Brand Response Council

Chris Foster is vice president, new business at Modern Postcard, a national direct marketing company that services business of all sizes and in all markets. As a marketing and branding executive, he understands how to help any-sized business better position and brand themselves and tell their most authentic story to engage their audience. In addition to leading the creation and execution of new business strategies at Modern, he has taught brand strategy at UCSD Extension since 2009. Chris is a contributing author for TargetMarketing Magazine and NonProfitPro and has presented at numerous professional conferences nationally.

Rebecca Barr is a seasoned marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience in the D2C industry. As the principal of RLB Consulting, she specializes in helping brands get the most from their performance marketing initiatives. With a background in media strategy, agency management, and client relations, Barr has a proven track record of driving sales, leads, and exposure for companies of all sizes. Before founding RLB Consulting, she held senior leadership positions at GainShare Performance Marketing, Northern Lights Direct Response, and The Professional Education Institute Inc., where she successfully led media teams, negotiated key deals, and fostered strategic partnerships. Barr is known for her expertise in navigating complex media markets, building strong relationships, and delivering results that exceed expectations.

Jack Barrett is the founder and creative director at Urban Legend Productions, a brand response agency and production company. A 30-year veteran of the advertising industry, Barrett and his team at Urban Legend specialize in creating performance-driven linear, OTT, and CTV campaigns that build brand awareness and produce measurable results. When not creating the next big TV campaign, he specializes (less successfully) in waterskiing, flyfishing, and cross-fit training.

Doug Bognar is vice president of sales and new business for Apex Media Partners Inc. He has spent virtually his entire 30-year career in the direct-to-consumer industry. He has been a media director/senior manager with a top-40 media buying agency as well as having held director-level sales positions at both rep firms and networks, responsible for eight-figure budgets. A seasoned, data-driven professional, Bognar has extensive experience developing direct-to-consumer networks and worked for several years building aggregated programmatic platforms. As vice president, he takes on growing the Apex Media portfolio of client-focused services, including short-form media buying, station representation, ad sales, and navigating the rapidly expanding and complex world of over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

Chris Brombach brings 20-plus years of agency and client-side performance marketing experience. He started his ad career on the general market/brand side at agencies including Carat, DDB, PHD, and evolved into hybrid/DR while working on client side at Beachbody. He then spent seven years at Havas Edge. Brombach is currently senior vice president, integrated media, at Cannella Media DTC. He is a firm believer in an effective hybrid approach – where awareness and response are not considered mutually exclusive.

Brendan Carson is vice president, product growth, at GaleForce Digital Technologies. He’s a digital marketer and product manager with more than seven years of experience managing campaigns, SaaS, and accounts across a variety of channels and industries.

Carey Chase serves as senior vice president of media at Modus Direct. Chase and the media team are responsible for media strategy, planning, placement, and optimization across all available media channels (linear/streaming TV, OOH, print) for both D2C as well as brand-focused clients at Modus. She has spent nearly all of her 30-plus year career in DRTV (except for those “lost years” as a UX web designer), working in-house and on the agency side for both large and boutique shops. One of her greatest thrills has been living this industry’s transition from dismissed as “remnant media” to respected as “performance media” — while spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. A leader at every agency she has worked at, Chase has trained and counselled countless buyers who have gone on and excelled in their own careers in advertising and ad tech. She currently resides in Chicago.

Alex Dinsmoor is executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Script to Screen. He joined the company in 1999 and works closely with companies exploring direct-to-consumer sales and marketing strategies. During his tenure, Dinsmoor has helped many brands successfully execute direct response marketing strategies including Blink by Amazon, Shark/Ninja, Keurig, Omaha Steaks, Generac, and L’Oreal to name a few. In 2010, he launched a lifestyle-based product via direct response and effectively moved it into retail. His experience on both the agency and client side of the business provides perspective that benefits all clients. Dinsmoor earned his bachelor of arts degree from Pepperdine University. He is married with three children and enjoys golf, tennis, and sailing.

Long Ellis is a former television executive with deep expertise in the industry, having held significant roles at CBS, Discovery Communications, and Viacom. As COO/EVP of ad sales at Viacom Networks, he oversaw key aspects of the company's operations and created a far more effective sales organization. Transitioning to the advanced TV sector, Ellis contributed to companies like Google TV Ads, Canoe Ventures, and MASS Exchange, focusing on improving TV buying and selling processes. In 2023, he launched Denali TV, an innovative platform that optimizes outcomes for TV publishers and performance marketing agencies.

David Futterman is vice president, digital advertising sales, performance media at Paramount.  Futterman and his team are responsible for maximizing revenue and optimizing yield across Paramount’s streaming services and digital video products. He brings nearly two decades of sales and leadership experience to Paramount. As a seasoned data-driven performance marketing expert, Futterman has a proven track record of unlocking growth and opportunity for Paramount and its partners. He has built trust-based relationships with clients, agency partners, and D2C brands through his analytical approach, which has resulted in strong outcomes across the media ecosystem. Prior to joining Paramount, Futterman held a series of positions at NBCUniversal and Pop TV, formerly Pop Media Group. He holds an M.B.A. in communication and media management from the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University and graduated from University of Delaware with a B.S. in management. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two sons.

Dan Grskovic is a sales manager at Samsung Ads with almost 15 years of experience in direct response ad sales. He started his career at FOX Cable Networks, where he cut his teeth working across a variety of cable networks before moving on to join NBCUniversal’s direct response ad sales team. At NBCU, Grskovic worked across various networks, until settling in as an account executive representing NBC Sports Group’s portfolio of networks, which included NBC Sports Network and Golf Channel. He supported the launch of networks such as Universal Sports and Olympic Channel during his tenure. After almost nine years with NBCU, Grskovic joined Samsung Ads in 2022 as the first external hire on the newly formed performance media team, focused on the Samsung TV Plus streaming app and CTV media. He was born, raised, and still lives in Queens, N.Y., with his wife, son, and their two dogs.

Sarah La Voi is a partner in the Chicago office of BakerHostetler. She focuses her practice on commercial negotiations within the advertising ecosystem, including agency agreements, media buys and activations, brand collaborations, sponsorships, digital marketing, influencer protocols, intellectual property and dispute resolution. Business-focused and practical, she provides counsel to clients on forming strategic advertising and brand partnerships and creating in- house systems to manage clearance risk operationally. She also assists with advertising review and compliance, both self-regulatory and regulatory.

Maria Kennedy is the president of performance media at Allen Media Group, she oversees nine cable networks including The Weather Channel, Justice Central, The Grio, Recipe.tv, Pets.tv, Cars.tv, Comedy.tv, ES.tv, and My Destination. She also is responsible for selling DR inventory on AMG's six syndicated properties, including the big reach Court Combo programs along with AMG's streaming platforms: Local Now and The Weather Channel app. A pioneer in the DRTV space, Kennedy ran the DR group at Discovery for 16 years before doing the same at FETV. Kennedy was to the Direct Response Hall of Fame in 2015, and, in 2017, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ERA.

Adam Mai is co-founder and president of Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Fulfillment X, a modern all-in-one fulfillment service built for quick scaling. He is experienced in online marketing and advertising throughout all verticals to bring brands in front of online consumers and users, with a specialized focus on fulfillment and logistics in the health and beauty industry. The company also specializes in remarketing and retargeting efforts for Inc. 500 companies. Mai is bilingual (English and Vietnamese) and owns a personal training facility in Long Beach, Calif.

Paul Mosenson is the seasoned founder of NuSpark Media Group, a media agency specializing in crafting high-impact media campaigns for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). With more than three decades of experience in media buying across various industries, Mosenson has honed his expertise in delivering top-notch tracking and promotional offers that drive measurable results. His approach combines data-driven strategies with creative flair, ensuring that each campaign not only reaches its target audience but also resonates with them. A thought leader in the field, Mosenson's extensive knowledge and hands-on experience make him a go-to resource for businesses looking to amplify their media presence and achieve sustainable growth.

Mark Orton has more than 15 years of experience in the Canadian media industry, working in both the traditional and digital marketing spaces. He has seen the successful completion of high-visibility projects, and his vast experience in the industry has led him to work on almost every brand category, including the CPG, alcohol, quick-service restaurant (QSR), finance, and retail spaces. Presently, he is director, media & client services, at Kingstar Media, where he manages major client accounts in their performance and media strategy development, while overseeing the successful completion of high-visibility projects.

Doug Prater is responsible for channel partner business development for Deluxe Data-Driven Marketing (DDM). In this role, Prater works with media, brand, and direct-response agencies to provide proprietary B2C and B2B data resources, strategy definition, and audience design services. Prior to joining DDM in 2008, he was the agency principle for Omnia Marketing Communications, a full-service direct-response agency in Chicago, for 20 years.

John Rinaldo’s role as general manager of specialized demand at DISH Media encompasses monetization strategy across political, local, and partnerships, as well as data partner sales enablement. Rinaldo is a seasoned media/ad tech executive with 15-plus years of experience in the advanced TV sales space. His experience includes more than 10 years of service at DISH Media, as well as various sales management roles at Samsung Ads. Rinaldo’s roles and background span DTC, multicultural, and brand/agency sales, with a focus in advanced TV monetization, sales strategy, and execution. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business, management, and economics at SUNY Empire State College and an executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business & Technology.

Sean Robertson serves as vice president, direct-to-scale, in NBCUniversal’s Advertising and Partnerships division. Robertson and the direct-to-scale team are responsible for leveraging NBCUniversal’s suite of premium content and industry-leading advanced advertising capabilities to assist direct-to-consumer brands scale their businesses in new and engaging ways. Prior to joining NBCUniversal, Robertson served as director of partnerships for DISH Media — connecting new, non-traditional agencies and media technology to the DISH and Sling platforms. Robertson joined DISH Media in 2011 and served on various teams across the organization including performance media, digital advertising, programmatic media, and addressable advertising. He’s spent his professional career working toward the goal of a more diverse and inclusive media industry. He currently serves on the board of the International Radio and Television Society (IRTS). Robertson holds a B.S. in journalism, with a focus in advertising, from West Virginia University. He also earned his M.B.A. at Brown University and IE Business School. Robertson lives in New Jersey with his wife and two sons.

Buck Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Retail + Response, is one of the most respected names in the performance advertising industry, especially as it pertains to radio and audio marketing. A se-rial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in advertising, Robinson has founded me-dia agencies that have been recognized by Inc. Magazine as some of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S. for three consecutive years. He also was honored by Washington SmartCEO Magazine as both a “Future 50” winner (2009, 2010) and a recipient of their prestigious “Circle of Excellence” award. The son of television industry pioneer Frank Robinson, Buck Robin-son first discovered the transactional promise of radio as the president of Guthy-Renker Radio, a joint venture between him and the well-known Direct Response TV giant Guthy-Renker. Robinson has created and/or overseen marketing campaigns that, in aggregate, have generated almost $750 million in directly attributable revenue for his clients. Robinson is widely regarded as the leading expert in direct response radio marketing and remains personally involved in every aspect of Retail + Response’s advertising process. He holds a degree in psychology from Bucknell University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He lives in Richmond, Va., with his wife Jenna, and three children. When he’s not working, he enjoys training for and competing in a variety of endurance sports. To date, he’s completed 15 marathons, four full Ironman triathlons, six half-Iron triathlons, and five ultra-marathons.

A veteran of the performance media space for more than two decades, Mark Sullivan is responsible for managing a convergent sales team of 22 executives across broadcast, cable, linear, and digital properties. As Paramount Advertising’s senior vice president of performance media, Sullivan currently works across CBS, MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Nickelodeon, TV Land, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and more. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with his team to establish a track record of delivering positive results across all sales verticals. He graduated from Siena College with an accounting degree and earned his CPA in 1997. Sullivan lives in Hoboken, N.J., with his wife and three sons.

Max Van Heel is the vice president of sales & marketing for Pacific Media Technologies Inc. Van Heel works with media agencies and advertisers, creating relationships and tailoring services to ensure that their DRTV message is received by the TV networks and ultimately aired according to the media buyers airing schedules. Van Heel has worked remotely for PMT for more than 10 years and lives in Great Falls, Mont. Previously, he was the president and CFO of another dub house in Montana. He has been in the DRTV industry for more than 20 years. When not working or traveling for business, he is an avid golfer and bowler. Van Heel has been married to his wife Jill for nearly 45 years, and they have three grown children and seven grandchildren — and love spending time with them all.

Adam Warfield is vice president of sales and strategic partnerships at Bluewater. Warfield has over eleven years of experience in the field of direct response marketing and eight years in international sales and marketing. He held positions at Infusion Brands, Home Shopping Express, and Oak Lawn Marketing before coming to Bluewater as international marketing director in January 2018. Warfield is a Florida native and Florida State University alumnus but currently calls Spain his home.

Shira Witelson founded RSLT.IO to help marketers and media buyers make the most out of their advertising budgets. Leveraging machine learning, the platform provides attribution metrics for TV and digital advertising. RSLT monitors advertisement fatigue and recommends where to invest next. Witelson worked in the analytics space with top brands and agencies in New York. She earned a master’s in statistics from Columbia University, a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and management from the Technion, and a bachelor’s in statistics from the Hebrew University. She has spoken at numerous conferences on big data and analytics. Witelson resides in New York with her husband and three kids.