Schedule / Lead-to-Cash Bash

SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, NOV 12TH 2025

5:00 - 8:00pm // Welcome! Phins Disney Dolphin Atrium

Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort and Conference Center

Join us for a casual hang with this year's Bashers.

THURSDAY, NOV 13TH 2025

9:00am // Registration

Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort and Conference Center, Swan Ballroom 7-10

10:00am - 4:00pm // Conference Sessions

Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort and Conference Center, Swan Ballroom 7-10

10:15 - 10:45am

Smarter Sales, Real Results: How AI Is Powering Change at Hearst Newspapers

Modernizing sales and training inside a legacy newspaper organization comes with unique challenges especially when digital transformation, new product rollouts, and cross-divisional collaboration are accelerating all at once. At Hearst Newspapers, Sales Operations, Enablement and AI have teamed up to meet the moment.

In this session, Katerina White, Director of Sales Operations and Enablement for HNP, and Mike McCarthy, Senior Director of AI Business Solutions for HNP, will share how their teams are applying AI to streamline onboarding, modernize training, and drive adoption of new products and processes. From building GPT-powered tools that support tenured reps, to supporting market rollouts, they’ll offer practical examples of how tradition and innovation can coexist and thrive.

Attendees will leave with practical insights and proven examples of how operational strategy and AI innovation can come together to drive real results in today’s fast-changing media environment.

Katerina White, Director of Sales Operations and Enablement - Hearst Newspapers

Michael McCarthy, Sr. Director of AI, Sales and Business Solutions - Hearst Newspapers

10:45am - 11:00am

Case Study: Reactivating Digital Subscribers with SMS - The Spokesman-Review

To address the challenges associated with email marketing, Aaron Kotarek, GM & COO of the Spokane Spokesman-Review made the move to implement an SMS marketing strategy with mobile messaging. This approach involved following key steps including data collection, direct & Instant Messaging, and testing, tuning, and optimization. After just five (!) mobile messaging campaigns -- powered by the Subtext platform -- the team saw incredible results:

350%+ Increase in Reactivated Subscriptions: By utilizing SMS, the group achieved a remarkable increase in reactivated digital subscriptions, outperforming previous email campaign results.
Improved Engagement Rates: SMS messages garnered significantly higher open and response rates compared to email, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct and immediate communication.

Moderated by Bill Bradley, Vice President of Business Development - Subtext

Aaron Kotarek, General Manager & COO - The Spokane Spokesman-Review

11:00am - 11:20am

Case Study: Automating Opportunity-to-Order with Hubspot - Postmedia Network

The Lead-to-Cash workflow is one of a newspaper's most critical and complex processes, yet executives rarely pay any real attention to it. It is simply the collection of all activities—from finding a lead, processing orders and, finally, getting paid. It’s a complicated process that requires a lot of people, systems, integrations, and workflows. Those who focus on optimizing the Lead-to-Cash ecosystem get a well oiled machine that can drive revenue while keeping costs down. In this session, we’ll see how Postmedia Network implemented a world-class solution to automate order creation from Hubspot opportunities.

In this session, we’ll tap both live demo and discussion so you can learn how to:

Automate the opportunity to order process
Implement a CRM-centric solution for sales teams
Drive key production and fulfillment processes from your CRM
Eliminate low value / high touch processes with smart automation
Structure successful integrations regardless of your CRM or OMS platforms
Increase CRM system adoption for sales reps

Moderated by: Christopher Prinos, Founder & CEO - Indigo Trigger
Kris Brown, Director, Advertising Operations & Innovation - Postmedia Network

11:20am - 11:40pm

Case Study: Transforming Lead-to-Cash with White-Glove Sales Enablement Services

In this panel discussion, AdCellerant leaders and partner guests share how a premium, white-glove sales enablement model can transform the Lead-to-Cash process. Through real-world success stories, the session explores how the AdCellerant Select program helped uncover high-value advertisers, supported local sellers with actionable agency research, and provided strategic services that helped partners close and grow large deals.

Attendees will gain an inside look at the collaboration between sales, marketing, and operations teams that turns data and research into revenue — and learn how adopting a similar “Select” mindset can unlock new growth potential across markets. Simply put, if you are hoping a partner can help you close big deals, this is a can't miss.

Moderated by Mike Smith, SVP Partner Growth & Success - Adcellerant

Erik White, VP Performance Digital Marketing - CUMULUS Media
Eric Myers, Co-Founder - CPM Ventures

11:40am - 12:00pm

Case Study: Targeted Email, Reimagined: Unlocking Performance with Better Data, Smarter Audiences, and AI - Site Impact & Data Axle

Email marketing is evolving—and it’s never been more powerful. In this dynamic session, Site Impact and Data Axle will explore how they’re reengineering the targeted email channel using richer, more accurate data, AI-curated audiences, and strategies focused on lower-funnel intent. The result? Higher engagement, stronger conversion rates, and campaigns that actually move the needle. We’ll break down how smarter data sourcing, predictive modeling, and real-time optimizations are changing the game for performance marketers. If you think email is a legacy tactic, think again—this is email built for the modern demand funnel.

Moderated by: Greg Heiman, Vice President of Business Development - Site Impact
Daniel Babb, Sr Director, Digital Solutions & Partnerships - Data Axle

12:00 - 1:00pm // Lunch Break - Il Mulino, Swan Main Concourse

1:00pm - 1:15pm

Case Study: Hitting Advertiser Objectives with First-Party Data and Campaigns::
iHeartMedia & Audience

Online polls, sweepstakes, and contests are powerful tools for driving audience engagement—but they’re also prime targets for bots, fraudsters, and other bad actors. Left unchecked, this traffic can skew results, undermine credibility, and put valuable sponsorships at risk.

In this session, iHeartMedia, together with Creighton Green from Audience, will share real-world insights into the scale and impact of bot traffic on digital campaigns. Learn how fraudulent activity infiltrates seemingly harmless voting and contest mechanisms, the red flags to watch for, and the steps media companies can take to protect both their data integrity and their audiences’ trust. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the threats at play and actionable strategies for ensuring that every “vote” really counts.

Moderated by: Creighton Green, Co-Founder, Audience

Jaga Tomlin, Senior Vice President of Digital Services, iHeartMedia

1:15pm - 1:35pm

Case Study: Payment Strategies to Drive Subscription Growth::
Anchorage Daily News & Payway

Companies that successfully implement and maintain a payment strategy work with their partners to ensure transactions are working for them not against them. Kimberly Miller, executive vice president of strategy and operations at Payway, has seen first-hand how publications have used collaborative relationships to identify opportunities to drive subscription growth and grow revenue. This case study session will highlight those successes with input from customers and SMEs.

Moderated by Kimberly Miller, EVP Strategy & Operations - Payway

Joshua Petersen, Chief Financial Officer - Anchorage Daily News

1:45pm - 2:00pm

Case Study: Boosting Visibility: Proven SEO Strategies that Work::
King Group Global & Boostability

Looking to rise above the competition in search rankings? Join Boostability, a global leader in white-label SEO, as they reveal the strategies that have helped thousands of partners and businesses get discovered online. From smart keyword targeting to scalable link-building and content optimization, you’ll learn actionable tactics to grow organic traffic, attract the right audience, and turn search into a powerful driver of ROI.

Moderated by Nic Padilla, Director of Business Development, Boostability

Harold King, CEO - King Group Global

2:00pm - 2:15pm

Case Study: Streamlining Success: How Tribune Company Used ClickUp to Power Work Management:: Tribune Publishing

As media organizations evolve to meet modern demands, efficient work management has become a competitive advantage. In this session, we’ll explore how Tribune Company is leveraging ClickUp to drive alignment, accountability, and agility across teams. From intake to execution, Tribune has built a scalable framework inside ClickUp to manage creative production, campaigns, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic initiatives—all while improving visibility and reducing operational friction.

Through real-world examples and lessons learned, attendees will gain insight into how Tribune has customized ClickUp to support its workflows, foster adoption, and maintain operational discipline at scale.

Moderated by Shalonda Lewis, Vice President, Revenue Technology Services - Indigo Trigger

Kelsey Smith, Senior Digital Advertising Operations Manager - The Orlando Sentinel

Brian Hall, Advertising Systems Analyst - The Orlando Sentinel

2:30pm - 2:45pm

Bridging the Gap: How Forum Communications Scaled Audience Reach with Digital Out-of-Home Advertising:: Forum Communications & VISTAR Media

In an era where audience engagement extends far beyond screens, Forum Communications is redefining how brands amplify their digital strategies through Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising. This session will explore how Forum Communications has successfully leveraged DOOH to expand existing digital audience extension budgets while also attracting clients already investing in traditional out-of-home (OOH) media.

Through an in-depth case study featuring a national telecommunications brand, attendees will gain firsthand insights into the planning, execution, and measurement of a high-impact DOOH campaign. The presentation will highlight how Forum Communications, in partnership with VISTAR Media, harnessed data-driven targeting, dynamic creative optimization, and programmatic delivery to achieve measurable results.

Moderated by Dave Rivera, VISTAR Media

Eric Olson, Sr. Digital Advertising Operations, Forum Communications

2:45pm - 3:00pm

Scaling your team with AI Agents. A case study with Cox Media Group and the Minnesota Star Tribune

To close out our first day, we'll learn first hand how some of today's most progressive media companies are successfully deploying AI Agents to automate work and streamline operations. For this session, guests will learn (and see) how to build an AI Agent in just a few minutes.

Moderated by Paul Deraval, NinjaCat

Brian Kennett, VP, Head of Digital Advertising and Agency Solutions - Minnesota Star Tribune

Shajan Thomas, Sr. Director Client Strategy and Media Solutions - Cox Media Group

3:00 - 4:00pm // Roundtable Sessions

3:00pm // Naviga User Meetup - Dove Conference Room
Sponsored by Naviga Global

Organized by Naviga Connections President, Jennifer Smallwood of the Dallas Morning News. Meet up with other Naviga users and Naviga team members.

3:30pm // Happy Hour - Swan Ballroom
Sponsored by VISTAR MEDIA

Our insanely popular fast-paced conference schedule ensures our sessions are lean and the day flies by. We'll break at 3:30pm to kickoff Happy Hour and give you time to get ready for the evening action.

4:00pm // Brews & Unfiltered Happy Hour : Swan Ballroom
Sponsored by GW Media Solutions & Indigo Trigger

Join an exclusive circle of women at the forefront of our industry who are redefining what’s possible at the highest levels. Brews & Unfiltered is more than a social event; it’s a curated forum for peer connection and collective inspiration. Step into a space where your achievements are understood, your challenges are shared, and your ambitions have no ceiling. This is your invitation to engage with fellow leaders who are shaping the future.
Exchange strategies, spark new collaborations, and celebrate the influence we wield together.

Hosted by:

Sara Willard - Principal GW Media Solutions &
Jennifer Craig, Regional Director, Financial Planner, Prudential

4:00pm // EPCOT Center 2025 Food & Wine Festival - Park Entry Starts

Join us at Disney's EPCOT Center for the Annual Food & Wine Festival. Just a 10 minute walk from our host resort at the Disney Swan Resort and Conference Center, all guests get to enjoy park entry at 5pm and get a few hours to explore this iconic Disney property. Cocktail hour and dinner kickoff at 6pm at Italy Isola in EPCOT's Italy Pavilion. We'll get fireworks, followed by our group rides at Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind (limited to the first 100 registrants) and Soarin'.

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Cocktail Hour & Dinner, Italy Isola - World Showcase

FRIDAY, NOV 14TH 2025

8:00am // The Lead-to-Cash Dash "Almost 3k" Fun Run

Sponsored by: Popmount

Now in its 4th year, and a staple of the Bash, the Lead-to-Cash Dash gives those who are up to it a spirited race around the Disney Dolphin property and Disney Boardwalk. Not quite a 3K, Bashers can run or stroll at their own pace, or cheer on the always competitive group of runners.

Starting Line: Back Entrance of the Disney Dolphin

10:00am - 3:00pm // Conference Sessions

Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort and Conference Center, Swan Ballroom 1-4

10:15 - 10:45am

Case Study: Driving Pre-Sales and Ad Ops Efficiencies with AI - Minnesota Star Tribune & The Seattle Times

As part of a grant from the Lenfest Institute, Allyson McKinney and her team at the The Seattle Times worked to create an advertising co-pilot that allows Sales teams to surface collateral, media mix suggestions, presentation generation, specs, CRM and revenue data as well as performance reporting Q/A and report generation for ad operations. In similar fashion, the Minnesota Star Tribune embraced AI to drive media plan development, competitive analysis and various sales support functions -- all powered through a voice agent. If you're interested in seeing some REAL AI models that can help sales and ops teams, this is a session you don't want to miss.

Moderated by Christopher Prinos, Founder & CEO - Indigo Trigger

Brian Kennett, VP, Head of Digital Advertising and Agency Solutions - Minnesota Star Tribune

Allyson McKinney, Director of Ad Operations - The Seattle-Times

10:45 - 11:00am

Case Study: IRL to URL - Connecting OUTFRONT’s Core Offering to Digital Products and Metrics - OUTFRONT Media & GroundTruth

For nearly a decade, OUTFRONT Media and GroundTruth have partnered to bridge the gap between real-world exposure and digital engagement, transforming the way out-of-home (OOH) advertising is planned, measured, and optimized. This session explores how the collaboration has evolved to connect physical media presence (“In Real Life”) with digital behaviors and outcomes (“Online”), helping advertisers quantify the true impact of OOH in a connected, data-driven ecosystem.

Attendees will gain an inside look at how OUTFRONT Media leverages GroundTruth’s location-based technology and audience insights to link impressions on the street to actions online—delivering measurable ROI across industries and campaign objectives. Through examples spanning national and local campaigns, the session will demonstrate how this long-standing partnership has set a new standard for accountability, transparency, and cross-channel performance.

Moderated by Frank Piechota, Managing Director, Partnerships - GroundTruth

Jamie Valencour, National Sales Director, Mobile Product - OUTFRONT Media

11:15 - 11:35am

Case Study: Helping SMB's Save Money & Reinvest in Media - Star Merchant Services & AMR

For many small and midsize businesses, rising credit card and bank transaction fees continue to chip away at profits. But what if publishers and media partners could help their local advertisers save money—while creating new value-added relationships? This session explores that opportunity through a compelling case study featuring Star Merchant Services, a Hawaii-based company that empowers local businesses to eliminate merchant processing fees through an innovative cash discount program. Designed to help merchants accept credit cards without the burden of high transaction costs, this model is gaining traction among Hawaii Chamber of Commerce members and other local enterprises seeking smarter payment solutions.

Moderated by Joe Cooper, President, Cash Discount Division - AMR

Aaron Kotarek, General Manager - The Spokesman Review

12:00 - 1:00pm // Lunch Break - Il Mulino, Swan Main Concourse

1:00pm - 1:15pm

Case Study: How Gannett is increasing margin, expanding capacity, and improving client outcomes with automation - Gannett & Fluency

Abstract: For media companies, automation is a powerful labor-savings technology. But Gannett is proving it can be much more. In this case study, Jolene Sherman (Fluency) and Mickaela Lusignan of Gannett Media reveal Gannett’s vision for using AI and Automation to drive top-line growth and bottom-line profitability. You’ll learn how Gannett is already driving 2.7X more operational team capacity without adding overhead or labor cost, the execution workstreams they are automating to improve quality and performance at scale, and their path to using automation to deliver on their product and service vision. This is a roadmap for media leaders seeking to increase profitability without sacrificing performance or flexibility.

Key takeaways

How to design an automation strategy that supports multiple growth objectives
The key operational workflows that Gannett is streamlining:
- Budget management, campaign execution, optimization through cross-channel notifications, reporting
How to prepare for automation and drive change management across teams

Moderated by Jolene Sherman, Sr. Enterprise Solutions Director - Fluency

Mickaela Lusignan, President - Gannett Media Solutions

1:15pm - 1:30pm

Monetizing the Moment: How Gannett and Federated Media Built Million-Dollar Promotions Businesses

In today’s fast-moving media landscape, growth belongs to those who can monetize the moment. Every organization is chasing sustainable revenue, but few have mastered how to replicate success year after year.

Join two powerhouse media leaders, Rebecca Capparelli, Vice President of Promotions at Gannett / USA TODAY Network, and Deb Williams, General Manager of Digital Sales at Federated Media, for an inside look at how they’ve each turned promotions into proven, scalable revenue machines.

At Gannett, Rebecca’s team has engineered a $30M+ annual promotions business through a finely tuned mix of people, process, and technology on a national scale. And at Federated Media, Deb led a local-first initiative that trained sellers to make promotions a true client solution—driving seven-figure revenue growth and 80% team adoption.

In this session, you’ll learn how to:

Empower your people: Build and train teams that drive creativity, accountability, and consistent results.
Operationalize your process: Create repeatable playbooks that scale from local to enterprise.
Maximize your technology: Use the right platforms to transform bold ideas into measurable client wins.

Whether you’re leading a national media group or a local team, you’ll walk away from this session with a practical framework to build your own revenue machine—turning short-term wins into sustainable growth.

Moderated by Julie Foley, Senior Customer Success Manager - SecondStreet

Rebecca Capparelli, Vice President of Promotions - Gannett / USA Today Network

Deb Williams, General Manager - Federated Media

1:30pm - 1:45pm

Case Study: The Hyper-Local Revenue Engine - Cherry Road Media & iPromote

CherryRoad Media is cracking the code on a sustainable model for local news. The secret? Transforming legacy ad sales into a high-growth, technology-driven revenue operation. This session outlines their journey of acquiring and working to modernize community newspapers.

Discover how their partnership with iPromote provided the "plug-and-play" digital fulfillment engine they needed. We'll explore how this collaboration bridged the gap from "lead" to "cash" by enabling their advertisers to thrive and, in turn, fueling growth in their digital footprint."

Moderated by Mitchell Leiman, CEO - iPromote

Jerrah Herrera, Digital Advertising Manager - Cherry Road Media

2:00pm - 2:15pm

Case Study: Are Your Reps Having the Right Conversations?

This session, led by Morten Revsbech from the Sandler Sales Institute, will cover some of the most common pitfalls — and opportunities — that impact sales teams of all shapes and sizes. How does emotion affect buyer behavior? What is the pain funnel, and how can you use it to your advantage? How does coaching effect your sales teams effectiveness? What’s the impact of miscommunication? This spirited and engaging discussion is certain to leave you with a ton of takeaways to bring back to your organization.

Morten Revsbech, Vice President of Sales, Sandler Sales Trainer & Coach
Sandler Sales Institute

2:15pm - 2:55pm

Wrap Up: Lead-to-Cash Bash All-Stars - An Introspective Retrospective

To wrap up our 5th year, we're humbled to be able to bring some perennial Bashers to the stage for one last panel. We've tasked this talented group to come up with their own abstract (and approach) with an focus on conversation and creativity. We also have no idea what they're planning so this will be a surprise for all our guests. This session is one you will NOT want to miss.

Moderated by Todd Handy, Founder - Disruptive Impact
Mellesa Boudeman, Chief of Staff - Lee Enterprises

Jolene Sherman, Enterprise Solutions, Business Development - Fluency

Shalonda Lewis, VP, Revenue Technology Services - Indigo Trigger

Bryce Jacobson, Executive Director - New York Press Service

3:00 - 4:00pm // Workshops & Breakout Sessions

3:30pm // Happy Hour