I’ve spent 15 years at the forefront of digital advertising and marketing technology—from search and programmatic, to CTV and media measurement, to emerging formats like in-game ads and VR/AR. And now? AI.
Here’s the thing: I’ve always been drawn to the edge. Not the bleeding edge where things are so experimental they might not work, but that sweet spot where emerging technology starts to reshape how the entire industry operates.
That’s where we are with AI right now. And that’s exactly where I want to be.
What excites me about AI is how it connects to the ecosystem I know and love: AdTech, commerce and content. All of these channels and platforms are being transformed by AI, and the people working in them need to understand what that means.
We’ve got agentic media buying platforms, AI agents with catchy nicknames (like Omni, Ivy and Mico), and agencies scrambling to figure out how to add value when the bots can do so much of the heavy lifting.
But here’s what I keep coming back to: the bots can’t just talk to the bots. Growth at scale requires governance, data hygiene, and human judgment. And people who understand how to navigate that dynamic will be the ones who thrive.
Why U of Digital?
This opportunity sits at the intersection of three threads that have defined my career: being at the forefront of emerging trends, creating opportunities for people to learn, and building networks of expert resources.
U of Digital doesn’t do generic courses that go stale in six months. They embrace a practitioner-led philosophy, move fast (updating curriculum weekly), and have built trust with some of the biggest companies in the industry. They understand that AI moves fast – but also the need to stay current without cutting corners.
What I’ll be doing
My role is really about building infrastructure. I’ll be developing curriculum, recruiting subject matter experts who are actually using AI in their day-to-day work, and creating systems that let us scale AI training without losing quality. I’m also focused on thought leadership—speaking at conferences, writing, and being a visible face of U of Digital’s AI expertise.
I’ve done flavors of this at organizations like CIMM, Black Innovation Alliance and Admonsters, not to mention for ad industry stalwarts like EMARKETER and events like Beet.tv, CES, Mobile World Congress … (and even Digiday, way back in the day).
What I’ve always come back to is creating spaces where smart people can learn from each other.
And that’s the kind of learning ecosystem I want to build for AI at U of Digital.
The personal stuff
When I’m not nerding out about advertising, or the latest trends in the online scamming economy (yes, really—I co-host a podcast called Tech and Soul where we go deep on this stuff), you’ll probably find me:
- Attending industry events (or programming them—old habits die hard)
- Attending (or teaching) a power yoga class
- On a hike somewhere in the Oakland hills
And otherwise, trying not to be “chronically online” – looking for new recipes, diving deep into Reddit astrology threads, and of course, perusing AI developments.
Let’s build this together
I’m excited to connect with the U of Digital community—students, experts, partners, and anyone who’s trying to figure out how to navigate AI in marketing and advertising. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to level up or someone just starting to explore how AI will change your job, I’m here to help.
Because here’s what I believe: the future of advertising in the agentic era isn’t about replacing people with bots. It’s about helping people understand how to work with bots, govern bots, and add strategic value that the bots can’t replicate.
And I can’t wait to help build that future with you.