Brand Strategy Committee Meeting

This event is virtual only and no in-person option is available.

Announcements & Introductions (11:00 - 11:10 a.m.)

ANA Amplify: The Impact of Culture on Brand Building (11:10 - 11:45 a.m.)
Marketers say they understand culture, but if you ask ten marketers to define it, you'll get ten different definitions. This special session will cover the key takeaways from the ANA Brand Practice's latest thought leadership that aims to land on a singular definition of culture, what it means for marketers, and how brands can best understand where they stand in culture in order to fuel growth. 

Building Brands that are Both Timely & Timeless (11:45 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.)
GUT New York Head of Strategy Deb Freeman reveals Timely Timeless: a culture-first framework for long-term brand building that helps brands uncover their core, enduring identity and activate it in ways that feel urgent, relevant, and impossible to ignore. Attendees will learn  how leading brands can stay rooted in purpose while moving culture forward with precision and impact.

Speaker: 
Deb Freeman, Head of Strategy, GUT New York

Break (12:20 - 12:25 p.m.)

How the Girl Scouts Build and Amplify Community Impact (12:25 - 1:00 p.m.) (Download the Presentation)
The Girl Scouts have a unique approach to leveraging Girl Scout creators and content from around their Movement to lift up girl voices. Hear how the role of community and girl-led content drives the brands strategy, how GUSA and councils structure their marketing organization, and early views from the brands new campaign

Speakers:
Michelle Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer, Girl Scouts USA
Keith Bendes, Chief Strategy Officer, Linqia

Speaker Bios

Deb Freeman
Deb Freeman is Head of Strategy at GUT New York. She is a relentless believer that brands have the power to make the world better. A transformative strategist, Deb has built and reimagined some of the world’s most iconic brands by creating meaningful value in people’s lives and unlocking growth through cultural relevance.

Driven by a fascination with transformation, Deb thrives on helping organizations see the potential in what isn’t yet visible. She approaches strategy as both discipline and discovery by interrogating culture to understand what’s shifting, what’s enduring, and why. This cultural rigor has enabled her to make brands not only relevant and beloved, but also commercially powerful.

Deb believes a clearly defined purpose, executed brilliantly across every touchpoint and audience, is the foundation of brand success. She has built and led multidisciplinary strategy teams spanning brand, social, content, data and analytics, and communications, partnering closely with CRM, UX, and performance marketing to ensure seamless, integrated brand experiences.

At her core, Deb builds brands that matter – culturally resonant, creatively ambitious, and built to drive enduring business impact.

Michelle Taylor
Michelle Taylor joined GSUSA in 2026 as Chief Marketing Officer after founding a consulting agency specializing in marketing strategy and organizational transformation for national nonprofit organizations and franchises. Over the last decade, Michelle served as interim chief marketing officer at Girl Scouts of the USA and several Girl Scout councils to drive marketing innovation, elevate brand presence, and accelerate membership growth. She helped guide large-scale modernization efforts, strengthening the brand experience and enabling teams to adopt more data-driven, future-focused marketing practices.

Before her consulting career, Michelle built a broad foundation in strategic communications and brand development, ultimately becoming a trusted advisor to mission-focused organizations seeking to deepen their impact.

Michelle earned her BA in communications from Lee University. She is a proud Girl Scout alum and a Silver Award Girl Scout. Her lifelong connection to the Movement continues to fuel her passion for expanding opportunities for girls and ensuring Girl Scouting will thrive into its next century.

Keith Bendes
Labeled a leading voice in the intersection of marketing and technology by Forbes, Keith is the Chief Strategy Officer at Linqia, the leading influencer marketing agency for brands looking to break through the noise. Keith also co-hosts the renowned Creator Economy Live podcast, is a contributor for Forbes on influencer marketing, and speaks at conferences around the world on the topic of the creator economy. Keith has developed marketing and influencer strategies for some of the largest brands in the world including Unilever, Anheuser Busch, Kraft, McDonalds, Pepsi and more.