Derek K. Hubbard Joins the BrandStorytelling Team

BrandStorytelling News

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Please join us in welcoming Derek K. Hubbard to the BrandStorytelling team!

A seasoned brand leader with a track record of compelling brand storytelling across entertainment, aviation, and communications, Derek will help plan what promises to be our most memorable event yet, the last hurrah in Park City.

By now, you likely know the Sundance Film Festival will relocate to Boulder, Colorado in 2027, which marks the end of an era for Park City. Don’t worry, you’ll see us in Boulder, too! This is a historic moment, and we’re committed to honoring its storied legacy, while toasting to the future of brand funded storytelling.

You may know Derek from past BrandStorytelling events where he’s served as a session presenter, panel host, or most recently as a member of the BrandStorytelling 2025 Selection Committee. He loves a great story and spent a decade telling incredible ones for Southwest Airlines, where he led the brand’s entertainment and content strategy. Derek’s built creative partnerships, launched culture-shaping campaigns, and turned brand moments into emotional, human ones. From producing the brand’s first narrative short film and podcast series to bringing the brand to life at events like Luck Reunion, Shark Week, and (yes!) the Sundance Film Festival, Derek’s done it all with heart, hustle, and an eye for what resonates.

“I’ve always believed the best stories are ones that tap into the human spirit and shine a light on what connects us all,” Derek says. “Park City and BrandStorytelling have always sat at this intersection and helping to shape its final chapter in Utah is equal parts exciting and humbling. It’s more than a sendoff, it’s a celebration and a love letter to the storytellers and the brands that make up this community. It’s going to be special.”

“Derek has been an active member of the BrandStorytelling community for several years during his tenure at Southwest Airlines,” says Rick Parkhill. “A regular participant at BrandStorytelling events, he has been generous with his time, masterfully moderating panels and leading workshops. He’s been a great friend for years and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to the team to help create a special and memorable BrandStorytelling 2026 as we say farewell to Park City.”

Derek will work alongside the rest of the BrandStorytelling Team to secure brand partnerships, shape programming and guest experiences, elevate storytelling moments, and everything in between, ensuring this last hurrah has all the magic and momentum we’ve come to love (and expect) from BrandStorytelling at Sundance.

Reach out to Mike and Derek to discuss brand partnership and sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 event.

The countdown to BrandStorytelling 2026 starts now. See you on the mountain!