Speakers

Marissa Eddings, Sr. Director, Brand, Advertising, Media, and In-store Marketing and In-house Agency, 7-Eleven

In her role with the world’s largest convenience retailer, Marissa leads the team behind iconic brand moments like Slurpee Day and has executed groundbreaking brand activations like launching the brand’s first online merchandise store 7Collection, and building a custom car created by the brand’s most loyal fans, aptly named Model 711. Most recently, Marissa and her team were the brains behind the brand’s first-ever music video and ode to Slurpee featuring hip-hop star Flo Milli and the Always Open viral collab with football sensation Ja’Marr Chase. Prior to 7-Eleven, Marissa held roles in brand and marketing with Capital One and American Express.

Jennifer Martindale, SVP of Marketing, Chicago Cubs

Jen joined the Chicago Cubs in 2022 to steward the Cubs and Wrigley Field brands, overseeing fan development, growth marketing, content development and production, and game presentation. Prior to the Cubs, Jen spent three seasons as vice president of brand strategy for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. Before joining professional sports, Jen served in marketing leadership roles in the nonprofit sector and spent over ten years at Chicago-based ad agency Leo Burnett, driving brand strategy and leading award-winning campaigns for notable brands like Kellogg’s, Cadillac, PetSmart, and the U.S. Army.

Jorge Orozco-Cordero, ECD, Sr. Director of Brand Communications, Discover Financial Services

Jorge is forever an outsider looking inward. Emigrating from the jungle canopy of Costa Rica and raised in suburban New York, he knows how to thrive in uncertain territories—turning his skill in adaptation into a rich, 25-year career in brand and advertising. Today, Jorge oversees the 38-person internal agency at Discover, leading creative, copywriting, account, and strategy in the development and launch of full-funnel marketing integration across 21 lines of business. In his current role, Jorge has led Super Bowl ad campaigns, launched a national pandemic response campaign to support Black-owned restaurants, and continues to lead Discover’s brand evolution into the future.

Amy Spears, SVP Brand, Creative & Media, Highmark Health

Amy oversees brand, creative, and media for Highmark Health, a $26 billion national, blended health organization that includes one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional network of hospitals and physicians. She also leads Tonic, a 125+ member enterprise and reigning In-House Agency of the Year, to support the company’s mission of creating remarkable health experiences that free people to be their best. In her current role, Amy leverages 25+ years of experience in advertising and marketing with multiple Fortune 40 retail and healthcare companies to build and develop high-performing and award-winning brands and teams with one stellar culture.

George Friedman, Director of Content Development & Production, Highmark Health

With a reputation as a global leader, brand builder, and storyteller, George is a content creation expert specialized in leading teams that produce award-winning content for some of the world’s most respected brands. Having a creative, technical, and operational background provides George with a unique understanding of the full production process from conception to launch across all channels. Today, George leads content development and production at Tonic, Highmark Health’s in-house agency, where he and his team focus on TV, video and photography, digital and paid social, print production, and web publishing.