Agenda & Speakers

Andrea Navarro, Sr. Manager Loyalty & CRM, Burger King

Andrea Navarro is a CRM and loyalty strategist driving customer engagement at Burger King through data-powered personalization and innovative lifecycle campaigns. Her work has helped evolve Burger King's approach to retention and loyalty, transforming behavioral insights into meaningful experiences that fuel growth for Royal Perks and deepen digital guest relationships.

She has played a key role in optimizing campaign performance and leading successful initiatives like Perks Weeks — designed to surprise and delight members while accelerating program engagement and driving incremental traffic and sales for the digital business. From segmentation to journey orchestration, Andrea continues to shape Burger King's loyalty and lifecycle marketing strategy into a smarter, more personalized, and results-driven engine.

Diana Arceo, Manager - Loyalty Strategy, Chipotle

Diana Arceo is the Loyalty Strategy Manager at Chipotle Mexican Grill, where she oversees the Chipotle Rewards program and drives data-driven strategies to boost customer engagement and innovation. With over seven years of experience in loyalty and brand marketing—including key roles at American Express—Diana brings a proven track record of building impactful, customer-first programs that deliver measurable results.
 

Jessica Starnes, Director of Loyalty, Weigel’s

Jessica Starnes is the Director of Loyalty at Weigel’s, where she leads one of the most successful convenience retail rewards programs in the country. With a sharp focus on customer engagement, data-driven strategy, and seamless digital experiences, Jessica has been instrumental in transforming loyalty from a transactional tool into a cornerstone of Weigel’s growth. Her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed—Jessica is a two-time Top Women in Convenience (TWIC) honoree, having earned both the Rising Star and Senior Level Leader awards. Most recently, she was named the 2025 Category Manager of the Year for Loyalty, a reflection of her ability to blend innovation with measurable business results. Under her leadership, Weigel’s has achieved record-breaking loyalty penetration and built high-impact programs like “100 Days of Summer” and exclusive NIL partnerships that emotionally connect with customers. From acquisition to retention, Jessica’s strategy is rooted in making every interaction meaningful—translating into stronger brand loyalty and increased customer frequency. Jessica’s cross-functional approach ensures loyalty touches every part of the business—from merchandising to marketing to operations. A trusted voice in the industry, she continues to set the standard for customer-first innovation while building scalable platforms that drive long-term growth. She is a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional, holds a NACS Category Management Certification, and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee.
 

Karen Szarvas, Sr. Director of CRM and Loyalty, The Vitamin Shoppe

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.

Michelle Banegas, Manager Digital Promotions, Burger King

Manager of Digital Promotions & Apptivities at Burger King. Leads the development of interactive digital campaigns, including gamified experiences and limited-time offers that drive engagement, frequency, and excitement for the Royal Perks loyalty program. 

Karim Chaanine, Chief Marketing Officer, Papa Johns UAE Saudi Arabia and Jordan

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.

Brett Herskowitz, Senior Manager - Loyalty, The Vitamin Shoppe

Brett has worked in the loyalty space for the past seven years as part of The Vitamin Shoppe’s loyalty team. As the senior manager of loyalty, Brett oversees TVS’s loyalty program, Healthy Awards. In the last few years, Brett and the team have worked hard to expand what Healthy Awards can offer its members, branching into non-transactional earning and gamification. Brett’s excited to represent Healthy Awards as a finalist in this category and can’t wait to see what the other nominees have brought to the table!