Women’s Leadership Conference

Leslie Short is owner of The Cavu Group, author of Expand Beyond Your Current Culture, and a DEI strategist with four decades of experience.  She has an accomplished background that includes running marketing and PR for FUBU, services as Corporate Operating  Strategist for blueprint + co., and starting several successful international businesses.  

Liz Bohannon is the Founder and CEO of socially conscious fashion brand Sseko Designs, which she founded in 2009 as a way to provide educational and economic opportunities for women in East Africa.  She is also the author of the bestselling book, Beginner’s Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose & Impact Now. 

Dana Porter, MAS is the Vice President of Information Services at SAGE. She serves on PPAI’s Regional Relations Committee and Government Relations Action Council. Dana has also participated in LEAD multiple years, served as chair of the PPEF Board of Trustees, was chair of WLC and was awarded iPROMOTEu’s A Women’s View 2022 Supplier Visionary Award.

Latisha Marshall is the Senior Vice President of Operations for ePromos Promotional Products, LLC. She is a self-described “operations fanatic” with 20 years of promotional products experience.

Latisha is the current chair of PPAI’s DEI Task Force and she serves on the HPPA Board.

Andrea “Anni” Kramer serves as the President of City Apparel + Merch.   Under her leadership and committed team, City has won numerous PPAI awards, including being named Greatest Companies to Work for multiple times, recognition for being a leader in Responsibility and Innovation, and has been a Pyramid Award winner.   

Ashley Colautti, MAS, Director of New Markets for Spector & CO., has been in the industry for nearly 20 years.  She is the current Chair of PromoKitchen, an industry not for profit that promotes education and mentorship. Ashley volunteers on the PPAI Professional Development and Certification Committee and is the past event chair of Brand Chain.  

Brenda Speirs is a veteran distributor and the CEO of Buzztag.  She is also the founder of The Ripple Collective, an organization of promotional products professionals who come together to support one another through a peer-supported community platform and private mentor teams.   

Brianna Mazze is the Vice President of Compliance & Sustainability at St. Regis.  She is a self-proclaimed earth, human, and animal activist and is actively developing a roadmap to net zero for St Regis, incorporating innovative decarbonization strategies and establishing measurable progress.  

Britney Godsey, Chief Revenue Office at Gold Bond, Inc. has over a decade of experience in the promotional products industry. She has spearheaded successful initiatives like the “One Tree Planted” give back program and the PPAI award-winning influencer kits. Britney has received various awards, including the PPAI rising star, Pyramid awards, and multiple social media trend setter spotlight awards.   

For the better part of 20 years, Claudeen Saxon, Executive Advisor at Culture Index, has worked with organizations to help them grow their business. From leading strategic client acquisition teams to turning around family businesses, she has a broad range of experience helping organizations achieve their goals and objectives.  

WLC Founder, Elizabeth “Dolly” Duffy is the Executive Director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association and Associate Vice President for University Relations. Dolly and her husband purchased Atchison Products in 1990 and the company was acquired in 2007 by BIC Graphic USA. Prior to purchasing Atchison Products, Duffy spent five years working in public relation, and she began her career as the Press Secretary for a U.S. Congressman. 

Emily Codner is the Director of Affiliate Services for iPROMOTEu. She began her career working for a small distributor before joining her current company.  In addition to Eimly’s work with iPROMOTEu, she is also a member of NEPPA’s Board of Directors, a member of the PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference Work Group and was named as a PPAI Rising Star for 2023.   

Erin Barton is the Director, Business Transformations at Geiger, and over the past 15 years, she has been in the corporate and startup technology landscape. Erin holds an MA in Chinese Language from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and an MS in International Business from London School of Economics in England. 

Erin Reilly is the Founder and CEO at Pop! Promos.  Starting the company as a Senior in college with a friend, the company has grown from a small startup to an organization with more than 125 employees.  Erin has served on the WLC Workgroup, and is currently serving on the PPAI Board. 

A Founder of WLC, Carol Aastad began her promotional products career as a salesperson in the early ‘80’s, and two years later she founded Harlen & Davis.   She sold her distributorship to Forrester Smith, and the company was later acquired by Geiger, where she worked until retiring. Carol was a member of SACDV, served on the CAAMP Board, is a past President of PPEF, and past PPAI Board Chair, and was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame in 2023.   

Denise Taschereau, Co-Founder and CEO at Fairware launched the company after realizing how difficult it was to source promotional merchandise that reflected the social and environmental priorities of the many of the brands and organizations she admired. She is currently a board member of PromoCares, and is PPAI’s Incoming Board Chair. 

Ellen Tucker, CAE, MAS, is the Vice President of Revenue and Expositions at PPAI and has been with the Association for 10 years.  She is responsible for driving the non-dues revenue for the association and leading development, operations and execution of the association’s in-person and virtual tradeshows.  

Lindsey Davis, MAS, is the Director, Sales & Professional Development at PPAI. She previously served as president of Solar Advertising, a promo supplier founded by her parents, and lead the company’s successful purchase by Raining Rose where she was the Director of Sales. Lindsey has served on the Promotional Products Education Foundation’s board of trustees and the PPAI Board, before joining the association’s staff in 2022. 

One of the Founders of the PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, Jo-an Lantz, MAS is President & CEO of Geiger and a member of the Board of Directors. She represents Geiger as the sole US member of the international group WAGE (World Advertising Gift Exchange) and is their past President.  Jo-an has served on a variety of different industry groups and associations including being a former Chair of the Board of Directors of PPAI and has served twice on the PPEF Board, once as Chair.  A PPAI Hall of Fame 2009 inductee, Jo-an continues to be recognized throughout the industry.  

Jodie Schillinger is the Executive Vice President at Maple Ridge Farms and is also a member of the RRC. She has not only aspired to shape the vision & culture of Maple Ridge Farms, but also inspires the team to continuously elevate the brand. Tasting the flavor of excellence is a thing with her…it is her essence and her grit & she radiates it in all aspects of life.

Kara Keister, MBA, MAS, Promise Keeper at Social Good Promotions, started her promotional professional career on the distributor side 14 years ago in sales. She was on the OPPA Board in 2015 and served as President of the Board 2017-2019. Kara has participated in LDW and LEAD, and was elected to the RAC Board in 2020, playing a pivotal role in the shift from RAC to the Regional Relations Committee. In 2022, Kara was appointed to the PPAI Board of Directors as the RRC Delegate.

Maribeth Sandford, CEO of Bag Makers has been active in the promotional products industry for more than 40 years. In addition to being one of the founders of the PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, Maribeth also served on the PPAI Board of Directors Suppliers Committee, Leadership Advisory Committee, and MAS/CAS Certification Board. She also participated in the Board of Directors PPEF Scholarship Committee and Regional Association Council.  

Mila Grigg, CEO at MODA Image and Brand Consulting has 20 years of branding expertise.  Her career began in the insurance industry before transitioning to the music industry, and then to a firm where she worked with athletes, entertainers, professionals, and businesses in brand and marketing.  Mila has been honored as a Forty under 40 recipient and a Woman of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal. 

Lori Bauer, CEO at iPROMOTEu, has been in the industry for 26 years.  She joined the organization 2021 as the Senior Vice President of Affiliate Sales and Support and moved to her current role in February of this year. She has served on the board and as President for PPAF, and was previously on the Board of Trustees and Board Chair for PPEF.  Lori has long been a supporter of the Women’s Leadership Conference, serving on the WLC Advisory Group for multiple years.  Lori currently serves on the PPAI Board. 

Sarah Unruh, MAS, is the National Sales Manager for STAHLS. In this role, she is instrumental in driving growth and setting new standards. Sarah is a former educator turned promotional product powerhouse, and she began her journey in 2008 as a Distributor.

Liz Haesler is the Global Chief Merchandising Officer, responsible for product – retail brands, and product development, supply chain and pricing. Liz brings product and supply chain experience from leadership roles at Target, Best Buy, Staples and Dicks Sporting Goods. Liz joined Polyconcept North America (PCNA) in 2019.

Michele Pytlinski is the Senior Vice President of Client Strategy for Stran Promotional Solutions. She is a 12-year veteran to our industry, the co-chair of Stran’s “Women on The Rise” organization, and a proud member of CHIEF, the private network executive women rely on to raise their leadership game.

Tiffany Tarr, CAS is the Vice President of eCommerce Hit Promotional Products. She has 21 years of experience in B2B sales, focusing on technology sales and solutions. Tiffany has volunteered with PPAM since 2009, and has been on their Board of Directors, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President. She was awarded PPB Rising Star, was on the team that won PPAI Industry Collaborator and seven PPAI Technology Awards.