About the AMA Tampa Bay

Our mission is to create a place where marketing professionals in the Tampa Bay area can JOIN a strong community dedicated to the advancement of marketing, GROW in their careers and LEAD the future generation.

We do this by providing innovative resources and tools, attending conferences and training, hosting monthly keynote luncheons and workshops, organizing social networking events and providing career resources, certification and job search assistance to our members.

WHO WE ARE

As a professional chapter of the American Marketing Association and a trusted ally in its nationwide network, AMA Tampa Bay stands strong in its mission to provide opportunities for Tampa Bay marketers to expand their knowledge, improve their skills, and grow in their careers through access to leaders in the field and skill-building content. Our vision is to be the most valued marketing association membership in Tampa Bay.

Our culture is special in that it is common for us to question "the way things have always been done," and our creative ideas are always accompanied by practical solutions. The unique combination of scholarly study and managerial application can only be found in the AMA culture.

WHAT WE OFFER

Cutting-Edge Programming

We invite local and regional industry leaders to guide transforming presentations in the areas of productivity, design, innovation, and more.
Learn from C-level marketing influencers as they deliver thought-leading content with real-world application across intimate roundtables, full-day conferences, and convenient online webinars.
Learn the necessary tools to thrive in the ever-changing B2B & B2C landscapes.

Connections

Engage, connect, and establish relationships with hundreds of marketers across all disciplines, industries, and career levels throughout Tampa Bay.
Find business partners or mentors with innovative and thought-provoking perspectives.
Get real one-on-one dialogue and share ideas among some of the brightest creative minds in and around Tampa Bay.

Career Advancement

Get inspired and motivated through the abundance of exclusive opportunities available with AMA Tampa Bay. Visit our career center to see the latest marketing jobs available in Tampa Bay.
Build out your resume and gain rewarding hands-on experience as a volunteer in our local chapter. Learn more about volunteer opportunities at AMA Tampa Bay.
Share thought leadership or leverage a variety of career insights by visiting the AMA Tampa Bay blog.

AMA TAMPA BAY COLLEGIATE CHAPTERS

Tampa Bay is home to several AMA Collegiate Chapters including Florida Southern College, St. Leo University, The University of South Florida, and The University of Tampa. Activities within Collegiate Chapters include extracurricular activities such as workshops, live agency experiences, leadership development, hard skills acquisition, national conferences, and others.

Collegiate Chapters also provide student members the opportunity to join the largest Professional Marketing Organization in the United States and engage with a strong community of Marketing Professionals through AMA Tampa Bay.

Learn More

AMA TAMPA BAY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Committee

Kelsy Long

President

Kelsy serves as the Director of Media Relations for Clearwater Marine Aquarium. She leads all media pitching, story development, content strategy, and content distribution to advance CMA’s mission and enhance the brand. Her efforts are focused on garnering international, regional, and local coverage for CMA. Kelsy has secured publicity in media outlets such as Good Morning America, Travel + Leisure, CNN, Boston Globe, and USA Today.

Beth Kerly

President Elect

Beth Kerly, MBA, is the Founder and CEO of Little Seed Venture, a consultancy dedicated to fostering innovation in higher education. With over 20 years in the sector, she previously served as Senior Director of Marketing & Communications at the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and has taught at Hillsborough Community College and the University of Tampa. Beth co-founded several educational programs, including a veterans entrepreneurship training now part of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). Her earlier roles include Special Assistant to Governor Jeb Bush and positions at Conectiv Communications and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware. Beth's work is marked by her commitment to innovation, community engagement, and strategic leadership in higher education.

Evan Brenner, PCM

Immediate Past President

Evan unofficially began his marketing career in 2005 as manager and front man of a Tampa Bay-based rock band. His passion for events promotion and advertising led him to pick up a copy of Guerilla Marketing and create a flashy Myspace profile. These days, Evan is the Digital Content Specialist at Geographic Solutions, where he manages the company’s digital marketing efforts. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of South Florida.

Evan is the founder of the Pinellas Tech Network Meetup. The networking night received a nomination in the Bridge Builder category at the 2020 Tampa Bay Tech Awards. Evan is also on the University of South Florida Digital Marketing Certificate Program Advisory Board.

Mike Martino

Secretary

Jodi Andrews

Treasurer

Jodi is the President and Managing Partner at Cordelia Labs, a Big Sea company that delivers media strategy, buying, and SEO to clients all over the country.

Prior to Cordelia Labs, Jodi spent 20+ years in NYC at PHD Media, OMD and TBWA Chiat/Day, where she ran digitally-led teams with clients such as GSK, Bacardi, Nokia, Carnival Cruise Line, and Diageo. In fact, Jodi trafficked the first digital ad for Absolut Vodka on a Blackberry back in 2001! Some of Jodi's biggest successes came when she brought her omni-channel approach to GSK and was promoted to Managing Director of Integrated Investment at PHD Media in 2013. In addition to negotiating global contracts with Google and Facebook, her most successful campaigns were born out of data and insights. Two of which were awarded prestigious accolades: Theraflu won a Bronze Effie for Theraflu's Cold and Flu Tracker in 2018, and Flonase won a Gold Effie in 2016 for the Flonase DTC to OTC launch.

At Cordelia Labs, Jodi's focus is leading a team of media and SEO specialists to create strategic, creative growth plans, offering big-agency access and insights to our small and mid-sized clients. Jodi lives in St. Petersburg with her husband Terry.

Board Members

Tyler Adams, VP of Communications

Tyler Adams is the Director of Marketing for Pools on the Gulf, where he leads marketing and market development for over a dozen franchises across Florida and Alabama. He has led national and global business launches in the pharmaceutical, software, franchise development, and home services industries. He’s also taught digital marketing at several universities across the country including the University of Kansas,
University of Denver, Vanderbilt, and Columbia University.

Tyler is new to Florida after living all over the country and is very excited to now call Tampa his home. As the VP of Communications, he looks forward to connecting and bringing together Tampa Bay’s marketing communities and building the Tampa Bay chapter.

Beth Kerly, VP of Collegiate

Pat Cooper, VP of Volunteers

Pat Cooper is an Advertising Associate at Pegasystems, where he supports and oversees paid social and programmatic marketing channels. Spanning his career, he's worked with nationally-recognized brands and marketing agencies, focused on building performance-driven media strategies. Outside of work, Pat is a Tampa Bay sports fan and enjoys giving back to his personal and professional community. Previously, he was the President and VPs of Collegiate and Communications at the Boston Chapter of the American Marketing Association.

Casey Young, VP of Programming

Casey is the Marketing and Events Manager for the Tampa Riverwalk, bringing a diverse and extensive background in event planning and marketing within the Tampa area. With a proven track record of successfully managing large-scale community events and strategic marketing initiatives, Casey has developed a strong expertise in driving local engagement and creating memorable experiences.

Currently pursuing the role of VP of Programming for the American Marketing Association of Tampa Bay, Casey aims to bring innovative programming ideas, strengthen community partnerships, and enhance member engagement to further the organization’s mission.

Rich Odato, VP of Membership

Rich Odato is President & Chief Creative Officer of Odato Marketing Group, a results-driven agency whose case studies have earned multiple AMA "Marketer of the Year" and "Grand Marketer of the Year" honors in Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh across categories such as healthcare, education, B2B, and consumer brands. A longtime AMA Tampa Bay leader, Rich has served on the Tampa Bay board in several roles. As VP of Membership, he leverages decades of brand, digital, and community-building experience to strengthen member engagement, grow the chapter, and connect Tampa Bay's marketers with the programs, mentors, and partnerships that advance their careers.

Elissa Nauful Blankenship, VP of Sponsorships

Elissa Nauful Blankenship is a results-driven marketing leader with over 25 years of experience spanning digital, print, linear, and social media. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Clemson University and has built a career defined by innovation, measurable impact, and trusted partnerships.

A multi-venture founder, Elissa has self-funded and scaled two successful digital startups from the ground up—creating high-impact business partnerships valued in the tens of millions. Her success is rooted not in hype, but in alignment, trust, and shared outcomes.

Her approach is direct, energetic, and solution-focused, thriving in the space where ideas meet execution. Whether architecting brand systems, refining client experiences, or designing scalable operational frameworks, Elissa combines strategic insight with hands-on leadership to turn vision into value.

Passionate about helping service-based entrepreneurs grow with intention, she believes that clarity and structure are the foundation of transformation. Beyond business, Elissa is committed to community impact—leveraging strategic volunteering and collaboration to create meaningful, lasting change.

As AMA Tampa Bay’s Vice President of Sponsorships, Elissa brings her relationship-driven mindset, operational discipline, and love for creative partnerships to strengthen the bridge between brands, members, and marketing excellence.