Upcoming Speaker Events
Note: all 2021-22 season speaker events are currently slated to be in-person with virtual, livestream options. We are closely monitoring the state of the pandemic and will make adjustments in accordance with local & national guidance.
With any questions, please contact president@aaf-nd.org. Thank you!
May 2022
Joshua Ariza, CHOMP
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Live at Sanctuary Events OR Online via Link
Joshua's Bio
Joshua Ariza is an award-winning, multidisciplinary designer who has worked with some of the most iconic brands in the world including ESPN, Nike, Red Bull, Under Armour, Star Wars and Taco Bell. Currently residing in Southern California, he works with his clients to develop creative visual strategies for all types of projects. He provides a full range of services from illustration, graphic design, and apparel design to retail strategy, style guides, storyboards, and art direction.
Upcoming Social Events
Salute the end of an incredible AAF-ND season with a local brew and some great friends! This season wouldn’t have been what it was without you. Let’s celebrate!
When: Thursday, May 19, 2022 | 4:00 PM — 6:00 PM
Where: Drekker Brewing Company
Cost: FREE
How: RSVP via Facebook Event
Past Speaker Events
April 2022
Ashley Mary, Ashley Mary Studio
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Live at Sanctuary Events OR Online via Link
Ashley's Bio
Ashley Mary is a Minnesota-based multi-disciplinary artist, with an MA in Graphic/Web Design from MCAD. Ashley’s work expands from studio practice to product/surface design and mural installations nationwide. Her studio work focuses on acrylic paintings and collage on paper. Thick textures, vibrant colors, graphic patterns, and organic and familiar shapes are her attempts to give attention to the unintentional and leave space to be surprised: exploring themes of play, balance, movement and curiosity.
March 2022
Maren Hamilton, Social & Content Strategist
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Live at Sanctuary Events OR Online via Link
Maren's Bio
Maren is a brand and content marketer with experience leading social strategy for brands like Starbucks, The North Face and KeVita. She grew up in the Fargo-Moorhead area and attended Concordia College where she studied Public Relations, Business and Art. She has been working in social media since the birth of Instagram, building and managing digital communities that drive brand loyalty. On the weekends you can find her in the mountains: hiking, skiing and spending time with her pups.
January 2022
Heather Novak-Peterson, hjnovak
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Live at Sanctuary Events OR Online via Link
Heather's Bio
Known for her enthusiasm and love for collaborating with people to visually articulate ideas, Heather’s unique point of view and endless imagination is contagious. She is an artist that designs at a very large scale with a design perspective that makes ideas become viable, well designed products and center pieces that turn locations into landmarks. Her work can be seen in offices, restaurants, residences, hotels and public spaces locally and nationally.
December 2021
Deb Gabor, Sol Marketing
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Live at Sanctuary Events OR Online via Link
Deb's Bio
Brand Guru. Brand Impresario. Brand Evangelist. She's written the book on branding (twice!) with bestsellers Branding is Sex and Irrational Loyalty. She's the founder and CEO of Sol Marketing, a strategy-led marketing firm obsessed with solving major business and branding problems for clients in every industry. Companies throughout the world use Deb’s Brand Values Pyramid, Ideal Customer Archetype, and “Brand Swagger Questions” to align their teams and articulate their brands to audiences.
November 2021
Max Wastler, Aparium Hotel Group
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Live at Sanctuary Events OR Online via Link
Max's Bio
Max Wastler is the Vice President of Brand at Aparium Hotel Group, where he oversees the image and experience of the Aparium brand as a whole and each individual brand within the portfolio of hotels and restaurants. Wastler has nearly two decades of branding and marketing experience, having previously consulted on strategy and storytelling for companies such as J. Crew, Madewell, Patagonia, Lands End, and Airstream.
October 2021
Yeosh Bendayan, Push Button Creative
AAF Talks Professional Speaker Event
Live at Sanctuary Events & Online via Link
Yeosh's Bio
Whether it's storytelling, informational, or entertainment-focused, creating a branded podcast could be another weapon in your client's 2020 arsenal. Yeosh will give you some ideas, tips, and tricks for developing concepts and pitching your podcast ideas to your clients. He'll break down the process developed by his company, Push Button Creative Audio, and share promotional, audio branding, and measurement tools to help you along the way.
Other Past Events
Portfolio Review Day is an annual FREE event hosted by the American Advertising Federation of North Dakota (AAF-ND) for current college students, of all levels, in North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota in the design, interactive, advertising, copywriting, social media, print and photo journalism and video-related fields. During the event, students can have their portfolios reviewed by area professionals and receive feedback in 30-minute one-on-one sessions.
When: Register before 5:00 p.m. on April 18. Be matched April 19-20. Meet with your mentor by May 1
Where: ONLINE
Cost: $0

Please join us for a night of distinction, ceremony and celebration with our creative advertising and marketing community.
When: Friday, February 25, 2022 | 6:00 PM — 10:00 PM
Where: Avalon Events Center or Online Via Zoom
Cost: Professionals: $75 (Non-Member) – Virtual Professionals: $50 (Non-Member) – Students: $40 (Non-Member) – Virtual Student: $30 (Non-Member) – AAF-ND Members: FREE (1 ticket per membership)

TV Timeout is BACK and better than ever! An at-home experience so you can relax and eat those left-over wings and lil’ smokies in the fridge.
When: Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 7:00 PM CST
Where: Online Via Zoom
Cost: Non-Members: $5 – AAF-ND Members: FREE (1 ticket per membership)