MAC SMAC

Registration provides access to the full day’s events. The schedule is designed to be flexible; guests are welcome to register for individual sessions or stay for the full program.

The Human Connection 

Bob Gates 

-- Creative Director, CVS Health

Our 2026 MAC SMAC keynote speaker, Bob Gates, inspired this year’s theme and brings “The Human Connection” to the Paul College stage—a concept that sits at the heart of effective marketing and advertising today. In an era defined by AI, automation, and ever-evolving platforms, his talk challenges creatives and strategists alike to keep people—not tools—at the center of their work. As Bob puts it, 

“The Human Connection matters more than ever. Technology offers so many new ways to create, but it should never overshadow connecting emotionally with people and showing that a brand truly understands them.”

Bob brings a rare and valuable perspective to MAC SMAC, shaped by leadership on both the agency and in-house sides of the industry. Currently a Creative Director at Heart Haus, CVS Health’s in-house brand and creative agency, he leads work across a broad portfolio that includes CVS Retail, CVS Pharmacy, and CVS MinuteClinic.

Before moving in-house, Bob spent years at some of Boston’s most influential agencies, including Mullen and Hill Holliday, where he served as SVP and Group Creative Director. Over the course of his career, he has pitched, launched, and led award-winning campaigns for iconic brands such as Dunkin’, John Hancock, Cadillac, Major League Baseball, and Planet Fitness.

Whether you’re a student preparing to enter the field or an industry professional navigating its rapid transformation, Bob’s keynote offers both inspiration and practical insight. Drawing on decades of experience across industries and brand models, he will explore how emotionally resonant ideas are built, why they endure, and how marketers at every career stage can create work that truly connects. This session is a timely reminder that while channels and technologies change, the power of human understanding remains marketing’s most impactful tool.

Panel 1: The Real Career Playbook

-- Director of Client Services, Raka

Jordan Feeney is the Director of Client Services at Raka, a full‑service digital marketing agency and HubSpot Diamond Partner. She leads client strategy and success while managing Raka’s project management team, ensuring work is clearly scoped, thoughtfully executed, and aligned with client goals. Jordan remains hands‑on in guiding complex initiatives across websites, marketing programs, and HubSpot‑driven efforts, bringing a people‑first approach grounded in clear communication and long‑term partnerships.

-- SVP, Chief Strategy Officer, Pannos

Mike is a marketing strategist with nearly 20 years of experience across digital‑first and full‑service agency environments. He has led strategy, planning, and account teams for clients in financial services, healthcare, CPG, tourism, and retail, with work ranging from driving tourism for the State of New Hampshire to supporting iconic brands like Green Giant. Mike believes strong strategy is the foundation of meaningful, results‑driven marketing and is passionate about sharing real‑world insights with the next generation of marketers.

-- Senior Marketing Manager: Media, Consumer Journey, and Marketing Analytics, Timberland

Patrick Higgins is a senior digital marketing and eCommerce leader specializing in full‑funnel media strategy, consumer retention, and marketing analytics. At Timberland, he leads media and retention marketing, driving omnichannel strategy through data‑driven decision‑making. With hands‑on experience across web development, analytics, media, social, email/SMS, loyalty, and measurement, Patrick brings a broad, modern marketing perspective. He is a collaborative people leader focused on building high‑impact teams and delivering measurable business results.

-- Global Product Marketing Manager, Cuisinart

Alana Maher is a Global Product Marketing Manager focused on creating everyday products for domestic and international consumers. She currently works with the legacy kitchen brand Cuisinart and has brought multiple products to market under the Shark and Ninja brands. Alana leads the product development process from early concept through post‑purchase support, specializing in consumer‑first problem solving informed by data analytics and in‑home qualitative research.

-- Founder and Product Lead, The Cozy Artist

Jessica Rayno is a product management leader with more than 15 years of experience building digital products, platforms, and experiences across startups and enterprise organizations. She began her career while earning her degree in Management & Entrepreneurship at UNH, launching a mobile payment business that sparked her path into product management. Jessica’s work spans healthcare, cybersecurity, cloud platforms, and e‑commerce, and she is also the founder of The Cozy Artist, where she designs creativity workshops focused on addressing burnout in the workplace.

-- Sr. Retail Marketing Manager, BJ's Wholesale Club

Christiane Satir is a senior marketing leader with nearly 15 years of experience at the forefront of digital marketing. A 2013 graduate of Paul College, she has worked across major fashion brands, regional hospitality organizations, and marketing agencies. Currently, Christiane is a marketing leader at BJ’s Wholesale Club, where she launched and now leads the strategy and execution of the company’s retail media business.

Panel 2: Marketing at the Turning Point

-- SVP Brand & Product Strategy, Sentient Decision Science

Jeremy Clough is a brand, marketing, and product design leader with more than nine years of experience at Sentient Decision Science. They lead brand strategy, multi‑channel marketing, and go‑to‑market execution for AI‑powered B2B SaaS platforms that measure emotion, attention, and decision‑making at scale. Their work focuses on translating complex AI capabilities into clear, usable experiences for non‑technical audiences, partnering closely with product, engineering, and research teams to drive award‑winning platform innovation.

-- SVP of Sales and Marketing, Technology Business Research 

Dan Demers is a senior business leader with more than 20 years of experience in professional services, including over 15 years in sales development and executive leadership roles. At TBR, he has overall responsibility for revenue performance, leading go-to-market strategy across sales and marketing while serving as a principal and member of the board of directors. Dan also leads TBR’s Client Council program, partnering closely with executive leaders to help organizations operationalize competitive, market, and strategy intelligence within their workflows and systems. Prior to joining TBR, he founded and led ReMission Consulting, a sales leadership development firm serving clients in the financial services, software, and energy sectors.

-- Executive Producer/ Copywriter/ Speaker Coach, TedX Portsmouth/ Hired Pens

Anna Goldsmith is a founding partner of The Hired Pens and the lead speechwriter behind The Hired Pens Speaker Lab, where she helps thought leaders craft impactful talks. An experienced TEDx producer and coach, Anna has led TEDxPortsmouth since 2018, working with speakers whose talks have reached millions through TED.com, TEDx Shorts, and TED Radio Hour. She also leads corporate workshops that teach teams to apply TED‑style techniques to keynotes, pitches, and presentations.

-- Director of Marketing, Brahmin Leather

-- Founder, MA & Co, a Strategic Insights Company

Megan Spencer brings nearly two decades of insights and analytics leadership experience across consumer packaged goods, retail, and hospitality. She is the founder of M.A. & Co., where she serves as a fractional insights leader for small and mid‑sized companies. Previously, Megan spent a decade at Starbucks working across decision science, advanced analytics, and market research, with earlier roles at The Campbell’s Company, Mars Inc., and Ipsos, where she managed AP‑Ipsos polling for the 2008 Presidential Election.

Location: 

UNH Peter T. Paul College 10 Garrison Ave, Durham, NH 

Date/ Time: 

Friday, March 6, 2026 from 11 AM to 6 PM

Cost: 

MAC SMAC is Free to attend, but we do REQUIRE advanced registration 

I can only make it for part of the day. Can I still come to MacSmac?

Absolutely, while we hope you will join for the whole day, feel free to register for just the sessions that work for you, coming and going as your schedule permits. 

Where do I park?

There are a few public pay lots and on-street parking located along Pettee Brook Rd. From Pettee Brook you would enter the South entrance of Paul College on the ground level. 

Is there somewhere I can grab lunch near Paul College?

There are a number of places to get a quick lunch nearby. 

Cornerstone Cafe- Located in Paul College on the Ground Floor

Subway- 72 Main St, Durham, NH

Bamee- 12 Jenkins Court, Durham, NH

Clarks- 48 Main St, Durham, NH

Tai Smile 2- 13 Jenkins Court, Durham, NH

Still have questions? 

Reach out to MAC Advisor Dana.Gierka@unh.edu