2019 AMA International Collegiate Conference

Natalie Kim

Natalie Kim is the Founder of We Are Next, an open resource for students and junior talent pursuing advertising and marketing. We Are Next gathers advice, tools, and opportunities from all over the industry, making career guidance accessible to everyone, while elevating diverse voices. She spent 10 years in advertising—lastly as Director of Strategy at Firstborn in New York City—and has partnered with clients like L’Oreal, HBO, and Coca-Cola. She’s been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for Marketing & Advertising, and was named by The Drum as one of 70+ women of color who should be speaking at marketing conferences. While she calls Portland home, she is often on the road visiting universities and agencies as a thought leader in intern and entry-level talent development.

Lily Cloake

Lily Cloake is the Marketing Director for Education & Students at The Wall Street Journal. In this role she built the first student-focused marketing team at The Journal. The goal of the team is to change brand perceptions and consideration, and it has now driven the largest-ever number of students readers for the Wall Street Journal, showing growth of 300% in the last 2.5 years. Prior to coming to The Wall Street Journal, Cloake launched the first student proposition for the Times of London’s in the UK and won Marketing Team of the Year at the British Media Awards. Cloake started her career at Aston Martin managing their global digital marketing and social channels.

Andrew Garberson

Andrew Garberson is VP of Marketing Services at Bounteous, a digital experience agency that works with enterprise companies to enable the smooth flow of data across platforms and teams. In addition to leading the digital marketing teams at Bounteous, Andrew is an adjunct professor of marketing at Chatham University and eager investor in Pittsburgh’s nonprofit community. MBA and MAMC from Point Park University, BA from University of Iowa.

Jim Lecinski

Jim Lecinski worked at Google for 12 years, most recently as vice president of customer solutions for the Americas. He is currently Associate Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University in Medill School’s Integrated Marketing Communications program and the Kellogg School of Management (by courtesy). He is also a visiting professor in Notre Dame’s Executive MBA program. As an expert in digital marketing and marketing technology, his focus areas include marketing strategy, digital transformation and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to marketing.

Prior to Google, Lecinski held leadership roles at major advertising agencies including Young & Rubicam and DDB. “Winning the Zero Moment of Truth” (“ZMOT”), Jim’s book about the new marketing model, was published in June 2011, and has been read by over 300,000 marketers worldwide and featured in the New York Times and Advertising Age. His next project, “Winning the AI Moment of Truth” is currently in development, expected to be published in 2019.

Carlos Zuluaga

Carlos Zuluaga is the CEO and creative director at Lion Fuse Digital Media, a digital ad agency in Hollywood, Florida. They work with local and national clients to manage their online and digital advertising and brand reach, as well as finding new markets and opportunities in the rapidly growing digital world. His experience is vastly geared towards technology, development and creative. When he founded Lion Fuse in 2012, he would work out of his second bedroom and manage his clients on his own as a freelancer. Over the years, the clients outgrew his capacity and Lion Fuse had to expand and become a true agency. Last year (2017), Carlos brought along his co-founder to be fully committed to the growth of the agency, and today Lion Fuse consists of 10 members, creators, designers, photographers, and developers.
However, Lion Fuse is not all Carlos has going on. He is also a YouTuber, DJ, musician and photographer / videographer, and now a public speaker. He has developed a passion for pursuing different interests to their full potential and inspiring others to do the same. In the past few years Carlos has dedicated a big part of his career to teaching, influencing and inspiring others to pursue their wildest dreams through hard work, dedication and overcoming the fear of taking the first step.

Ryan Cope

Ryan and Spencer Cope are the brothers and co-founders behind WANDRD, a product company that creates carrying solutions for travelers and photographers. Born out of a personal need, WANDRD was launched in 2015 on Kickstarter. Ryan and Spencer have now raised more than $2 Million through crowdfunding, and have continued to use Kickstarter as a platform to generate brand awareness and build a loyal customer base. WANDRD has shipped products to over 35,000 customers in 100 countries, and continues to innovate in the way that people carry their gear.

Spencer Cope

Susanna Perlov

Suze Perlov is currently the Director of Social at GIPHY. She leads in content strategy and social promotion of GIPHY’s rapidly artist community and helps guide the social team’s day-to-day operations. She has experience in digital content programming and strategy, email social media marketing strategies, and social media marketing at Nickelodeon.

Noel Collier

Noel Collier is the Regional Solution Consultant at Wolters Kluwer, with responsibility of cultivating and growing the Houston Market. Before joining Wolters Kluwer, she worked at several companies building her skills in sales and strategic business development . During Noel’s 3 years as a district manager for ADP, she initiated several programs that resulted in an annual average 27 percent increase in sales. Creativity, drive and leadership are Noel’s greatest strengths. She thrives on all kinds of challenges, especially those that expand the company’s reach. While at ADP Noel was a multiple year qualifier for contests, and won sales rep of the month multiple times. In 2013 Noel was recognized with a Presidents Club Award for outstanding achievements in the field. Other honors include being accepted into the Leadership Development program at ADP.

Noel has also done volunteer work for several charities including the United Way and Habitat for the Homeless among others.

Noel holds a bachelors degree from Texas Southern University. She lives in Houston with her husband and their three children. In her free time, Noel likes to travel and is a season ticket holder for the Houston Rockets.

Rochelle Yancy

Dr. Rochelle Parks-Yancy is a Full Professor of Management at the Jesse H. Jones School of Business at Texas Southern University. She is also a career coach and resume writer. She specializes in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior. Dr. Parks-Yancy’s research examines social capital and its impact on careers.

She has authored three books: Be Your Best Career Architect: Here are the Blueprints; Equal Work, Unequal Careers; and Are You Making the Right Impression: Preparing NOW for Your Real Life after College . Dr. Parks-Yancy has also published numerous refereed journal articles in outlets, such as: Journal of Education for Business, The Online Journal of Distance Education & e-Learning, Handbook of the Social Psychology of Inequality, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management, Journal of College Student Development, Annual Review of Sociology, Foreign Service Journal, and Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Her consulting expertise includes the following services: Resume Revisions; Effective Job Search Methods; Salary Negotiation Strategies; Effective Interviewing Strategies; How to Change Careers and LinkedIn page Improvements. Dr. Parks-Yancy’s clients include mid-to late career organizational leaders, transitioning military talent, and early career professionals. Her clientele spans across industries, including: financial, real estate, technology, healthcare, consumer products, energy, transportation and automotive.

She was awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to Armenia. She trained managers at Gold’s Gym, Inc. on effective management practices, taught graduate students at American University of Armenia, and researched Armenian job hunt methods. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Parks-Yancy worked in human resources, specifically recruitment, training and development.

Rachel Thibodeaux

Rachel Wilson Thibodeaux, also known as the SWAG Strategist, loves God, her husband, a good book, business, and chocolate. Sometimes chocolate takes priority. Don’t judge her.
In addition to being an expert at wearing high heels and of course chocolate, Rachel is an award-winning speaker, business and brand strategist, social media consultant, and Amazon bestselling author. She is Founder/Owner of SWAG Strategy Solutions where SWAG is not just a cool name. It’s an acronym that stands for Strategic Women Achieve Growth.

Go-getter women entrepreneurs, service-based businesses, influencers, and other purpose-driven leaders turn to Rachel and SSS when they need a BREAKTHROUGH in their brand and business – breaking through to more clarity, more visibility, and more profitability. Often beginning with helping clients get out of their own way, Rachel utilizes what she calls “coa-sulting” – just the right combination of consulting and coaching customized for each client.

SWAG Strategy Solutions works with clients to leverage both online and offline strategies. Online + offline = strong bottom line! Through the agency side of SSS, clients are able to benefit from strategic digital marketing and other new media strategies proven to produce amazing results.

Based on her signature system, Rachel’s current book, Brand Sell Profit: Slay Your Brand, Sell Like a Champ, and Profit Like a Boss is a blueprint for connecting the dots between creating a solid brand and generating revenue. It’s full of strategy, tips, a few unforgettable stories, and plenty of laughs (no thank you to boring). It’s probably the only business book where you’ll find something about Apple products, Oprah, Kylie Jenner, a defiant but impressive 10 year-old, and the rap group NWA all mentioned.

A content-rich, powerful speaker, she has shared the stage with the likes of Robin Roberts of Good Morning America, as well as bestselling author, military hero, and former Dancing with the Stars winner J. R. Martinez. Rachel resides in the Houston area with her husband and dog-daughter, a feisty shih tzu known as “the other Olivia Pope.”

Kim Todora

Kim R. Todora directs the comprehensive integrated and buyer-targeted industry branding, media relations, social media, collegiate, trade show and industry outreach and awareness programs.

Todora is an active member of the American Marketing Association (AMA), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and Data & Marketing Association (DMA) and represents PPAI on the advisory council for Advertising Week and the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to PPAI, Todora owned a marketing communications agency specializing in advertising, branding, public relations and cause marketing for more than 11 years. As a creative communications and branding strategist with more than 36 years’ experience in advertising and public relations with Bozell, J. Walter Thompson and The Todora Group, she has created communications, branding and sales success for a variety of clients including American Airlines, Chili’s, Don Pablo’s, Texas Tornado Hockey, The Arena Group, Williams Communications, Doskocil Pet Products, BusyBody Home Fitness, Larry’s Shoes, Mariner Health, The Mansion on Turtle Creek, E-Systems/Raytheon, March of Dimes, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Ronald McDonald House, and many others.

About PPAI
Founded in 1903, the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) is the world’s largest and oldest not-for-profit association serving more than 15,700 corporate members of the $23.3 billion promotional products industry which is comprised of more than 40,500 businesses and a workforce of more than 500,000 professionals. PPAI represents the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocates on its behalf. PPAI operates The PPAI Expo, the industry’s largest trade show; provides the leading promotional products safety and compliance program, a prestigious professional development and certification program; and publishes industry trade journals. The multibillion-dollar industry includes wearables, writing instruments, calendars, drinkware and many other items, usually imprinted with a company’s name, logo or message. For more information, visit PPAI.org and find us on Twitter @PPAI_HQ, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Vimeo and Pinterest.

Craig Dubitsky

Recently named to Advertising Age’s Creativity 50, Craig is the friendly founder of hello products, the world’s first naturally friendly™ oral care brand. hello is one of the fastest-growing oral care brands, and the #1 charcoal toothpaste brand in the US. hello was named to Inc. Magazine’s Most Audacious list as “One of the 25 Companies That Are Changing the World”, also winning the prestigious Red Dot award and the Good Design Award. Craig’s unique approach to breakthrough brand design is captured by hello products’ synthesis of performance and personality with ethics and aesthetics, disrupting of the $40B global daily-use category with a brand that people don’t just use, they join.

hello is Craig’s latest achievement as a serial entrepreneur. Prior to hello, Craig was co-founder and creative lead at eos products, founding board member at Method Products, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Lexicon Branding, a strategic advisor to Seventh Generation, Boots, and to various Private Equity funds. Craig is an inductee in the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Hall of Fame, an Entrepreneur in Residence at Babson, and serves as Advisory Council Member at the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship at The Simon School of Business at The University of Rochester. Craig loves people, design, brand, packaging and people. Yes, he said people twice.

Karen Albritton

Karen is an adviser to senior executives and boards of emerging growth and mid-market companies, counseling them on growth strategies. She helps her clients achieve what she did as a marketing agency President and CEO – drive value for customers while building an industry-leading, award-winning business.

Prior to joining Newport LLC, she held a number of leadership roles with agencies like Ketchum, Capstrat and McKinney.

Karen is a marketing industry advocate, serving on the board of directors for the American Marketing Association. She shares her passion for leadership as a speaker at industry conferences such as the Internet Summit, the Association for Corporate Growth, AMA Leadership Summit, Women’s Leadership Conference and the PRSA Counselors Academy Annual Conference. She also speaks to corporate audiences for companies like Credit Suisse, Siemens, Vanderbilt Health and Cotton, Incorporated.

She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, serves on the board of directors for the Medical Foundation of North Carolina, the UNC Children’s Hospital, the board of advisers for Elon University’s School of Communications and the board of advisers for the School of Media and Journalism at her alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned her B.A. degree.