciting ways to engage and delight customers – from grassroots strategy to national activations, resulting in tens of thousands of inspired participants. Most recently, she turned her efforts to revamping Fleet Feet’s national loyalty program and launched Fleet Feet Milestones in July 2024. Abbey is a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional through the Loyalty Academy. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and currently resides in North Carolina with her husband. When she’s not working on new campaigns to nurture customers, you can find Abbey outside ticking another U.S. National Park off the list (she aims to visit them all!) or volunteering with her local Woman’s Club.

Joe Leone is Senior Director of Loyalty and Customer Insights at Tractor Supply Co. where he is privileged to lead the Neighbor’s Club - one of the largest and fastest growing loyalty programs in retail.  With over 40M members and $12B in sales, the program leverages robust analytics and data science to connect each customer with the most compelling marketing and uniquely relevant offers.  Joe is a retail veteran with over 25 years of experience leading teams across the merchandising and marketing spectrum.  He holds a bachelors in Finance from the University of Puget Sound and an MBA from the University of Houston.

 

Jeremy Halek is the Senior Director of Consumer Marketing for the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), where he leads innovative strategies in consumer research and product marketing. With a focus on driving strategic planning and the execution of fan growth across the organization, Jeremy oversees consumer marketing efforts for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their affiliated properties, including the Cleveland Monsters (AHL), Cleveland Charge (NBAG), and events at Rocket Arena.

A key contributor to Rock Entertainment Group, Jeremy supports various initiatives within this dynamic portfolio of sports and entertainment entities, formed under the Dan Gilbert ROCK Family of Companies in 2021. His expertise lies in creating impactful marketing campaigns that enhance fan experiences and expand audience reach.

Amy is the Senior Director of Marketing at Royal Bank of Canada, leading the Loyalty portfolio and Avion Rewards brand. She oversees the brand strategy, content and campaign strategies, as well as driving acquisition and engagement of the 10M+ Avion Rewards members. Joining Royal Bank of Canda in 2023 to launch the Avion Rewards brand in Canada and position ourselves as Canada's newest program.

With deep Marketing experience spanning some of Canada's top retail and loyalty brands, including Shoppers Drug Mart and PC Optimum, Amy brings a unique blend of strategic insight, thought leadership and constant agility to meet the evolving world of customer engagement in the Loyalty space. Proven success driving business impact across consumer packaged goods, health & wellness, beauty and loyalty by transforming customer insights and data into impactful and actionable strategies.

Nick Triantafellou is the Director of Marketing & Merchandising at Weigel’s, where he leads category management, marketing strategy, NIL campaigns, and retail media innovation. Under his leadership, Weigel’s has achieved industry-leading loyalty penetration, launched award-winning NIL partnerships, and rolled out a private label program that continues to exceed sales expectations.

Nick’s passion for community, innovation, and storytelling has helped transform Weigel’s into a powerhouse in convenience retail—blending tradition with bold, modern campaigns that drive real results. From leading successful beverage loyalty initiatives to overseeing multi-million dollar foodservice launches, Nick’s approach is both strategic and hands-on.

A frequent industry speaker and board member, Nick has earned multiple national accolades—including recognition for his category leadership and for innovation in private label development. His work has driven triple-digit year-over-year social engagement growth, viral campaigns reaching millions, and a company culture that’s as energizing as it is effective.

Barbara Hagen is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of ThriftBooks, the world’s largest online independent seller of used and new books. Hagen has more than 20 years of experience as a senior marketing executive with an exceptional track record of success at Fortune 100 companies spanning Retail, CPG, and Tech and proven expertise in many areas including global strategy; loyalty and retention; eCommerce, inclusive of digital and performance marketing; omnichannel marketing; media, social, and multi-channel communications. Her previous roles include executive marketing leadership positions at Target, Microsoft, Best Buy and Johnson & Johnson.

As a data-driven marketer she leverages her experience to drive profitable sales growth, establish deep customer loyalty, and bring to market innovative strategies for ThriftBooks. Her extensive background has enabled her to successfully deliver continued top-line and bottom-line growth for ThriftBooks while strengthening the brand’s overall market position within the industry.

Hagen received her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Advertising from Syracuse University, an MBA in International Marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a Master of Science in Business Analytics also from NYU’s Stern School of Business.  She lives in the Seattle area with her husband, three kids, and two much-loved cats.

As assistant director of market research at Certified Angus Beef, Christy Johnson leverages her nearly three decades in marketing, advertising and consumer loyalty to identify and share consumer and trade research. This research helps develop effective marketing strategies for the brand and its partners, showcasing their dedication to quality. A significant part of her success stems from her love for research and her passion for intelligent marketing.

 

With over 11 years’ experience in loyalty partnerships, Jillian leads the Global Retail and Lifestyle
Partner Strategy for Emirates Skywards, the loyalty programme of the world’s largest international
airline. In this role, she drives member acquisition and engagement through a diverse portfolio of
strategic partnerships - ranging from luxury brands to everyday retail.

A proven leader in global loyalty strategy, Jillian has built and scaled high-impact collaborations that
deliver value to members while contributing to Emirates Skywards commercial growth. Aligning
with brands that span multiple customer touchpoints, creating compelling everyday opportunities
for members to earn and spend Skywards Miles, deepening loyalty and enhancing the overall
customer experience.

Focused on innovation and long-term value, Jillian continues to shape the future of loyalty through
integrated, cross-industry initiatives that reflect evolving consumer behaviour and deliver
measurable business outcomes.

Karen Szarvas serves as Senior Director of CRM and Loyalty at The Vitamin Shoppe®, an omni-channel specialty retailer. Karen has 25 years of global marketing expertise, specializing in customer acquisition, engagement, and retention. She leads the award-winning Healthy Awards loyalty program and CRM initiatives including lifecycle marketing, multi-channel communications and gamified experiences.

Prior to joining The Vitamin Shoppe, she spent seven years as a consultant and 12 years at Wyndham Worldwide, designing loyalty programs, email strategies and branding initiatives that elevated customer growth and engagement.

Amanda Mitchell is the head of Loyalty at Petro-Canada.  Amanda has an MBA from the Smith School of business and her experience spans over 15 years in the Oil and Gas industry across a variety of disciplines including Strategy, Operations, Logistics, Sales, Marketing and Loyalty.  Amanda is passionate about finding the intersection between satisfying customer needs and driving business value.  In her spare time, Amanda loves skiing with her family, cycling, hosting parties, and travelling. 

Digital marketing, eComm and loyalty leader with 20+ years’ experience at Domino's and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. At Tropical Smoothie, Melissa led Loyalty, CRM, 3PD and Digital Listings, growing loyalty by 50% in one year and leading MarTech strategy. She crafted promotions that drove the highest sales days in Tropical Smoothie’s history and drove the app to #1 in Food. At Domino’s, she oversaw one of the largest loyalty programs and implemented the some of the largest eCommerce A/B testing wins in the brand’s history. Melissa also led store tech, including the self-driving pizza delivery test, ordering & check-in kiosks and digital menu boards.

Keith McLellan is Group Director of Digital Customer Experience at Whataburger, where he leads digital sales growth, innovation, and loyalty-driving marketing campaigns. With over 20 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, he’s passionate about turning complex challenges into simple, scalable solutions. Keith is a recognized team builder and mentor, and outside of work, he enjoys fishing, reading, and spending time with his wife Elizabeth and their three kids.

Amy Nicholson is the Director of Product Marketing for Mobility & Convenience Americas focusing on product and digital marketing efforts for bp, ampm, Thorntons and Travel Centers of America.

Amy is passionate about being a people-first leader. ‘Serving the guest or someone who does’ is the way Amy’s team works, as at the end of the day we’re here because of those working in our stores or for our guests coming into our stores.

Amy began her career at bp in 2021 working on loyalty for the Thorntons brand, then soon took over all aspects of Marketing for Thorntons and ampm. In January of 2025, Amy took on a new role leading Product Marketing for all brands. For 15 years prior Amy worked for Papa John’s International, holding roles in both Field Marketing and Digital Marketing.

Amy received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from Mississippi State University. Outside of work, Amy’s favorite past times include spending time with her family, helping lead her daughters Girl Scouts troop, reading and occasionally watching bad reality TV.

Nicole is an accomplished business line owner with a passion for driving growth for organizations through data and designing consumer-first experiences.

Starting her career at State Farm, Nicole aided in the creation of an innovation area at State Farm and helped build processes to progress concepts through the innovation pipeline and deliver innovation at scale. Nicole continued her passion for consumer-led innovation joining Under Armour and leading Global Consumer Insights for several product categories, collaboratively influencing each category’s growth strategy and plan.
Most recently, Nicole was the head of Ulta Beauty Rewards, a best-in-class loyalty program with 44M+ active members that consistently achieved strong year over year growth under her leadership. Nicole also led personalization at Ulta Beauty, delivering against incremental sales goals from data-led and consumer-first experiences.
Currently, Nicole is the Senior Director of Loyalty at Lowe’s, leading two distinct loyalty programs for homeowners and professionals, as well as member experiences, events, and kid’s workshops. She leads a team of marketing strategists, customer experience experts, and operational specialists to deliver member performance, execute program operations, build a personalized loyalty experience, and develop the long-term loyalty strategy and roadmap.

Outside of work, Nicole and her husband stay busy chasing around their two young kids and two dogs.  In addition to family time, Nicole enjoys staying active through group fitness classes and discovered a hidden talent for cooking that has become a newfound passion.   
 

Prudence has over 25 years’ experience in marketing strategy that spans advertising, CRM and loyalty program development and customer experience in the digital space. Data-driven insights has always been at the forefront of each program she has created. She has worked with clients such as: APAC McDonald’s – Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia to develop a robust CRM program for each country’s McDelivery service. Additionally, she worked with America’s Test Kitchen, Biogen Idec, and others to establish data-driven CRM program frameworks. Most recently, Prudence led the strategy development for the Virginia Lottery’s new loyalty program and in her spare time, she just launched an entertainment app, called Shoes & Booze.
 

Meghan Kirkpatrick is a CRM & Digital Marketing specialist with a passion for building customer loyalty through personalized experiences. As a Digital Experience Manager for the PC Optimum program at Loblaw Digital, she is responsible for developing and executing digital strategies that enhance the member experience, drive engagement, and increase program participation. Meghan leverages her project management skills and design expertise to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and deliver results for Canada’s most-loved brands. 

Kaelan Forgues is a Product Manager focused on building digital experiences that drive customer loyalty and long-term engagement. With deep expertise in eCommerce, marketplaces, and digital loyalty programs, she currently leads the PC Optimum program at Loblaw Digital. Kaelan brings a holistic approach to product strategy, shaped by her background in Finance and Operations, allowing her to connect business goals with user needs and execution realities. Her recent work centers on impactful in-app features designed to enhance engagement and retention. She’s passionate about digital transformation and the evolving intersection of loyalty, and online marketplaces.

Russ Fliegler is the Loyalty Manager at Portillo’s, an iconic fast casual chain known for American food with a Chicago twist. At Portillo’s, Russ is responsible for developing and executing the loyalty strategy for Portillo’s Perks, which launched in March 2025.

Before joining Portillo’s, Russ worked at Mastercard, where he managed the relationship with the flagship global QSR loyalty client. Prior to Mastercard, Russ spent a year at McDonald’s and served as a strategic advisor to the top five global markets regarding the My McDonald’s Rewards loyalty program. He also served as the Sr. Manager, Loyalty Integrated Marketing at Potbelly Sandwich Works. Before focusing on loyalty marketing and the digital customer experience, Russ held various marketing roles at PepsiCo and the National Basketball Association.

Russ received his MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and his BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Lucho Romero is a Manager within the Loyalty and Customer Engagement team at Hilton. With a strong background in loyalty technology and strategic planning, Lucho has been instrumental in driving innovation and enhancing the Hilton Honors program. Utilizing Phaedon's Tally platform, Lucho has streamlined operational efficiencies and partnered cross-functionally within Hilton to drive loyalty performance and execution. Having been with Hilton for 17 years, Lucho fosters a culture of continuous improvement and excellence within the team, ensuring that Hilton Honors members receive exceptional experiences. His dedication to technology strategy and passion for delivering outstanding results make him a valuable asset to the organization. Lucho's innovative mindset and commitment to excellence continue to drive the success of Hilton Honors.
 

Steering the course of operations alongside CEO Justin Howe, Heath Nielsen serves as the President of HTeaO, a position that epitomizes his dedication to orchestrating daily operations and nurturing relationships with HTeaO’s esteemed franchise owners.

With a career spanning over 25 dynamic years, Heath has led teams within renowned organizations such as Black Rifle, Starbucks, Sony, Vail Resorts, Gap, and the US Army. Throughout his journey, Heath has been driven by an unwavering commitment to excellence, a deep understanding of market dynamics, and a fervent passion for fostering growth and innovation.
 

Barbara Hagen is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of ThriftBooks, the world’s largest online independent seller of used and new books. Hagen has more than 20 years of experience as a senior marketing executive with an exceptional track record of success at Fortune 100 companies spanning Retail, CPG, and Tech and proven expertise in many areas including global strategy; loyalty and retention; eCommerce, inclusive of digital and performance marketing; omnichannel marketing; media, social, and multi-channel communications. Her previous roles include executive marketing leadership positions at Target, Microsoft, Best Buy and Johnson & Johnson.

As a data-driven marketer she leverages her experience to drive profitable sales growth, establish deep customer loyalty, and bring to market innovative strategies for ThriftBooks. Her extensive background has enabled her to successfully deliver continued top-line and bottom-line growth for ThriftBooks while strengthening the brand’s overall market position within the industry.

Hagen received her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Advertising from Syracuse University, an MBA in International Marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a Master of Science in Business Analytics also from NYU’s Stern School of Business.  She lives in the Seattle area with her husband, three kids, and two much-loved cats.

Tunc Ozcan brings over two decades of hands-on experience in transforming loyalty and data strategies into measurable business outcomes. Currently leading Loyalty and Business Data Analytics at Nahdi, he has reshaped the Nuhdeek loyalty program through a clear strategic roadmap, new digital features, and ecosystem partnerships that enhanced customer engagement and commercial performance. Prior to joining Nahdi, Tunc held senior roles at major conglomerates such as Alghanim Industries, Dogus Group, and Koc Group, where he led enterprise-wide loyalty and CRM, data analytics infrastructure, and digital marketing initiatives. His career reflects a consistent focus on building customer-centric organizations through data-driven decision making, advanced analytics, and scalable technology platforms.

Michael Fong is Head of Loyalty Analytics at RBC, where he leads the strategy behind one of Canada’s most data-rich personalization engines. At the intersection of AI, analytics, and member experience, Michael helps transform transactional data into tailored, meaningful interactions that drive engagement and loyalty. His work focuses on turning insights into action—enabling smarter personalization at scale for both members and merchant partners.

Nicole Hulstein currently holds the role of Loyalty Marketing Manager for Food Lion, a grocery retailer that operates 1,108 grocery retail locations over 10 states. As Loyalty Marketing Manager, Nicole is responsible for ensuring that the strategy of Food Lion's Loyalty Program achieves the key performance indicators of a strong loyalty program while achieving the financial obligations for the organization. She serves as the key CRM owner of the email and push channels.

Nicole has worked in grocery retail for 19+ years in many capacities including procurement, financial analysis, merchandising, category management and her current passion - loyalty marketing! In the years of service, Nicole has led teams through innovative dynamic supply chain changes, system migrations, process changes and category management of a multi-million dollar business. She brings creativity and a curious mindset to the loyalty area of the business - traits that were paramount to the creation of a 3 year strategy plan to inform the future of Loyalty for Food Lion.

Nicole has a bachelor of science degree with a marketing concentration from Pfeiffer University. She has enjoyed many post graduate training and development opportunities including: Cornell University Food Management Program, Scotwork North America Advanced Negotiation Skills and Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Arizona.

Nicole brings creative high energy and optimism to address business opportunities and align teams on a go-forward process to achieve objectives. She has a keen understanding of the supply chain side of the organization and our customer which she brings into creating meaningful marketing materials which communicate the right message while driving strong financial performance.

Nicole has received several professional recognitions including "Produce Business Top 40 Under 40" (2020), Emerging Leader (2021) and Mentor in the Making (2022).

She resides in Kannapolis, NC with her husband (Kevin), children - Noah and Quinn. 

Jeremy Halek is the Senior Director of Consumer Marketing for the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), where he leads innovative strategies in consumer research and product marketing. With a focus on driving strategic planning and the execution of fan growth across the organization, Jeremy oversees consumer marketing efforts for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their affiliated properties, including the Cleveland Monsters (AHL), Cleveland Charge (NBAG), and events at Rocket Arena.

A key contributor to Rock Entertainment Group, Jeremy supports various initiatives within this dynamic portfolio of sports and entertainment entities, formed under the Dan Gilbert ROCK Family of Companies in 2021. His expertise lies in creating impactful marketing campaigns that enhance fan experiences and expand audience reach.
 

Evan Abrams is the Senior Director at VIP Nation, where he plays a key role in delivering premium fan experiences. With over a decade of experience in the live entertainment industry, Evan has helped shape VIP programs for some of the world's biggest artists, ensuring unforgettable moments for superfans. His expertise spans marketing, operations, customer service, and strategic partnerships, all aimed at enhancing fan engagement through exclusive access and tailored experiences.
 

Steering the course of operations alongside CEO Justin Howe, Heath Nielsen serves as the President of HTeaO, a position that epitomizes his dedication to orchestrating daily operations and nurturing relationships with HTeaO’s esteemed franchise owners.

With a career spanning over 25 dynamic years, Heath has led teams within renowned organizations such as Black Rifle, Starbucks, Sony, Vail Resorts, Gap, and the US Army. Throughout his journey, Heath has been driven by an unwavering commitment to excellence, a deep understanding of market dynamics, and a fervent passion for fostering growth and innovation.