Miami
Miami Portfolio Review Spring 2025
Date
Saturday, April 5, 2025About the Event
It's portfolio glow-up season! Time to polish your work and show them what you've got!
Whether you're making small tweaks or starting from scratch, get your portfolio in top shape so you can confidently apply for that dream internship, that exciting job opening, or simply learn where to begin.
You'll have 15 minutes to connect with local industry professionals – creative directors, strategists, media planners, PR pros, recruiters – the whole shebang! Show them your work, get honest feedback, and walk away with valuable career advice. Don't miss this opportunity to shine!
EVENT DETAILS:
DATE: Saturday, April 5, 2025
TIME: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM EST
WHERE: Miami Ad School (225 NE 34th St Suite 203, Miami, FL 33137)
Design by Nimar Ginosca
Speakers
Chany D'Amelio
CCO & Partner at Archer Troy MiamiChany D'Amelio is an Executive Creative Director from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Actual partner and CCO at Archer Troy Miami and leader at Circulo Creativo Miami, US.
He has won more than 40 international awards. In the 2015 Cannes Edition he won 7 Cannes Lions, including 1 Titanium and 3 Golds. And in the same year he won 6 Clios including 2 Golds.
Jury in many international awards.
He is passionate about advertising. Always trying to improve himself in order to expand his creativity.
During his career, Chany has worked for some of the world's most recognized brands, including Coca-Cola, Samsung, FIAT, McDonald's, Walmart, and Volkswagen, and has held C-roles at top agencies such as Ogilvy and Leo Burnett.
RENE ALVAREZ
Strategist at DataduRene is a Digital Strategist whose work spans from music and education to politics, B2B and retail. He has worked with some of the US's top brands, including Macy's, LexisNexis and Kaplan, as well as local Miami icons the Miami Herald, Miami Children's Museum and the Citadel Food Hall. Focused on data analysis and storytelling to solve marketing challenges, he is skilled at driving positive results for businesses, organizations and personal brands of all sizes. Rene is also a TEDx Organizer and educator building communities around cool ideas.
Jack Daniel Bagdadi
Executive Creative Director Markham Yard/Miami Supply Co.Jack is the Executive Creative Director at Markham Yard in Miami with 20+ years of experience. He’s worked with top clients like Porsche, Formula 1, and AWS, and is also behind Miami Supply Co. Jack specializes in all areas of creativity, from copywriting to design and illustration. He holds a degree from Tufts University and a certificate from the Miami Ad School.
Jose Benitez
COO and Digital Director at arbolWith 25 years in digital media, advertising, and marketing, Jose has worked on everything from local campaigns to global brand launches. He has won multiple awards and had a case study published by Facebook Business. As a teacher at top universities, including Miami Ad School, Jose shares his expertise in marketing and creativity. He has collaborated with brands like Visa, TikTok, DHL, Ferrari, PepsiCo, and more. Whether it’s content production, strategy, or digital media planning, he brings a hands-on, results-driven approach to every project.
Amy Brown
Creative Director at MADAmy Brown is a South Florida native and the Creative Director at Mad, where she leads a team of designers and copywriters in crafting results-driven communications for Verizon's Value Brands. With 16 years of experience in design and marketing, Amy combines a passion for problem-solving with a keen eye for detail. She thrives on developing impactful campaigns that connect with customers and drive success. Beyond her work, she enjoys illustrating, infusing creativity into both her professional and personal projects.
Juan Buchelli
Senior Digital Creator at AlmaJuan is a Multicultural Digital Marketer & Graphic Designer with 10 years of experience working for agencies and clients in Latin America and the U.S., developing their brand strategy and digital presence across all media channels. He is from Uruguay and currently lives in Miami and works at Alma and is an Honorary Director at Uruguayan American Chamber of Commerce USA.
Elena Castro
Art Direction Student at FIU/MAS (presenter)Elena Castro is a social-first creative passionate about crafting insight-driven content rooted in pop culture. With a background in Marketing and Consulting from Emory's Goizueta Business School, she's now pursuing Communications and Art Direction at The Miami Ad School and FIU, while gaining hands-on experience as an Art Direction Intern at Alma.
Larissa Cocchiaro
Creative Manager at DAVID Miami and DAVID New York (presenter)Larissa is Creative Manager at DAVID working for the US market (MIA and NY). Her role is to support the CCO in coordinating the creative team to successfully deliver campaigns for key clients such as Android (Google), Mondelez (SPK, Halls, Clif Bar), Supercell, Natura, Coca-Cola, Corona, and others.
Larissa was born in Brazil and raised in Japan. She has over 15 years of experience in the advertising industry, with a strong foundation in account management at creative-driven agencies. She began her career at DPZ working with Itaú Bank, followed by roles at Dentsu (Toyota) and F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi (Skol beer). Working for DAVID Miami for 5 years, she has managed iconic brands like Burger King and Budweiser (ABI) before transitioning into her current role of leading creative operations.
Sergio Del Hierro
Creative Copywriter at Gut MiamiSergio is a Copywriter at GUT Miami, he has developed campaigns for Global brands like Chase, Delimex, Welch’s Fruits Snack, Doordash, Ad Council, Google amongst other leading brands. He graduated from the Miami Ad School. And he enjoys to spends his time thinking up gutsy ideas for gutsy clients at Gut Miami.
Hugo Del Toro
Sr. Art Director at The CommunityHugo Del Toro is an Art Director based in Miami with over eight years of experience. In 2018, he was selected for the AdFellows program, gaining hands-on experience across multiple agencies partnered with Verizon. He later joined The Community and worked with major brands like Porsche, TikTok, Ricolin, and Verizon, gaining recognition for his creativity. In 2025, he served as a judge at Connections Miami and contributed to Verizon’s Super Bowl commercial with J Balvin, which won bronze at the New York Festival. His work continues to shape impactful brand campaigns.
Sara Erazo
Art Direction Student at FIU/MAS (presenter)Sara Erazo is a Colombian-born creative who has spent the last few years in the United States. She earned her undergraduate degree from South Dakota State University and recently graduated from Miami Ad School as an Art Director. She is now completing her master’s in Global Strategic Communications at Florida International University. Passionate about fashion, Sara co-owns a shoe brand with her mom in Colombia. Alongside her work in art direction, she recently discovered a love for content creation, which she has been exploring through her internship at BNMR GLVZ and hands-on direction in real-world projects. She recently won a Silver ADDY Award and looks forward to continuing her creative journey and seeing where it leads.
JAVIER FORERO
Creative Art Director at David MiamiJavier is originally from Spain and works as Creative Art Director at DAVID Miami. He has regional experience developing and launching campaigns for global brands, tailoring content for both the European and U.S. markets. He was part of tThe Blink Trigger and Phonetic Jerseys team which was awarded x1 bronze pencil, x1 bronze cube and x2 merits at the Young Ones and Young Ones ADC.
GiGi Gutierrez
Founder & CEO at PlantaGisela “GiGi” Gutierrez is the Founder and CEO of Planta, a creative agency focused on sustainability and inclusive branding. With over 15 years of experience, she’s led strategies for brands like Planned Parenthood, Crayola, and Avon. A Climate Reality Leader trained by Al Gore and a certified Gender Perspective Leader, GiGi works to decarbonize advertising. She leads a digital nomad team across the US, Latin America, and Spain, creating campaigns with positive impact. Recognized by Forbes as one of the 43 People Changing Advertising for the Climate, she is shaping a more sustainable, equitable industry.
Marcus Kawamura
CCO Speakeasy Knowledge BrokersMarkus is an award-winning Creative Director with 20+ years of experience in art direction and design. He has worked with brands like Volkswagen, Verizon, Visa, and Pepsi across various industries. Markus has held senior creative roles at agencies such as The Community Miami and Crispin Porter Bogusky and now leads Kawalab, a hub for startups. In 2022, he was ranked the 3rd most awarded Executive Creative Director in America by The One Show and The Art Directors Club.
Andrew Last
Design Director at MottoAndrew is an award-winning Design Director at Motto®, where he leads design strategies for global brands like Virgin, Google, Microsoft, Disney, Spotify, and Netflix. Previously, he was Head of Design at Ground in the UK and Creative Lead at Surreal, working with brands such as Nike, Johnson & Johnson, and Nuvasive. With a diverse background across multiple industries, Andrew creates designs that resonate with audiences and elevate brand experiences. He is also a Mentor at We the Makers, helping to shape the next generation of creative talent.
PAOLA LLANEZA
Creative Director at VMLPaola Llaneza is a Miami-based Creative Director with a diverse career across top agencies and global brands. Her journey through Boston, Amsterdam, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York has shaped her worldly perspective. Paola has led impactful campaigns across industries like telecommunications, retail, and hospitality, blending strategic insight with storytelling. She excels in brand transformations, integrated campaigns, and enhancing customer experiences. Outside of work, Paola is passionate about travel, photography, tennis, Broadway, baking, wine, and Harry Potter.
Michele Mardorf
Art Director (freelancer)Michele Mardorf is a multidisciplinary Art Director with a global perspective, shaped by her multicultural upbringing and a career spanning music, entertainment, sports, and tech. She blends conceptual ideation, mixed-media design, and a deep commitment to authenticity, bringing both strategic insight and an artist’s intuition to her work. With experience leading creative campaigns, branding projects, and social-first content, she has collaborated with brands and agencies such as Apple, Adidas, Dreamville, Google Pixel, MLB, Miami Heat, Mass Appeal, and Wieden+Kennedy. Grounded in 20+ years as an artist, Michele thrives at the intersection of culture, design, and innovation. Whether directing campaigns or shaping creative ecosystems, she ensures storytelling resonates globally and within subcultures in a way that feels both real and culturally attuned. Beyond client work, she’s the Vice President & Creative Director of The One Club for Creativity Miami, where she fosters community through mentorship and events for the next class of creative professionals.
Phil Neves
Creative Director at Group BlackPhil Neves is a Brazilian-American Creative Director at Group Black, leading creative vision and brand identity through events like Cannes Lions, ADCOLOR, and SXSW. Previously, he was Creative Director at Holler, where he built the creative studio and oversaw the rebrand. He also served as Senior Art Director at Inspira Marketing, working with brands like Diageo and Geico. Phil holds a BA in Studio Art and Filmmaking from the University of Miami and is fluent in English, Portuguese, German, and Spanish.
Albena Petrus
Lecturer at FIU (presenter)Albena Petrus is an enthusiastic creative director with a strong design background and a producer's soul. Fueled by a passion for global cultures, she has a knack for innovative ideas and strategic clarity. Having transitioned from the agency world to the classroom, her unique perspective is informed by global experiences in her multicultural upbringing and degrees from Havana, NYC, and Barcelona (in progress). Petrus is deeply involved in the local creative community and actively leads as president of The One Club for Creativity - Miami chapter. She has been organizing portfolio reviews since 2010.
Alec Plourde
Senior Art Director at Gut MiamiAlec Plourde is an award-winning creative with six years of experience creating work that gets people engaged. During his time at GUT, he's helped transform a meme into a sponsored athlete for Popeyes, helped save turtles from being hunted for turtle soup for NotCo and sat front row in MSG at a Harry Styles concert for Popeyes.
Pedro Prado
ECD at TBWA\Media Arts Lab LATAM + Canada + US HispanicPedro Prado, a Brazilian Creative Director, began his career in 1998 and has lived in New York, Texas, Indiana, São Paulo, and Miami. He worked at F/Nazca Saatchi&Saatchi (2005-2019), Leo Burnett Brazil (2019-2021), and is now Executive Creative Director at TBWAMedia Arts Lab, leading creative for Apple. Pedro has collaborated with brands like Nike, Google, and Samsung, with standout projects like “República Popular do Corinthians” and “Everything in Black & White.” He has over 400 awards from Cannes Lions, The One Show, and Clio Awards and has served on various festival juries. Since 2021, Pedro has shaped Apple's LATAM campaigns, including “Pink G.O.A.T” and “Suerte.”.
Alexis Santaella
Assistant Art Director at David MiamiAlexis Santaella is an Assistant Art Director at David Miami. He previously worked at GlueIQ, MullenLowe U.S, and GUT Miami where he worked on concepts and designs for brands like Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Cerveza Jalisco, Google Pixel 8, Stella Artois and many more. Alexis is a graduate of Miami Ad School, Atlantic University College and University of Puerto Rico-Carolina.
Shadab Wajih
Associate Creative Director at Golin ChicagoShadab is an Associate Creative Director and Art Director at Golin Chicago. He works for Global Brands such as McDonald's, Nintendo, Walmart, Grubhub amongst others. He is devoted to Gaming and Soccer very seriously. Shadab finds his inspiration for campaign ideas during the day time and his decks for Miami Ad School during the evenings where he ocassionally teaches.
Caroline Webster
ACD Copywriter at Gut MiamiCaroline Webster got her foot in the advertising door through paid social, where she honed her copywriting chops and developed an obsessive attention to detail. After a few years of that, her "big idea" muscles yearned to be stretched, so she enrolled in night classes at Adhouse NYC where she supplemented her portfolio with more conceptual work. In 2022, she put her sweaters in storage and started at GUT Miami, where she's lucky enough to work with people who love advertising as much as she does.
Questions?
Contact [email protected]
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