Leader Generation

What if the biggest impact of AI isn’t replacing jobs, but quickly raising the bar for everyone? In this episode of Leader Generation, host Tessa Burg talks with serial entrepreneur and Corpora.ai CEO Mel Morris about AI in business and marketing. 
Mel brings decades of experience building and scaling tech companies—from his humble beginnings in data collection to leading King Digital, the force behind Candy Crush. He’s now pioneering a new kind of AI-powered research engine—and he’s got a lot to say about where we’re heading next.
Mel gets into the practical realities of AI: how it's shifting the competitive landscape, how it can (and should) be used to save time, and why understanding your unique value is more important than ever. He offers a refreshing perspective on how AI is helping lower-skilled individuals rise up and what that means for marketing teams trying to stand out in a sea of sameness. 
Whether you’re just starting to explore AI or already knee-deep, this episode will challenge your assumptions and help you think more strategically about your tech stack and your value.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About Mel Morris:
Mel Morris is a visionary entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of Corpora.ai, a groundbreaking AI-driven research platform transforming how we harness research. Known as the former chairman of King Digital Entertainment, creators of the global hit Candy Crush Saga, Mel has a proven track record of driving innovation and building market-leading companies. With a deep passion for technology and its potential to transform industries, Mel now focuses on advancing AI to optimize research and decision-making. His leadership and forward-thinking approach continue to shape the future of technology and business. 
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international

In this episode of Leader Generation, host Tessa Burg speaks with Aaron Grando, VP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op, about how the agency is using AI to enhance creative work and improve client experiences. 
Aaron shares the story behind Brand Agent, Mod Op’s AI-powered assistant designed to align capabilities similar to ChatGPT with each client’s unique voice, values and goals. Aaron and Tessa discuss how Brand Agent not only enhances internal efficiencies—such as content writing, data summarization and brainstorming ideas—but also transforms how brands connect with their audiences. From personalized emails to AI-enhanced search and content recommendations, Aaron shows how AI goes beyond just being a productivity tool; it becomes a creative partner. 
Whether you're leading marketing for a brand or working at an agency, this episode showcases the potential when innovation and brand integrity come together.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Aaron Grando:
Aaron Grando, VP, Creative Innovation on Mod Op's Innovation team, is a seasoned technologist with over 15 years of experience at creative agencies. With a background in strategy, design, engineering, and marketing, Aaron has worked extensively in industries like media, entertainment, gaming, food & beverage, fashion, and technology. At Mod Op, Aaron leads efforts to integrate AI into creative processes, creating tools that connect creatives and clients with insights, spark ideas, and enable new brand experiences. Projects include collaborations with companies like NBCUniversal, Bethesda Softworks, Under Armour, Planet Fitness, Dietz & Watson, and more, focusing on infusing creative strategies with innovative technology to create cutting-edge brand experiences. 
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].

To celebrate Women in Tech Day, Tessa Burg is joined by Elli Dimitroulakos, Head of Ad Product and Innovation at Media.net. As a trailblazer in the ad tech industry, Elli shares her journey through transformative roles in media, TV, DSPs, broadcasting, publishing and podcasting. 
She discusses how embracing change and fostering cultures of innovation have fueled her success, even when faced with resistance. Elli’s insights into balancing human-driven innovation with data-backed decisions offer practical strategies for leaders navigating today’s fast-evolving tech landscape.
Listen in as Elli explains how Media.net is revolutionizing ad tech by bridging the gap between publishers and advertisers, using search intent data to deliver more efficient and personalized targeting. 
From overcoming resistance to change to fostering diverse thinking and leveraging AI for better collaboration, this episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to lead through innovation. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Elli Dimitroulakos:
Elli is an award winning, visionary and Global Ads Monetization and emerging technologies expert having held senior leadership positions in Podcasting, TV, Publishing and Ad Tech. She has a proven track record of driving multi-year product strategies that accelerate rapid revenue growth strategies and shape business direction.
Elli has Extensive experience in Product Innovation, Media monetization, programmatic and data GTM strategies & Business Development. Passionate about mentoring and guiding individuals and helping underrepresented content creators maximize advertising opportunities and an advocate for human rights, equality and fair and equitable business practices.
Throughout her career, Elli has received a number of awards for her contributions to ad tech and is a frequent speaker and contributor on Forbes, Adexchanger, Cannes, SXSW and more.
Elli is also a member of Chief, supporting female executive leaders and a member of the Hellenic Initiative, a non profit dedicated to the entrepreneurial development of Greece.
Elli has lived in two countries and three different cities and has a thirst for adventure and immersing herself into various cultures. She has atv’ed in a Mexican jungle, zip lined through trees, rafted in a Class 3, free falled into a waterfall and bungee jumped into a pool. Skydiving is next on her bucket list.
Elli lives between the East Coast and Greece where her family resides. An avid reader, music fanatic and podcast addict, she’s often listening to Ad Week’s Great minds, NY Mag’s Pivot, Brene Brown’s Dare to lead, On Purpose by Jay Shetty, or attending live music events.
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].
 

Change is hard—especially in big organizations with deeply ingrained processes. But what if you could lead transformation in a way that not only gets buy-in but also generates real business growth? 
In this episode of Leader Generation, Alan Wizemann, Chief Digital Officer at Southern Glazer’s, shares how he has built a career helping companies like Target, Lululemon and Dollar Shave Club evolve in the face of digital disruption.
Alan walks us through the challenges of leading change, the importance of transparency and why fostering innovation from within can lead to breakthrough success. He also discusses how AI is reshaping sales and marketing—and why it’s not about replacing people, but empowering them. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Alan Wizemann:
Alan Wizemann is Chief Digital Officer for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s), the world’s pre-eminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and proud to be a multi-generational, family-owned Company. Wizemann leads the Company’s Digital Acceleration group, overseeing Southern Glazer’s digital transformation, and is responsible for enterprise-wide digital initiatives—including the industry-leading B2B eCommerce Proof® platform.
With decades of experience in digital product development, omni-channel experiences, technology, and entrepreneurship, Wizemann has been instrumental in shaping and transforming the digital landscape for some of the world's most well-known consumer companies. At Target Corporation, he launched and led key digital initiatives across Target.com, Target Mobile, and Cartwheel, which became an industry-leading mobile platform. Wizemann also held digital leadership roles driving transformation at Lululemon Athletica Inc., Goop, WebMD, Dollar Shave Club, quip, and most recently, Munchkin Inc. His visionary approach to product strategy, user-centric design and building agile teams at scale has consistently delivered results. 
Wizemann is an engineer at heart who has delivered effective solutions in complex environments, and he is a proven entrepreneur who has built and scaled digital capabilities and fostered a culture of innovation.
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].
 

Curious about AI-powered video and audio editing but don’t know where to start? 
In this episode of Leader Generation, Cheryl Boehm and Patty Parobek share their experiences with Descript, an AI-driven tool that simplifies the editing process—even if you have zero experience. They share real-world insights from their hands-on testing, covering both the advantages and limitations of the platform.
Whether you're a marketer, content creator, or someone looking to streamline video production, this episode provides valuable takeaways on how Descript can help you save time, automate tedious editing tasks and improve your workflow.
Leader Generation brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
Contributors:
Patty Parobek, VP of AI Transformation at Mod Op
Cheryl Boehm, Director of Copywriting at Mod Op
 
Guest Host, Cheryl Boehm:
Cheryl Boehm is a digital content writer with 25+ years of marketing experience, primarily in B2B. She strives to deliver the best online experiences to customers and prospects that, ultimately, lead to company growth for clients. She stubbornly insists there’s no single messaging approach that’s right for everyone. Period. So, in her role as Director of Copywriting at Mod Op, Cheryl pushes to personalize content strategy with an individual “cheat code” that empowers each client to reach their end game fastest. 
 

Experiential events are booming, and Liz Holden joins Tessa Burg to explain why. 
In this episode, Liz shares how AI and emerging technologies are revolutionizing how brands engage with audiences in physical spaces. From personalized event experiences to interactive tech like AR, VR and voice-enabled AI, the future of events is more dynamic than ever.
You’ll also hear about the lasting impact of the pandemic on events, the rising demand for in-person connection and the evolving role of data in measuring success. 
Don’t miss this conversation about marketing, events and where the industry is headed. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About Liz Holden:
Liz Holden is the EVP of Mod Op’s Experiential and Events business unit, leading the development and production of the agency’s experiential services. She collaborates with leaders and cross-functional teams to create innovative, integrated marketing solutions that drive client success. As a Mod Op leader, Liz contributes to the agency’s continued growth as one of the fastest-growing independent marketing agencies in the U.S., harnessing technology, innovation and human creativity to fuel growth.
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].
 

Is your performance marketing strategy keeping up with the rapid changes in data, AI and media attribution? 
In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Jeremy Haft, Chief Revenue Officer at Digital Remedy, about how brands can navigate these shifts to drive real business results.
Jeremy shares insights on how marketers can connect the dots between upper-funnel awareness channels and performance-driven outcomes, proving the value of every marketing dollar spent. 
He also dives into the role of AI in creative personalization, the deprecation of third-party cookies, and how brands can future-proof their strategies. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About Jeremy Haft:
Jeremy Haft serves as Chief Revenue Officer at Digital Remedy and is a proven strategic, revenue and team leader with over 20 years of experience scaling revenue in the competitive ad tech landscape. Before joining the team in October 2022, Haft served as CRO at Channel Factory, where he reorganized the revenue team for sustainable growth and increased the sales team by 3X to drive predictable and more accountable revenue. Prior to that, he served in a decade of leadership positions, including SVP of Sales at Amobee and VP of North America Sales at Viant/Adelphic. At both organizations, Haft successfully built platforms and business solutions from infancy to drive their desired corporate goals. 
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].

Retail marketing is changing fast, and AI is at the center of it all. John Gomez, CEO of RPM Labs, breaks down how AI-driven retail media is transforming the in-store shopping experience. 
John shares insights from his journey in the retail industry to pioneering AI-powered intent engines that make in-store media more relevant and effective. He reveals why traditional retail media has struggled, how AI is solving the biggest challenges and what the future holds for digital wallets and customer engagement. 
Tune in for a candid conversation on where retail media is headed next, along with John’s take on how to make every media dollar count while creating a seamless shopping experience.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About John Gomez:
John Gomez is a seasoned executive with a track record of leadership at world-class brands. Currently leading RPM Labs, he brings deep expertise in operations, marketing and strategic growth. Prior to this role, John served as President and CEO of KKR-owned Cardenas Markets, where he spearheaded the effort to build the largest Hispanic grocery chain in the U.S. His leadership journey also includes roles as EVP of Operations, Marketing and Merchandising at Trader Joe’s, as well as Chief Operating Officer at Argo Tea.  
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].
 

In this AI Playground episode of Leader Generation, the Mod Op team explores DeepSeek, a new open-source AI model making waves in the industry. 
Tessa Burg, Aaron Grando, Patty Parobek, and Sasha Dookhoo break down what makes DeepSeek different, how it stacks up against other AI models like ChatGPT, and why businesses must be cautious before jumping in.
You’ll hear firsthand insights on DeepSeek’s potential advantages—including improved reasoning and cost efficiency—as well as serious security and privacy concerns. Should marketers and business leaders start using it? What risks come with its data storage policies? And how does this model shape the future of AI adoption? 
Tune in to hear expert opinions, real-world testing insights, and key takeaways to help you make informed AI decisions. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
Contributors:
Tessa Burg, CTO at Mod Op
Aaron Grando, VP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op
Patty Parobek, VP of AI Transformation at Mod Op
Sasha Dookhoo, VP of PR at Mod Op
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].

Tessa Burg welcomes Tal Jacobson, CEO of Perion, for a conversation about the fast-moving world of digital media. 
Tal shares insights from his nearly 30-year career in digital marketing. With a deep understanding of both technology and media, Tal explains why marketers need to shift their focus from channels and formats to audience behavior—and how AI can help cut waste and drive real results.
Tal explains how to navigate a complex media landscape, optimize ad spend without relying on outdated methods like cookies, and gain real clarity on what’s working. He also breaks down how AI-powered solutions can unify campaign strategies across platforms, eliminate inefficiencies, and make marketing smarter—not just automated. 
Everyone from CMOs to marketing strategists will hear fresh ideas on how to make data-driven decisions without getting lost in the noise. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Tal Jacobson:
Tal Jacobson has been a leader and executive in the ad-tech industry for more than two decades. Prior to his appointment as Perion's CEO in 2023, Tal served as General Manager of CodeFuel, Perion's Search Advertising unit, since 2018. During his tenure, he turned CodeFuel into a significant driver of Perion's market share and valuation. He also cemented a strategic relationship with Microsoft, for which the company won the Microsoft Advertising Global Supply Partner Award. Prior positions included: Chief Revenue Officer of SimilarWeb, VP of Business at McCann Erickson, CEO at Watchitoo and Director of Business Development at AOL. 
 
About Tessa Burg:
Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].