President: Joel Kohler
Ohio Education Association
Joel Kohler is the Communication Specialist at the OEA, representing teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, where he manages the association’s Digital marketing; manages the web, social and video execution; handles vendor relations and promotions, plus ensures internal and external marketing is on brand and cohesive. He also consults for various non-profit arts organizations on their marketing strategies and branding efforts. Joel holds a BA from The Columbus College of Art & Design and received a MS in Marketing & Communications from Franklin University. He has been an AMA member and volunteer since 2007; President of the chapter’s executive board and VP of Workshops.
Immediate Past President: Crystal Vause
Raising Cane’s
Crystal Vause is a Marketing Advisor for RCO Limited, a franchise of Raising Cane’s. She has over 13 years of experience working on both the client and agency sides of the business with a strong focus in restaurant and franchise support. She graduated with her BA in Communications Studies from Ohio Dominican University and received her MS in Integrated Marketing and Communications from West Virginia University. She has also held the roles VP of AIM/Special Events, and Programming with AMA Columbus from 2008 – 2010.
Secretary/Treasurer: Mick Pennington
Guide Technologies
Mick Pennington is the Director of Business Development for Guide Technologies, a leading provider of Enterprise Software for Mid-Market manufacturers and distributors. Mick has over 20 years of experience managing technology businesses ranging in size from startups to large established concerns. A native of Columbus, he earned a Masters of Business Administration from The Ohio State University and has served on the Faculty of Franklin University in both the Marketing and MBA programs. An avid photographer; his photographs have appeared in regional publications and continue to develop commercial and editorial followings.
VP At-Large: Debra Pack
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Debra Pack is the Marketing Manager at Columbus Metropolitan Library. She leads the organization’s digital and content marketing strategies; writes strategic messaging; leads the creative team and video strategy; manages the on-site print center; handles vendor relations and advertising, plus ensures all messaging is on brand and effective. She holds a BS in Journalism from Bowling Green State University where she studied English, creative writing, fine arts and photography. She has been an AMA member and volunteer since 2009; President of the chapter’s executive board (2015-2016 / 2016-2017), VP of SIGs (2014-2015) and Digital SIG Chair (2013-2014).
VP, Content & Communications: Jynx Gresser
National Veterans Memorial and Museum
Jynx Gresser is a Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Downtown Columbus. It is the only Museum in America that honors ALL our Veterans – from all branches of service, and from all eras of our nation’s proud history of military service, both peacetime and wartime. Jynx holds a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University of Ohio and Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Previously, she served on the Content and Communications Committee as the social media manager and was the Volunteer of the Year in 2017.
VP, Programming: Whitney Smith-Pfefferle
Whitney is a diverse marketing generalist background and over 15 years of experience in various industries. She started her career promoting trade shows at an association, spent multiple years as an account manager at an agency, and most recently managed product marketing in the financial services industry. Whitney holds an MBA from Ohio University and a BA in Journalism from Penn State University.
VP, Membership: Jessica Burchard
A recent addition to the AMA executive board, Jessica has more than 15 years of communication experience, including 10 in nonprofit development. She’s written everything from newspaper articles to press releases, blogs and social media posts. A proud graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Jessica wears her Bobcat shirts around Buckeye country with no shame.
Current Board Openings
Please contact president@amacolumbus.org for information about doing more with your membership in AMA Columbus.