Alisa Wolfson, EVP, Head of Design, Leo Burnett Chicago
Alisa Wolfson is the EVP Head of Design at Leo Burnett, Chicago. As a leader in the agency’s U.S. visual design practice, Alisa oversees brand development for some of the world’s most recognized brands and many of the agency’s cultural and socially conscious clients. Her career at Burnett began when she built the agency’s Department of Design—a team that is comprised of design thinkers and visual brand specialists. She is a founding member of the Leo Burnett Global Design Council and engages design conversation and critique worldwide.
Her work has been continuously recognized by notable industry awards and publications. She has received the inaugural D&AD White Pencil, a One Club Design for Good Gold and Best in Show at The One Show Design. Alisa has been named AdAge’s Woman to Watch and is in Chicago New City Design’s Hall of Fame. She is an active part of the Chicago design and cultural scene. Alisa is the President Emeritus of the AIGA Chicago and most recently is a member of The Arts Alliance of Illinois board of directors. She is also a mentor, lecturer and mom.
Alisa is an advocate for collaboration and creative excellence within Leo Burnett and the community, championing design as the best method for transforming products, services, processes, strategy, and culture.
Catalina Kulczar, Photographer & Filmmaker, Catalina Kulczar, Stills & Motion
Catalina is a Hungarian-Venezuelan award-winning filmmaker and photographer based in New York City. Her oeuvre is courageous, connected and honest, often exploring women’s roles in contemporary society. She has been published in The New York Times and C41, among many other international publications. Catalina has also made portraits of musicians including David Byrne and St. Vincent, artist Shantell Martin, actors Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan, comedians, social entrepreneurs, typography designers, among many others.
Catalina was recently the cinematographer for the short films “Lindsay, Lindsey, Lyndsay,” “Can Love Hate,” and “Garúa.”. She has an upcoming short documentary, “Bola!” (Cinematographer and Producer). Daisy is Catalina’s latest short documentary. Her Mother’s suicide leads Catalina on a quest to explore her Jewish lineage and her family’s immigration story over multiple generations, with open-water swimming becoming her way to come to terms with the present.
Daisy will have its World Premiere at the Zsigmond Vilmos Film Festival in Hungary (Oct 2023), it’s LATAM Premiere at the EQUIS Feminist Film Festival in Quito, Ecuador (Nov 2023), and its European Premiere at the BCN Sports Film Festival in Barcelona (Feb 2024).
Rob Schwartz, Performance Coach, TBWA
In his long career with TBWA, Rob has held a variety of roles including: CEO, CCO, Chair -- and now Performance Coach. He was CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and the CCO of TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles. The story of Chiat New York’s office explosive growth under his leadership is a case study taught at Harvard Business School.
Rob has spearheaded work for blue-chip brands including Nissan, McDonald's, Pepsi, Mayo Clinic, and Visa, to name but a few. Along the way he has won nearly every advertising award including Grand Effie's, Cannes Lions, and One Show pencils. He has also been a Cannes Lions Jury President and jury member of the prestigious Titanium Lion. Rob was recognized as ThinkLA's "Leader of the Year." And is considered one of Adweek's "25 Voices to Follow in Social Media."
A few more facts about him? Rob recently co-founded the Coaching for Creativity program with The One Club. He is a board member of the 4As, serves on the board of City College of New York (BIC Program) and, jis podcast, The Disruptor Series Podcast was named “Best Agency Podcast” by Adweek.
When he’s not working or Tweeting (or is it X-ing?) you’ll find him hanging out with his wife of 25+ years, their kids and their black Labrador, Pepper.