2024 AMA Collegiate Summit

Charity Jackson

Lee Barnes

Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Lee Barnes is a New York-based management consultant turned CPG marketer. Currently at PepsiCo, Lee works on a cross-functional team responsible for brand growth and communications strategies that will surprise and delight the many people who drink PepsiCo beverages daily. Before his time at PepsiCo, Lee worked at Accenture, where he explored several functional areas and industries before settling into the firm’s internal Marketing & Communications department, leading teams through the development of creative assets for sales presentations and special events across North America. Lee holds a B.S. in Economics from Duke University, in addition to dual degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, including an M.S. in Education Policy from the Graduate School of Education and an MBA from The Wharton School.

Jessica Van Lear

Jessica Van Lear is a seasoned marketing professional with a proven track record of driving impactful strategies across various industries. Currently serving as a Marketing Director at CNA Insurance, Jessica acts as a trusted advisor to department leadership across lines of business and commercial segments to help develop and execute omnichannel marketing strategies that directly support business goals and objectives. Previously, Jessica held key roles at industry-leading organizations, including Marsh McLennan Agency and Markel, where she spearheaded initiatives to bolster business growth and market positioning. She also served on the local Richmond, Virginia, American Marketing Association Chapter Board from 2017-2019. With a strong educational background, including an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University, Jessica combines academic knowledge with hands-on expertise to drive marketing excellence. She is also an Associate in Insurance (AINS), Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI), and a licensed producer with the Virginia SCC – Bureau of Insurance, demonstrating her commitment to professional development and industry knowledge.

Melissa Harris

Melissa Harris is the founder and CEO of M. Harris and Co., a Chicago-based marketing agency whose job is to make its clients unforgettable.

Jennifer Howell, SHRM-CP

Jennifer Howell, SHRM-CP, is the Director of People and Culture for the American Marketing Association’s Global Support Center. Jennifer has been in the People and Culture (also known as Human Resources) space for nearly twenty years at large digital agencies, market research and small specialty marketing firms. While her purview at the AMA spans a wide breadth of Human Resources work (HR Strategy, Team Member Engagement, Talent and Performance Management, Learning and Development and Total Compensation), her heart is firmly rooted in Talent Acquisition and Recruitment.

Jennifer trains all AMAers at the Global Support Center in best practices for interviewing candidates on how to provide the most effective feedback possible. As a DDI Targeted Selection Interview Trainer and a Society of Human Resources Professionals Certified Professional, Jennifer brings “best practice and next practice” knowledge from the interviewer side to help you navigate questions like “What do interviewers want me to say?”, “How do I stick out in a massive candidate pool?”, “How much of my authentic self is safe to bring to the table?” “I’m neurodivergent and process information differently; how can I best prepare for an interview?”

Raihana Ali-Aggarwal

Raihana is a life and career coach with over 12 years of experience helping people of color realize their potential and transform their lives. As a Muslim, Guyanese-American, First-Generation College Graduate, Raihana serves people of color through her company, RAA Coaching. Raihana is a serial entrepreneur as she is also running her e-commerce business, Ranihastkala focused on selling luxury hand-made purses by women for women. Before this, Raihana was a marketer in the Technology, E-commerce, Healthcare and Retail industries, with her last position at HP as a product marketing manager. When not empowering a client, you can find Raihana learning a new language (she already speaks 6), playing squash, cycling or searching for the next best pizza joint around her.

John Acello

John began his professional career in broadcasting as a news reporter and anchor, primarily on radio. Before long he was encouraged to focus more on management and less on broadcast performance. He would eventually narrow his focus, concentrating on employee relations, management training/development and professional coaching. He has performed these roles for large publicly traded organizations, start-ups and well-established privately held companies. As a coach, his primary focus is working with highly placed executives and emerging talent across many disciplines and industries. He has a passion for people and for helping them achieve their personal and professional goals. John is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in Multi-Media Communications and has also completed graduate studies in Human Resource Psychology from Ottawa University. John lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife, Eileen, and their three children, Alison, Sam and John.

Aria Childers

Aria Childers is the Assistant Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the American Marketing Association. She holds nearly a decade of experience working in the nonprofit world with an emphasis on relational bridge-building, community engagement and storytelling. At her core, Aria is about people and making space for others to feel seen, heard, and empowered to be their best. She is passionate about understanding others and creating room for individuals to bring their whole selves- their experiences, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives- to the table. It is a joy to do that across all three AMA communities. Outside of work, that relational value continues. Aria loves spending time with her friends and family, especially her four-year-old son! She also enjoys staying active. Whether it’s a workout at home, training for a race, or playing in a rec league, you can find her flexing her competitive, encouraging and playful spirit along the way.

Celia Quillian

Celia Quillian is a product marketing leader at Greenlight Financial Technology in addition to an influencing voice in the artificial intelligence space. She holds an MBA from Emory Goizueta University where she graduated class Valedictorian and served as President of her Class. She has appeared on the TODAY Show and in TIME and Axios for her experience teaching ChatGPT and artificial intelligence tips to her following of over 90k on TikTok and Instagram  (@smartworkai).