The 98

Deborah Stambaugh is CEO and founder of Brave New World, a fractional CMO and B2B consultant who also serves as a board advisor and LP partner. Her expertise spans marketing strategy, go-to-market development, brand building, and growth marketing across technology sectors including SaaS, AdTech, media, and AI. She has experience managing multimillion-dollar marketing budgets, building teams, and developing marketing operations and communications programs for enterprise and mid-market organizations.

Diane deCordova is a trustee, founder, and COO at Adelaide, a company providing real-time media metrics and quality ratings for ad placements. She serves as a founding member of the New York Chapter at Firstboard.io and works on media optimization solutions for brands and publishers.

Heather Rafter is founder and principal of RafterMarsh US, a boutique international law firm with licensed attorneys in California, Colorado, New Jersey, England & Wales, and New York. She began her career as a litigator at a multinational firm handling media, software, and intellectual property matters, then served as general counsel at Digidesign for fourteen years before establishing RafterMarsh in 2009. The firm serves technology, music tech, live events, and digital media companies, with specializations in licensing, intellectual property, technology agreements, and e-commerce contracting.

Helen Murphy is Founder and CEO of International Media Services, Inc., a media company she has led for over twenty years. She previously served as CEO of Anthem Entertainment Group and currently advises the Executive Vice President of General Manager for Consumer Group and Global Marketing and Communications at PayPal. Her background spans corporate finance, financial markets, and strategic innovation across media and entertainment sectors.

Kevin Conroy is CEO of ConroyCo Ventures and serves as a board member and advisor. He has held senior operating roles across digital, entertainment, and media at companies including CBS, Fox, Bertelsmann, AOL, Univision, and MGM, where he managed P&Ls exceeding one billion dollars. His experience spans content, media, technology, and data applications in entertainment, music, and sports.

Co-founder and general partner with 20 years of investment and operational experience in digital media, data, and technology. Previously served as president of Nielsen's US Media business and AOL's global advertising division, held CEO roles at AppNexus and other digital companies, and led strategic investing at major media firms resulting in notable investments including Google, Amazon, and Kayak.

Martha McCully is a publishing executive and writer with over 25 years of experience in lifestyle, beauty, fitness, health, and wellness content. She has held positions at Allure, In Style, and HGTV, and currently works as a content creator, writer, and consultant through MMc Media, LLC. Her expertise encompasses content strategy, brand messaging, copywriting, and editorial voice development across digital, written, and in-person formats.

Shira White is a founder and operating advisor at The 98. She has experience across venture capital, angel investing, innovation management consulting, and creative disciplines including art direction, design, writing, and painting.

Ashley Davis is a political strategist and partner at S-3 Group, which was formed through the 2025 merger of West Front Strategies (which she co-founded in 2015) with S-3 Group. She has held senior government positions including work at the White House during the September 11 attacks and as the first employee of the White House Office of Homeland Security, and subsequently led the government affairs practice at Blank Rome. Davis is a frequent speaker on national security and foreign policy topics, contributes to news networks and podcasts, serves on multiple nonprofit and corporate boards, and holds a Master's degree in International Business from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

Beth Gostanian is VP of Product at Canto, where she leads product organization development and strategy. With over a decade of experience in enterprise SaaS, she has built product teams from inception, implemented organization-wide transformations toward AI-native development practices, and managed pricing, packaging, and delivery operations. She also serves as an Operating Advisor to The 98, providing product and go-to-market guidance to early-stage technology companies.

Diane Teed is a Principal at Brown Brothers Harriman leading the firm's Innovation & New Ventures division, where she oversees the creation of new business initiatives across venture capital, private equity, and fintech. She brings experience in financial services spanning strategy, finance, operations, and disruptive technologies, with a focus on identifying applications of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence within regulated enterprises. Teed also serves as an investor, limited partner, and operating advisor to women-founded and women-led businesses.

Joanna Burton is an adviser who works with advertising companies on international expansion, particularly US-based firms entering European, Asia Pacific, and Latin American markets. She holds a Marketing MA from London Metropolitan University and a History BA from Leeds, and was named Ad Tech Personality of the Year in 2018. Burton is an active speaker and participant in industry conferences and events across advertising, media, and publishing sectors.

Katrina Holt is a banking and payments executive who has held CEO and president-level positions and has experience in strategic leadership, revenue growth, and organizational development. She serves as an early-stage investor and advisor, and holds board memberships across various organizations. Her background spans banking, payments, and technology sectors, with expertise in regulatory matters and operations scaling.

Kenneth Rona is Chief AI Officer at JWX, where he leads the organization's AI transformation efforts since July 2025. He has held advisory and leadership roles in AI, data science, and product since 2015, with experience across media, advertising, and e-commerce sectors. Rona is founder of Chalice and SWYM, and has received two Ad-Exchanger Startup of the Year awards.

Lisa Bettinger-Buckingham is the Global Chief People & Culture Officer at Vialto Partners and an HR executive with over 25 years of experience leading human resources strategy, culture, and transformation initiatives at major organizations. Previously, she served as EVP and CHRO at U.S. Soccer and as EVP of Chief People, Place & Brand Officer at Lincoln Financial Group, where she oversaw HR, corporate communications, diversity and inclusion, facilities, and business continuity. She holds fellowships from the National Academy of HR and the HR Policy Institute at Boston University, and serves as a member of the Forbes HR Council.

Louise Keely is Managing Director, Consumer at Quantum Rise, an AI-native consulting firm, where she leads engagements across consumer products, retail, travel, hospitality, and media sectors. She advises organizations on embedding analytics and AI into business operations to support decision-making and growth, with prior experience as a Partner at Bain & Company and EY-Parthenon and as Executive Vice President of the Global Retail Practice at Nielsen. Her work has focused on deploying generative AI applications, redesigning analytics functions, developing data monetization strategies, and building retail media networks, with perspectives published in Harvard Business Review, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

Macy Mills is Head of Go-to-Market at a16z speedrun, a division of Andreessen Horowitz. She has experience in business development across multiple revenue streams, with particular focus on product and partnership initiatives. Her background includes managing global programs from conception through execution and leading cross-functional teams.

Marci Weisler is a Managing Director of Business Development at Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips focused on digital growth and commercial strategy. She has worked across high-growth environments in both established brands and startups, with experience in business development, partnerships, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence applications. Weisler is co-founder of SWSI (Smart Women. Smart Ideas), a media, mentorship, and investment platform supporting female founders and women-led businesses.

Marcy Shinder is an Advisory Director at Charlesbank Capital Partners and serves on boards including Amex, Nielsen, WeWork, and USU Ventures. She has held CMO positions across financial services, technology, media, retail, and real estate sectors, including roles at Fortune 100 companies and venture-backed firms. Shinder holds a U.S. patent in business travel and card integration technology, guest lectures on entrepreneurship at Princeton University, and is a founding member of Brilliant Friends, an investor network focused on women entrepreneurs.

Marta Martinez is Managing Director of Americas for Google Marketing Platform. She has held roles across advertising technology startups, agency holding groups, and management consulting, with expertise in digital media channels including online, mobile, video, and programmatic advertising. She has experience translating advertising technology solutions for marketers and agencies, as well as launching new business lines through team building, service positioning, and operational design.

Mia Jung is a Talent Partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, a leading private equity firm, where she focuses on executive talent management and leadership team building for healthcare portfolio companies. With over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, she has held commercial leadership roles in pharmaceutical and medical device companies across the United States, Europe, and Asia, and previously served as a human capital advisor and executive search consultant at Oxeon Partners. Jung is co-founder of Break Into The Boardroom, an initiative advancing gender diversity in private company boards that has facilitated over 100 female executive placements, and serves as a board member for multiple organizations including Abzena and The Moth, while maintaining an active angel investment portfolio focused on women-founded companies.

Mike Vorhaus is CEO of Vorhaus Advisors, a consulting firm focused on digital media and gaming. He spent 25 years at Magid building research and consulting practices in internet, connected TV, and digital entertainment, and previously held positions in technology transfer at Caltech and fundraising at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. Vorhaus has invested in and advised multiple technology startups including Digene, Widevine, Tenor, and Sapho, and has provided consulting services to major entertainment companies.

Rachel Weiss is Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development, M&A at L'Oréal, where she has worked for 19 years across digital strategy, e-commerce, creator marketing, and emerging technologies including AI and AR. She has launched and scaled global platforms, driven digital growth initiatives, and advised on technology adoption and brand strategy within the organization. Beyond her corporate role, Weiss is a beauty tech investor and Broadway producer.

Rong Cao is an investor and advisor focused on AI infrastructure, including silicon, systems, security, and data platforms. He brings more than 20 years of technology leadership experience, including roles as VP of Engineering at Auth0 (acquired by Okta) and SVP of Technology at Socure, as well as earlier positions leading engineering organizations at Nielsen and building security products at Symantec. Since 2018, he has invested in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and enterprise software companies including Jasper AI, d-Matrix, Aviva, Dexmate, and Outset AI.

Sarah-Marie Martin is an investor and growth advisor with 25 years of investment banking experience, including partner roles at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse. She has held executive positions in corporate settings, including Head of M&A at Uber and CFO of Yumi, and currently serves as Chief Tasting Officer and Growth Advisor at Nick + Sons Bakery, a New York-based bakery, while also sitting as a Director of EasyPost, a shipping software company. Martin has invested in over 20 women-led funds and companies and is active in her Jersey Shore community.

Sheila Buckley is Global Head of Magnify Division and Business Development at Prohaska Consulting. She brings senior commercial and sales leadership experience across digital media, ad tech, linear advertising, SaaS, and programmatic sectors, with background ranging from early-stage companies to Fortune 500 organizations. Her track record includes launching twelve new brands and repositioning three established ones, with experience in team building, strategic sales planning, and large-scale deal negotiations across multiple industries.

Sunny Bates is CEO of Sunny Bates Associates, an executive recruitment firm specializing in placing senior talent in emerging businesses. With 35 years in executive search, she serves on the boards or advisory councils of organizations including Kickstarter, Creative Capital Foundation, MIT Media Lab, TED Conferences, and Endeavor.org, among others.

Susan Meisel is Executive Vice President, Corporate Deputy General Counsel, and Head of M&A and Strategic Investments at Sony Music Entertainment, where she oversees worldwide mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments. She has extensive experience in global transactions across media, entertainment, and digital sectors, with expertise in cross-border transactions, financing, governance, risk management, competition law, and intellectual property matters.

Susanna Hong is a senior advisor at Avance Investment Management. She has over 30 years of experience in business development, advising alternative investment firms in private equity, venture capital, credit, natural resources, real estate, and hedge funds, as well as companies raising institutional capital.

Tom Iler is a Senior Advisor at TecVeris and independent consultant with over 20 years of experience as a business and technology executive. He has held leadership positions across maturing startups, large public corporations, mid-market private companies, and local government organizations. His experience includes remote and global management responsibilities spanning multiple locations in the United States, Europe, and India.

Wenda Harris Millard is Chairman of Sinecure.ai, an AI-focused talent discovery platform, and serves as an investor and advisor to technology companies. Her career spans digital advertising, magazine publishing, and media leadership, including roles as founding executive at DoubleClick, Chief Sales Officer at Yahoo, and CEO of Martha Stewart Omnimedia, as well as nearly 15 years as Vice Chairman of MediaLink. She was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2022 and holds a BA from Trinity College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.