To the Future and Beyond: AI-Powered Tools and Tech for Social Pros

Gillian Proudfoot embarked on her journey with Dash Hudson in 2018, assuming the role of Account Executive. She then transitioned to growing the Product Marketing team before ultimately ascending to the position of Executive Director of Customer Success. Having forged a career path that defies convention, Gillian's professional background has spanned diverse sectors including SaaS, radio and television marketing, and the federal government. This eclectic experience has cultivated a dedication to product excellence, customer-centric solutions, and fostering the growth trajectories of her team members.

Allison Waken, a marketing professional with over two decades of experience, stands as the Senior Manager of Influencer Marketing at the University of Phoenix. Boasting a unique career, Allison has been a trailblazer in the field of influencer marketing for more than 15 years, even before the term "influencers" gained widespread recognition. With a profound understanding of the industry's evolution, she is set to spearhead and amplify University of Phoenix's influencer marketing initiatives across diverse platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and beyond. Allison's unparalleled expertise and innovative approach position her as a key figure in leveraging digital influencers to enhance the university's visibility and engagement.

Jenn Thai is the Director of Social Engagement at the American Red Cross, where she manages content strategy and supervises the development of social-first content for the organization’s national social media channels. In addition to providing strategic counsel to guide enterprise-wide social media policies, she oversees paid social/boosting efforts to drive brand awareness. Before coming to the American Red Cross, Jenn was the social media specialist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, where she managed all social media marketing efforts including strategy building, content creation, community management, social listening, paid media buying and reporting. Before that, she was the associate social media producer at HSN and began her career in the agency realm as a social media strategist.

Katrina Najm is the social media lead at CDW, where she oversees the strategic direction of social programs at the company across multiple platforms including organic, paid, customer and employee advocacy. She leads the social media team to help drive revenue, customer engagement and overall brand awareness for the organization. She previously was a communications senior manager at PwC, where she focused on media relations and social media, while serving as a senior advisor to executives. During the pandemic, she led efforts that resulted in her team being selected as a finalist for the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards for their work in promoting the COVID Pulse Surveys throughout 2020. Before that, she served as social media manager at PwC and has also worked with brands ranging from Thomson Reuters and Wyndham Worldwide to MTV Networks.