🎧 Summary:
What does a programmatic trader’s day look like when every platform has a new AI solution, your team needs hands-on guidance, and your clients operate in a highly regulated industry?

Welcome to the first episode of The Trader’s Corner, a special Programmatic Digest series spotlighting fellow programmatic ninjas and the everyday challenges, wins, and lessons that shape their work.
In this episode of Trader’s Corner, recorded at Programmatic I/O, Hélène Parker sits down with Kristin BelleFountaine, a programmatic channel manager who leads a team of five specialists. Their conversation explores the daily work behind campaign activation, troubleshooting, optimization, and helping traders keep pace with change.
Kristin shares how her team approaches new AI tools while navigating pharma clients’ privacy requirements and highly specific audiences. She also explains what vendors should understand before approaching an agency team: client needs come first, and evaluating a proposal takes time.
Plus, Kristin and Hélène share practical ways they use AI to manage overflowing inboxes and stay informed without reading every industry newsletter.
In this episode:
Supporting a trading team while staying hands-on in the platforms.
Keeping traders up to speed as DSPs introduce new AI capabilities.
Why foundational optimization skills still matter.
How pharma audience needs and privacy concerns shape partner evaluations.
What vendors can do to make conversations more useful for agency teams.
Using AI for email management and relevant industry news recaps.
Staying open to a career path you couldn’t have planned.
A takeaway for your next workday: Start with a task that takes time away from meaningful work. Explore how AI could help, while following your organization’s rules for client and audience data.
Need backup?
Have a reporting headache, a campaign question, or something you don’t feel comfortable asking in the office? Reach out to Hélène. Your questions help shape practical, free educational content for the programmatic community.

🧠 About Us:
I’m the person programmatic traders reach out to when they want to become more confident, efficient, and effective, from hands-on DSP activation to smarter optimization.
I’m also the person media and ad-tech partners call when they want to better understand those buyers, strengthen their positioning, build deeper partnerships, and grow revenue.
www.heleneparker.com

👤 Meet Our Guest:
Kristin Bellefontaine – Channel Manager, Programmatic – Butler/Till
Kristin is a programmatic channel manager who leads a team of five programmatic specialists, supporting campaign activation, troubleshooting, optimization, and reporting. Her work includes pharma advertising, where audience needs and privacy requirements shape campaign decisions. She started her career in linear TV and radio before finding her passion for programmatic, and today helps her team navigate new AI tools while staying hands-on in the platforms.
📎 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-bellefontaine-3b82a8b3/
Check out: https://butlertill.com/

💻 Meet The Team:
Hélène Parker – Chief Programmatic Coach
🌐 heleneparker.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker/
Manuela Cortes – Co-Host, Programmatic Digest en Español
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-/

🎓 Learn Programmatic:
For Individual Buyers: https://heleneparker.com/library
Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://heleneparker.com/newsletter
Be the first to find out about free programmatic training workshops: https://www.heleneparker.com/waitlist/

📲 Follow Us:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@programmaticdigest

The post 213. Trader’s Corner: Pharma, Privacy, and the Everyday Reality of Programmatic appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

🎧 Summary:
Knowing how to optimize a campaign is one skill. Explaining what it means to a CMO is another.
In this episode of The Trader’s Corner, our special Programmatic Digest series highlighting fellow programmatic ninjas and their everyday challenges, wins, and lessons, Hélène Parker catches up with Dennis Paredes of WMX, recorded at Programmatic I/O.
Dennis shares how he approaches agency work through problem-solving, starting with understanding what clients need and translating campaign details into clear conversations with leadership.
They also discuss helping junior employees build strong media fundamentals, introducing AI with privacy guardrails, and digging deeper into inventory quality and campaign data.
Plus, Dennis shares the mindset shift that helped him grow: recognizing that thinking you know everything can stop you from learning.
In this episode:
Why listening to clients comes before choosing a solution.
Translating tactical campaign details into business conversations.
Using enterprise AI tools while protecting client information.
Why media basics still matter when hiring and training.
Understanding the inventory you’re buying and where performance comes from.
How mentorship and openness to feedback support career growth.

🧠 About Us:
I’m the person programmatic traders reach out to when they want to become more confident, efficient, and effective, from hands-on DSP activation to smarter optimization.
I’m also the person media and ad-tech partners call when they want to better understand those buyers, strengthen their positioning, build deeper partnerships, and grow revenue.

www.heleneparker.com

👤 Meet Our Guest:
Dennis Paredes – Director of Performance Marketing – WMX
Dennis Paredes works at WMX, an agency based in Miami. His work involves understanding client needs, digging into campaign data, and communicating media decisions to stakeholders. In this conversation, he shares his perspective on team development, responsible AI adoption, and continuous learning.
📎 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/publicwizard/
Check out: https://www.wearewmx.com/

💻 Meet The Team:
Hélène Parker – Chief Programmatic Coach
🌐 heleneparker.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker/
Manuela Cortes – Co-Host, Programmatic Digest en Español
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-/

🎓 Learn Programmatic:
For Individual Buyers: https://heleneparker.com/library
Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://heleneparker.com/newsletter
Be the first to find out about free programmatic training workshops: https://www.heleneparker.com/waitlist/

📲 Follow Us:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@programmaticdigest

The post 214. The Trader’s Corner: From Campaign Details to Client Conversations appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

#FBF to when we had the honor of interviewing Dominique Robinson on episode 192. Follow the Eyeballs: Integrated Media Planning + AI for programmatic Traders.

Dominique and I did a 60 mins workshop on this and you can access it here: www.heleneparker/com/library

Join once, stay learning forever.

Past workshops, paid gems, and every new recording + resource added as we go.
This library isn’t a one-time thing it’s the full vault plus all future trainings, recordings, and guides.

#programmatic

The post #FBF to when we had the honor of interviewing Dominique Robinson on episode 192 appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

“If your vendor cannot answer, that is your answer.”

That line deserves a spot in your next vendor meeting.

Charlie Simon from RTB House joins me on Episode 212 to discuss the questions behind the data we buy.

Where did it come from?
How was it collected?
What are we actually using to build this audience?

Programmatic ninjas, asking those questions is part of knowing what you’re buying.

Watch this clip and bring one more question to your next partner call.

Episode 212 of the Programmatic Digest Podcast is out on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

#AdTech #ProgrammaticAdvertising #ProgrammaticDigest

The post If Your Vendor Cannot Answer, That Is Your Answer | Charlie Simon | Ep. 212 appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

NEW EPISODE IS LIVE TODAY!

40% of the budget. Zero lift in store.

Programmatic ninjas, imagine explaining THAT to your client.

In Episode 212, Charlie Simon from RTB House shares a case that raises a question every media buyer should ask:

Are we paying for targeting that actually helps the campaign?

A convincing audience story is only the beginning. We still need to understand what changed because we spent the money.

Watch this clip, then catch our full conversation on the Programmatic Digest Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

What would you ask before approving that budget?

#ProgrammaticAdvertising #MediaBuying #ProgrammaticDigest

The post 40% of the Budget. Zero Lift in Store. | Charlie Simon | Programmatic Digest Ep. 212 appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

#FBF to episode 206 with Christian Robinson hosted by Manuela Cortes. AI is officially rewriting the rules of open-web search. 🤖
Christian Robinson (Ozone) joins us to explain how AI answers are eating traditional search clicks—and why ads are inevitably heading to ChatGPT.
If you want to know how publishers and brands can survive the post-search era, this is a must-listen.
🎧 New episode goes live this Tuesday! Subscribe so you don’t miss it.

The post 206. AI is officially rewriting the rules of open-web search. 🤖 appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

#TBT Throwback Thursday 🎙️

Throwing it back to Episode 207 with special guests Iesha White and Dr. Cecilia Dones!

The post AI, Brand Safety & LLM Search Poisoning | Episode 207 appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

🎧 Summary:
When you select location targeting in your DSP, do you know what data you’re actually using?
In this episode of the Programmatic Digest Podcast, Hélène Parker sits down with Charlie Simon, Global VP for Private Advertising at RTB House, to unpack the data behind location targeting and the questions media buyers should ask before using it.
Charlie discusses how privacy rules are changing, why consumer consent may not answer every question, and why being near a store doesn’t necessarily mean someone intends to buy. They also explore a fashion retailer example that challenges assumptions about location data and in-store results.

What you’ll learn
How broad geographic targeting differs from precise location data.
Where sensitive data can enter a campaign’s setup.
Why traders, ad ops, and client service teams need clearer answers from data partners.
Why a store visit or nearby device is a weak signal of purchase intent.
How contextual signals and incrementality testing can help buyers evaluate performance.
One question to bring to your next partner conversation
“Do you handle sensitive categories of data or sensitive personal information?”
Ask what data powers the targeting, where it comes from, and how your partner handles sensitive information.

Resources mentioned
RTB House, Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF), GDPR, CCPA, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

🧠 About Us:
I’m the person programmatic traders reach out to when they want to become more confident, efficient, and effective, from hands-on DSP activation to smarter optimization.
I’m also the person media and ad-tech partners call when they want to better understand those buyers, strengthen their positioning, build deeper partnerships, and grow revenue.

PROGRAMMATIC NINJAS, NEED BACKUP?

☐ Need extra hands to manage campaigns?
☐ Spending too much time on campaign setup, checks or reporting?
☐ Curious about ChatGPT audiences intent? Want to reach them beyond the chat?
☐ Want a clearer picture of the ad inventory you’re buying? Like for real?

SAID YES TO ANY? LET’S TALK! 
helene@heleneparker.com

⏱ Timestamps:
00:00: Meet Charlie Simon and introduce the conversation.
02:00: Charlie’s background in privacy, identity, and advertising.
05:00: What sits behind location targeting in a DSP?
07:00: Consent, sensitive data, and changing privacy rules.
10:00: US and European privacy perspectives.
13:00: Questions to ask your location data partners.
16:00: Precise geolocation and how data enters the ad stack.
19:00: Geofencing, intent, and broader targeting options.
22:00: A fashion retailer’s location data and incrementality test.
25:00: Charlie’s closing advice: “Too much data is just too much data.”

👤 Meet Our Guest:
Charlie Simon – Global Vice President – RTB House
Charlie Simon is Global Vice President for Private Advertising at RTB House, where he leads strategic initiatives around privacy, identity, and regulatory affairs. His experience includes industry oversight at the NAI, helping develop Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework, supporting Google’s CCPA preparations while at MediaMath, and working on privacy and data governance platforms at Nike.
📎 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charless1
Company website: https://www.rtbhouse.com/

💻 Meet The Team:
Hélène Parker – Chief Programmatic Coach
🌐 www.heleneparker.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker/
Manuela Cortes – Co-Host, Programmatic Digest en Español
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-/

🎓 Learn Programmatic:
For Individual Buyers: https://heleneparker.com/library
Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://heleneparker.com/newsletter
Be the first to find out about free programmatic training workshops: https://www.heleneparker.com/waitlist/

📲 Follow Us:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@programmaticdigest

The post 212. What’s Behind Your Location Targeting? Privacy, Risk, and Results with Charlie Simon appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

Today on Programmatic Digest, we’re bringing back our conversation with Brian O’Kelley, hosted by Manuela Cortes and Carlos Villanueva.

Brian O’Kelley co-founder and CEO joins the programmatic meetup, a weekly community call to discuss the importance of sustainability and how to take actions from negotiating supply partnership down to optimizing site lists in your programmatic ad campaigns.
Our favorite quote in this interview can be summarized down to “ Don’t buy crap!”

Take a listen to this hour long interview where the community got to hear first hand what sustainability is and how to take action; asking questions to Brian under the outstanding leadership of our co-hosts Manuela Cortes and Carlos Villanueva.

Check out episode 211 on YouTube and all major podcast platforms!

The post Brian O’Kelley on Programmatic Sustainability | Episode 211 appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.

Day 1 recap of #ProgrammaticIO #ProgioNYC as a programmatic media consultant below!

Special shoutout to AdExchanger and Lynne d Johnson for the energy 👏🏾 it’s always a joy to meet up with fellow partners and meet new friends.

I don’t always attend all sessions because I find it more valuable to connect in person and book meetings with potential prospects.

Day 2 is loading up with my takeaways from attending and why you should or should not.

The post Day 1 at Programmatic IO NYC | A Programmatic Media Consultant’s Recap appeared first on Helene Parker Consulting LLC.