We successfully kicked off the first day of Marketing Week and had the honor to speak with Robert Garcia, Director of Media Strategy and Planning at the National Basketball Association! With distinguished roles at premier agencies such as Horizons Media, Carat and Essence Global, he provided attendees with a “behind-the-scenes” perspective on high-level media strategy. Beyond technical strategy, Robert emphasized the importance of professional adaptability. His reflections on navigating the evolving media industry provided our members with a roadmap for career longevity! We extend our sincere gratitude to Robert for his transparency and expertise, and to our community for showing up!

After a strong start to our event filled week, AMA was proud to welcome back Baruch Alumnus Abdullah Mahdi for an insightful look into the high-stakes world of media sales. Abdullah, who successfully pivoted from a background in accounting and consulting, now oversees multi-million dollar media budgets for Fortune 500 brands. Drawing from his tenure at industry giants such as WPP, GroupM, and T-Mobile Advertising Solutions. He discussed the importance of agility in the modern marketing landscape, proving that a non-linear career path can be a significant competitive advantage. We thank Abdullah for his time and for providing our members with a roadmap for professional growth and adaptability!

For day three of Marketing Week, AMA at Baruch hosted "The Marketing Marathon," featuring Kym Lino, Director of Product Marketing at Peloton. Kym provided an expert deep dive into the core pillars of “Product Marketing” (PMM), with a specific focus on cross-functional positioning and “Go-to-Market” (GTM) strategies. Drawing on her extensive background at global tech and retail giants, including Walmart, Twitter, and Instagram. Kym illustrated how PMMs serve as the vital link throughout the entire marketing lifecycle and through a workshop that provided our attendees with a rare, behind-the-scenes look at industry-leading product launches. We are incredibly grateful to Kym Lino for her mentorship and to our community for engaging in such a high-level strategic discussion!

On the fourth day of Marketing Week, AMA at Baruch welcomed back a distinguished alumnus and former chapter President, John Shin, currently serving as an Agency Lead at Google. John shared advice about professional growth, tracing his trajectory from a Baruch student leader to an executive managing a $700M portfolio. Sharing insights shaped by his immigration experience, John spoke on the necessity of "leading beyond the title" or taking proactive initiative regardless of one’s current role. His session focused on building a career with intention and understanding the mechanics of creating impact within a global tech ecosystem. We are incredibly grateful to John for returning to his roots to mentor the next generation of marketing leaders.

Ending AMA’s annual Marketing Week strong, we had the special opportunity to invite Baruch alumna Alanys Borges Almestica, Programmatic Associate at KINESSO. Alanys provided our members with a comprehensive introduction to the programmatic landscape, demystifying the automated technology and data-driven strategies that power modern digital advertising. A former Finance student, Alanys shared her strategic transition into marketing, offering a roadmap for how analytical foundations can lead to success in advertising roles. By breaking down complex campaign structures and emphasizing the need for professional proactivity/adaptability, she provided a perfect finale to our week of industry exploration. We thank Alanys for her expertise and for helping our members navigate the future of media buying!