2024 AMA Collegiate Summit

Ryan Johnson

Ryan Johnson is the founder and CEO of Cxmmunity Media, a media-tech company focused on future-proofing diversity in the gaming industry by creating engaging, educational and entertaining programming. After graduating from HBCU Oakwood University, Ryan’s passion for advancing the Black community in the sports and entertainment industries led him to evangelize education and economic advancement in these spaces. With this vision, he founded Cxmmunity Media, which launched the HBCU Esports League, one of few Black-owned sports leagues providing students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities a safe space to compete and monetize in esports, along with The Kickback, an educational entertainment platform created to build visibility for underrepresented creators and gamers.

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.

Maura Regan

In her role, Maura is responsible for leading the organization in fostering the expansion of licensing around the world and creating greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. She has more than 20 years of experience in the global brand licensing and media industries.

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.

Taylor Falls

Taylor Falls is an Alabama native and graduate of the University of Alabama, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration. Throughout her college journey, she took on internships at renowned companies such as  Pearson, Amtrak, Adobe, Doordash, and Aramark, doing marketing and DEI work. These experiences ignited her passion for professional growth and motivated her to dedicate her time to inspiring and mentoring fellow students.

Since graduating last year, Taylor has relocated to Washington, DC, where she is now a full-time employee at Adobe as a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Program Specialist. When she is not working at her 9-5, Taylor enjoys using her LinkedIn platform to provide students with professional development resources, internships and entry-level job postings. Additionally, she hosts monthly LinkedIn Lives, which features those within her network who can provide tips to students and new grads.

Christian Aniciete, MBA

Christian Aniciete is a story of firsts: first to build the social media program at Oregon’s most diverse university; first in his family to graduate with a business degree; and first social media manager for the Port of Portland and Portland International Airport, America Best Airport. An accomplished Filipino American immigrant, marketing and communications professional, community leader, youth mentor and social justice champion, Christian brings over a decade of experience in the private and public sectors. A proud, longtime member of the American Marketing Association for nearly 20 years, Christian wears multiple hats. He was the inaugural VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; former VP of Communications; and the incoming Co-President for the Portland chapter of the AMA; serves as a mentor of The Contingents SINE (Survival Is Not Enough); leads as the President of API Forward, an education and leadership advancement nonprofit for Asian Pacific Islander leaders; and organizes local Michael Jackson Thriller Flash Mobs. Christian was an invited facilitator at the AMA’s 2nd annual Diversity Leadership Institute, works for Washington County as a public affairs and communications manager, and has received numerous accolades, including recognition as Portland Trail Blazers Hometown Hero.

Rafa Alvarez-Reyes

Rafa Alvarez-Reyes is a junior marketing major in digital marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He is a recipient of the King/Chavez Award and Scholarship and the AMA – Whitewater Inclusive Excellence Award. Rafa is an avid member of his American Marketing Association chapter, currently serving as the Divisional President for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and President-elect of the chapter. He is a 2024 Diversity Leadership Institute alum looking forward to advancing DEIB practices in his local chapter and on campus. In his free time, Rafa enjoys playing golf and fishing.

Khalia Jenkins

Khalia Jenkins is an Assistant Professor at American University – Kogod School of Business. She received her Ph.D. from the Muma College of Business’s School of Marketing and Innovation at the University of South Florida. Her research focuses on finding ways that marketing and technology can be combined to help businesses solve issues of inequity. She is currently working on a project assessing race and discrimination’s effects on consumer shopping choices.

Before leaping into academia, Khalia worked in various marketing roles for Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, Abbott, Procter and Gamble, and her last position before transitioning as Director of Client Success at MDLIVE (now acquired by Cigna). Khalia holds an MBA from Clark Atlanta University and a dual bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati’s Lindner Honors-Plus Program in Marketing and International Business.

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).