Why Atlanta Now

With a skyline full of Fortune 500s and a reputation as one of the nation’s top destinations for business and talent, Atlanta has never just built companies — it has transformed industries and influenced how the world lives, shops, and connects. This is a city that has hosted the Olympics, Super Bowls, and soon the World Cup — and it remains the home of brands whose stories reach audiences worldwide.

In this session, senior brand leaders from Coca-Cola, IHG, and Georgia-Pacific share how Atlanta fuels creative excellence and drives consumer behavior on a global scale. From content and storytelling to marketing innovation, hear why Atlanta isn’t waiting for its moment on the global stage — it’s been here all along, and it’s shaping what happens next.

Agenda:

8:00am - 8:30am Networking/Registration Check-in (Breakfast will be served)

8:30am - 9:20am Panel Discussion/Q&A

Location:

Georgia-Pacific Auditorium

133 Peachtree St

Atlanta, GA 30303

Parking:

The parking office is located at 60 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 on Level 1 of the garage, near the John Wesley Dobbs entrance/exit.

Parking Rates:

0 - 20 MIN - $2.00

21 - 40 MIN - $4.00

41 – 60 MIN - $6.00

61 - 80 MIN - $8.00

81 - 100 MIN - $10.00

101 - 120 MIN - $12.00

Max Daily - $16.00

Lost Ticket - $16.00

Thank you to our host !

Thank you to our breakfast sponsor !

Speakers:

(Moderator) | President, AMA Atlanta

Paul Carpenter is President of AMA Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest professional marketing chapters, where he is working to position Atlanta as a center of gravity for brands, creativity, and connection. With over 25 years of experience leading agencies, growing studios, and driving business impact for brands and organizations of all sizes, Paul has built a career at the intersection of marketing, customer experience, and storytelling.

Through AMA Atlanta, he is helping forge stronger ties between global brands and the region’s creative economy, from strategy and production to technology and content. His belief is simple: the best brands don’t simply sell — they endure. They become part of how we live, connect, and remember.

| VP Brand Strategy & Content, Georgia-Pacific

Jason Ippen is Vice President of Brand Equity and Content for Georgia-Pacific’s Consumer business, home to iconic brands such as Dixie, Brawny, Angel Soft, and Vanity Fair. He leads a team of brand strategists, designers, content operations experts, and an in-house creative agency that together help the business sharpen brand strategies and deliver content that builds equity and drives results. His career spans brand building, portfolio strategy, product development, and creative leadership, with a focus on connecting business objectives to consumer impact.

| Head of Global Creative Services, IHG Hotels & Resorts

Tonya O’Connell is an award-winning creative leader with over two decades of experience in brand storytelling, content strategy, and integrated marketing. As Head of Global Creative Services at IHG Hotels & Resorts, she oversees a hybrid in-house agency responsible for omni-channel creative across IHG’s Masterbrand, One Rewards loyalty program, and its portfolio of 20 global hotel brands.

Under her leadership, the team delivered the acclaimed “Guest How You Guest” campaign, earning Tonya the title of Atlanta’s Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association in 2024.

Prior to IHG, Tonya held executive roles at CreativeDrive and Turner Broadcasting, where she led award-winning campaigns for brands such as Home Depot, Whole Foods, The Closer and The NBA on TNT. Her work has been recognized with Promax Gold, Peabody, and industry-first ratings achievements.

Tonya is a graduate of the University of Georgia and a passionate advocate for creative collaboration. She lives in Atlanta and enjoys visiting her two sons at UGA and spending time with the family rescue dog, Molly.

| Senior Director of Global Content and Creative Excellence, The Coca-Cola Company

Alex Ames currently oversees content and creative for the Coca-Cola brand, in North America. He previously planned Burger King’s media, account directed Domino’s Pizza Turnaround, and creative directed Budweiser campaigns. Ames’ work has earned billions of impressions, and been celebrated by Cannes, The One Show, The Effies, The Webbies, Super Bowl Ad Meters, and more. But his favorite work remains at home, raising his 8-year-old twind daughters. Campaign magazine named him one of the ’40 most creative people over 40,’ but he doesn’t feel old enough for that to be true.

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*Assumption of the Risk and Waiver of Liability Relating to Coronavirus/COVID-19

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is believed to spread mainly from person-to-person contact. As a result, federal, state, and local governments and federal and state health agencies recommend social distancing and have, in many locations, prohibited the congregation of groups of people. The American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, the American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter cannot guarantee that you will not become infected with COVID-19. Further, attending an American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter event could increase your risk of contracting COVID-19.

By registering for this event, you acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and voluntarily assume the risk that you may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by attending this American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter event and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death. You understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by COVID-19 at a American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter event may result from the actions, omissions, or negligence of yourself and others, including, but not limited to, the American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter staff, volunteers, and program participants and venue staff.

**Cancellation Policy: Due to pre-registration costs and guarantees, refunds or credits are not extended for this event. However, registrations are transferable. On the day of the event, the substitute attendee must present a copy of the registration receipt or e-mail verification to be admitted to the event.

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