Board & Leadership Team

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More than 27 years in strategic leadership and execution, serving as Board Member for publicly traded Clientele Life South Africa, the Organizational Board of IFA, 4Life Direct London, 4Life Direct Poland and 4Life Direct Hungary. Francois cut his teeth at Clientele Life where he won several awards in growing their insurance business for the group and very shortly afterwards took over as CEO of the IFA Organization, a distribution business for Clientele Life in South Africa. After growing this business to over 2 million members and more than 25,000 distributors, he moved his family to Oxford UK and joined 4Life Direct International as a partner to expand insurance operations in Europe. After a stint as CEO of 4Life Direct Poland, Francois took over the role as SVP of Recruitment, Training and New Business Development to expand the business into Hungary, Czech, Slovakia, and Greece, whilst remaining on as President for 4Life Direct Poland.

In 2019, Francois exited out of the insurance operations in Europe, took a sabbatical to finish his 2^nd Master’s degree and spend time with his family after which business interests drew Francois and his family to Austin Texas, where he is now involved with the Better Business Bureau, as well as, several startups including a pet retail and insurance business, as well as, an electric vehicle conversion concept. 

Francois graduated from HULT INternational Business School with an MBA and from King’s College London with a MSC in Marketing. He is also Alumni Chapter Lead for Hult in Texas. Francois took over the role of Strategic Partnership at American Marketing Association Austin in 2021 and was appointed as President in 2022.

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Dr. Becerra earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University (1982), his Master of Business Administration from University of Florida (1984), and his Ph.D. in Marketing from Florida Atlantic University (2006). He has 14 years of experience in finance and international business. After completing his doctorate, Dr. Becerra joined Texas State University as an assistant professor in 2005. Dr. Becerra earned tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in 2011, and promotion to Professor in 2017. He served as interim Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Media and Markets in 2013-14, and currently serves as Chair, Department of Marketing.

He earned the McCoy College of Business Gary V. Woods Research Award in 2012. Dr. Becerra has published in several well-respected peer reviewed journals including Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Advertising Research, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Journal of Psychology & Marketing, and Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services among others.

He serves on the editorial board of Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Marketing Analytics, and The International Journal of Hispanic Media, and he was leading co-chair of the 2017 Association for Consumer Research Latin America Conference, held in Cali, Colombia.

Dr. Becerra also serves as the CFO for the American Marketing Association.

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Amy has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of business-to-business marketing for professional services and technology firms. With a passion for brand building via strategic storytelling, she leads innovative, comprehensive marketing programs that drive revenue while positioning subject matter experts as eminent thought leaders. Amy is the VP of Membership for the Austin AMA, where she leads a team responsible for growing and retaining membership. 

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Cole is a seasoned Marketing Operations Specialist at American Innovations. His company specializes in compliance software and hardware for oil and gas companies. He manages the technology stack for the marketing organization along with providing field marketing support for industry events.

Cole has a passion for marketing analytics, automation, and product marketing and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, majoring in Marketing Communications from Texas State University. Eat em’ up, Cats!  He is also a Texas native and avid outdoorsman, and when I’m not working, you can probably find him at one of our many state parks camping or on a hike.

Cole has taken on the important role of Director of Membership Communications for the American Marketing Association Austin. Not only does he bring with him a wealth of experience but his enthusiasm and willingness to serve the marketing community is a huge asset to our members and the AMA. 

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After transitioning into marketing after a decade as a print journalist, Travis Summers has built a track record of success as marketing leader, primarily in the hospitality industry, where he currently serves as head of marketing and outside sales for Pinballz. 

For AMA Austin, Travis is in charge of all communications including social media, newsletters, emails, website content, and making sure their’s not any typos in our formal copy.

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Kierra Parks is a dynamic and multi-faceted professional with a deep passion for digital marketing. She has robust expertise in email design, content strategy development, market analysis, and project management. As the Director of MarTech at the Austin American Marketing Association, Kierra is pivotal in advancing the organization's marketing technology capabilities.

Kierra develops and refines workflows across applications to streamline and enhance marketing processes. She spearheads the execution of the marketing technology roadmap, overseeing the implementation of cutting-edge marketing technologies. Her precision and agility in managing projects ensure their timely and effective delivery. Additionally, Kierra conducts thorough audits and evaluations of the marketing technology stack, focusing on digital content management, automation capabilities, and comprehensive reporting.

Beyond her professional achievements, Kierra is a committed advocate for social justice, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of life. She is dedicated to promoting fair business practices, supporting underrepresented groups, and driving meaningful social causes. Kierra believes in making a positive impact within her professional sphere and the broader community.

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