Leader Generation

In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg chats with Matt Bretz and Gary Goodman, two seasoned veterans in the games and entertainment space. 
With decades of experience, Matt and Gary share their journeys from working in Hollywood and gaming to leading creative teams at Mod Op. They discuss the evolution of the industry, the importance of data and AI, and how both play a role in crafting emotionally resonant marketing strategies. 
If you're interested in understanding the power of combining creativity with technology to connect with audiences, this conversation offers valuable insights into how AI and data are reshaping marketing in gaming and entertainment. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
Contributors:
Matt Bretz, EVP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op
Gary Goodman, EVP of Creative Innovation 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].
 

If you’ve ever wondered how to go beyond ChatGPT and actually connect AI to real-world systems and workflows, this conversation is for you. 
Tessa Burg gathers with three Mod Op experts—Fabio Fiss, Aaron Grando and Javier López—to break down key technologies like MCP (Model Context Protocol) and A2A (Agent-to-Agent). The team explains how they work, and shares examples of how they’re already being used in creative and powerful ways.
More than just a technical discussion, this episode tackles the bigger picture—how AI will (and won’t) replace human jobs, how it can serve as a teammate and how it’s enabling people at all levels to do more, faster. 
Whether you’re building websites, leading creative teams or optimizing business operations, you’ll walk away with practical insights, relatable analogies and renewed clarity on where to start integrating AI meaningfully into your workflow.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
Contributors:
Fabio Fiss, VP of Technology at Mod Op
Aaron Grando, VP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op
Javier López, Senior Software Engineer 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].
 

The way people search for information is changing fast. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg is joined by Maurice White and Chris Harihar for a discussion about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). 
They explore how search behavior is evolving with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and what that means for brands aiming to show up in these new discovery environments. Maurice and Chris break down the parallels between GEO and traditional SEO, why marketers need to rethink their content strategy, and how PR now plays a crucial role in driving visibility in results powered by large language models (LLMs). 
This episode offers real-world tips, fresh thinking and a bit of reassurance for those feeling overwhelmed by the shift. Whether you're in SEO, content, PR or digital strategy, you'll walk away with clear insights and actionable ideas to stay ahead.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
Mod Op Contributors:
Chris Harihar, EVP of PR at Mod Op
Maurice White, Senior SEO Strategist 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].
 

Aaron Grando guest hosts on this episode of the Leader Generation Podcast, where we explore the fast-growing world of "vibe coding" with Joe DiGiovanna, VP of Technology, and Fabio Fiss, head of the DX team at Mod Op. 
If you’ve heard the term “vibe coding” floating around but aren’t quite sure what it means—or how it applies to real-world development work—this is the conversation you need to hear. Aaron, Joe, and Fabio break down how AI-powered coding tools are transforming developer workflows, empowering non-coders to create, and reshaping how teams build prototypes and scale projects. 
From Cursor to Claude and beyond, they share hands-on experience and stories from inside Mod Op. Whether you’re a seasoned dev, a tech leader or just curious about how AI is changing the game, this episode is a great primer on what vibe coding is—and where it's headed.
Leader Generation is brought to you by Mod Op. 
Contributors:
Joe DiGiovanna, VP of Engineering at Mod Op
Fabio Fiss, VP of Technology at Mod Op
About Guest Host 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. 

What if you could stretch your media budget without spending more? In this episode of Leader Generation, host Tessa Burg talks with Wandrille Leroy, the brains behind the Scibids AI at DoubleVerify, about how marketers can get more value from their ad spend using smarter, customizable automation. 
Wandrille explains how Scibids helps marketers take control of their media-buying strategy, align spending with their specific goals and achieve better outcomes across platforms like DV360, The Trade Desk, Meta and more. You’ll hear how Scibids fits into a landscape filled with walled gardens, bot fraud and limited visibility—and how it offers a way forward by boosting transparency and performance. 
Whether you're a seasoned media buyer or just trying to make your budget work harder, Wandrille shares insights that can help you measure what matters and make sure every impression counts.
 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About Wandrille Leroy:
Wandrille Leroy leads revenue for DoubleVerify’s Scibids AI, where he plays a central role in advancing the adoption of AI-powered optimization solutions across the digital advertising ecosystem. As a trained engineer, he brings nearly a decade of experience in programmatic media, with a strong focus on delivering greater customization and control to marketers. His career has centered on bridging technical innovation with strategic outcomes, helping brands and agencies navigate an increasingly complex and automated landscape. Since joining Scibids in its very early stages, Wandrille has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision and driving its global growth through impactful, scalable technology partnerships. 
 
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].

What happens when an old-school creative jumps headfirst into AI? In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Sergio Cardona for an eye-opening look at how technology is changing the creative process. 
Sergio shares his journey from traditional design roots to becoming a leader in AI-driven creativity, showing how curiosity and adaptability can open new doors for any creative professional. You’ll hear how tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT help Sergio move faster, break through creative blocks, and tell richer, more engaging stories. 
But this conversation goes beyond tools—it’s about mindset. Whether you’re a designer, marketer, or just AI-curious, you’ll walk away with fresh insights on how to partner with technology without losing the human spark that makes great work stand out. Give it a listen—you’ll be inspired to rethink what’s possible.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About Sergio Cardona:
Lead AI Designer at Mod Op, Sergio Cardona is a multidisciplinary designer with a focus on packaging design, 3D packaging CGI, modeling and creative technology. He moved to the U.S. at 17 and studied Packaging Design at FIT. Since starting his career in 2007, he’s grown his skills by blending traditional design with new tools and technologies. He’s now expanding into AI design, bringing intelligent systems into his workflow while staying true to strong design fundamentals. By combining classic design, motion and 3D packaging CGI with the power of AI, Sergio creates work that’s both creative and scalable. He’s known for balancing sharp visual instincts with a systems-driven mindset—treating design as both a craft and a collaboration between human creativity and technology.
 
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].

Explore how AI can automate quality assurance and testing for marketers and content teams. 
QA experts Giselle Castro and Carlos Obaldia share how they compared two leading AI tools, Katalon and BrowserStack. Together, they discuss how these platforms help teams test faster, cover more ground and free up valuable time for creative and strategic work.
Listeners will get a firsthand look at how Mod Op’s QA team approached the comparison, the real challenges they tackled (like reducing manual testing and overcoming change resistance) and the measurable improvements they achieved. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
Contributors:
Giselle Castro, Quality Assurance & Authoring (QAA)
Carlos Obaldia, Senior Quality Assurance & Compliance Assurance (QA & CA)
Guest Host Patty Parobek:
As Vice President of AI Transformation, Patty leads Mod Op’s AI practice group, spearheading initiatives to maximize the value and scalability of AI-enabled solutions. Patty collaborates with the executive team to revolutionize creative, advertising and marketing projects for clients, while ensuring responsible AI practices. She also oversees AI training programs, identifies high-value AI use cases and measures implementation impact, providing essential feedback to Mod Op’s AI Council for continuous improvement. Patty can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected].

What if data wasn’t just something you measured, but a powerful spark for your most creative marketing ideas? In this episode, Tessa Burg talks with Boobesh Ramadurai to explore how artificial intelligence is changing the game for marketers—especially when it comes to blending data, creativity, and speed. 
With over two decades of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, Boobesh shares real-world stories, helpful trends, and smart strategies to help you move faster, work smarter, and create content that truly connects. You’ll hear how brands are using AI to understand their audiences on a deeper level, make real-time campaign decisions, and even rethink what “good content” really means. 
Grab your headphones—this one’s packed with insight and inspiration you don’t want to miss. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About Boobesh Ramadurai:
Boobesh Ramadurai comes with two decades of extensive hands-on experience in analytics, digital marketing, and data visualization. He specializes in building high-performing customer-facing teams that drive revenue growth and ensure customer success.
At LatentView Analytics, Boobesh acts as a strategic consulting partner for chief marketing officers (CMOs), helping organizations accelerate their AI-driven marketing maturity. With expertise in building AI-first marketing data solutions for Fortune 500 clients across various industries, Boobesh focuses on developing internal capabilities in marketing analytics and LLM operations.
He manages a large global analytics team comprising high-performing talent in data engineering, data analytics, and data science. Boobesh has a proven track record in establishing multiple onsite and offshore teams by implementing industry-standard best practices and guidelines for effective collaboration. He is currently heading the Centre of Excellence for Marketing Analytics for LatentView Analytics.
 
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].

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].