2025 IHAF Conference & Awards
Join us for our biggest event of the year, where we’ll celebrate two decades of milestones that have shaped the in-house community.
Over the past 20 years, IHAF has built a strong foundation through compelling content and valued relationships. This year’s anniversary conference theme, Reflect & Reimagine, honors our collective achievements by recognizing the contributions of dedicated members and leaders who have helped define the industry.
It’s a time to look back at the advancements that have made a lasting impact, acknowledging the challenges we’ve overcome and the determination that fuels us forward. As we reflect on our past, we also look to the future—reimagining how to meet evolving business needs while fostering cultures of creativity and continuous improvement. We’ll explore ideas, tactics, technologies, and partnerships to propel us into the next decade of success.
Be part of the celebration on November 11–12 at the Omni Boston Seaport Hotel. We’ll rejoice in our rich legacy while baring new ideas. Register today for this special event as we reflect on our respective journeys and reimagine the future together. We look forward to seeing you there!
The IHAF Conference & Awards is open to in-house agency professionals (members and non-members) and value-added suppliers who are members of IHAF. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of a special room rate at our host hotel, available through October 16, 2025.
Event Details
When
Tuesday, November 11 and
Wednesday, November 12
Pricing
IHAF Member (early bird):
$999
IHAF Member (starting 9/1/25):
$1,199
Non-Member (in-house agency):
$2,399
For group pricing, contact IHAF.
Event Agenda
Tuesday, November 11
11:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Conference Check-in
Networking Lunch
Director’s Welcome
1:15 – 2:00 p.m.
Keynote Presentation
2:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Lightning Talk
2:15 – 3:00 p.m.
Keynote Presentation
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Networking Break
3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Keynote Panel
4:00 – 4:45 p.m.
Keynote Presentation
4:45 – 9:00 p.m.
IHAF Awards Show
(cocktail reception, seated dinner, after party)
Wednesday, November 12
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Director’s Welcome
9:45 – 10:30 a.m.
Keynote Presentation
10:30 – 10:50 a.m.
Lightning Talk
11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
Fireside Chat
11:45 – 12:00 p.m.
Lightning Talk
12:00 – 1:15 p.m.
Networking Lunch
1:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Breakout Groups
2:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Groups
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Keynote Presentation
3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
In-House Agency of the Year Award
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Closing Reception
Sessions & Speakers
Keynote
Turning Fear into Fuel for Change
Presented By
Marc Gagnon, Creative Director and Head of IQVIA Brand & Creative Studio, IQVIA
Discover how a small, US-based creative team evolved into a 40-person, full-service internal agency spanning five countries. Initially, this group operated as a task-oriented provider, juggling hundreds of external agencies to meet project deadlines. How could they move beyond executing projects to shaping the future? How could they secure resources to grow while managing an already demanding workload? And most importantly, how could they position themselves as a true strategic partner rather than just order takers? In this session, we hear how the in-house team at IQVIA transformed hesitation into momentum, turning fear into fuel for change.
Speaker Bio
Marc is a seasoned design director with decades of experience spanning NYC ad agencies and Fortune 500 companies. As lead creative director and head of the in-house studio at IQVIA, he has spent the past seven years transforming a small U.S.-based team into a 40-person global creative agency operating across five countries. Their expertise includes creative ideation, digital production, studio operations, video production, and event management. After three decades in New York, Marc now resides in Raleigh, NC.
Keynote
Design Isn't Enough: What It Takes to Succeed In-House
Presented By
Gaemer Gutierrez, VP, Creative, Luxury Brand Holdings
This highly personal keynote traces the arc of a creative career through the eyes of a designer navigating the corporate world—from honing your craft early on, to refining it mid-career, to ultimately leading with creativity at the executive level. Beyond titles and portfolios lies the unspoken journey: navigating personalities and politics, learning how to embrace feedback, weathering restructures, and quietly building influence without losing your creative soul. Whether you’re finding your footing or guiding a team, this talk reveals candid insights and hard-earned wisdom from every stage of the journey.
Speaker Bio
Gaemer has championed brand storytelling and innovation across a range of categories in beauty, food and beverage, healthcare, and wellness to impact a number of high-profile brands like CVS Health, Gap, Living Proof, Staples, Valentino and, most recently, Luxury Brand Holdings. He also collaborated with celebrities including Andre Agassi, Salma Hayek, and Tommy Hilfiger to create their own namesake beauty brands. Gaemer has won numerous design awards and has been nationally recognized as one of the 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business. He is also the host of Invisible Culture, a podcast that is rooted in one truth: behind every face is an untold story.
Keynote
From Startup to Strategic Engine—The Red House Journey
Presented By
Paco Toledo, SVP, Global Head of Creative, Revlon
Since its founding in 2018, Red House has transformed from a tactical creative support team to Revlon’s centralized, omni-channel creative engine—delivering high-impact, brand-aligned content at scale. In this compelling keynote, we hear about the evolution of Red House, highlighting how the team has navigated market disruptions, integrated advanced technologies like Gen AI, and built a flexible, performance-driven model that balances cost-efficiency with creative excellence. We also learn how Red House powers global and local brand campaigns, measures success through operational and performance KPIs, and continues to adapt as a future-ready in-house agency built for growth.
Speaker Bio
At just 23, Paco turned his entrepreneurial vision into reality by launching his first photo production company in Madrid. What began as a creative boutique quickly evolved into a full-service agency with offices in Madrid and Barcelona. Over the next 25 years, Paco built a global portfolio, leading photo, video, experiential, and digital projects for powerhouse clients including Nike, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Corona, Jeep, and Amex, as well as disruptive startups like Allbirds and Casper. Today, he serves as Revlon’s global head of creative, where he leads the company’s in-house agency, Red House—driving creative excellence and innovation across all Revlon brands worldwide.
Keynote
Shaping the Future of Creative Through Change
Presented By
Jason Warnke, Senior Managing Director, Global Lead, Accenture Experiences, Accenture
At Accenture, change is a way of life. From a collective of separate teams three years ago to a singular 300-person global creative powerhouse today, Marketing + Communications Experiences (M+Cx) serves Accenture’s 805,000 people. From drafting comms for the CEO and helping the business win clients, to hosting global broadcasts and driving innovation across the company, their work isn’t just marketing—it’s proof of concept. Agile yet strategic, M+Cx mobilizes where needed and serves as a rallying point to drive brand cohesion. Through collaboration, persistence, and a commitment to excellence, they transform challenges into opportunities and skeptics into advocates.
Speaker Bio
With a career that spans over 25 years, Jason has played a pivotal role in driving innovative and memorable experiences across various corporate functions and stakeholder groups at Accenture. His leadership has been instrumental in transitioning and integrating teams, ensuring seamless delivery and high client satisfaction. In his current position, Jason oversees a team of 300 individuals focused on crafting compelling stories, designing user-centric products, and creating immersive experiences that amplify Accenture’s strategic messaging and brand. Under his guidance, Accenture Experiences continues to solve tough problems and create moments that resonate with Accenture’s people, partners, and clients.
Lightning Talk
Reflecting on Revolutions, Reimagining Work
Presented By
David Barron, Director, Creative Operations and Technology, Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
In the early 1990s, the arrival of desktop publishing tools like PageMaker revolutionized design. Suddenly, anyone with a computer could create layouts, sparking fear among typographers, designers, and art directors—fears that proved justified as roles shifted and some jobs disappeared. Today, AI is sparking similar anxieties for copywriters, programmers, and countless others. This talk looks back on lessons learned from similar upheavals, reimagining what the evolution of AI might mean. By understanding how disruption reshapes creative work, we can better navigate the risks, seize new opportunities, and shape the future rather than fear it.
Speaker Bio
David started out as a computer typesetter in the early 1990s, laying the foundation for a career that blends creativity and technology. He rose through advertising and marketing agencies, pushing boundaries at the intersection of design and innovation. At Wilson Sporting Goods, David oversees digital asset management, photo studio operations, and workflow optimization. His career reflects how technical expertise and creative vision can solve complex challenges. Off the clock, David performs improv comedy—bringing quick thinking and adaptability from the stage to his leadership role in the corporate world.
Lightning Talk
Rewriting the Brief on Diversity
Presented By
Tysonn Betts, Founder, ministry of DESIGN
For years, conversations around diversity have sparked fatigue for leaders, teams, and those living the reality behind the rhetoric. What if the real issue isn’t diversity itself, but the way we’ve been framing it? In this provocative talk, Tysonn Betts urges leaders to stop treating diversity as a checkbox and start seeing it as a catalyst for growth. With insights from three decades at a global brand powerhouse, Tysonn challenges us to “rewrite the brief”—shifting the narrative from compliance to impact. Through personal reflection and industry examples, hear how reframing diversity can elevate the value of design and the success of your organization.
Speaker Bio
Tysonn is a creative strategist and consultant who believes in discontinuous thinking to address business and brand challenges. Over nearly three decades, Tysonn worked across multiple categories at Procter & Gamble, launching new brands, establishing new categories, reviving the relevance of heritage brands, and partnering to amplify beloved brand icons. Dedicated to making great design, resonant brands, and a better industry, Tysonn has consistently been involved in forging creative pathways and building a more-diverse creative ecosystem. Today, his focus remains on leveraging his experience to establish, build, and grow brands—newly founded, Fortune 50, and non-profit.
Lightning Talk
Thoughtful Storytelling in Uncertain Times
Presented By
Tristen Norman, Head of Creative for the Americas, Getty Images
Creativity is undergoing a radical transformation. Brands and agencies are racing to meet evolving consumer expectations while navigating political instability, economic uncertainty, and the nonstop churn of internet culture. Breaking through and building trust has never been more difficult, especially as the volume and velocity of visual content makes it harder than ever to connect with audiences. In this revealing talk, Tristen Norman shares emerging trends and visual insights to help brands, marketers, and designers navigate today’s assorted disruptions—with actionable advice on how to adapt to audiences’ changing needs and how to define visual strategies that are built to go the distance.
Speaker Bio
At Getty Images, Tristen manages a team of visual researchers and curators focused on identifying and influencing the creation of compelling visual content. With a career spanning marketing, research, creative, and brand strategy, she views the evolution of visual language through a multidisciplinary lens, partnering with brands and advertisers to craft strategies and solutions that keep pace with rapid change. A passionate advocate for elevating underrepresented voices, Tristen also plays a key role in the development and amplification of imagery collections such as the Nosotros Collection, Project #ShowUs, #AutisticOutLoud as well as partnerships with advocacy groups like SEEHER, Women’s Sports Foundation, and GLAAD.
Breakout
Coming Soon!
Presented By
Brianne Gallagher, Head of Creative Operations, Wayfair
This isn’t a description of Brianne’s session. And, Coming Soon! Isn’t their session title (at least, we don’t think it is). We’re certain, however, that Brianne is going to have something pretty terrific to share with conference-goers this year. And, can’t wait to receive their session summary so we can post it here for you to read. Stay tuned for the big reveal!
Speaker Bio
Brianne oversees the teams, systems, and budgets that power Wayfair’s 100+ person in-house agency. Her work spans project management and physical production, shaping the operational strategy that supports six brands and results in thousands of assets each month. A founding member of Wayfair’s Creative Ops and Video teams, she also built the production models, resourcing plans, and cross-functional workflows that support the company’s evolving creative needs. She’s led efforts to modernize the tech stack, integrate AI and automation, and bring greater clarity and measurability to creative output. Brianne is passionate about making creative work more effective, scalable, and supported.
Check back often—more sessions and speakers coming soon!
Welcome to Boston!
Get the best rate—book your stay by October 16 while availability lasts.
Make the most of your visit—explore the city!
Hotel Stay
Main Venue Hotel Is Full —
But Great Options Are Nearby
InterContinental Boston by IHG
510 Atlantic Avenue Boston,
Massachusetts 02210 United States
Hotel Website
InterContinental Boston by IHG
510 Atlantic Avenue Boston,
Massachusetts 02210 United States
Hotel Website
InterContinental Boston by IHG
510 Atlantic Avenue Boston,
Massachusetts 02210 United States
Hotel Website
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Hollis Gesen
Senior Program Manager
617.587.3945
Email Hollis