Tina Sharkey, who coined the term “social media,” is a business leader, educator, adviser, and award-winning entrepreneur driving innovation at the intersection of AI, brand, and human connection.

For more than three decades, she has built transformative platforms and communities across media, commerce, health, and consumer goods. A founder, C-suite executive, and global board director, Tina has pioneered resilient frameworks for growth in the relationship and experience economy.

As faculty and Lecturer in the Business of Innovation at the USC Iovine and Young Academy, she directs Innovation Quest, guiding student founders, and serves as Principal Investigator for a Generative AI grant advancing student-led ventures. She equips future leaders with the tools to build modern brands and sustainable business playbooks, bridging insights between Gen Z innovators and seasoned executives to shape the future of business. Her rare gift lies in connecting dots across industries, generations, and technologies, turning emerging trends into actionable strategies.

Tina led Sesame Street Digital, bringing the brand online for the first time, and scaled BabyCenter, part of Johnson & Johnson, into the world’s largest parenting community. She also led AOL Networks and co-founded Brandless and iVillage, two pioneering industry disrupters. 

A Henry Crown fellow at the Aspen Institute, Tina was named Business Insider’s Top 100 People Transforming Business and Fast Company’s Top Women in Technology, among other accolades. Tina has inspired audiences on global stages and is known for her warmth, humor, and clarity. She helps leaders navigate disruption with trust, empathy, and resilience, guided by her belief that “a brand isn’t what it says about itself; it’s what a friend tells a friend.”

Topics:

  • Success in the modern relationship economy hinges on how brands connect, adapt, and engage with Gen A, Gen Z, and Millennials. This disruptive playbook equips business leaders with strategies to leverage innovation, AI, and case studies to transform how we shop, discover, and co-create, ensuring your brands remain relevant, resilient, and ahead in the race for competitive advantage.

  • Disruption and AI are not future threats. They are present realities dismantling outdated business models. In this custom talk, Tina Sharkey delivers the strategic frameworks, case studies, and operational tools she teaches at USC and brings to global enterprises. In a world without fixed playbooks, learn from Tina how to institutionalize innovation, build adaptive advantage, and lead with foresight.

  • Community is the engine that turns loyal customers into champions. In an AI‑driven, creator‑powered market, knowing how to build the right community matters more than ever. This talk reveals why community is critical today, what “enough” looks like, and how to weave it into your business. Tina Sharkey lays out a sustainable roadmap to turn community into lasting loyalty, innovation, and growth.

  • AI can accelerate our potential, but it’s the soul that makes us uniquely human. This talk explores the power of enlightened leadership and how to nurture the soul as a critical sixth sense. Drawing from her experience following a recent health crisis, Tina shares how great leaders can balance machine acceleration with human intuition, ignite innovation, and foster empathy and courage in uncertain times.

  • Tina Sharkey, a skilled host and moderator, effortlessly covers a wide range of subjects, including disruptive technologies, brand dynamics, innovation, education, and emerging trends, showcasing her ability to delve into virtually any topic with thorough research. Whether moderating engaging discussions with best-selling authors and top CEOs at private dinners or commanding the stage at large conference halls, Tina excels in making her guests and audience feel at ease. Her approachable manner and insightful questioning encourage guests to share their best stories and insights. Tina’s sessions are not just informative but also interactive and comfortable, ensuring a memorable experience for all participants.