American Marketing Association Chicago Names Karen Hatfield as President for 2026–2027 Term
For Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Comes
Ripson Group
chris.comes@ripsongroup.com
Six new board members join as chapter continues to grow its reach across Chicago’s marketing community
CHICAGO, IL – July 15, 2026 — The American Marketing Association, Chicago chapter, the largest professional chapter in the American Marketing Association’s North American network, today announced its 2026/2027 Board of Directors. The new leadership slate took effect July 1, 2026.
Karen Hatfield has been named President, succeeding Chris McGuire, who remains on the Executive Committee as Immediate Past President. A Kellogg MBA with more than 30 years in marketing, Hatfield is President and Chief Marketing Officer of Pythia Marketing Strategy Consulting, a Chicago-based firm where she works with companies ranging from Fortune 500 insurers to startups as a fractional CMO. Her prior corporate roles include Kimberly-Clark and Allstate. Hatfield has been a fixture in the AMA Chicago community for years — she joined the chapter as a BrandSmart committee member, moved into a programming leadership role, and served on the Executive Committee as President-Elect during the 2025–2026 term before stepping into the presidency.
AMA Chicago also welcomed six new members to its board:
- Carrie Campbell, Secretary; Executive Coach & Founder, Carried Away Consulting
- Matt Feodoroff, Member at Large; Senior Manager, Sales and Client Solutions at LinkedIn
- Meghan Konrad, Director of Membership; Senior Manager, B2B Marketing & Media at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America
- Eva Penar, Member at Large; Chief Content and Communications Officer at The Executives’ Club of Chicago
- Kristian Alomá, Ph.D., Director of Programming; Founder & CEO of Threadline
- Chris Comes, Director of Public Relations; President, Ripson Group
“Chicago has one of the most active marketing communities in the country, and AMA Chicago has been at the center of it for nearly nine decades,” said Hatfield. “I’m honored to step into this role and look forward to building on the strong foundation Chris and the board have established — connecting more marketers across the city, creating programming that’s genuinely useful, and making sure AMA Chicago continues to reflect the full range of people who make up this profession.”
In addition to new members, the following board members return for the 2026/2027 term:
- Jennifer Severns, President-elect; Founder & Chief Experience Officer, Severns Innovation Group
- Chris McGuire, Immediate Past President; Director of Client Growth and Engagement, McGuffin Creative Group, Inc.
- Tony Blasco, Treasurer; CFO, Zeno Group
- Maggie Bahler Rizzio, Vice President, Membership Relations; Communications Manager, Archdiocese Chicago
- Lauren Nagys, Vice President, Programming; Director of Marketing, Smalley
- Jamie McGarry, Vice President, Sponsorship; Integrated Business Development and Growth Lead, Quad
- Srinivas Reddy, Vice President, Marketing Insights; Head of Marketing, QuaXigma
- Larissa Doucette, Director, Communications; Marketing and Communications Director, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
- Steve Krull, Director, Sponsorship; CEO, Be Found Online
- Omo Ogbomo-Williams, Director, Inclusion; Global Senior Manager, VML
- Suky Lawlor, Member at Large; Director, Marketing & Communications, M. Holland Company
- Tim Carr, Member at Large, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Consumer Industries, Oracle
- Josh Blacksmith, Member at Large; Senior Director, Global Integrated Marketing and Experiences, Kimberly-Clark
- Christine Buck, Member at Large; Chief Marketing Officer, Minitab
- Karolyn Raphael, Member at Large; President, Winger Marketing
- Peg Murphy, Member at Large; Associate Professor, Communications Department, Columbia College Chicago
- Joe Grigsby, Member at Large; Global Client & AI Lead, VML
The board’s Executive Committee includes Executive Director Bonnie Massa, Karen Hatfield, Jennifer Severns, Chris McGuire, Carrie Campbell, and Tony Blasco.
“Karen brings exactly the kind of strategic marketing experience and genuine passion for this community that a role like this demands. She’s been a part of this chapter for years, and watching her step into the presidency feels like a natural next step for AMA Chicago,” said Massa. “We’re also excited to add six new board members who each bring something distinct to the table — fresh perspective, deep networks, and real commitment to what we’re building here.”
AMA Chicago offers a variety of membership options for individuals and groups. For more information, visit amachicago.org.
