speakers
[Speakers]
2026 The Business of Naming Speakers
[Speakers]
2026 The Business of Naming Speakers
[Speakers]
2026 The Business of Naming Speakers
Steve Cecil
namer, WhereWords
CEOs & CMOs across the country & around the world count on Steve Cecil of WhereWords.com to name the shoes on your feet, the cars in your garage, the phone in your pocket, the food on your plate, the wine in your glass, the tools you work with, the banks you save with, the insurance that protects you, the healthcare that heals you, along with the computers & software that make it all possible.
Steve Cecil
namer, WhereWords
CEOs & CMOs across the country & around the world count on Steve Cecil of WhereWords.com to name the shoes on your feet, the cars in your garage, the phone in your pocket, the food on your plate, the wine in your glass, the tools you work with, the banks you save with, the insurance that protects you, the healthcare that heals you, along with the computers & software that make it all possible.
Steve Cecil
namer, WhereWords
CEOs & CMOs across the country & around the world count on Steve Cecil of WhereWords.com to name the shoes on your feet, the cars in your garage, the phone in your pocket, the food on your plate, the wine in your glass, the tools you work with, the banks you save with, the insurance that protects you, the healthcare that heals you, along with the computers & software that make it all possible.
Jenna Wise
Associate Creative Director, Verbal Design AW, Powered by Syneos Health
Jenna Wise is creative and strategic writer with more than 16 years’ experience crafting brand names, capturing voices and stories, and guiding clients through the brand design journey. She specializes in bringing creative thinking and clarity to complex projects, and is known for her expertise in the craft of verbal design, including brand naming and strategic writing. Jenna was part of the team that built Ari™, AW’s AI-powered naming application, bringing long-overdue transformation of an outdated method. She is inspired by shapes and movement in art because she knows how much control and commitment it takes to make hard work seem effortless.
Jenna Wise
Associate Creative Director, Verbal Design AW, Powered by Syneos Health
Jenna Wise is creative and strategic writer with more than 16 years’ experience crafting brand names, capturing voices and stories, and guiding clients through the brand design journey. She specializes in bringing creative thinking and clarity to complex projects, and is known for her expertise in the craft of verbal design, including brand naming and strategic writing. Jenna was part of the team that built Ari™, AW’s AI-powered naming application, bringing long-overdue transformation of an outdated method. She is inspired by shapes and movement in art because she knows how much control and commitment it takes to make hard work seem effortless.
Jenna Wise
Associate Creative Director, Verbal Design AW, Powered by Syneos Health
Jenna Wise is creative and strategic writer with more than 16 years’ experience crafting brand names, capturing voices and stories, and guiding clients through the brand design journey. She specializes in bringing creative thinking and clarity to complex projects, and is known for her expertise in the craft of verbal design, including brand naming and strategic writing. Jenna was part of the team that built Ari™, AW’s AI-powered naming application, bringing long-overdue transformation of an outdated method. She is inspired by shapes and movement in art because she knows how much control and commitment it takes to make hard work seem effortless.
Rachel Metter
Director of Verbal Identity, Landor
Rachel is a Director of Verbal Identity at Interbrand and a Certified Professional Coach. She works at the intersection of language, identity, and leadership, specializing in uncovering what lies beneath the surface to drive strategic clarity. Whether naming public companies, building nomenclature systems for Fortune 500 portfolios, or coaching individuals through the beliefs that shape their decisions, she uses pattern recognition and deep inquiry to help clients articulate what was previously just beyond words.
Rachel Metter
Director of Verbal Identity, Landor
Rachel is a Director of Verbal Identity at Interbrand and a Certified Professional Coach. She works at the intersection of language, identity, and leadership, specializing in uncovering what lies beneath the surface to drive strategic clarity. Whether naming public companies, building nomenclature systems for Fortune 500 portfolios, or coaching individuals through the beliefs that shape their decisions, she uses pattern recognition and deep inquiry to help clients articulate what was previously just beyond words.
Rachel Metter
Director of Verbal Identity, Landor
Rachel is a Director of Verbal Identity at Interbrand and a Certified Professional Coach. She works at the intersection of language, identity, and leadership, specializing in uncovering what lies beneath the surface to drive strategic clarity. Whether naming public companies, building nomenclature systems for Fortune 500 portfolios, or coaching individuals through the beliefs that shape their decisions, she uses pattern recognition and deep inquiry to help clients articulate what was previously just beyond words.
Jed Rendelman
Namer
Jed has been naming since 2014 when he and his close friend shared a house and Catchword as their employer. Now he balances naming with being a dad and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Portland, OR. Jed brings his therapy skills to naming work, helping agencies develop resonant names, deepen rapport with clients, and improve project outcomes. He also brings his branding skills to therapists to help them find their voice, position themselves, and connect with clients.
Jed Rendelman
Namer
Jed has been naming since 2014 when he and his close friend shared a house and Catchword as their employer. Now he balances naming with being a dad and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Portland, OR. Jed brings his therapy skills to naming work, helping agencies develop resonant names, deepen rapport with clients, and improve project outcomes. He also brings his branding skills to therapists to help them find their voice, position themselves, and connect with clients.
Jed Rendelman
Namer
Jed has been naming since 2014 when he and his close friend shared a house and Catchword as their employer. Now he balances naming with being a dad and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Portland, OR. Jed brings his therapy skills to naming work, helping agencies develop resonant names, deepen rapport with clients, and improve project outcomes. He also brings his branding skills to therapists to help them find their voice, position themselves, and connect with clients.
james mueller
independent naming architect
James is a namer, strategist, and brand architect. Over fifteen years in the industry, they've worked with clients and naming engagements of literally every shape and scale: with Fortune 50 juggernauts and a friend's brother's plumbing business, on consumer brands and B2B, in tech and finance and pharma and automotive, on their own and in partnership with global ad agencies. They aim to bring strategy, clarity, and confidence to the wild and passionate practice of naming. If you get a chance, ask them about their self-published dictionary.
james mueller
independent naming architect
James is a namer, strategist, and brand architect. Over fifteen years in the industry, they've worked with clients and naming engagements of literally every shape and scale: with Fortune 50 juggernauts and a friend's brother's plumbing business, on consumer brands and B2B, in tech and finance and pharma and automotive, on their own and in partnership with global ad agencies. They aim to bring strategy, clarity, and confidence to the wild and passionate practice of naming. If you get a chance, ask them about their self-published dictionary.
james mueller
independent naming architect
James is a namer, strategist, and brand architect. Over fifteen years in the industry, they've worked with clients and naming engagements of literally every shape and scale: with Fortune 50 juggernauts and a friend's brother's plumbing business, on consumer brands and B2B, in tech and finance and pharma and automotive, on their own and in partnership with global ad agencies. They aim to bring strategy, clarity, and confidence to the wild and passionate practice of naming. If you get a chance, ask them about their self-published dictionary.
laurel sutton
Linguist and Founder, Sutton Strategy
Laurel Sutton is a linguist with more than 25 years of experience in naming. She co-founded Catchword, a Bay Area naming and branding firm, and now specializes in linguistic and brand analysis through her own firm, Sutton Strategy. She also hosts the podcast Linguistics Careercast, focusing on careers for linguists outside academia. Though born and raised in New Jersey, she speaks excellent English.
laurel sutton
Linguist and Founder, Sutton Strategy
Laurel Sutton is a linguist with more than 25 years of experience in naming. She co-founded Catchword, a Bay Area naming and branding firm, and now specializes in linguistic and brand analysis through her own firm, Sutton Strategy. She also hosts the podcast Linguistics Careercast, focusing on careers for linguists outside academia. Though born and raised in New Jersey, she speaks excellent English.
laurel sutton
Linguist and Founder, Sutton Strategy
Laurel Sutton is a linguist with more than 25 years of experience in naming. She co-founded Catchword, a Bay Area naming and branding firm, and now specializes in linguistic and brand analysis through her own firm, Sutton Strategy. She also hosts the podcast Linguistics Careercast, focusing on careers for linguists outside academia. Though born and raised in New Jersey, she speaks excellent English.
chelsea carlson
strategy director, the working assembly
Chelsea Carlson is a culture obsessed strategy director at The Working Assembly. Her work unearths weird truths and turns them into sticky stories that shape optimistic futures.
chelsea carlson
strategy director, the working assembly
Chelsea Carlson is a culture obsessed strategy director at The Working Assembly. Her work unearths weird truths and turns them into sticky stories that shape optimistic futures.
chelsea carlson
strategy director, the working assembly
Chelsea Carlson is a culture obsessed strategy director at The Working Assembly. Her work unearths weird truths and turns them into sticky stories that shape optimistic futures.
tyler doyle
founder, tbd
Tyler studied writing at Stanford and learned naming at A Hundred Monkeys and Lippincott. He got TBD running in 2018.
tyler doyle
founder, tbd
Tyler studied writing at Stanford and learned naming at A Hundred Monkeys and Lippincott. He got TBD running in 2018.
tyler doyle
founder, tbd
Tyler studied writing at Stanford and learned naming at A Hundred Monkeys and Lippincott. He got TBD running in 2018.
marc hershon
Director of Naming and Verbal Identity at Landor
Biographic details on the way...
marc hershon
Director of Naming and Verbal Identity at Landor
Biographic details on the way...
marc hershon
Director of Naming and Verbal Identity at Landor
Biographic details on the way...
[Panelists]
2026 The Business of Naming Panelists
[Panelists]
2026 The Business of Naming Panelists
[Panelists]
2026 The Business of Naming Panelists
scott hauman
Global Head of Nomenclature at Ford Motor Company
Scott Hauman is a sought-after brand name designer and brand innovation expert with over 25 years of consulting experience. Currently, he is the Global Head of Nomenclature at Ford Motor Company. Most recently, he spearheaded enterprise-wide growth and IP development for Hart (a leading full-service brand transformation agency), as their SVP, Growth & Innovation. Prior to Hart, Scott led Firebolt Group’s entry into the sports, retail, and beverage marketplaces, spearheading the development and implementation of sales-driving field marketing and branding programs as their Chief Brand Officer.
scott hauman
Global Head of Nomenclature at Ford Motor Company
Scott Hauman is a sought-after brand name designer and brand innovation expert with over 25 years of consulting experience. Currently, he is the Global Head of Nomenclature at Ford Motor Company. Most recently, he spearheaded enterprise-wide growth and IP development for Hart (a leading full-service brand transformation agency), as their SVP, Growth & Innovation. Prior to Hart, Scott led Firebolt Group’s entry into the sports, retail, and beverage marketplaces, spearheading the development and implementation of sales-driving field marketing and branding programs as their Chief Brand Officer.
scott hauman
Global Head of Nomenclature at Ford Motor Company
Scott Hauman is a sought-after brand name designer and brand innovation expert with over 25 years of consulting experience. Currently, he is the Global Head of Nomenclature at Ford Motor Company. Most recently, he spearheaded enterprise-wide growth and IP development for Hart (a leading full-service brand transformation agency), as their SVP, Growth & Innovation. Prior to Hart, Scott led Firebolt Group’s entry into the sports, retail, and beverage marketplaces, spearheading the development and implementation of sales-driving field marketing and branding programs as their Chief Brand Officer.
win platt
Manager, Brand Strategy at Salesforce
Meet Win — brand strategist at Salesforce, founder of Little Gay Inn, and firm believer that sparkle and practicality can coexist. Rhode Island native, Shiba dad, and always available for a zesty discussion about The Real Housewives of Rhode Island — and the scalability of that naming convention.
win platt
Manager, Brand Strategy at Salesforce
Meet Win — brand strategist at Salesforce, founder of Little Gay Inn, and firm believer that sparkle and practicality can coexist. Rhode Island native, Shiba dad, and always available for a zesty discussion about The Real Housewives of Rhode Island — and the scalability of that naming convention.
win platt
Manager, Brand Strategy at Salesforce
Meet Win — brand strategist at Salesforce, founder of Little Gay Inn, and firm believer that sparkle and practicality can coexist. Rhode Island native, Shiba dad, and always available for a zesty discussion about The Real Housewives of Rhode Island — and the scalability of that naming convention.
eunice park
Senior Director of Brand Architecture, Naming, and Taxonomy at SAP
Eunice Park (she/her) is currently a Senior Director of Brand Architecture, Naming, and Taxonomy at SAP. She has 15+ years of experience in naming strategy, brand architecture, and verbal branding in-house at CVS Health, Wells Fargo, and HP. She found out about the profession of naming through a job ad on Craiglist, starting at Landor and continuing with agency stints at Salt Branding, Catchword Branding, Lippincott, and PS212. Eunice holds a B.A in English and Anthropology from Amherst College, which is the perfect primer for naming as it turns out. When not naming things, she is running, cooking, or advocating for substance abuse recovery in her community.
eunice park
Senior Director of Brand Architecture, Naming, and Taxonomy at SAP
Eunice Park (she/her) is currently a Senior Director of Brand Architecture, Naming, and Taxonomy at SAP. She has 15+ years of experience in naming strategy, brand architecture, and verbal branding in-house at CVS Health, Wells Fargo, and HP. She found out about the profession of naming through a job ad on Craiglist, starting at Landor and continuing with agency stints at Salt Branding, Catchword Branding, Lippincott, and PS212. Eunice holds a B.A in English and Anthropology from Amherst College, which is the perfect primer for naming as it turns out. When not naming things, she is running, cooking, or advocating for substance abuse recovery in her community.
eunice park
Senior Director of Brand Architecture, Naming, and Taxonomy at SAP
Eunice Park (she/her) is currently a Senior Director of Brand Architecture, Naming, and Taxonomy at SAP. She has 15+ years of experience in naming strategy, brand architecture, and verbal branding in-house at CVS Health, Wells Fargo, and HP. She found out about the profession of naming through a job ad on Craiglist, starting at Landor and continuing with agency stints at Salt Branding, Catchword Branding, Lippincott, and PS212. Eunice holds a B.A in English and Anthropology from Amherst College, which is the perfect primer for naming as it turns out. When not naming things, she is running, cooking, or advocating for substance abuse recovery in her community.
aron galonsky
Head of Innovation Practice, EVP, Ipsos
Aron Galonsky is EVP at Ipsos, where he leads a portfolio of practices spanning Innovation, UX Research, shopper behavior and package testing. Naming research sits squarely within that remit and it's an area he has built tools and methodology around. His approach draws on behavioral science techniques that go beyond survey responses: sentiment analysis, implicit association measures, and name mental network mapping all methods designed to surface what people actually think and feel about a name, not just what they say.
aron galonsky
Head of Innovation Practice, EVP, Ipsos
Aron Galonsky is EVP at Ipsos, where he leads a portfolio of practices spanning Innovation, UX Research, shopper behavior and package testing. Naming research sits squarely within that remit and it's an area he has built tools and methodology around. His approach draws on behavioral science techniques that go beyond survey responses: sentiment analysis, implicit association measures, and name mental network mapping all methods designed to surface what people actually think and feel about a name, not just what they say.
aron galonsky
Head of Innovation Practice, EVP, Ipsos
Aron Galonsky is EVP at Ipsos, where he leads a portfolio of practices spanning Innovation, UX Research, shopper behavior and package testing. Naming research sits squarely within that remit and it's an area he has built tools and methodology around. His approach draws on behavioral science techniques that go beyond survey responses: sentiment analysis, implicit association measures, and name mental network mapping all methods designed to surface what people actually think and feel about a name, not just what they say.
brad davidson
Director, Behavioral Science Novartis | Faculty, Masters in Branding Program School of Visual Arts
With over 30 years of experience in language research and branding, Brad has worked as the research director for global and national naming assignments for Coca Cola, General Motors, Procter & Gamble, Intel, MicroSoft, Toyota, and many others. Brad has published and presented extensively as a linguist and anthropologist, including American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Psychiatric Society, The Linguistic Society of America, and SXSW.
brad davidson
Director, Behavioral Science Novartis | Faculty, Masters in Branding Program School of Visual Arts
With over 30 years of experience in language research and branding, Brad has worked as the research director for global and national naming assignments for Coca Cola, General Motors, Procter & Gamble, Intel, MicroSoft, Toyota, and many others. Brad has published and presented extensively as a linguist and anthropologist, including American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Psychiatric Society, The Linguistic Society of America, and SXSW.
brad davidson
Director, Behavioral Science Novartis | Faculty, Masters in Branding Program School of Visual Arts
With over 30 years of experience in language research and branding, Brad has worked as the research director for global and national naming assignments for Coca Cola, General Motors, Procter & Gamble, Intel, MicroSoft, Toyota, and many others. Brad has published and presented extensively as a linguist and anthropologist, including American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Psychiatric Society, The Linguistic Society of America, and SXSW.
alex foss
Marketing Insights & Research Anthropic
Alex Foss is on the Marketing Insights team at Anthropic. He has spent roughly a decade in the field, with prior in-house roles at LinkedIn and Adobe, and earlier agency experience as a Strategy and Analytics Consultant at Interbrand, where he cut his teeth on research methods and brand strategy. Today, he sits at the intersection of evidence-based marketing and using Claude to reimagine how market research gets done.
alex foss
Marketing Insights & Research Anthropic
Alex Foss is on the Marketing Insights team at Anthropic. He has spent roughly a decade in the field, with prior in-house roles at LinkedIn and Adobe, and earlier agency experience as a Strategy and Analytics Consultant at Interbrand, where he cut his teeth on research methods and brand strategy. Today, he sits at the intersection of evidence-based marketing and using Claude to reimagine how market research gets done.
alex foss
Marketing Insights & Research Anthropic
Alex Foss is on the Marketing Insights team at Anthropic. He has spent roughly a decade in the field, with prior in-house roles at LinkedIn and Adobe, and earlier agency experience as a Strategy and Analytics Consultant at Interbrand, where he cut his teeth on research methods and brand strategy. Today, he sits at the intersection of evidence-based marketing and using Claude to reimagine how market research gets done.
everett alatsis
Head of Customer Insights at Chamberlain Group
Everett Alatsis is a consumer insights and product research leader with 20+ years of experience spanning both agency and in‑house roles across tech, automotive, healthcare, and CPG. He currently serves as Head of Customer Insights at Chamberlain Group, where he leads research that informs product strategy, customer experience, and decision‑making across connected access solutions, including hardware, software, and digital experiences.
everett alatsis
Head of Customer Insights at Chamberlain Group
Everett Alatsis is a consumer insights and product research leader with 20+ years of experience spanning both agency and in‑house roles across tech, automotive, healthcare, and CPG. He currently serves as Head of Customer Insights at Chamberlain Group, where he leads research that informs product strategy, customer experience, and decision‑making across connected access solutions, including hardware, software, and digital experiences.
everett alatsis
Head of Customer Insights at Chamberlain Group
Everett Alatsis is a consumer insights and product research leader with 20+ years of experience spanning both agency and in‑house roles across tech, automotive, healthcare, and CPG. He currently serves as Head of Customer Insights at Chamberlain Group, where he leads research that informs product strategy, customer experience, and decision‑making across connected access solutions, including hardware, software, and digital experiences.
[Speakers]
More to be announced!
More speakers, panelists, and rapid-fire talk presenters to be announced.
[Speakers]
More to be announced!
More speakers, panelists, and rapid-fire talk presenters to be announced.
[Speakers]
More to be announced!
More speakers, panelists, and rapid-fire talk presenters to be announced.