Meet Our Experts

Ivonne Kinser is a trailblazer, a marketing innovator, and a fervent challenger of the status quo in her relentless pursuit of creativity-driven exponential growth. As the former Head of Marketing and Innovation at Avocados From Mexico, she dedicated nearly a decade to building and expanding the brand's digital capabilities and innovation agenda that propelled the brand to recognition as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies globally in 2021, topping the branding category. Her work has garnered over forty accolades for creativity and performance, including those for delivering winning and overperforming Super Bowl campaigns for nine consecutive years.

In 2023, Ivonne founded Vantage Creative Group, a marketing innovation lab designed to infuse tech-driven creativity into brand-building strategies. She then launched Bridge by Design, a graphic design subscription platform that provides businesses with high-quality, on-demand creative services. Recognizing the power of personal and executive branding, she went on to found BrandME, a multi-faceted platform designed to help individuals craftpowerful personal brands and assist corporations in building strategic executive brands that enhance the company's overall brand equity.BrandME bridges the gap between individual influence and corporate impact, empowering leaders to position themselves as industry authorities while strengthening their organizations' reputations.

Her high-performing work using unconventional creative approaches and marketing technology has earned her a reputation in the marketing industry that has led to hundreds of keynote speeches about disruptive marketing and creativity, both within and outside the US. Additionally, she serves as the Innovation Advisor for the Food Institute, the single source for food industry news, data, and trends since 1928.

Throughout her marketing career spanning over two decades, Ivonne has held leadership roles in multiple corporations representing multi-billion-dollar brands. She has also worked with top advertising agencies such as Lintas and McCann Erickson Worldwide, among others, collaborating with well-known brands across almost every category.

In 2022, Ivonne became the first Latina to receive the AMA DFW Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award, and she has been included in the list of the 100 Most Influential Latinas in the USfor three consecutive years (2022, 2023, and 2024). Prior to that, she was honored with the Changing the Game Award in the Brainwave category, recognizing her as one of the five women who fearlessly make bold moves and transform their brands and organizations. This award was bestowed by the prestigious She Runs It organization.

In 2023, she published her book THINK: The Manifesto for Creative & Critical Thinkers, which became an Amazon bestseller during its second week.

Ivonne also serves as a regular marketing lecturer at IPADE, the top business school in Mexico, and sits on the board of the DFW American Marketing Association, as well as an Honorary Board Member of the DFW Interactive Marketing Association. Additionally, she serves on the board of Evergreen Trade Media.

Through her multiple ventures—from being a growth-driven innovation company founder to an author and speaker—Ivonne's work is characterized by anontraditional approach to marketing, guided by bold creativity andunconventional problem-solving.

Nicole (Nikki) Ramirez is a growth marketing strategist, thought leader, and personal branding coach dedicated to helping professionals and businesses build impactful, data-driven brands. A former journalist, she transitioned into marketing, applying her ability to analyze data and craft compelling narratives for brand strategy. With a background spanning multiple industries, including enterprise and startups, she has led multimillion-dollar growth initiatives and driven performance marketing success. As the former Director of Marketing at Forbes, Nicole played a key role in scaling the accolades business from $4M to $21M in just two years. Now, as the Director of Growth Solutions at Unlock Health, she helps healthcare brands optimize performance marketing strategies to drive measurable success.

Beyond her corporate roles, Nicole is the co-founder of BRAND ME, a platform designed to help individuals craft powerful personal brands that elevate their careers and influence. She is also the host of Talk Digital To Me, a podcast where she explores the intersection of digital marketing, AI, and brand growth with industry leaders and innovators. A TEDx speaker recognized for her expertise in AI and marketing, she has spoken at industry-leading conferences such as SXSW and BRANDWEEK. In 2024, she was honored as an ADWEEK CMO Mentee, further solidifying her impact in the marketing industry. Through speaking events, workshops, and digital courses, she empowers professionals to build credibility, create opportunities, and position themselves as industry leaders.

Kelly Poquiz Burke is an Executive Coach and the Founder of Career Slay®. Before launching her coaching practice, Kelly built a distinguished career as an award-winning marketer, bringing over a decade of experience from top advertising agencies and major brands. She's worked with iconic names like GameStop, DiGiorno, Central Market, and Chick-fil-A, and led notable brand equity and Super Bowl campaigns for Avocados From Mexico, Frito-Lay, and Doritos. Her excellence in marketing was recognized in 2023 when she received the prestigious Brand Innovators "40 Under 40" Award for the Southeast region.

In 2020, Kelly's personal journey took a profound turn when she was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant, during the height of the pandemic. Emerging stronger and more purpose-driven, she found a new calling: to inspire and empower others to live and lead authentically. This passion became the foundation for Career Slay®, where she now helps leaders unlock their full potential and cultivate fulfilling, joyful careers.

Kelly is also a keynote speaker and the host of the Career Slay podcast, where she interviews people who truly love what they do and shares candid career advice.

Beyond Career Slay®, Kelly serves as the EVP of Strategy & Insights for the DFW American Marketing Association and previously held a position on the Executive Leadership Council for Susan G. Komen. She holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BBA from the University of Notre Dame, and is currently pursuing her Associate Certified Coach credential through the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Milam Miller grew up dreaming of a career in professional sports, never imagining it would take him across the world to represent the American ownership of Italian football club, AS Roma.

During his 15-year career in Sports, Media, and Tech, Milam led cross-functional sales teams and negotiated over $100 million in commercial revenue, mastering the art of influence. Most notably, he and his team secured a record-breaking Front of Shirt sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways, a unique milestone of many in the club's history.

Yet, beyond the deals and boardrooms, Milam became fascinated by something far more powerful—human connection. This passion led him to launch Be Confident & Kind LLC, a leadership development consultancy dedicated to building psychologically safe workplace cultures of trust, high-performance, and overall well-being.

Today, Milam is a sought-after Keynote Speaker, Corporate Trainer, and Executive Coach. He has spoken at Amazon Headquarters, led workshops for Google, and later this year will publish his first leadership book, The Charisma Craft. In his spare time, he enjoys being active, traveling, and spending time with his wife and son.

Malini Ratnam is a distinguished digital marketing strategist, educator, and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience spanning global retail, agencies, and education. Currently serving as a Lecturer and Digital Retail Program Coordinator at the University of North Texas, she brings real-world expertise to the classroom, teaching cutting-edge courses in digital marketing strategy, retail entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies. As the curriculum coordinator, she actively shapes the future of digital retail education while mentoring the next generation of marketing professionals through her role as faculty advisor for the National Retail Federation Student Association. Her corporate journey includes leadership roles at major retailers and global brands, including Kohl's and JCPenney, where she pioneered social commerce initiatives and led digital marketing strategies that drove significant revenue growth. At Global Blue and Aviva, she spearheaded international digital transformation projects across Asia and Europe, managing cross-functional teams across multiple markets including China, Russia, and Singapore. Her innovative approach to digital strategy and proven track record of success led her to found MantraM Digital Media in 2016, a consulting firm specializing in digital marketing solutions for small to mid sized businesses as well as other solopreneurs like herself find their business purpose and grow their presence online. Her specialty is in paid ads management, SEO, YouTube and email marketing.

An advocate for continuous learning and professional development, Malini holds certifications in Digital Marketing from Semrush and Excellence in Teaching from UNT. Her unique blend of corporate experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for education makes her a sought-after expert in digital retail and marketing strategy. She combines academic rigor with practical industry insights to prepare students for the dynamic world of digital commerce while helping purpose-driven organizations achieve their marketing goals through her consultancy.

Chad Dziedzic has spent 24 years in the financial industry, with the last 14 at BlackRock (BLK)—the world's largest asset manager, overseeing more than $11.6 trillion in assets under care. A seasoned expert in market insights and Social Security, Chad has delivered more than 2,000 presentations over the past 15 years, equipping individuals and institutions with the knowledge to navigate complex financial landscapes.

Beyond his professional expertise, Chad is deeply committed to his family and community. He and his wife, Lena, have been married for 16 years and are proud parents to Kenzie (13) and KJ (11). When he's not at work, you'll likely find him coaching KJ's Frisco Riders baseball team or actively serving at Genesis Metro Church in Frisco, where his family is passionately involved.