To help deal with the quickly changing world of marketing and communication, the University of Missouri – St. Louis realized the need for an advisory board made up of thought leaders in this field. In 2013, faculty member Dr. Perry Drake established the board to set the direction for programming and research.

What is the Advisory Board?
- Provide guidance and thought leadership on matters related to educational quality, curriculum, business needs, academia-industry collaboration, etc.
- Provide counsel on strategy and issues affecting the future of the Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department
- Strengthen bonds among the department, alumni, friends, and industry
- Give advice to students regarding career selection and career development activities
- Support scholarship opportunities for marketing students
- Support the Marketing Club (student organization) and their initiatives
- Support all industry conference and summits through participation and sponsorship
Who Serves?
The Board is composed of accomplished professionals and industry leaders with backgrounds in the field of marketing, social media communications, branding, advertising, entrepreneurship, sales, and customer relationship management. Companies represented on the board include: Purina, FleishmanHillard, Caleres, Bayer, Maritz, and more.
How do They Contribute to the Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department?
Board members serve on a committee of their choice. Committees include the following:
Student Mentoring and Engagement Committee – Assist and help direct the annual speed networking event, semi-annual internship fair, and the mentoring program. Various committee members may assist in one or all of these activities depending on availability.
Curriculum Committee – Help direct the future courses and content within the marketing and Entrepreneurship department at the graduate level, undergraduate level, and non-credit/continuing education programs. This committee will also assist faculty in obtaining guest speakers as needed.
Industry Conference and Event Committee – This committee will assist in the creation of specialized, marketing-related panel sessions, summits, and conferences, including MDMC. It is imperative that UMSL Marketing has a presence externally as a thought leader through such programming.
Board Engagement and Advising Committee – This committee will help steer the direction of the board and its mission, including creation of the statement of understanding for all board members, onboarding new members, and supporting development needs on occasion.
Scholarship and Fundraising Committee – This committee will help advise and oversee any crowdfunding opportunities, fundraising initiatives, and alumni engagement efforts available within the UMSL marketing alumni network and friends of the university.
Industry Research Committee – This committee will help plan and direct unique industry research aimed as showcasing UMSL Marketing as a thought leader. Funding for research will be provided by MDMC proceeds, individual contributions, and corporate outreach.
How do I join?
Our board is comprised of alumni and non-alumni of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In fact, less than 25% of our board are UMSL alumni. The primary requirement is that you are a leader in the field of marketing/communications and are passionate about education. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Katy Robertson, our development director for more information. She may be reached at Katy.Robertson@umsl.edu or (314) 516-5447.
How do Board Members Demonstrate Thought Leadership?
Our board members and faculty are thought leaders within the St. Louis region, nationally, and internationally. We are proud of our members, faculty and the various organizations they represent.
Marketing Board Leadership
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Michael Elliott Interim Dean & Associate Professor, College of Business LinkedIn Profile |
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Perry Drake Department Chair Assistant Teaching Professor & Executive Director of the Marketing and Sales Leadership Institute LinkedIn Profile |
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Lisa Grimm Advisory Board Chair LinkedIn Profile |
Marketing Board Business Executives
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Jonathan Allen EQ, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief LinkedIn Profile |
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Steve Bauer FleishmanHillard, Senior Vice President & Partner LinkedIn Profile |
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Dan Cornwell Caleres, Director of eCommerce & Digital Experience LinkedIn Profile |
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Sarah Dalton Nolan & Associates, Marketing Director Adjunct Professor, UMSL College of Business Administration LinkedIn Profile |
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Thomas Fitzgibbons Account Manager, Amplify Goods LinkedIn Profile |
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Pamela Franklin Charter Communications, Recruiter LinkedIn Profile |
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Kate Humphrey Bayer, Global Corporate Web & Social Strategy Lead LinkedIn Profile |
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Matt Kamp Vice President of Partnerships, DealMachine for Real Estate LinkedIn Profile |
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Tyler Kelley SLAM! Agency, Co-Founder & Chieft Strategist LinkedIn Profile |
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Justin Lopinot Spire, Director of Corporate Communications LinkedIn Profile |
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Robert Mastis Digital Intersection, Principal & Founder LinkedIn Profile |
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Vernon Ross Vernon Ross Consulting, Principal Digital Media Strategist LinkedIn Profile |
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Will Saulsberry Field Marketing Manager, Spectrum Reach LinkedIn Profile |
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Rick Spiekermann Purina, Director of Digital/Social Marketing & Partnerships LinkedIn Profile |
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Wes Morgan Morgan Studio East, Principal & Founder LinkedIn Profile |
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April Mullen Selligent Marketing Cloud, Director of Consumer-First Marketing Adoption LinkedIn Profile |
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Thomas O'Connell Schiller's, Technician LinkedIn Profile |
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Mark Sanders Drive Social Media, Business Development LinkedIn Profile |
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Spenser Schmitt SealGuard, Director of Business Development LinkedIn Profile |
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Brianna Smith TeraRecon, Digital Marketing Director Adjunct Professor, UMSL College of Business Administration LinkedIn Profile |
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Jennifer Oertli Organizational Change Management Consultant, Centric Consulting LinkedIn Profile |
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Mike Allton Brand Evangelist, Agorapulse LinkedIn Profile |
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Christina Costello Marketing Director, Anheuser-Busch InBev LinkedIn Profile |
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Fay Fleming Managing Director, Business Performance Company Adjunct Professor, UMSL College of Business Administration LinkedIn Profile |
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Kathryn Hobbs Content Marketing Specialist, Emerson Adjunct Professor, UMSL College of Business Administration LinkedIn Profile |
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Jeffrey Promnitz CEO, Zeffert & Associates, Inc. Adjunct Professor, UMSL Collage of Business Administration LinkedIn Profile |
Marketing Board Faculty
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Joan M. Phillips Professor of Marketing LinkedIn Profile |
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Gerald Gao Professor of Marketing LinkedIn Profile |
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Min Ju Associate Professor of Marketing UMSL Profile |
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Ho Kim Associate Professor of Marketing LinkedIn Profile |
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Janet Y. Murray E. Desmond Lee Professor for Developing Women Leaders and Entrepreneurs in International Business & Professor of Marketing UMSL Profile |
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Frank Fu Associate Professor of Marketing LinkedIn Profile |
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Tessa Garcia-Collart Assistant Professor of Marketing LinkedIn Profile |
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Dan Lauer Founding Executive Director of UMSL Accelerate LinkedIn Profile |
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Michael Kehoe Director of UMSL Accelerate LinkedIn Profile |
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Daniel Grossman Assistant Professor of Marketing UMSL Profile |
Development Team
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Jim Schallom Senior Director of Development, College of Business Administration LinkedIn Profile |