July 28, 2026
The 2026 Sandage Symposium: Advancing Advertising Together, presented by the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, will be held on Friday, Sept. 18, at the Illini Union, 1401 W. Green St., Urbana.
The event, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., will include professional panels, a creative hackathon, networking, food, and more. For more information, please visit sandagesymposium.com. RSVP information will be available in early August.
9:30-10 a.m.—Registration
10-10:45 a.m.
Welcome and Keynote
“Advertising as the Invited Guest Who Took Over the Party”
Keynote Speaker: Judy Ungar Franks, Former Agency Executive, Professor at Northwestern University, and Author of Media from Chaos to Clarity and Back Again
10:45 a.m.-12 p.m.
“Where Advertising Goes Next”
Panelists from left to right: Jessica Jorsch (BS ’07, ADV), Global Digital Performance Media Lead, Mars; Helen Katz (MS ’86, ADV; PhD ’88, ICR), Executive Vice President, Research, Publicis Media; Mike Kelly (BA ’79, LAS), CEO and Co-founder of Kelly Newman Advisor; Ashley McGowan (BS ’07, ADV), Head of Marketing, Audience & Growth, Meta; Greg Morrison (BS ’07, ADV), Co-founder, MXML Creative
12-1:15 p.m.—Networking Lunch (Student Showcase, Meet Your AdMatch, Bingo Card Networking)
1:15-2:30 p.m.
“From Classroom to Industry: Exploring the Possibilities of Advertising”
Panelists from left to right: Lacey Gilbert (MS ’11, ADV), Senior Vice President, Strategy Director, Leo Burnett; Adam Hamilton (BS ’11, ADV; MBA ’19) Director, Brand Communications, McDonald’s; Amy Restko (BA ’13, LAS; MS ’14, ADV), Vice President, Engagement Strategy, AbelsonTaylor Group; Bill Rouse (BA ’96, LAS), Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Rachelle Pierre-Lott (BA ’03, LAS), Director II, Enterprise Digital
2:30-3:30 p.m.—Creative Hackathon: Brand Revivals
3:30-4 p.m.—Networking Roundtables
4-5:30 p.m.—Open Reception & Networking
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