Current Speakers

Michelle Baumann is the Chief Strategy Officer at VML Commerce. In her role, Michelle has led the transformation of the business with the creation of a next generation Commerce Strategy team, uniting the agency's Strategy & Insights, Marketing Sciences, and Experience Strategy teams under a single capability.  Her distinct hybrid role brings research and data-inspired rigor across category, brand, shopper and retail insights, to optimize our strategic process and media activation delivery across touch points for clients. Michelle led VML to be the most highly awarded Commerce Agency for the 2023 Effies.

Prior to her 6+ years at VMLY&R Commerce, Michelle worked at IRI focusing on Principal, Strategic Analytics for Conagra Brands. She also served as Kantar Retail’s Vice President of Consulting supporting diverse businesses including KCC, Whitewave, Conagra, McCormick, Smithfield Foods, Kraft, and more. Michelle was named a “Women Innovator 2022” by the P2Pi, and served as a Final Round Effie Judge in 2023. She was selected to the shortlist of Campaign Magazine’s U.S. Agency of he Year Awards for Strategist of the Year in 2024 (results to be determined!).  

In her free time, Michelle serves on the Partner’s Board for Urban Initiatives in Chicago, and partners with her husband’s board for Sharp Literacy in Milwaukee. Michelle holds a BA in English and Economics from Middlebury College.