Thomas Broadus, Chief Marketing Officer at Mississippi State University, leads strategic initiatives to enhance the university’s brand and expand its visibility both locally, nationally, and globally. A Pascagoula, Miss., native, who attended MGCCC, Broadus earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from The University of Southern Mississippi, launching his career in software development before transitioning to digital outreach at Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
At MPB, he spearheaded website relaunches, launched key social media channels, and gained national recognition, serving in leadership roles on PBS advisory boards. He later led digital strategy at The Focus Group in Gulfport Mississippi, becoming a sought-after speaker on social media and marketing trends. Thomas then joined Infinity Marketing in South Carolina, advancing from Digital Media Director to Senior Director of Digital Content, while working with national and regional brands and building innovative content teams. Most recently, he served as President of advertising agency King & Columbus which had three offices located in Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, S.C., before joining MSU in April of 2024.
With a passion for storytelling and digital innovation, Thomas is dedicated to positioning Mississippi State as a leader in higher education while telling the wonderful stories of our students, faculty, and staff.
Dr. Kollin Napier is the Director of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN), the nation’s first and only statewide artificial intelligence (AI) initiative. Through MAIN, he leads efforts to advance AI literacy, workforce development, and economic growth, providing free, cutting-edge AI training to thousands across education and industry. Under his leadership, MAIN has delivered over 20,000 hours of AI education and established AI labs across Mississippi’s colleges and universities.
A recognized leader in AI innovation and workforce transformation, Dr. Napier was named 2024 Mississippian of the Year (AITP), selected as a 2025 Reveille 25 honoree (Mississippi State University), and awarded the 2025 Hugh I. Peck Research Award (PREPS) for his contributions to AI education and research. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Mississippi State University, specializing in AI, cybersecurity, and software engineering. Before leading MAIN, he worked as a software architect and developer, bridging industry and academia to shape Mississippi’s technology-driven future.
Christy Mershon brings more than 26 years of experience in public relations, community engagement, workforce development, and program creation. Throughout her career, she has worked to connect organizations, businesses, and communities through effective communication, strategic partnerships, and creative outreach.
She has served as Director of the Small Business Development Center of Southeast Missouri (SBDC), led Continuing Education at Southeast Missouri State University for over a decade, and spent five years as Executive Director of the Center for Economic, Business, and Community Engagement. Beyond her professional roles, Christy has devoted her time to organizations like The Glenn House, the Discovery Playhouse Children’s Museum, and SEMO NASV, using her PR expertise to elevate their visibility and impact.
In addition to her public relations and community work, Christy owns and operates a successful ghost tour business, blending storytelling, history, and media relations — earning her national attention on Ghost Hunters and other TV and radio programs.
Christy will share her insights on how strong public relations strategies can help organizations of all sizes — from nonprofits to small businesses — build meaningful community connections, tell their stories effectively, and engage audiences in creative and impactful ways.
Kristie Aylett, APR, Fellow PRSA, is an accomplished communications professional with a proven record of developing and implementing programs that produce bottom-line results. Throughout her career, she has created innovative campaigns that inspire key audiences to action and positively impact organizational goals. Her accomplishments include behavior-changing marketing and awareness programs, reputation-building media relations initiatives and mission-focused collateral pieces. She provides strategic counsel and senior-level expertise to clients throughout the United States as an agency principal with The KARD Group Public Relations and Marketing.
An accredited public relations practitioner for more than 25 years, Aylett has been elected to leadership positions with various local, state, regional and national communications organizations, including serving as president of the PRAM Mississippi Beach chapter, state PRAM and the Southern Public Relations Federation. She is the past chair of the Universal Accreditation Board, a governing body with representatives from nine PR organizations charged with oversight of the APR, APR+M and other PR credentials. In recognition of her contributions to the profession, PRSA inducted her into its prestigious College of Fellows, an honorary organization of approximately 350 industry leaders. In 2024, she was inducted into the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame.
Aylett earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and later joined the TCU journalism faculty as an adjunct instructor. She currently teaches PR classes at Tulane University and an online marketing course for educational consultants for the University of California at Irvine.
CeCe Shabazz is a brand strategist and speaker specializing in brand influence and audience-building. With over 25 years in advertising and marketing, she helps businesses and leaders create fan-driven brands that inspire and engage. At the heart of her success is a commitment to data-driven creative strategies that amplify brand equity, loyalty, and empathy.
An award-winning creative director, CeCe is known for her expertise in branding psychology, storytelling, and strategic engagement. Her signature framework, The Brand Fan Formula, teaches creative professionals how to craft branding tactics that fosters community.
She has spoken at industry conferences, led branding intensives, and trained teams on creating lasting audience connections. CeCe’s approach is authentic, actionable, and deeply rooted in audience psychology. Connect with her to discover how branding can shift from informing to inspiring action.
Paul Katool joined the Mississippi Department of Transportation Public Affairs Division in 2016 as the agency’s first Social Media Strategist. In 2019, he was promoted to Digital Media Manager, where he led the creation of MDOT’s nationally award-winning Extra Mile Podcast. In 2022, Paul assumed the role of Deputy Director of Public Affairs, which includes helping to run the day-to-day operations of the division.
Erin Rosetti brings over a decade of strategic communications experience across multiple industries, leading impactful campaigns, enhancing brand presence, and engaging stakeholders effectively across various channels.
She serves as the Communications Manager for Memorial Health System, managing internal and external communication efforts. Erin was named to the Mississippi Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 Class in 2024, One Coast Top 10 Under 40 Class of 2021, and was selected as the Best Public Relations Specialist in Coastal Mississippi in 2023. She has led and contributed to award-winning marketing and communications teams, with multiple public relations-specific achievements including the 2022 William A. Taylor Best of Show Lantern Award, the PRism 2022 Best of Show Award, the PRism 2023 Best of Show Award, the PRism 2024 Best of Tier Award, and a 2024 Lantern Award.
Erin enjoys serving in a variety of professional and civic organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast, Leadership Gulf Coast Board of Trustees, Mississippi Health Ambassador Initiative, Girls on the Run Coastal Mississippi Steering Committee, and more. She graduated from the Louisiana State University Manship School of Mass Communication in 2014 and received her Master of Business Administration from LSU Shreveport in 2020.
Paul Wolf a Jackson native with a storyteller’s heart, Paul Wolf has spent over three decades crafting communications across writing, design, photography, new media, and voiceover work.
Paul’s journey began with his high school and college newspapers before he found his voice in radio. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish Find It In Fondren, a neighborhood brand he co-built alongside his wife, Sophie. Since 2019, he’s been a part of Visit Jackson, the destination marketing organization for his beloved hometown.
His work consistently earns recognition, including Mississippi Tourism Association awards for social media and strategy and an American Advertising Federation Award for hosting Visit Jackson’s “Soul Sessions” podcast. In 2022, Paul led the transformative rebuild of VisitJackson.com, which garnered both a U.S. Travel Association People’s Choice Award and the Mississippi Tourism Association’s overall digital media honor.
Throughout his career, Paul has remained dedicated to highlighting the power of community and authentic storytelling.
Outside work, you can find Paul exploring JXN’s food and drink scene—enjoying craft beer, coffee and bourbon and savoring BBQ with friends—or unwinding in a hammock.
Sophie McNeil Wolf, APR, loves the intersection of community, quality of life, and storytelling, which has informed much of her work. In fact, as a child, she was pegged as the “first to know it and the first to tell it.”
As a communications professional and storyteller, Wolf has worked for 20 years to help organizations quantify and share their impact through traditional and digital media. An accomplished writer, editor, and content creator, her skills include photography, video, social media management, graphic design, SEO, digital ADA accessibility, and strategic communications planning. The secret sauce of integrated marketing communications – creating compelling touchpoint strategies while upholding brand standards – is paramount to her work.
Her communication interests intersect her my love for community and synergy. For more than a decade, she has worked to promote cities, institutions, and neighborhoods, particularly as creative, innovative destinations to improve quality of life. Wolf currently serves as the Director of Communications and Insights for the Community Foundation for Mississippi. She has previously worked for organizations such as Visit Jackson, Millsaps College, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Her work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Wall Street Journal, Mississippi Magazine and Jackson Free Press.
Wolf holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in news-editorial from the University of Southern Mississippi, a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Mississippi and a graduate certificate in economic development from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is a 2014 graduate of the Millsaps College Business Advantage Program and 2018-2019 graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson. In 2024, she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Universal Accreditation Board.
Wolf serves as the Past President of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Central Chapter and VP of Awards for the Public Relations of Mississippi. She is a former board member of Leadership Greater Jackson and past president of the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi. Wolf is also part of the duo behind popular media brand Find It In Fondren, highlighting Jackson’s hip arts district, with her husband, Paul Wolf.
Katie Weldon is the Manager of Integrated Communications and Strategic Marketing at Ingalls Shipbuilding, where she leads a team dedicated to promoting the company’s mission and purpose to both internal and external audiences. In her role, Katie bridges the gap between Ingalls’ shipbuilding endeavors and the public narrative through strategic campaigns and storytelling initiatives that elevate the voices of every shipbuilder.
Katie began her career at Ingalls as a Marketing and Communications Specialist, where she refined her skills in social networking, brand development, and community engagement. With over three years of experience, she now leverages her expertise to drive impactful messaging and is beginning to explore how AI can enhance the future of storytelling.
Prior to her time at Ingalls, Katie served as the programming director for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in nonprofit organization and a master’s degree in higher education administration, both from The University of Southern Mississippi.
Amanda King is an award-winning, marketing and communications pro who knows how to navigate diverse industries – from healthcare to shipbuilding – while keeping creativity at the helm.
Currently the Digital Marketing Strategist at Ingalls Shipbuilding, she crafts compelling internal and external campaigns by strategically leveraging digital platforms. Diving deep into analytics and trends, her expertise lays in turning data into communication strategies that drive shipbuilder engagement.
Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a Master’s degree in communications from the University of South Alabama, Amanda thrives at the intersection of strategy and creativity. Whether she’s developing multi-channel campaigns, fine-tuning digital and social media strategies, or exploring new technology, she’s all about turning big ideas into impactful results.
Christen Duhé is the President and Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
She is a Mississippi Gulf Coast native, growing up in Bay St. Louis and now living in Gulfport. She is a three-time graduate from The University of Southern Mississippi (To the Top!) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration. She received her APR: Accreditation in Public Relations in 2015.
Christen was recognized by the Public Relations Association of Mississippi as the 2020 Professional Achievement Award recipient. She was also selected as a Top 10 Finalist for the Top 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi in 2020, after being recognized as one of the Top 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi in 2019. She was recognized in 2019 by the Public Relations Association of Mississippi Beach Chapter and was awarded the Rex E. Kelly award for professional achievement in public relations. In 2018, she was named one of the inaugural, “Top Influencers,” by the Success Women’s Conference and“Top 50 Under 40,” presented by the MS Business Journal. In 2017, the Southern Public Relations Federation presented Christen with the, “Senior Practitioner” designation. She was also named, “Outstanding Community Leader,” in 2016, presented at the One Coast Awards, Inaugural inductee into the Coast Young Professionals’ Hall of Fame in 2015, Young Careerist of the Year in 2014, presented by the Lighthouse Business and Professional Women and Top 10 Business Leaders Under 40 in 2013, presented by The Sun Herald.
She is married to her husband, David, and they live in Gulfport with their fat cat, Chief, and their puppy, Minnie.
Jan Schaefer, APR, serves the great State of Mississippi as Communications Director for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, leading the agency’s internal and external communication efforts. During her time with MDEQ, she is proud to have won PRism and Lantern awards for Social Media Management, Social Media Writing and Short Term Strategic Public Affairs Programs. She serves as the 2025 PRAM Central President and was the Chapter’s 2023 Advanced Practitioner of the Year.
Jan previously served over six years with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. Among her notable accomplishments with MDRS is the creation and implementation of the agency’s PROM (Please Return on Monday) program-a joint partnership of the agency (through its Office of Special Disability Programs-Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Program) and the Mississippi Highway Patrol to encourage high school juniors and seniors to make good choices behind the wheel. Jan has also served as Communications Director for the state’s Attorney General, as Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and as News Producer for WLBT-TV3. Through these roles she is proud to have served on the state’s Amber Alert Implementation Committee, helped lead efforts for the “Back Up the Badge” campaign which raised millions of dollars for emergency responders following Hurricane Katrina, served as editor of The Mississippi Trooper Magazine, and to have personally received an “Exemplary Partnership” award from the Department of Homeland Security.
Jan has completed communication training courses with the FBI, MEMA and FEMA. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in communication, graduating Summa Cum Laude, from Mississippi College. She is also a member of the Southern Public Relations Federation and a graduate of the FBI Jackson Division’s Citizens Academy Class #22 (2019). Jan volunteered with the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council (housed under the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations) for over eight years as Communications Advisor and Chair of the Council’s Outreach and Awareness Committee
A native of Byram, Jan currently resides in Madison with her husband of over 32 years, Terry Hedgepeth. They are the proud parents of four children: Schaefer, Blake, Kalli Ayn and Drew.
Jonathan Brannan is proud to serve on the Corporate Affairs team for the Chevron Pascagoula Refinery. He moved into the public relations and communications industry after five years on TV at WLOX in Biloxi. Since leaving TV, Jonathan has held positions in tourism, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Ingalls Shipbuilding.
Jonathan likes to keep a diverse resume and has appeared in several films and commercials. He was cast in the film Pitch Perfect as one of the Treblemakers. He also has a steady singing career as he performs regularly with jazz combos and the Coast Big Band.
Jonathan loves live theatre and has held a lead role in dozens of musical theatre performances in the south, including Sky in Mamma Mia and Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.
You can catch Jonathan emceeing events across the state including Miss Mississippi, Mardi Gras balls, galas, and other celebrations.
In 2012, Jonathan graduated from USM and married his beautiful high school sweetheart, Alyssa, a manager at Chevron. They are the proud parents of their daughter, Eden, and their son, Oliver.
Speaking of a diverse resume, in 2020, after a nationwide contest, Jonathan was named Wahl Man of the Year for having the “Most Talented Beard in America.” He and his wife used the prize money from that contest to fund their adoption of Oliver.
Tracy Yanez, APR, is a natural networker with a heart for connecting people with each other and/or information to meet needs that have far-reaching goals.
She currently works with AccelerateMS — formally known as the Mississippi State Office of Workforce Development — as the coordinator for the 11 southern-most counties in the state. In this role, she works with leaders in industry, education, and government to identify opportunities for collaboration and workforce innovation.
Her 30-plus year career in communications includes working as a reporter at The Sun Herald in Biloxi, before joining the communications offices at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Office of Institutional Relations and the State Board for Community Colleges in Jackson. In 1999, she became a part of Mississippi Power’s corporate communication team for a 20-year career of progressing roles of responsibility to meet evolving communication and community support needs. After “retiring” in 2018, she served three years as the director of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce before taking on her current role.
Tracy is a 1995 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s in journalism and earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2015. She remains an active PR practitioner serving as the communications director at Crosspoint Church leading a team of five to develop and implement efforts for the 500-plus member congregation. She’s traveled and actively participated on teams supporting missions efforts in Canada, Thailand and Honduras.
A member of the PRAM Mississippi Beach chapter since 1996, Tracy was elected to various leadership positions for both state PRAM (president, 2003) and the Southern Public Relations Federation (president, 2006 and 2007). She’s also mentored several APR candidates and coordinated activities related to Accreditation for the chapter. She is a member of SPRF’s Council of Leaders.
Away from work, Tracy enjoys gardening and traveling with her husband, Peter, and spending time with their four children and their lovingly spoiled four grandchildren (#5 due in July)!
Lucy Schultze, Founder and CEO of Red Window, A former award-winning community journalist, Lucy founded Red Window out of her diverse experience in written and visual communication. Today she focuses on Red Window’s vision, systems and culture, empowering both our clients and our team to thrive.
Lucy began her career as a newspaper reporter at The Oxford Eagle, where she also led print and website design projects and convened a community advisory board. Her editorial work has included writing and photography for travel and lifestyle magazines, as well as healthcare writing for an industry news group in Mississippi, Memphis, Tampa, Fla., and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
In public relations, Lucy developed a focus on healthcare, including mental and behavioral health. She spent five years as communications coordinator for Oxford Treatment Center, a 100-bed inpatient facility for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. This role allowed her the privilege of working with therapists, families and individuals to share their stories of hope and recovery.
Lucy spent two years as an adjunct faculty member in the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media, where she taught writing for integrated marketing communications. She continues to serve as a frequent guest speaker and to engage with interns and young professionals.
The projects and partnerships she leads at Red Window center on themes including community development; entrepreneurship and economic empowerment; qualitative audience research and deep listening; and the future of journalism.
Lucy holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and history from Southern Miss. Along with her husband and children, she loves connecting with people from different perspectives and exploring other cultures through travel, food and the arts.