Recognized as a trailblazer and thought leader, Aaron Walton’s focus on innovation and cultural engagement has transformed traditional marketing and advertising strategies. As the CEO / co-founder of Walton Isaacson (WI), a full-service advertising agency, Aaron’s focus is squarely on identifying unseen opportunities rooted in cultural insights and connections. In recognition of his contributions to and ongoing impact on the industry, Aaron was inducted into the AAF Advertising Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Founded in partnership Earvin “Magic” Johnson, WI has built inventive and dynamic relationships with brands such as Lexus, McDonald’s, American Airlines, The Home Depot, PNC Bank, and Amazon.

His leadership in the advertising community has led to several industry Board positions including a 2024 appointment to the American Advertising Federation, and 2023 appointments to The Ad Council and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s).

Trevor A. Edwards, former President of the NIKE Brand. He resigned from his position in August 2018. Mr. Edwards was responsible for leading all category and geographic business units, the Jordan Brand and Action Sports, which includes Hurley International LLC, Digital Sport and brand management throughout the world as well as leading NIKE’s wholesale, retail and e-commerce operations.

Mr. Edwards was previously Global Brand & Category Management Executive Vice President, where he was responsible for helping to drive the NIKE Brand growth strategy by leading its category business units globally. Mr. Edwards joined the company in 1992 as a Regional Marketing Manager and has held senior marketing positions in the Americas, the Europe/Middle East/Africa region, the U.S. and Global Brand Management. Mr. Edwards has led some of the brand’s most significant break-through innovations, including spearheading the creation of Nike+, a revolutionary sports training experience that connects digitally enabled footwear with digital services. He has also helped transform the digital landscape and position Nike as a leader by using social media to connect with consumers globally.

Mr. Edwards earned a BA, business, 1984 and MBA, international marketing and finance, 1989 from Baruch College.

Madeline Nelson is an Emmy-nominated producer and Grammy Award winning Artist Manager, who currently serves as the U.S. Head of Independent Label Relations at Amazon Music. Nelson is also the founder of Heads Music, a boutique music management company, and co-founder with Wyclef Jean, of SodoMoodLab, a scoring and jingle company.

Heads Music is led and staffed entirely by women, a reflection of Nelson’s dedication to making sure that women have a voice within the music industry. Her dedication to her work and fighting for her beliefs has been forged through Nelson’s illustrious career in the music industry, which can be seen in her work as a mentor in the Next Gen Femme mentorship program within the Femme It Forward umbrella, and her recent invitation to participate in the American Association of Independent Music’s annual Indie Week event as their Keynote Speaker.

Madeline has been instrumental in the shaping of entertainment and music culture behind the scenes in her roles as producer, executive, artist manager, and trusted advisor for over three decades. Her repertoire ranges from her work as manager of Grammy Award winning R&B supergroup Blackstreet in the 1990s, to her A&R work with Michael Jackson, followed by her role as SVP of Artist and Label Relations at Sony Music, and now, her current role at Amazon Music as well as management of Wyclef Jean.

In addition to her work at Amazon Music, Madeline recently signed on as the consultant to the “Wyclef and TIAA: Music for a New Legacy” campaign, which aims to raise awareness among America’s youth, in particular the large percent of African American youth, on the importance of investing into a financially secure future. This campaign saw the release of the Wyclef track “Paper Right” featuring Pusha T, Lola Brooke, Capella Grey, and Flau’jae, with streaming proceeds being donated directly to the non-profit organization First Generation Investors.