THANK YOU FOR COMING TOGETHER WITH YOUR FELLOW AAF Central Region members for two full days of incredible professional development, storytelling, engagement, and fun!
The 2025 AAF Central Region Conference was OCTOBER 17-18 at the beautiful RADISSON BLU MALL OF AMERICA IN MINNEAPOLIS and was all about YOU! This professional development conference created a platform where everyone could connect, communicate, and celebrate together in what makes our industry great. In the end, the conference aspired to generate and elevate a positive perception of communication and storytelling to all attendees while having a great time together. We brought VALUE TO YOU no matter where you are in your career or background.
IT'S ABOUT YOU!
SPEAKERS
just for YOU
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DAVID MACKERETH
Digital North America
SVP/Group Creative Director
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WHERE WE STAYED
We were pleased to partner with Radisson BLU as the hotel and conference destination for the 2025 AdConnect!
Radisson Blu Mall of America only a short 10 minutes from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport is conveniently connected directly to Mall of America, the largest indoor entertainment and shopping mall in the United States. So, when you have a small break from all that AD CONNECT has to offer YOU, it's shopping time!
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, OCT 16
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
REGISTRATION OPEN
FRIDAY, OCT 17
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
REGISTRATION OPEN
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
VENDOR EXHIBIT
8:30 am - 10:00 am
CONFERENCE OPENING
BREAKFAST BUFFET IN BALLROOM
WELCOME GREETING
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
LEADERSHIP PANEL
"State of Advertising and Agency Work"
- Neil White, President/CEO BBDO MW
- Jennifer Spire, Partner/CEO Preston Spire
- Kevin DiLorenzo, President & CEO, Rise and Shine and Partners
- Gina Nacey, Partner + Director of Creative Strategy, Rise and Shine and Partners
10:00 am - 10:15 am
BREAK
10:15 am - 11:00 am
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
Aaron Draplin, Founder of Draplin Design Co.
"An Update From the Front Lines of Cutthroat Contemporary Graphic Design: And Other Lies, Fibs, and Perjuries with the Draplin Design Co."
11:00 am - 11:15 am
BREAK
11:15 am - 11:45 am
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
"ANALOG LESSONS FOR A DIGITAL WORLD"
Mary Bruno, Owner, Bruno Press
11:45 am - 1:00 pm
LUNCH IN BALLROOM
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
"You, Me, & Our Cyborg Audiences"
Greg Swan, Senior Marketing leader,
** 1:15 pm - 3:15 pm **
Exclusive AARON DRAPLIN Breakout
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE DDC:
Ten Tactile Trick, Tips and Techniques
**Additional fee to attend. Limited to 40 people
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION:
- Maggie Hylton, Back to Nature
2:15 pm - 3:00 pm
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
Pamela Atherton, Speaker - Voiceover Actor, Performance & Media Coach
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
BREAK
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
COCKTAIL RECEPTION at
FAIR ON 4 - MALL OF AMERICA
6:30pm
DINNER ON YOUR OWN
SATURDAY, OCT 18
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
REGISTRATION OPEN
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
VENDOR EXHIBIT
9:00 am - 10:00 am
BREAKFAST SERVED IN BALLROOM
WELCOME GREETING
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
Steve Pacheco, AAF President & CEO
"State of the Organization"
10:00 am - 10:15 am
BREAK
10:15 am - 11:00 am
PANEL DISCUSSION:
American Advertising Awards:
David Mackereth, SVP/Group Creative Director for Digitas North America
Kate Kearns, AD Fed MN
Althea Larson, AD Fed MN
11:15 am - 12:00 pm
• BREAKOUT SESSION 1:
Pamela Atherton - "Gaining Media Attention"
• BREAKOUT SESSION 2 :
“How submitting an entry(s) into the American Advertising Awards benefits YOU!”
Kate Kearns & Althea Larson, AD Fed MN
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
LUNCH SERVED IN BALLROOM
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
JT Mega - "Get a Taste of This"
1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
BREAK
1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
Abby Kallenbach, Diversity Consultant and Founder of Babes Helpin' Babes
"The State of DEI"
2:45 pm - 3:30 pm
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION
Mary Meehan, Co-founder, Iconoculture and Panoramix Global - a Cultural and Consumer Trend Consultancy
"Value and Values"
3:45 pm - 4:30 pm
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATION:
"Lab Laws-The Core Principles for Creating an Environment Ripe for Ideation"
Vaney Hariri, Chief Culture Officer, Think 3D
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
BREAK
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
CLOSING COCKTAIL RECEPTION
6:30 pm
DINNER ON YOUR OWN
HUGE THANKS TO OUR 2025 SPONSORS
WITHOUT THE GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM OUR SPONSORS, THIS CONFERENCE COULD NOT HAVE HAPPEN. PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK OUT EACH SPONSOR BY CLICKING THEIR LOGO, AND USE THEM IF YOU CAN. YOUR SUPPORT OF THESE SPONSORS IS APPRECIATED!
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ABOUT THE AAF CENTRAL REGION CONFERENCE
The AAF Central Region Conference (CRC) is a bi-annual conference specific to AAF club members within the Central Region — but absolutely open to all members of AAF. The AAF Districts represented by the Central Region include Districts 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
This conference encourages AAF members from different Districts to gather together, share ideas, and meet fellow AAF members they may not have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.
AAF CENTRAL REGION CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE
Bill Richmond, Chair
Laurel McEuen, Vice Chair
Jen Bryant, Sec/Treasurer
Shannon Steffke, Immed. Past Chair
Chris McDonald, Past Chair
Tom Woody, Past Chair
Dave Perry, Past Chair
Angelo Antoline, Past Chair
Hana Chughtai, AdFed MN
Sara Johnson, AdFed MN
Kate Kearns, AdFed MN
Althea Larson, AdFed MN
© 2025 AAF CENTRAL REGION
pro-bono site design and creative provided by Chris McDonald, Designworks Advertising
pro-bono conference branded creative elements provided by Sophie Rogers, Open Coffin Creative