Written By: Reese Brittingham

Introduction

When people think about a student organization, they often think about the meetings, events, and opportunities it offers. What they do not always see is the team behind those experiences.

For our Marketing and Advertising Club and American Marketing Association (MAC | AMA) chapter, that team is our board. Each person brings a different perspective and set of strengths, but we share the same goal: making MAC | AMA a place where students can learn, connect, and explore their interests in marketing.

As Director of Client Services, I get to be part of that team. One of the things I appreciate most is seeing how much goes into creating something together. Being on the board has reminded me that leadership is about more than your individual responsibilities. It is also about supporting the people around you.

The Support Behind Our Team

It is impossible to talk about MAC | AMA without recognizing our advisor, Dana Gierka.

Dana has been extremely helpful, and having her guidance makes a difference. Student leadership comes with opportunities to try new things, but it also comes with questions and uncertainty. Having an advisor we can turn to gives us support as we learn how to lead.

What I appreciate most is knowing that we do not have to figure everything out on our own. Dana brings a perspective that helps us look beyond the task in front of us and think about what we want to accomplish as an organization.

A President Who Goes Above and Beyond

Our president, Martha Bellet, has gone above and beyond for MAC | AMA.

Leading a student organization means thinking about how all the different pieces fit together. There are people to support, responsibilities to coordinate, and decisions that affect the experience of our members. That is a lot to take on alongside being a student.

I want to recognize Martha for the effort she has put into this role. So much of leadership happens behind the scenes, and that work deserves just as much appreciation as the moments everyone gets to see. Her dedication is something I am grateful to have on our team.

Turning Ideas Into Plans

An idea is a starting point, but it takes organization to turn it into something people can participate in.

Kylie Gates, our Vice President of Operations, represents an essential part of that process. Operations connects the goals of an organization with the details needed to carry them out. It is the kind of work that may not always be the most visible, but it matters to everything else.

Michaela Mazzei, our Senior Vice President of AMA, brings another important area of leadership to our board. Having someone focused on AMA helps us keep that part of our organization represented as we think about our direction and the value we want to offer members.

Sophia Minetola, our Vice President of Finance, brings the resources side of that process into focus. Every event and initiative depends on a budget, and finance helps make sure our plans are realistic and sustainable. Without that foundation, even the best ideas would be difficult to carry out.

These roles remind me that a strong organization needs people who can think about both the bigger picture and the work it takes to get there.

Connecting Students With Real Clients

One of the things that sets MAC | AMA apart is the chance to work with real clients.

Riley Codero, our Director of Client Acquisition, represents the first step in that process. Client acquisition means finding organizations that are a good fit for our members and building the relationships that make a project possible. Before any work begins, someone has to start that conversation.

Client work gives members the chance to apply what they are learning to real challenges. It is also one of the areas where I see most clearly how my own role connects with someone else’s.

Creating Opportunities to Connect

Events are one of the ways students get to experience MAC | AMA beyond a name or a social media post. They give people a reason to show up, meet someone new, and become more involved.

Mia Pittore, our Vice President of Events, and Aiden Simpkiss, our Director of Large-Scale Events, hold roles that are central to those opportunities.

Alyson Kellett, our Director of Outreach and MAC Events, helps make sure those opportunities reach the students who would benefit from them. Outreach is about more than spreading the word. It is about helping people feel like there is a place for them before they ever walk into a meeting.

Event planning involves thinking about the experience from someone else’s perspective. What would make a student want to attend? What do we want them to take away? How can we make the experience welcoming and worthwhile?

Having each of these perspectives on our board helps us think about the possibilities for our events and what it takes to bring them to life.

Bringing MAC | AMA’s Identity to Life

For a marketing organization, how we communicate matters. Our website, visuals, and content all help introduce people to who we are.

Zach Morin, our Web Director, represents the website side of that experience. A website gives students a place to learn about an organization, and the way information is presented can shape their first impression.

Grace Fouser, our Design Director, brings the visual side of communication into focus. Design helps give an organization a recognizable identity and makes information easier to understand.

Julie Veiga, our Director of Multimedia, represents another way we can tell our story. Multimedia creates opportunities to show the people and experiences behind the organization.

Luciana Figueiredo, our Vice President of Marketing, brings attention to how we communicate our value and reach students. Marketing asks us to think about our audience, our message, and what will encourage someone to get involved.

Each role has its own focus, but they connect. Together, they show how many different skills contribute to the way an organization presents itself.

What Being Part of This Board Is Teaching Me

Working alongside this team has made me appreciate the different forms leadership can take.

Some responsibilities are more public. Others happen quietly through planning, organizing, designing, or keeping information up to date. All of them deserve recognition.

As Director of Client Services, I have my own area of focus, but being part of the board encourages me to look beyond my role. It reminds me to consider how my work connects with everyone else’s and how we can support one another.

That is part of what makes a student organization such a meaningful place to learn. We get to practice communication, collaboration, and responsibility while building something that other students can be part of.

Closing Thoughts

When I think about MAC | AMA, I think about the people who make it possible: Dana’s guidance, Martha’s dedication, and the different strengths each board member brings.

The meetings and events are what people see. This team is what I want them to know.