Agenda

6 hours | Lobby

2 hours, 30 minutes | Reagan Room | Rodney's | The Roundhouse Foyer & Patio

2 hours, 30 minutes | Santa Barbara Ballrooms

30 minutes | San Rafael

Whether you’re here to spark a new partnership, learn strategies to grow your program, or simply soak up the energy of CJU25, this session is your launchpad. Join us for a practical, warm welcome designed to help first-time attendees navigate CJU with confidence. From how to structure your meetings to where to find the best networking spots and sessions, you’ll walk away equipped with tips, tools, and a stronger sense of community.

Jodi Ford

Director, Client Operations, CJ

1 hours | The Set, Hilton Bar / Front Lawn

1 hours, 45 minutes | Plaza Del Sol

10 hours | Santa Barbara Foyer

45 minutes | Reagan Room | Rodney's | The Roundhouse Foyer & Patio

45 minutes | Lobby/Roundhouse Foyer

45 minutes | Santa Barbara Ballrooms

15 minutes | Grand Ballroom

Every purchase begins with a story: a recommendation from a friend, a search at midnight, a post from someone we trust. In his opening talk, Santi Pierini reveals how CJ is weaving these scattered moments into a single connected commerce journey — showing why partnerships are no longer side channels, but the hidden architecture of modern commerce.

Santi Pierini

CEO, CJ

30 minutes | Grand Ballroom

CJ has evolved into a truly connected performance platform, mapping solutions across the customer journey—from Affiliate and Leads to Creator Campaigns and Marketplaces. In this session, we show advertisers, publishers, and agencies how CJ closes the loop on data and attribution across every partner touchpoint—bringing transparency, trust, and measurable growth back into your ecosystem. 

Kelly Merkel

SVP, Client Growth Stategy, CJ

Angela Ballard

Senior Solutions Director, CJ

40 minutes | Grand Ballroom

There is no external force more influential to human behavior than culture. Those who understand the dynamics of culture are more likely to have influence, while those who do not are almost always influenced by those who do. In this talk, Dr. Marcus Collins will pull from both theory and practice—using learnings from his work spearheading digital strategy for Beyoncé to working with Fortune 500 companies like Apple, McDonald’s, and Google—to break down the ways in which culture influences behavior and unpacks how to leverage its power to get people to move. 

Dr. Marcus Collins

3 hours | Lobby/Roundhouse Foyer

6 hours | Reagan Room | Rodney's | The Roundhouse Foyer & Patio

6 hours | Santa Barbara Ballrooms

1 hours, 30 minutes | Plaza Del Sol

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

In a performance marketing world dominated by last-click metrics, advertisers are under increasing pressure to own the customer relationship—not just rent reach. This session introduces CJ Leads as a full-funnel acquisition engine that helps brands scale CRM growth through high-quality, scrubbed first-party leads.

 

We’ll tackle industry misconceptions, showcase CJ’s managed service model, and provide proof from real campaigns across retail, finance, and B2B. If your brand is looking to drive acquisition, reduce CPA, and unlock better use of mid-funnel spend—this session is built for you.

Tara Tahbaz

BD Manager, Performance Marketing

Mark Lipson

BD Manager, Performance Marketing

45 minutes | San Rafael

This fireside panel challenges the affiliate industry to reframe its role—from a transactional channel to a strategic orchestration layer. As advertisers shift toward full-funnel audience strategies and outcome-based planning, affiliate must evolve to enable—not just measure—impact. In this conversation, we’ll explore how publishers and networks can meet new expectations around identity, data access, and media flexibility, and how CJ is positioning the channel to drive broader marketing value across audiences, reach, and results.

Tomas Saulsbury-Hunter

VP, Agency Growth, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

Discover how CJ Influence drives measurable results for brands through data-driven influencer campaigns. This session features real-world case studies, including PUMA's campaign that achieved an $18 ROAS and 1.9M+ impressions. Learn actionable strategies to optimize creator partnerships and maximize ROI through our platform.

Michelle Nishanian

Account Director, Influencer, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Insight Studio

In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer finance, trust and transparency are key to capturing the attention of today's savvy customers. This session delves into how smart compliance can elevate your brand, fortify partnerships, and foster authentic connections for advertisers and publishers alike. Learn how to transform compliance into a strategic advantage, using it to distinguish your offerings in a crowded market and be ready for whatever comes next.

 

Chrissy Cadoret

Senior Director, Network Compliance, CJ

| Sierra Madre l Knowlege Center

This session gives publishers the playbook to attract sustained advertiser investment beyond traditional commission models. Attendees will gain "pro tips" to make their media more accessible and appealing to brands, including strategies like entry-level test pricing, remnant inventory for recruitment, and repeat investment models. Framed through CJ’s unique role connecting both sides of the commerce equation, this session will help publishers understand how to better position, price, and present their offerings to meet brand expectations and drive long-term partnerships.

Eric Schafer

Senior Director, Channel Growth, CJ

45 minutes | San Rafael

Get the inside track on where creator partnerships are heading. Learn from brands already winning with CJ across TikTok Shops, Meta Shops, and Amazon marketplaces—smoothing the path between social commerce and affiliate. We'll reveal how we help creators drive more sales than competitors and share strategies you can use right away. 

Brent Scott

Director of Influencer Marketing, CJ

Wendy Wildfeuer

Co-Founder, Motom

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

Dive into CJ’s robust suite of AI-driven tools to unlock and scale growth. This session highlights how advertisers can use CJ’s forecasting, benchmarking, and partner recommendation tools to make smarter decisions, faster. It’s a hands-on look at how AI is powering the next generation of performance marketing.

 

Lu Richie

Solutions Group Director, Product Development, CJ

Ljuboslav Boskic

Lead Data Scientist

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Insight Studio

Join industry experts as they break down the metrics that matter when identifying high-converting creators. This session will provide actionable frameworks for evaluating creator partnerships beyond surface-level metrics, with case studies demonstrating successful implementation across various industries.

Bre Rodriguez

Account Director, Influencer, CJ

Joseph Yi

Influencer Partnerships, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

Learn how TikTok Shop transforms social content into direct sales through creator-led commerce. This session covers proven strategies for maximizing conversions, learn insights from TikTok Shop's impressive $100 million in U.S. Black Friday 2024 sales. Discover how to leverage the platform's unique features to master social selling.

Kristina Severence

Account Director, Influencer, CJ

30 minutes

2 hours | East Beach

1 hours, 45 minutes | Plaza Del Sol

8 hours, 30 minutes | Reagan Room | Rodney's | The Roundhouse Foyer & Patio

8 hours, 30 minutes | Santa Barbara Ballrooms

9 hours | Santa Barbara Foyer

35 minutes | San Rafael

Retail Media is reshaping the future of connected commerce—and this session shows you how to activate it. Discover how blending Retail Media with Affiliate strategies can unlock vendor-funded budgets, harness first-party data, and drive measurable growth. Join us to explore the evolving landscape and uncover practical ways to stay ahead in a rapidly shifting market.

Stacey Georgoulis

VP, Strategic Partnerships & Solutions, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Learning Lab

Join CJ’s API guru for a hands-on demo of our API suite—built to automate, scale, and unlock performance across your affiliate program. This session will walk through real use cases and show how advertisers can integrate CJ’s APIs to streamline workflows, access real-time data, and build custom solutions.

Seth Burris

Solutions Group Director

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

As traditional monetization models falter, publishers are under pressure to evolve. This 20-minute session challenges outdated assumptions about lead generation and introduces a new narrative: Cost-Per-Lead (CPL) isn't just viable — it's profitable. Through transparent proof points, case studies, and activation guidance, CJ reveals how publishers can unlock scalable, low-friction revenue using first-party data and managed performance infrastructure. Designed for publishers seeking smart, stable alternatives to tenancy and CPM volatility, this session positions CPL as a modern growth strategy — not a risk.

Alex Higson

Group Director, CJ Leads

Seun Olabisi

Business Development, Offers365

45 minutes | San Rafael

Affiliate marketers face mounting pressure as measurement standards shift and budgets come under scrutiny. The challenge isn't performance, it's precision. Generic models dilute the signal, while partner-level measurement sharpens focus on what’s truly driving value. In this session, experts from across the industry will share how robust data and targeted testing methodologies can shift your role from budget defender to growth driver—unlocking affiliate’s full potential in the marketing mix. Key Takeaways Measurement models aren’t always built for affiliate – Budget pressure often comes from models not tailored to the affiliate channel. Recognizing their limitations is critical to interpreting results in context. Affiliate deserves a seat at the table – With robust methodologies and comprehensive data, CJ and partners ensure affiliate performance is accurately represented alongside other channels. Shift from defense to growth – Leverage credible testing methodologies to reframe affiliate’s role within the broader marketing mix.

Colin Johnson

Sr. Director, Data Science, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Insight Studio

Activate affiliate in marketplace environments. Learn how CJ empowers publishers to monetize on platforms like Amazon and TikTok where consumers already shop. Connect your valuable inventory & audiences to brands' retail media budgets & goals. Understand how CJ's tools validate spend and link marketplace activity to measurable ROI for your brand partners. You'll learn how to make CJ your first stop for pulling links, simplify your workflow, and grow revenue across social, marketplace, and DTC channels.

Helene Saxena

Strategic Solutions Director, CJ

30 minutes | Sierra Madre | Knowledge Center

For over 25 years, the affiliate channel has excelled at driving direct transactions and ""cold, hard cash"". However, in a rapidly evolving digital landscape characterized by declining search traffic and a ""zero-click world"" where AI answers questions directly, the channel risks limiting its value by focusing solely on sales. Brands are increasingly struggling to connect with fragmented audiences and are seeking deeper engagement beyond mere transactions.  With their deep audience connections and wealth of audience data on user behavior, trends, and propensity, publishers are uniquely positioned to provide immense value beyond just driving a sale. The future demands a shift in mindset to leverage these valuable audience assets.

Jessica Wong

Publisher Development Director, CJ

Meghan Hogan

Publisher Success

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

This hands-on lab dives deep into CJ's proprietary measurement tools designed for affiliates’ unique structure. Learn why generic external models create noise and how partner-level measurement delivers accuracy. Explore incrementality testing, cross-channel journey analysis, and elasticity testing to align with business goals. Get actionable strategies for continuous testing and optimizing Universal Tag integration to defend and grow your affiliate program proactively.

Amanda Harris

Data Scientist, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

Consumers are increasingly turning to AI tools for product research, reshaping discovery paths. While trusted publishers remain critical, brands must now optimize for AI-driven environments. This session explores how advertisers and publishers can increase visibility in AI-generated responses, what drives brand inclusion, and how affiliate strategies must evolve. Learn how to adapt your content, partnerships, and marketing to stay competitive as AI becomes the first stop for answers. Key Takeaways Understand how AI models shape consumer decisions and responses. Learn how to optimize for brand inclusion in AI-generated answers. Gain strategies to future-proof affiliate and performance marketing.

Katerine Tamargo

Sr. Director, Finance Vertical Development

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

This session explores the evolving role of strategic partnerships within affiliate marketing, highlighting both Universal Tag-enabled integrations and emerging models that extend beyond traditional publisher formats. From embedded checkout to service-based solutions, discover how these partners are expanding program capabilities, enabling cross-channel engagement, and driving measurable outcomes. Attendees will gain clarity on partnership types, activation strategies, and the expanding performance ecosystem shaping the future of commerce.

Eirik Thue Buoe

Strategic Partnerships Director, CJ

1 hours, 30 minutes | Plaza Del Sol

20 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

As ecommerce growth diverges across global markets, brands must shift from reactive expansion to strategic, data-driven activation. This session breaks down how to identify international growth opportunities, understand cross-border shopper behaviors, and activate local partnerships that drive performance. Learn how to turn passive global interest into active revenue by leveraging CJ’s tools, insights, and glocal strategies to scale into new markets with confidence.

Jonathan Finke

Sr. Client Success Manager, CJ

30 minutes | San Rafael

Discover how CJ, Universal McCann, and publisher partners scaled a 38-market lead gen campaign for Aramco — without tenancy fees. This panel explores how CPL models are transforming agency–publisher collaboration, debunks common lead gen myths, and reveals how advertisers and publishers can unlock new value through performance-based strategies. Key Takeways: See how Aramco scaled 85K+ leads in 14 days across 38 markets. Learn why publishers are shifting from tenancy to performance. Discover how agencies are using CPL to drive CRM growth

Alex Higson

Group Director, CJ

20 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

What you don’t know can hurt you, which is why CJ continues to lead the industry in enforcing promotional method transparency and safeguarding against fraud. Join us to discover how we protect your brand behind the scenes and learn what you need to know to make informed partnership choices. Gain insights into the core principles of effective compliance management and learn how CJ's compliance services can strengthen your affiliate programs and set a new standard in marketing excellence.

Chrissy Cadoret

Senior Director, Network Compliance, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Insight Studio

Gen Z is changing how financial info is discovered—ditching Google for TikTok, YouTube, and trusted creators. With 60M+ Americans using social platforms for money advice, finance brands must rethink discovery. This session explores social search, compliant influencer content, and how to future-proof your acquisition funnel with trusted creators. Learn how to show up where Gen Z is already searching—and how to turn that attention into action.

Brent Scott

Director of Influencer Marketing, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

Discover how CJ Influence drives measurable results for brands through data-driven influencer campaigns. This session features real-world case studies, including PUMA's campaign that achieved an $18 ROAS and 1.9M+ impressions. Learn actionable strategies to optimize creator partnerships and maximize ROI through our platform.

Michelle Nishanian

Account Director, Influencer, CJ

45 minutes | San Rafael

In a year defined by economic volatility and consumer unpredictability, scaling globally required more than strategy—it demanded agility in making smart decisions glo-cally, informed by reliable market insights and expert knowledge. Join this cross-vertical panel of global Brand and Publisher leaders to explore how they have been turning disruption into momentum. From adapting local strategies to reallocating budgets away from saturated or unstable markets and unlocking new revenue in unexpected regions, these speakers will share what worked, what failed, and how to glo-localize for scale in 2026 and beyond.

Anna Marecka

Vice President, Client Success, CJ

20 minutes | Sierra Madre | Learning Lab

Get an inside look at CJ’s latest innovations built to accelerate publisher growth. From smarter onboarding and product discovery to real-time insights and scalable payouts, CJ is reimagining the publisher experience for speed, transparency, and monetization. Whether you're a creator or commerce-driven partner, this session highlights the tools and tech driving performance in 2025.

Lu Richie

Solutions Group Director, CJ

Erin Martinez

Director UX, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre | Knowledge Center

Retail media is more than an advertiser play—it’s a publisher revolution. In this session, we spotlight how top publishers are evolving from affiliate-only models into full-funnel media partners, blending commerce, influence, and identity-based targeting. Learn how publishers like The Independent are building media networks with clean room infrastructure, co-branded activations, and real-time data packaging to deliver measurable results for retail advertisers. This isn’t a trend—it’s the future of publisher monetization.

Jessica Wong

Publisher Development Director, CJ

Ed Hutchinson

Head of Retail Media Solutions, The Independent

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Insight Studio

Tracking gaps aren’t just technical—they’re strategic threats. This session reveals how privacy crackdowns, browser restrictions, and mobile blind spots distort ROI across your entire marketing mix. We’ll unpack CJ’s multi-layered approach to tracking integrity, including Universal Tag, Reverse Proxy, mobile app tracking, and concurrent methods. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how to maintain visibility across every touchpoint, safeguard attribution accuracy, and ensure partners are compensated for the value they drive. Key Takeaways Spot tracking gaps fast. Learn how browsers, consent, and app blind spots quietly erode performance. Stay visible with CJ tech. See how Universal Tag, Reverse Proxy, and app tracking safeguard attribution. Protect ROI and partner pay. Ensure your data reflects real value—and partners get credit.

Mark Santiago

Sr. Client Integration Engineer, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre l Knowledge Center

Why partner diversity is your next growth lever. To keep growing, advertisers must diversify their partner mix. This session will show how to identify and activate new partner types that unlock rich resilience and results.

Lindsay Fillingim

Director, Client Growth Strategy Development, CJ

45 minutes | San Rafael

AI has collapsed the gap between intent and purchase. Answers now appear before clicks, and the brands that grow are the ones mentioned by trusted voices and present on the new commerce surfaces. This session unpacks how discovery, decision, and conversion now converge in chat, creator content, and on-site shoppable moments. We’ll explore how credibility becomes the ranking signal, how affiliate evolves into the content engine of discoverability, and how partnerships with publishers, creators, and AI-powered tools unlock compounding growth. Come for a clear compass, not tactics, on where to play, what to prioritize, and what to value so AI becomes a growth engine, not just a disruptor.

Santi Pierini

CEO, CJ

25 minutes | Sierra Madre | Knowledge Center

CJ offers incredible flexibility in setting commission rates. Many advertisers don't realize the full power available: from tailoring rates based on product margin and customer type to combining CJ's tools for unprecedented granularity. Learn how to build a smart commission strategy that rewards specific outcomes, like commissioning new customers buying books or targeting specific regions.

Bridget McNamara

Agency Success, CJ

Mary White

Advertiser Success Manager, CJ

1 hours, 30 minutes | Front Lawn

2 hours | Plaza Del Sol

4 hours | Grand Foyer

4 hours, 30 minutes | Grand Ballroom

3 hours | Hilton Parking area outside Grand Foyer

2 hours | Plaza Del Sol

2 hours, 30 minutes | Santa Barbara Foyer