Inspired by Carey Morewedge's forthcoming book, Possessions: How We Think about Our Stuff-and Ourselves, this panel explores how rapid technological change is transforming our relationship to ownership, access, and value.

Co-hosted by the BU Questrom Feld Center and the Mehrotra Institute, the conversation brings together leaders from business, academia, and industry to examine the evolving nature of consumption in an era shaped by digital platforms, AI, and the sharing economy-and the broader implications for identity, decision-making, and how we define what it truly means to own something.

Speakers:

Jim Kurdek (Questrom'08), Manager, GenStudio applications, Adobe 

Jim Kurdek is a strategic account executive with a proven track record of guiding complex organizations through large-scale transformation initiatives. Passionate about accelerating customer value and driving measurable business outcomes, he brings a highly cross-functional perspective shaped by experience spanning enterprise sales, account management, customer success, digital strategy, product management, and product marketing.

Having worked across industries including financial services, retail, media and advertising, and SaaS, Jim has developed a nuanced understanding of stakeholder motivations and organizational dynamics. This breadth of experience enables him to break down silos, navigate complexity, and align diverse teams around shared objectives. At the core of Jim’s professional approach are four defining strengths: building trusted relationships across organizations and leadership levels; creating scalable value-driven solutions; informing decisions through thoughtful analysis, data, and collective insight; and proactively identifying challenges to mitigate risk and drive progress.

Jim’s areas of expertise include enterprise software, generative AI, retail media, enterprise customer success and account management, value realization, digital strategy, program development and implementation, relationship management, and consensus building.

Michael Goodman (Questrom'87), Director, Parks Associates

Michael Goodman is an accomplished digital media and connected TV analyst with deep expertise in the evolving media, entertainment, and technology landscape. Over the course of his career, he has built a strong reputation for delivering critical market intelligence and actionable insights that help companies shape product development and marketing strategies, drive revenue growth, and support strategic business planning.

Michael currently serves as Director of Entertainment Research at Parks Associates, where he provides research and strategic analysis focused on the rapidly transforming entertainment ecosystem. He is also the Founder and Principal Analyst of Nexus Media Research, an independent research and consulting firm serving companies across the media and entertainment industry with market forecasts, consumer insights, competitive intelligence, and go-to-market strategy support.

Previously, Michael served as Director of Connected TV Strategies at TechInsights and spent more than eight years as Director of Television & Media Strategies at Strategy Analytics, where he advised organizations navigating the transformation of television distribution, consumption, and monetization in an increasingly connected world.

Throughout his career, Michael has authored more than 80 research reports and whitepapers, led strategy sessions and webinars, managed consulting engagements and custom research studies, and collaborated closely with executive leadership and sales teams to support both client success and business development initiatives. Widely recognized as a thought leader in connected TV, streaming media, audience measurement, and digital entertainment trends, he is frequently sought after for his expertise on the future of media and consumer technology.

Angela deFranco (Questrom'12): GM, VP of Product, HubSpot 

Angela de Franco is an accomplished product and business leader currently serving as General Manager and Vice President of Product for Marketing Hub at HubSpot. With more than a decade of experience spanning product strategy, marketing technology, CRM-driven experiences, and team leadership, Angela has built a reputation for translating complex business challenges into intuitive, high-impact customer solutions. Prior to returning to HubSpot in her current executive role, she served as Head of Product at SevenRooms, where she led the development of the company’s guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry. During her earlier tenure at HubSpot, Angela held numerous leadership roles across product management, overseeing initiatives focused on SEO, marketing automation, content strategy, CMS platforms, websites, email marketing, and growth tools for small businesses. Known for her bold communication style, operational agility, and ability to build high-performing teams, Angela brings deep expertise in digital innovation, customer experience, and the evolving intersection of technology, personalization, and consumer engagement.

Blake Dickler (Questrom'18), General Manager, Lyft 

Blake Dickler is a strategy and operations leader currently working at Lyft as the General Manager of Capital Bikeshare, where he oversees one of the nation's leading shared mobility programs in the Washington, D.C. region. In his current role, Blake balances the needs of key government stakeholders, customers, and cross-functional partners to deliver a dependable bike share program for riders in the DMV. Throughout his career, Blake has held operational and strategic leadership roles across high-growth and organizations across multiple industries including Found, Local Kitchens, Ro, and McMaster-Carr. His experience spans marketplace operations, supply chain management, business strategy, and scalable operational design, with a consistent focus on improving outcomes for users and driving growth. Blake brings a dynamic perspective on innovation, operations, public policy, and the evolving intersection of technology, consumer behavior, and access-based business models. 

Carey Morewedge, PhD, Professor of Marketing, Everett W. Lord Distinguished Faculty Scholar, and Chair of the Marketing Department, BU Questrom School of Business 

Carey Morewedge is Professor of Marketing, Everett W. Lord Distinguished Faculty Scholar, and Chair of the Marketing Department at Boston University Questrom School of Business. His research explores the psychology of consumer decision-making, including how people think about experiences, money, digital goods, and emerging technologies such as AI. Carey has received more than $2.4 million in research funding and numerous honors for his scholarship and teaching, with work published in leading journals including Science, Nature Human Behaviour, and the Journal of Consumer Research. His insights have also appeared in outlets such as The New York Times, TIME, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, and he has been featured by NPR, the BBC, and ABC World News Tonight.

Carey has helped organizations, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Pinterest, Merck, and Leidos, better understand how people think and design interventions to make better decisions. He has taught thousands of students across Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, and Harvard to diagnose bias and improve judgment.

Moderator:

Victor Hernandez, Chief Content Officer at WBUR

Victor leads content strategy and editorial direction for one of public media’s most respected newsrooms. With a career spanning NBC affiliates, CNN, digital media innovation, and public broadcasting, Victor brings deep expertise in journalism, audience engagement, and editorial leadership. His work focuses on building sustainable audience strategies, strengthening community trust, and exploring the evolving intersection of media, technology, AI, and digital storytelling in a rapidly changing information landscape.