Join AMADC as we celebrate Black History Month! Bennie F. Johnson, CEO of the American Marketing Association (AMA), will moderate our community forum – Black Resistance: How Marketing Professionals are Resisting the Status Quo and Thriving in Their Careers. You’ll enjoy camaraderie, networking, and sharing at the newly renovated Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library!

Register today!

As we reflect on all the accomplishments African Americans have made over time in all segments of society let us always remember that Black History is American history. We hope this month gives us more occasions to reflect and honor the contributions of many and that it paves the way for a more humane future.

AMADC takes pride in celebrating Black History Month!

Meet Your Panelists:

Bennie F. Johnson (Moderator)
CEO of AMA

Bennie F. Johnson is the chief executive officer of the American Marketing Association. AMA is the largest community-based marketing association in the world, trusted by marketing and sales professionals to help them discover industry trends.
AMA’s community of local chapters spans more than 70 cities and 320 college campuses throughout North America. AMA is home to award-winning content, PCM® professional certification, five premiere academic journals, and industry-leading live and virtual training events.

He most recently served as the executive director of AIGA, the largest professional association for design. AIGA grows the power of design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, business driver, and catalyst for positive impact. While at AIGA, Bennie hosted the acclaimed Design Adjacent podcast and the design leadership fireside chat series from 2020 to 2022.

Currently, he serves on the Board of Overseers for Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, as a Trustee of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art and is a former Board Chair of the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. Bennie is also a special advisor to the People’s Graphic Design Archive.

Bennie graduated from Yale University with a B.A. and from Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies with a M.S., in Strategic Communications.

Andrea C. Smith
President, American Marketing Association—Washington, D.C. Chapter
Senior Director of Marketing, AARP Services, Inc.

Andrea C. Smith is a highly accomplished senior marketing executive with over twenty-five years of experience. She is the President of the board of directors for the American
Marketing Association, Washington D.C. Chapter.

Andrea is currently the President, American Marketing Association – Washington D.C. Chapter and a senior director of marketing at AARP Services, Inc. For nearly seventeen years at AARP Services, she has been instrumental in leading a team of high-performing marketers to help drive partner marketing and communications strategies. She has also held marketing positions at AOL, Inc., and Citigroup, Inc. She also has twelve years of experience as an adjunct professor at DeVry and Keller Universities teaching marketing and business classes.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and an MBA from Strayer University. Andrea is a member of Color Comm, National Black MBA Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Andrea is originally from northeast Louisiana and currently resides in northern Virginia.

Kaelyn Banks
VP, Membership, American Marketing Association – Washington, D.C. Chapter
Founder and CEO, Plum Ridge Marketing

Kaelyn Banks is the founder and CEO of Plum Ridge Marketing, a hands-on customer-centric company that specializes in coaching Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in building a strong brand foundation with impactful marketing strategies to encourage generational wealth. She brings several years of strategic marketing experience within the technology industry.

In her most recent role, Kaelyn was the sole member of a corporate marketing team where she was responsible for defining and executing creative demand generation efforts, managing external contractors, and analyzing metrics and results.

Kaelyn previously was a part of a team where she had the opportunity to travel the world executing strategic events. She was responsible for sourcing and planning executive events and traveling onsite to manage their execution.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Howard University.

Kaelyn lives in Washington, D.C. She is a yoga enthusiast, serves as VP, Membership, American Marketing Association – Washington, D.C. Chapter; and volunteers with several local organizations. She recently became a mom to Royce, her cavapoo puppy.

Veronica Purvis
Executive Director
Journalism Education Association

Veronica Purvis, MSM, CAE is an award-winning, strategic association executive and brand leader as well as a speaker and author with over 22 years of experience leading staff and driving missions within professional member associations.

Veronica is executive director at the Journalism Education Association (JEA) which is a member association comprising teachers of journalism. Since 2000, she has worn many hats, mainly as director of marketing/communications at associations, including growing advertising sales, branding, communications, and marketing programs for biomedical and STEM organizations such as the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Physiological Society, and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Veronica is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), holds a Master of Science in Management (with a specialization in Marketing), and is in a Doctor of Business Administration program. She is also an Adjunct Instructor for the graduate school at West Virginia University Reed College of Media in the Integrated Marketing Communications Master of Science program.

Veronica is a Washington, D.C. native, who currently resides in Bowie, Md., and is a strong advocate of lifelong learning. She loves mentoring, training, and serving in various ways. She serves in multiple organizations including the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Marketing Professionals Advisory Council, co-chaired the ASAE Branding Subcommittee, on the American Marketing Association (AMADC) DC Chapter’s Data and Insights Committee, and on the AMADC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Lawrence Green
Lead Multimedia Specialist
Amtrak

Lawrence Green is a creative director, digital content creator, and DJ. Lawrence has held video production, television programming, communication and marketing positions at various companies including the Service Employee International Union, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

In 2010, Lawrence founded Time Traveling Media Inc. to produce original content and provide visual solutions for clients. Recently, Lawrence completed Trashman, a short documentary exploring his neighborhood’s trash pollution problem which will screen at the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital next month. Lawrence’s work has been featured at nationally renowned venues including SXSW, The Kennedy Center, The National Museum of African American History and Culture, and numerous venues throughout the United States.

Lawrence graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Media Arts from American University and is currently a Lead Multimedia Specialist at Amtrak where he manages the production of video and photography content.

Register today!