Host: Tessa Burg

When an advertising behemoth announces major restructuring plans and impending layoffs, you tend to sit up and listen. 
In our latest episode of Lead(er) Generation, Host Tessa Burg talks with Patty Parobek, Mod Op’s Senior Vice President of AI Transformation, to discuss the latest Omnicom news and what this means for marketers and marketing technologists.
No strangers to change, Tessa and Patty discuss the truths we must all face during difficult times, the opportunities that any change can bring and the skills that will win out in the end.  
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Patty Parobek:
As Senior 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].
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].

Every marketer has asked themselves the same question: Is AI coming for my job? 
In this episode of Leader Generation, Host Tessa Burg and David Berkowitz, Founder of High Caliber AI and the AI Marketers Guild, explore how marketers can start viewing AI as a collaborative tool instead of a threat to their careers.  
David talks about his latest work, The Non-Obvious Guide to Using AI for Marketing, and some of the unconventional ways companies are using AI to their advantage. He and Tessa delve into how AI can unlock opportunities that are unique to a company and brand, the role of AI results in reputation management and the value of experiential knowledge. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About David Berkowitz:
David Berkowitz is the Founder of High Caliber AI and AI Marketers Guild, and the author of The Non-Obvious Guide to Using AI for Marketing (Ideapress, 2025). A longtime marketing strategist, David has led marketing and innovation for companies including Mediaocean, Storyhunter, Sysomos, MRY (Publicis), and 360i (Dentsu). He has contributed 600+ columns to outlets like Advertising Age, MediaPost, and VentureBeat, and spoken at 400+ events worldwide. He helps marketers harness AI to work smarter, stay creative, and strengthen customer connections. You can reach him on LinkedIn or at aimarketersguild.com and highcaliberai.com. 
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 been watching AI tools race into marketing and tech, but aren’t sure what’s hype and what’s actually useful, this episode is for you. 
Mod Op’s Head of Technology in Calgary, Derek McBurney, unpacks how generative AI, code assistants and “vibe coding” are really changing the way digital experiences get built. He explains in plain language what AI code assistants actually do, when they genuinely speed teams up and when they quietly introduce bugs, tech debt or just plain slop.
You’ll hear concrete examples of using AI to handle tedious work—like transforming messy spreadsheets—so developers can spend more time on the creative, pixel-perfect experiences that matter most to customers. Derek also digs into how no-code and vibe-code tools are empowering marketers, designers and non-dev teammates to prototype real concepts quickly, without replacing the need for strong engineering fundamentals.
Throughout the conversation, Derek keeps coming back to two big themes: ambition and responsibility. He shares practical guidance for CMOs and marketing leaders on setting guardrails, protecting proprietary code, avoiding skill erosion and deciding when to build vs buy in an AI-driven world. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Derek McBurney:
Derek is the Head of Technology at Evans Hunt, focusing on delivering meaningful digital experiences and sharing his knowledge about building the web for humans. He’s been building websites ever since he first got online. At the age of 12, it was a fan site for the game Quake, with nothing more than a text editor to create some HTML. Now? Clients like Travel Alberta, Calgary Stampede, and Brookfield Residential, which compose builds using best-in-class technologies for performance, accessibility, and intuitive authoring to power beautiful and rich 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].

Mid-market leaders are facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity with AI, and this episode shows how to capitalize on it. 
John Powers, former CIO and Chief Transformation Officer at Deloitte and now Executive in Residence at Mod Op, shares practical ways to turn AI, data strategy and governance into real competitive advantage. He explains why smaller, more nimble companies can finally “punch above their weight,” how to spot the fastest wins and where custom, company-specific AI beats off-the-shelf tools.
You’ll hear how John partnered with Mod Op to stand up data leadership, why engineering the way you communicate makes AI dramatically more effective and how to rethink work so teams spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on growth. 
If you’re done “checking the AI box” and ready to drive measurable outcomes, this conversation gives you a clear path forward. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About John Powers:
John is an accomplished senior advisor with decades of success driving transformation for global multi-nationals, now bringing that experience and expertise to Mod Op Strategic Consulting clients. As Deloitte’s Global Chief Transformation and Chief Information Officer he led enterprise-wide IT cloud migrations, modernized cybersecurity governance and implemented zero-trust principles to bolster resilience, while reducing cost, and improving service delivery. His experience in strategy, digital transformation, inorganic growth and organizational effectiveness is now dedicated to leveraging AI and Big Data to drive growth and profitability. John can be reached on LinkedIn or at [email protected]. 
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 AI and people work side by side instead of in competition? In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with John Arnold, Head of Strategic CRM Advisory at Creatio. They discuss the company’s new global study on AI agents and no-code platforms, and what it reveals about the future of work.
John shares insights from more than 500 business and technology leaders who are redefining what it means to innovate. You’ll learn why AI is now a boardroom-level priority, how leading organizations are using it to grow—not replace—their teams and how no-code platforms are giving everyone, not just developers, the power to build solutions fast.
Whether you’re a marketer, salesperson or service leader, you’ll come away with a clear picture of how AI and no-code tools can help free up time, unlock creativity, and accelerate transformation without losing the human element. 
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
 
About John Arnold:
John Arnold is the Head of Strategic CRM Advisory at Creatio, a global vendor of an agentic CRM and workflow automation platform with no-code and AI at its core. A recognized expert in CRM strategy and digital transformation, John brings enterprise-level experience helping global organizations turn emerging technology into a driver of measurable business outcomes.
Before joining Creatio, John held principal advisory and analyst roles at Adobe and Forrester, where he worked with executive teams to develop customer-centric technology strategies. At Creatio, he helps organizations shift from feature-led CRM systems to outcome-driven, AI-powered growth platforms that are agile, adaptive, and built around customer experiences.
John is currently leading the development of Creatio’s AI-first CRM maturity models and best practices to guide enterprises in defining, customizing, and scaling their transformation journeys. His mission is to help leaders reimagine agentic CRM and no-code composability as a competitive advantage.
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].

Feeling buried under too many marketing tools and platforms? You’re not alone. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with John Arnold of Creatio about how AI and no-code technology are cutting through the clutter to help marketers get things done.
John shares what he’s seeing in the real world—from his days at Forrester researching B2B growth strategies to now helping teams at Creatio build custom solutions without waiting on developers. Together, he and Tessa unpack how marketing and IT can finally work in sync, using AI to automate the busywork and free people up for strategy, creativity and innovation.
If you’ve ever wished your tech stack worked for you instead of the other way around, this conversation will change how you think about the future of marketing technology. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About John Arnold:
John Arnold is the Head of Strategic CRM Advisory at Creatio, a global vendor of an agentic CRM and workflow automation platform with no-code and AI at its core. A recognized expert in CRM strategy and digital transformation, John brings enterprise-level experience helping global organizations turn emerging technology into a driver of measurable business outcomes.
Before joining Creatio, John held principal advisory and analyst roles at Adobe and Forrester, where he worked with executive teams to develop customer-centric technology strategies. At Creatio, he helps organizations shift from feature-led CRM systems to outcome-driven, AI-powered growth platforms that are agile, adaptive, and built around customer experiences.
John is currently leading the development of Creatio’s AI-first CRM maturity models and best practices to guide enterprises in defining, customizing, and scaling their transformation journeys. His mission is to help leaders reimagine agentic CRM and no-code composability as a competitive advantage.
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].

Marketing technology is evolving faster than most teams can keep up—but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.
In this Leader Generation episode, host Tessa Burg talks with Laura Stevenson, Mod Op’s new EVP of Data and Marketing Automation, about how to turn data chaos into clarity. Laura draws on over 20 years of experience leading at the intersection of data and technology to share how her team helps clients simplify systems, harness automation and stay ahead of the curve.
You’ll discover how to make your MarTech stack work harder for yo  u, prioritize transformation without “boiling the ocean,” and build smarter, more connected customer experiences. This episode is packed with insights for marketing and business leaders ready to take control of their data, their technology—and their future.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Laura Stevenson:
Laura Stevenson brings over 25 years of advertising and marketing expertise, previously holding corporate roles at Verizon and collaborating with a diverse set of companies such as Nissan, BlueJeans by Verizon, Alkami, and SAP. Her primary focus revolves around helping clients with journey and ABM/ABX demand generation strategies, including adeptly mapping content to align with sales funnels and customer stages. She excels in leveraging the latest tools, technologies, and industry best practices, ensuring next-level marketing effectiveness. Laura is dedicated to “plugged-in partner” approach, empowering clients to deliver optimized customer experiences through end-to-end marketing services.
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].

Content marketing is changing fast, and so are the rules of visibility. Tessa Burg talks with Jon Gillham, Founder of Originality.ai, about how marketers can avoid the “AI slop” trap in today’s era of AI-generated content. Jon shares what he’s learned since launching the first commercially available AI detector—just three days before ChatGPT hit the market—and offers practical advice on balancing efficiency with authenticity.
Listeners will hear about using AI tools responsibly while still producing high-quality, original content that builds trust and stands out in search, LLMs and beyond. Jon also explains how marketers can increase their visibility with strategies like adding citations, original data and quotes. 
Whether you’re worried about declining Google traffic, retention challenges or simply how to future-proof your content strategy, this episode delivers insights you can put into practice right away. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Jon Gillham:
Jon Gillham founded Originality.ai after selling a content marketing agency he had previously founded. Originality.ai launched in November 2022 to detect GPT-3-generated content (before ChatGPT had launched).
One of the earliest adopters of generative AI content for SEO purposes at scale through his agency, Jon understood the wave that was coming, which ChatGPT and GPT-4 have fully unleashed. Additionally, he believed that there was a need for a modern plagiarism checking solution. One that provided scan history, detection scores, shareable results, team access etc., what you would expect from a modern Plagiarism Checking solution.
The team now includes experienced Machine Learning Engineers, Researchers, Developers and Marketers, all on a mission to try and provide transparency on the true originality of any writing.  
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].

AI isn’t just about writing emails faster; it’s about capturing and scaling the expert knowledge that actually wins deals. 
In this conversation, Vivun’s Chief AI Officer Joseph Miller explains why most “just add a chatbot” projects stall, and how building a real-world model of your business (your terms, processes, and judgments) unlocks meaningful results. He breaks down the difference between low-stakes productivity and high-stakes outcomes—and what it takes to get from New York to San Francisco, not just Newark.
You’ll hear practical guidance for marketers, sales leaders, and operators: how to codify tribal knowledge, ground AI in your company’s definitions, and design iterative experiments that deliver time-to-value. If you’re tired of hype and want an honest blueprint for using AI to empower teams—not replace their judgment—this episode is for you.
Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 
About Joseph Miller:
As the Chief AI Officer and co-founder of Vivun, Joseph Miller, PhD, leverages his expertise in AI/ML and causal inference to build complex agentic systems. He is nationally recognized for his work in AI labor disruption and algorithmic strategies, and has appeared on platforms such as Bloomberg and Nasdaq. Joseph also guest lectures on AI, entrepreneurship and quantitative finance.
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].

Digital transformation isn’t just for tech companies—it’s reshaping even the most traditional industries. 
In this episode of Leader Generation, Chief Digital Officer Alan Wizemann returns to share how Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits is redefining what it means to be a beverage distributor. From AI-powered recommendations to warehouse drones and robotics, Alan explains how technology is enhancing customer experiences, streamlining operations and creating new opportunities for employees.
Listeners will hear how Southern Glazer’s is prioritizing “time to value” by focusing on customer needs first, not just company revenue goals. Alan also talks about the importance of durable teams, piloting before scaling and building a culture where innovation enhances human relationships rather than replaces 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].