Take Your Exclusive Seat on the
LIT Advertising Awards Panel
Meet the creative minds powering the LIT Advertising Awards! The Grand Jury Panel is a collective of thought leaders and industry professionals from across the advertising landscape. They’re here to discover the work that dares to be different and applauds innovation that moves the needle.
With expertise spanning creative media and advertising, they bring fresh perspectives to the judging process, elevating ideas that redefine creativity and leave lasting impressions.
Their passion and commitment form the backbone of the LIT Awards, ensuring every submission is given the attention it deserves. Think your work has what it takes to grab their attention? Let’s find out!
Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Ken Ip
Chairman, Asia MarTech Society
Dr. Ken Ip serves as the chairman of the Asia MarTech Society and holds advisory roles in numerous professional organizations, including two universities. He is an award-winning brand strategist, associate professor, columnist, and expert commentator specializing in Tech, Web3, Branding, and e-Commerce.
Ip has occupied diverse high-ranking roles within prominent multinational corporations and conglomerates, spanning from corporate consulting to providing advisory services in public affairs. Additionally, he serves as a strategic advisor for a Web3-focused venture capital firm with assets totaling USD 75 million.
He stands as a luminary in his industry, showcasing a wealth of accomplishments and contributions. His extensive experience in senior positions within leading multinationals and conglomerates reflects his profound impact on corporate consulting and public affairs advisory. Furthermore, as a chairman and a key figure on advisory boards for esteemed universities, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of marketing technology and education.
United States
Michael J. Russo
Chief Creative Officer, brandRUSSO
Michael Russo is the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of brandRUSSO, a strategic branding agency established in 2001. As a global award-winning art director, copywriter, and designer, Michael brings more than 20 years of creative experience working with an international roster of clients across a wide variety of industries and markets.
As Chief Creative Officer, Michael works closely with clients and internal teams to bring brand voices to life through both messaging and design. His specialty lies in translating strategy into creative that creates emotional connections and real differentiation, ensuring brands are not just seen, but believed.
In addition to his work with clients, Michael has served as a judge for both national and international marketing, advertising, and branding competitions, evaluating brand strategy, creative execution, and effectiveness across multiple industries. He is the creative force behind brandRUSSO’s Razor Branding™ process, a published author, and co-host of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, where he challenges conventional thinking around branding and what it actually takes to build brands that change the conversation.
United States
Kushal Birari
Creative, Mother New York
Kushal Birari is a creative at Mother, one of the world’s most respected, independent creative companies. Having worked in five prominent cities across three continents, he has made a significant impact through his art direction and design. He has left an indelible mark on numerous international brands, including OREO, MINI Cooper, Make in India, FIFA, Bosch, Instagram, and more. His recent noteworthy contribution to the OREO Pride campaign has garnered widespread attention, resonating with diverse communities globally and earning recognition through various national and international accolades. Birari excels in creative direction, advertising, ideas development, art direction, and creative strategy, showcasing a comprehensive skill set in the realm of visual communication and strategic brand development. His proficiency in his role is evident through the impactful influence he has wielded on major international brands, demonstrating a keen understanding of art direction and design and His ability to resonate with diverse audiences.
China
Hao Shan
Creative Director, Founder, Cre+ Design
Hao Shan, the founder of Creplus Design Studio, established the studio in 2009. He currently holds the position of Director in the Department of Visual Communication at the School of Art, Design & Media within East China University of Science and Technology.
With a background in both Eastern and Western design education, extensive experience in design and management roles within leading French international design firms, and a wealth of hands-on involvement in international brand design projects, including L'Oréal, Garnier, Nike, SFR, Dassault, Renault, Citroën, Club Med, Nestlé, PMU, Disney, Bank of Communication, and more, Hao Shan's designs have garnered numerous international accolades.
Shan's reputation in the design art industry is a testament to his dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. His extensive experience, creative vision, and contributions to international brand design projects have not only earned him recognition but have also left an indelible mark on the field.
Poland
Alex Brodsky
CEO, Playsense
Alex Brodsky is a senior marketing executive with over a decade of senior management experience. He previously ran Wargaming's in-house agency, one of the largest in-house agencies in the video game industry.
Alex is now the CEO of Playsense, an award-winning creative agency for video games, with clients including Riot Games, Ubisoft, Wargaming, Krafton, and Tencent. He has managed cross-cultural teams of approximately 200 people across Europe and APAC, overseeing 7-figure budgets. His teams have worked with major game titles, Hollywood and music icons, and have won numerous prestigious industry awards.
He led the business through challenging times such as the pandemic, revolution, and war, although he wishes these hardships had never occurred. Despite these challenges, Alex and his partners started a new company when the world was in turmoil, achieving this feat in less than two months, demonstrating an expert level of difficulty.
Malaysia
Jae Leong
Judging Committee Chairperson, International Awards Associate (IAA)
Jae Leong is the accomplished chairperson of IAA’s extensive judging committee.
As the chairperson, Leong assumes a leadership role, guiding the organization and spearheading initiatives to uphold quality and creative excellence in critical areas such as design, creative advertising, marketing communications, video production, and business. Additionally, she serves as a key award representative at IAA, consistently demonstrating success in overseeing assessments throughout her career.
She prioritizes the coordination of strategic arrangements among various jury panels, establishing herself as a standout figure in the industry. Demonstrating a keen sense of management, Leong has executed her role with precision, ensuring that each participant receives fair evaluations and unbiased assessments, underscoring the significance of integrity in maintaining the credibility of the judging outcomes. Furthermore, her collaboration with professionals globally has positioned her at the forefront of specialization, enabling the development of exceptional communication and relationship management skills.
United States
Zhijun He
Senior designer, Samsung
Zhijun He is a seasoned graphic designer based in New York, currently driving brand storytelling at Samsung. With a strong foundation in visual communication and digital marketing, she leads the creative direction and cross-platform campaigns that connect consumers with the brand in meaningful ways. Before joining Samsung, Zhijun built a robust background in brand development and digital design, with a passion for crafting insight-driven campaigns. Her expertise spans creative strategy, brand building, and ecosystem design—delivering measurable results through data-informed creativity and operational excellence. Recognized globally for her creative excellence, Zhijun has received numerous prestigious international awards. Her acclaimed work has been widely exhibited at renowned venues and festivals around the world, reflecting her commitment to design innovation and cultural impact.
United States
Alla Stozhok
Founder & Director, Experienced Music Director, Orchestra Artist, Music Educator, Levit Music School Ukraine, Cello Story LLC (USA)
Alla Stozhok is a music director, orchestral artist, and teacher with seven years of experience, and the founder of Levit Music School in Ukraine and Cello Story LLC in the USA.
Alla is the creator of a scientifically recognized method that combines classical music pedagogy with neuropsychology, emotional intelligence, and child development. Featured in the article “Neural Symphony of Business and Education,” her work bridges science, culture, and entrepreneurship. She has led teaching teams, developed programs for over 300 students annually, and organized more than 200 concerts. As a principal cellist, she has performed with top orchestras including the New England Philharmonic, Narragansett Bay Symphony, and the National Opera of Ukraine.
She is deeply committed to using art as a tool for emotional healing and social inclusion—values she brings into all her educational and evaluative work. She has served as a jury member, evaluating projects in innovation, education, and social impact.
United States
Shikhar Mangla
Product Design Lead, Sling TV
Shikhar Mangla is a Lead Product Designer at Sling TV with over 11 years of experience designing and delivering high-quality consumer digital products, bringing a strong focus on user-centered design, innovation, and product excellence. His work centers on streaming and large-screen TV experiences, where clarity, navigation, accessibility, and interaction quality play a direct role in user satisfaction and engagement. He has led cross-functional initiatives across product design, design systems, prototyping, and usability testing, balancing strong visual craft with practical constraints and measurable outcomes. Passionate about solving problems through digital products, he brings a keen interest in designing interfaces for next-generation devices such as smartphones and wearables, guided by the belief that great products are shaped by the seamless integration of design, experience, and technology. He reviews design work with a fair, criteria-driven approach, considering concept, execution, usability, and real-world impact, and is particularly drawn to work that simplifies complexity, improves discoverability, and delivers cohesive cross-platform experiences.