Join Us For Our 81st American Advertising Awards

Attend the American Advertising Show

Early bird tickets (register by Feb. 13) Save $20

Governor of District 6 (IL-IN-MI)
Owner: Addis Enterprises

John K. Addis is the current Governor of District 6 (IL-IN-MI) of the American Advertising Federation and the owner of Addis Enterprises, a 20-person creative firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Over the course of his career, John has led more than 500 unique projects for businesses, organizations, and individuals, earning over 150 local and national creative awards. His work has been featured in both local and national media, including CBS News, CNN, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and even parodied on The Tonight Show. In 2024, he was awarded the AAF Silver Medal, the federation’s highest individual honor.

Whether serving as Chief Strategist for client campaigns or pursuing his creative hobbies of music, novel writing, and photography, John is passionate about the creative process and the personal challenges each endeavor presents. He enjoys judging local and district-level American Advertising Awards, running National Student Advertising Competitions, and participating in student portfolio reviews to support and inspire the next generation of creative leaders.

Creative Director / Brand Strategist / Founder Foolies
Senior Graphic Designer, Jobs for the Future

 Alex “Nemo” Hanse is a creative director and brand strategist who began as a rapper before moving into design; proving that connecting with audiences transcends medium. A Full Sail alumnus (BS, Graphic Design; AS, Recording Arts), Nemo founded Foolies, a lifestyle brand featured in Business Insider, INC., and amplified by Tabitha Brown, Viola Davis, Ava DuVernay, and Shonda Rhimes, with campaigns on the Oprah Winfrey Network. He currently serves as Senior Graphic Designer for Jobs for the Future. Nemo returns to share how music shaped his approach to visual storytelling and building authentic brands.

Owner of Obscura

Tyla Harrington is the owner of Obscura, a media production company specializing in visual
storytelling for brands. As a filmmaker and photographer, she brings a human-centered
approach to her work—eschewing perfection and pretense in favor of raw, authentic storytelling
that creates genuine connection with audiences. A mother and creative professional, she
believes the best work comes from leaning into our humanity, not away from it.

Creative Director / Brand Strategist
SVP, Marketing, Y in Central Maryland

Elizabeth Morgan is a Creative Director and brand strategist with more than 20 years of experience shaping campaigns that connect, convert, and endure. As VP, Creative Director at HHL Advertising, she leads cross-functional teams in developing integrated marketing for national brands across TV, digital, social, and OOH. Her work blends strong creative instincts with data-driven thinking to deliver results that matter to both customers and the bottom line.

Throughout her career, Elizabeth has helped build and evolve brands across retail, lifestyle, and media, leading everything from major tentpole campaigns to year-round brand storytelling. In addition to her agency leadership, Elizabeth has consulted on several high-impact projects both locally and internationally, advising on brand and marketing strategy for CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, 3D Houdini, and Viettonkin Consulting in Hanoi, Vietnam. Prior to HHL, she held senior roles at Mnemonic Agency and Sinclair Broadcast Group, where she led large-scale production and content initiatives.

Elizabeth holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a BA in Communications from Temple University. She currently serves on the board of the American Advertising Federation of Baltimore and is excited to bring her perspective to this year’s judging panel.

Creative Director / Illustrator
Group Art Supervisor, EVERSANA Intouch

Jen Guimarães is a Kansas City–based creative with over a decade of experience shaping insight-driven work across design, art direction, and integrated marketing. Her approach focuses on building cohesive brand systems and compelling campaign narratives, grounded in strategy, empathy, and a deep curiosity about human connection.

As a Group Art Supervisor at EVERSANA Intouch, she leads cross-functional teams in shaping integrated brand campaigns that resonate within the Pharma industry across print, digital, social, out-of-home media, TV, and production. Partnering closely with clients, she brings big-picture thinking and collaborative leadership to build trust, guide brand growth, and deliver cohesive work that performs across channels. Jen has been immersed in the marketing and advertising community since 2015. She has worked with clients across industries—from sports and food to senior living, agriculture, and cultural initiatives—applying a versatile, strategic approach that delivers creative impact.

She also has been a dedicated member of the KC Ad Club since college. She went on to serve on the Ad2KC board and ultimately as Vice President from 2018 to 2020, and has earned local, regional, and national ADDY Awards for both student and professional work. She remains an active volunteer in the local advertising community, mentors within the KC Ad Club, and enjoys judging local and regional American Advertising Awards. She looks forward to seeing what AAF-Akron has to show!

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