2026-2027 Professional Chapters Counci
PCC Executive Council, PCC President
Houston Chapter
stephen@getonefootover.com
Stephen is a past president of the Houston chapter. He has served on the board since 2012 in various roles, including communications, programming, major events, and fundraising. Last year, he chaired the Strategic Efforts subcommittee for the PCC’s DEI initiative, which led to DEI practices included in Board in a Box, strategic planning, and more.
Outside of AMA, Stephen is the founder of One Foot Over, an unapologetically digital marketing agency, where he works with B2B clients to incorporate marketing technology and inbound marketing. He has spoken at conferences in the U.S. and Europe about online, agile, and growth marketing. A native of West Virginia, Stephen has lived in Houston since 2009. He also has an Instagram account that is 99% pictures of wine. @houstonwinefreak.
PCC Executive Council, Immediate Past President
Board Leadership Accelerator Committee
Atlanta Chapter
Kimberly N. Strong is an accomplished senior marketing and client-services leader with extensive experience guiding strategic initiatives, managing complex portfolios, and advising organizations across the corporate, agency, and nonprofit sectors. She currently serves as National Account Director for UpSwell Marketing, where she leads national account strategy for franchise and small-business clients and oversees the development of data-driven, hyper-local marketing programs that accelerate growth and strengthen market presence.
PCC Executive Council, President Elect
Chair of National Recognition and Celebration
New Jersey Chapter
kendraclarke10@gmail.com
Kendra Clarke is a marketer at heart and in practice. Her passion for marketing and communication stems from the desire to create meaningful connections with people through effective and impactful exchanges of ideas. Through her role as a Senior Content Strategist at Rutgers Business School, Kendra uses a combination of storytelling, persona development, creative thinking, and analytics to create content strategies designed to enhance the website user experience. She is a Rutgers Business School double alumna with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and an MBA in Marketing and Supply Chain Management.
Kendra has been a member of AMA since 2018. As a volunteer, she held various positions on the board including AVP of Communications, EVP of Operations and Strategy, and VP of DEI. In July 2020, Kendra became President of the AMA New Jersey Chapter and the first female Black President in its 76-year history. During her term, she created and implemented the chapter’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, enhanced the volunteer experience and engagement, and worked with her team to produce a chapter record of 40 events for the year. The AMA New Jersey Chapter was awarded the Leadership Special Merit award, which she credits to her fantastic team’s hard work and dedication.
As a volunteer with AMA, Kendra has helped chapter leaders across the country with starting DEI initiatives in their chapters and providing guidance during challenging situations. She was a member of the original DEI Taskforce and a Co-Chair of several committees on the PCC DEI Committee. Kendra is a leader inspired by helping others grow and succeed. For her, it is truly rewarding to be able to give back and help her community in whatever way she can.
A few fun facts about Kendra are that she loves solving mysteries and puzzles, has traveled to 11 different countries, and dances amateur salsa.
Leadership Advisor
Board Leadership Accelerator Committee
Washington DC Chapter
andreacolettesmith@gmail.com
Andrea C. Smith boasts a distinguished career as a senior marketing executive, accumulating a wealth of experience spanning over twenty-five years. Serving as the Immediate Past President of the board of directors for the American Marketing Association, Washington DC Chapter, she has demonstrated leadership and commitment to advancing the field. Currently, Andrea holds the position of Senior Director of Marketing at AARP Services, Inc., where for nearly eighteen years, she has played a pivotal role in guiding a high-performing team in the development and implementation of partner marketing and communications strategies.
Before her tenure at AARP Services, Andrea held notable marketing positions at AOL, Inc., and Citigroup, Inc., contributing to her extensive and versatile background in the industry. Beyond her corporate achievements, she has dedicated twelve years to educating the next generation of marketing professionals as an adjunct professor at DeVry and Keller Universities, teaching a variety of marketing and business classes.
Andrea’s educational journey includes earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and an MBA from Strayer University, highlighting her commitment to continuous learning and academic excellence. Originally hailing from Northeast Louisiana, she currently resides in Northern Virginia. She enjoys being an aunt, traveling the world and spending time with her significant other.
Leadership Advisor
Board Leadership Accelerator Team
AMA Nashville
Mandy Arola is a marketing leader with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations grow through strategic marketing, brand development, digital engagement, and operational excellence. She serves as Director of Marketing & Communications at Nashville Software School, where she leads initiatives that drive awareness, enrollment, and community engagement. Mandy is also the Founder of Stratlogic Marketing, which helps organizations strengthen their marketing strategy, improve operational efficiency, and drive measurable business results. Through Stratlogic, she works with clients including nCentiv, a data-first advertising intelligence platform serving multi-location brands and agencies.
Mandy first became involved with the American Marketing Association in 2017 as a volunteer with AMA Nashville and later served as Chapter President from 2021 to 2023. She remains active in the AMA community as a member of the Professional Chapters Council and serves as a Leadership Advisor and Board Leadership Accelerator facilitator, supporting chapter leaders across North America.
After nearly two decades in Nashville, Mandy relocated to the Tampa Bay area in 2023 and remains active in the marketing communities across both regions.
Leadership Advisor
AMA Chicago
Josh Blacksmith serves as the head of global integrated marketing planning and operations at McCain Foods. Blacksmith, who has 25 years of integrated marketing, digital transformation and brand-building experience, is a passionate proponent of leveraging the sophisticated activation of data, technology and creativity to help organizations unlock value in critical consumer moments—delivering unprecedented brand equity and advantaged commercial growth.
Before joining McCain Foods, Blacksmith was the head of global integrated marketing and experiences at Kimberly-Clark, where he built and scaled paid and owned media best practices while building the vision and executional roadmap for K-C’s enterprise-wide digital transformation. Prior to his work at Kimberly-Clark, Blacksmith was a senior vice president and general manager at FCB Chicago for seven years. During that time, he provided strategic direction and oversight to the global CRM, MarTech and omnichannel direct marketing practice for an extensive client list that included Toyota, Lexus, Samsung, Allergan, State Farm, Clorox, PACCAR, Volkswagen and Anheuser-Busch. Prior to FCB, Blacksmith spent nearly a decade at MXM (acquired by Accenture Song) and Biggs-Gilmore (acquired by VML), leading global CRM, performance marketing and digital programs for Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Fiat Chrysler and Walmart, among others.
Blacksmith was honored as the 2021 Charles S Downs Response Marketer of the Year by the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing (CADM), selected as a 2020 Consumer Goods Visionary by Consumer Goods Technology, named a Top 40 Under 40 Marketer by Direct Marketing News in 2014 and recognized by Marketing EDGE as a Rising Stars Honoree in 2016.
He is a past President of the American Marketing Association (AMA) of Chicago, past Chairman of the Board of Governors for the ANA’s International ECHO awards and holds a Bachelor of Arts in advertising from Iowa State University along with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Iowa.
Leadership Advisor
Board Leadership Accelerator Team
Toronto Chapter
tina.portillo@ama-toronto.com
Tina is a passionate marketing leader with over 20+ years of expertise in brand & marketing strategy, communications/PR, events, customer journey management, and partnership marketing across both Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) segments. Tina is the CEO and Founder of TLP Marketing – a global consulting agency rooted in innovation, delivering best-in-class marketing programs. Previously, she held senior marketing roles in the Retail and Fintech industries, including leading integrated marketing campaigns at Scotiabank – one of Canada’s largest, and most international Banks. Tina is the Past President of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Toronto Chapter, and is a national volunteer for the AMA Professional Chapters Council. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from The University of Toronto and enjoys being a part time stylist, a mom of 3, travelling, and practicing yoga in her spare time.
Leadership Advisor
AMA Richmond
Amanda brings more than 20 years of strategic marketing and communications experience, leading communications across two industries at EY. Before joining EY, she was Director of Strategy at Modo Modo, a marketing and creative agency in Atlanta, GA. She’s been an active member of AMA for over a decade and spent seven years on the AMA Richmond board.
At the core of her work is a simple focus: helping people get clear on what they’re trying to solve, map a path forward, and turn ideas into communications that resonate and drive action. Along the way, she’s worked across research, brand strategy, change initiatives, thought leadership, sales enablement, product launches, and PR.
When not at work, she values time with family and friends, loves live music and traveling, and is equal parts a book-loving homebody and an adventurer.
Leadership Advisor
AMA Pittsburgh
RJ Thompson, MFA is an award-winning marketing strategist, graphic designer, educator, and creative leader with expertise in digital strategy, branding, and community-centered design. He serves as a Teaching Associate Professor of Digital Narrative and Interactive Design at the University of Pittsburgh, where he prepares the next generation of creative professionals.
In addition to his academic work, RJ is Co-Principal and Creative Strategist for +Public, a Pennsylvania-based social enterprise that helps communities drive economic development through branding, storytelling, and creative placemaking. His work has earned numerous honors, including a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant, the Ohio Governor’s Award in the Arts for Community Development, and recognition from the Ohio Economic Development Association.
A dedicated leader in the marketing and design community, RJ is President-Emeritus of AMA Pittsburgh and currently serves as President of AIGA Pittsburgh.
Leadership Advisor
Marketing Chair
Detroit Chapter
Christina Strong-Regan is a Marketing Manager in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, bringing more than 10 years of marketing experience across a diverse range of industries. A six-year member of the American Marketing Association, she has served on the Professional Chapters Council for two years, supporting chapter leaders and contributing to the advancement of the marketing profession. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a second Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Information, as well as a Master’s Degree in Journalism.
Leadership Advisor
DEIA Committee Chair
AMA Atlanta
Jess Dupee is a dynamic, data-driven marketing leader with over a decade of experience crafting and executing multi-channel strategies across digital platforms. With a foundation in paid media, she has led initiatives in search, display, social, and native advertising, combining analytics and creativity to drive measurable results. Currently, as a Marketing Manager at PureCars, Jess focuses on demand generation, customer engagement, and event marketing and execution —bringing strategic vision and seamless execution to everything from internal communications to industry events.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jess is a dedicated advocate for the marketing community. Her journey with the American Marketing Association (AMA) began in college, where she helped re-charter her university’s chapter and served as President. Recognized early for her leadership and impact, she received the Ken Bernhardt Outstanding Marketer of the Year Award. Since then, she has remained deeply involved with AMA, serving as Collegiate Outreach Chair and later as President of AMA Atlanta from 2021 to 2022. Today, she continues to shape the region’s marketing landscape as a member of the Executive Advisory Board, where she provides strategic guidance on programming and sponsorship initiatives.
At the national level, Jess lends her voice to DEIA efforts through the AMA’s DEIA Committee, providing one-on-one chapter support and facilitating impactful Town Halls.
Her career is defined by a deep commitment to empowering brands, fostering community, and creating marketing experiences that guide buyers through a personalized and intentional journey.
Outside of her professional life, Jess enjoys spending quality time with her husband, little boy, and their beloved dog, Penn. Together, they love exploring the charm of the Lowcountry, gardening, and experimenting in the kitchen.
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