Exclusive Event: AAF Evening Series
Date: April 8-11th
Where: Dallas, Tx
Venue: NSAC - SMU / Conference Doubletree Campbell Center
The Best Advertising conference between Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas
AAF’s most dynamic district is coming to Dallas, TX! Count on a full spectrum of speakers, wide range of workshops, and opportunities for professional growth and personal fun. Register by February 15, 2026. This is the conference registration. Please see hotel info on homepage.
Providing Thought Leadership, Insights and Connections.
Interactive Q&A
Have burning questions? Get them answered directly by the experts during our interactive Q&A session. This is your chance to engage and get personalized insights.
Expert Insights
Hear from leading industry experts as they dissect the core differences and synergies between advertising and marketing. Gain valuable insights into how these critical functions shape the future of brands.
Hosting
We want you to know that hosting events like this comes with costs, and while we strive to keep ticket prices low, rising expenses mean we won’t be contributing to the scholarship fund this time. Your ticket provides access to an exclusive event with two drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Thank you for your understanding and support!
Network with Professionals
Connect with like-minded individuals, industry professionals, and thought leaders. Expand your network and exchange ideas with others who share your passion for the business world.
Meet Our Speakers
Maggie Malek
Maggie is the CEO of Crispin, a chronically online media and creative agency making brands the conversation. Since 1965, Crispin has been the original business advisor, solving problems through creativity with brands including Target, DSW, Samsung, P&G, and more.
Prior to stepping into the role at Crispin, Maggie led Houston, TX based MMI Agency where she began her career as an account coordinator, accelerating into the CEO role in just eight years. Under her leadership, MMI saw industry-defying growth, client retention, staff retention, and named a Best Place to Work.
Maggie prides herself on her untraditional path into the creative industry. Her breadth of experience brings a unique lens to the way she approaches both integrated storytelling and business leadership. Before joining MMI, she worked across a variety of industries including web marketing, public relations, publishing, sports, and event planning. Prior to that she served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Damian Claassens
Damian, an Australian native, studied Graphic Design at UC School of Design in Canberra. He started his career in Sydney, working on branding and packaging before helping establish the digital disciplines at Leo Burnett and Ogilvy. His early portfolio includes work for IBM, QANTAS, Kellogg, Nokia, and Subaru.
Damian’s career then took him to Europe, where he worked for Blueberry in London and Framfab in Copenhagen, creating award-winning projects for Nike, Carlsberg, and Sprite. In 2005, he moved to New York to launch AKQA’s office, leading global creative for brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Motorola, and Google.
He later joined Publicis Modem as SVP/Group Creative Director, overseeing global creative for LG. At Mullen Lowe Profero, Damian led campaigns for Apple, The New York Times, and Kaiser Permanente. He also served as ECD at The Wonderful Company, working on brands such as Wonderful Pom, Wonderful Pistachios, and Justin Wines.
Currently, Damian is the founder and CCO of Surging Panda, where he helps brands connect through visual communication. He is also tasked with rebuilding Gravity Global’s presence across America as ECD. Damian has won multiple industry awards and spoken at major events like Cannes Lions.
Stuart Redsunn
Stu Redsun is currently the Vice President of Brand & Marketing for WM (formerly Waste Management), a $20 billion dollar brand leading the way in all things sustainability. At WM, he leads all marketing, storytelling, demand generation, WM.com and events like the WM Phoenix Open.
A brand marketing veteran, Stu has held almost every marketing role across his career.
Stu spent his first 11 years learning marketing at Nike, then led marketing communications for technology brands Gateway, Motorola and Sony (taking each to record sales during his respective tenures). Prior to joining WM, Stu was the top global marketer at Columbia Sportswear Company and before that Under Armour.
Stu is known for implementing a brand’s unique story across every consumer/customer touch-point to drive both short-term sales and long-term loyalty.
Suzanne Darmory
Suzanne has over 25 years of international experience championing Fortune 500 brands and articulating their vision through marketing and advertising initiatives. Her track record of driving transformative change with a relentless focus on results has led to Suzanne becoming a renowned industry leader. She has been recognized by MARsum as Top 100 Influencers in Marketing and Advertising, Business Leaders Magazine as the Top 100 Business Leaders, Refinery29 as top 29 most powerful women in digital, and featured on the “Where Are the Boss Ladies?” list.
Suzanne is Chief Marketing Officer at Refundo, the only minority-owned fintech banking partner in the tax industry that helps tax professionals serve the underbanked. In addition to founding her own boutique agency (The AGNCY), she has spent career both client-side (IBM, Jackson Hewitt, L’Oreal) and agency-side in New York (Arnold, Deutsch, Grey, JWT, Moxie, mcgarrybowen, Ogilvy, R/GA, Zeta) and London (Bates UK, Euro RSCG, Imagination, Ogilvy & Mather).
Her work has won over 100 Advertising Awards and been featured in: AdAge, Adweek, Brandweek, CBS, CNN, Communication Arts, engadget, Forbes, Good Morning America, Mashable, MTV, NBC, New York Times, Today Show, and PR Newswire. She is an active judge, portfolio reviewer, panelist, speaker, and mentor.
KEYNOTES
Friday Welcome Breakfast
TED WRIGHT
CEO OF FIZZ & AUTHOR
Followed by NSAC Champion Presentations
In 2015, Phil Kotler described Ted Wright as, “The Pioneer of modern Word of Mouth Marketing.” As the CEO of Fizz, Ted Wright has led one of the largest word of mouth marketing firms in the world since 2001. Operating in 13 time zones around the world, Fizz’s clients include Coca-Cola, LVMH, JetBlue, Audi, Intel, Quidel, and FIFA.
Friday Lunch
Next Wave Awards & Keynote
KEYNOTE
Emcee: Victoria Lara
Public Information Officer, TxDOT
Join us for AAF District 10's Next Wave Award ceremony recognizing outstanding advertising professionals under the age of 40.
Friday Afternoon Keynote
CHIP KIDD
BOOK COVER DESIGNER & AUTHOR
Chip Kidd is an American graphic designer, editor and author, best known for his book covers. As of 2024, he is the vice president and art director at Knopf and editor-at-large for graphic novels at Pantheon. He is the author of two novels and numerous non-fiction books on comics and graphic design, with a particular interest in DC's Batman series. Kidd is the recipient of four Eisner Awards, the 2014 AIGA Medal and the 2007 American National Design Award for communication design.
Friday Dinner Gala
D10 American Advertising Awards
GALA IS BACK!
Emcee: Susan Saurage-Altenloh
Former D10 Governor
The American Advertising Awards gala is back by popular demand! We're celebrating the best creative in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas!
Saturday Breakfast Keynote
STATE OF AAF
AMERICAN ADVERTISING FEDERATION
Steve Pacheco, CEO
Dawn Reeves, EVP Club Services
Saturday Lunch
Mosaic Awards & Keynote
Sonny Villareal, Keynote
Emcee: Victoria Lara
Public Information Officer, TxDOT
Join us as we honor diversity, equity, and inclusion in advertising!
Thank You To Our Sponsors
Thank you for making this event possible! We are grateful for the unwavering support and dedication of our incredible sponsors. Your commitment fuels our success and helps bring ideas to life. This event would not be possible without each of you, and we are honored to share this journey together. Here’s to the creativity, collaboration, and innovation that you inspire—today and always!
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