KMG 16TH ANNUAL Symposium 2024

Brian A. is the CEO / Co-Founder of Pogi Studios who believes it’s possible to create a business built off of kindness, respect, & love - while still making a profit. His hope is that more people learn how empowering it feels to have someone who truly believes in them. Someone in their corner who can see others as they are & help them feel they can take on the world.
Pogi is an award-winning, minority-owned film / tv studio headquartered in Chicago that specializes in producing content made with love & care, for screens of all sizes. Their client list includes Vogue, MLB, Wells Fargo, McDonalds, and Rolling Stone magazine, as well acclaimed musical artists MUNA, Chance the Rapper, and Saba.
His latest co-venture is Triple 7 - a nimble creative studio specializing in content with taste: work that lives on the pulse of today’s media landscape and cuts through the noise.

Stu is an award-winning digital marketing leader and entrepreneur focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) and consulting. A former writer and sales professional, Stu has been helping Fortune 500 companies develop digital marketing strategies since 2012. Seeing the need for a trusted SEO partner, Stu founded Searics to help companies incorporate SEO to hit their sales goals.

As Discover Financial Services' Principal SEO Specialist, Stu develops strategies and innovations to help Discover build organic visibility and make money. In his free time, Stu is a full-time father of two children 2 and under. He also is an avid traveler and most recently visited eastern Europe.

As the Founder and CEO of KAB Collective, Kelsey Brown founded her company in 2020 through pure grit, determination, and a love for all things social. She applies her 10 years of experience and degrees in Digital Marketing and Honor's Marketing (IME) from DePaul University to elevate every client's social media presence. Kelsey believes that Social Media and Digital Marketing are some of the biggest assets ANY company can take advantage of — big, small, family owned, or otherwise! She brings a creative, kick-ass, and non-BS approach to branding, social marketing, paid advertising, and design to her clients nationwide. She is committed to giving her all to every client. Working with Kelsey means a tailored experience that's curated specifically to you and your business needs.

As one of the hottest DJs and producers based out of Chicago, Kice is using his impeccable knowledge and skills to transform the entertainment industry around the globe and tackle head-on the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kice’s passion for music began during his childhood in Amman, Jordan, and then Chicago, where he earned a reputation for his beatboxing skills. It wasn’t long until he learned how to mix and realized he could translate his love for music onto the turntables. He developed a philosophy that drives his ongoing love for music today: That music expresses what cannot be said, and yet is the universal language of the world.
Kice emerged onto the music scene when he was 18 years old, with his first major set at Bon V Nightclub Chicago. For more than a decade, beginning in 2007, he enjoyed immense popularity as he performed at high profile venues. Over the years, he developed a reputation for skillfully reading his audience, innovatively integrating all genres of music, attracting crowds, and most importantly, bringing energy to any venue.
In 2015, Kice founded Treblemonsters, which provides world-class artist management and music program curation, management, and consulting services to top-tier global talent and event venues internationally. Clients include international names in the nightlife, hospitality, and corporate worlds.
As Treble Squad, he has also gained acclaim as an international touring act integrating his original music and Treblemonsters artists Violin Girl (Violin) & MGabriel (Saxophone), with sets at Burning Man, Northern Nights Music Festival, Spring Awakening Music Festival, Hard Rock, PRYSM Nightclub, and many other notable venues.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kice stepped up as an artistic leader, initiating a movement to support unemployed artists during the pandemic. That movement was one of the driving forces behind the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA) in Illinois, which allows the self-employed and others who did not qualify for state unemployment benefits to receive financial assistance.
In order to further support struggling artists during the COVID-19 crisis, Kice co-founded Chicago Entertainment Relief, a resource where artists and musicians can find information during economically uncertain times about everything from where to locate discounted food to where to find economic resources and relief.
The pandemic may have slowed down the entertainment industry, but it has not slowed down Kice’s passion for music and entertainment. His new initiative, called “Bring Out The Creative,” uses virtual reality to create an experience that is as much like performing in person as possible.
As a place for artists and performers who have lost their outlet to deliver their talent and performance, Bring Out The Creative events attract hundreds of viewers and high-caliber performers on a regular basis.
Bring Out The Creative, Chicago Entertainment Relief, and Treblemonsters, along with Kice’s other achievements, highlight his ongoing commitment to advancing incredible music and entertainment and supporting the artists who provide it.