To kick off Season 2 of PeppTalk, host Alexa Borstad sits down with Anthony Kennada ('08) and Ulysse Saltiel ('25) to explore the heart and vision behind the inaugural Waves Innovation Summit. Held on Pepperdine's Malibu campus in partnership with the Graziadio Business School and Seaver College, the Summit brings together students, alumni, faculty, and industry leaders for a day focused on bold ideas, practical learning, and meaningful connection. The Waves Innovation Summit is an annual, one-day conference led by students and alumni. The 2026 Summit will feature expert speakers, breakout panels, and networking opportunities centered on the future of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship—with a special focus on practical AI literacy and career pathways in emerging technologies. This year, the Summit runs alongside a landmark campus event: Shark Tank will be on Pepperdine's campus hosting the Shark Tank × Pepperdine pitch event, where students, alumni, faculty, staff, and Most Fundable Company participants will have the opportunity to meet with Shark Tank producers and pitch their next great idea. Anthony Kennada ('08) Anthony Kennada is one of the defining voices in modern B2B marketing. He was the founding Chief Marketing Officer of Gainsight, where he helped create the customer success category and scale the company from zero to more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue, culminating in a $1.1 billion acquisition. He later authored Category Creation and served as Chief Marketing Officer at three Cloud 100 SaaS companies before founding AudiencePlus, a technology platform helping brands become media companies through owned content and community. Today he is the Chief Executive Officer of Goldenhour, a brand consultancy bringing together his life's work in response to AI-driven disruption—advancing brand humanity, the belief that in an era of infinite intelligence, humanity becomes the ultimate competitive advantage. Ulysse Saltiel ('25) Ulysse is an Associate at Armada, where he helps bridge the digital divide by developing modular data centers and connectivity infrastructure that enable real-time data processing, AI workloads, and resilient connectivity in remote, underserved regions where traditional infrastructure cannot reach. A graduate of Pepperdine University with degrees in business and philosophy, Ulysse distinguished himself through active leadership and innovation on campus — founding the Coastal Capital Summit, expanding the student-investment internship program within Pepperdine’s endowment, and earning recognition as both an Outstanding Philosophy Student of the Year and a dedicated participant in the Great Books program. Today, as an engaged alumnus, Ulysse is committed to giving back to his alma mater as the youngest member of the Seaver College Board of Advisors and founder of the Waves Innovation Summit. He brings a mission-driven approach to every endeavor, guided by a strong passion for empowering faith-based professionals and building communities that blend purpose with progress. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pepperdineuniversity.substack.com
