STUDENT
ROADSHOW
2025
The American Advertising Federation (District 7) and the Public Relations Council of Alabama have a lot in common.
Our shared focus is on developing and retaining talented communicators, marketers, writers and advertisers within the vibrant creative community here in north Alabama.
What better way to share our knowledge, skills and experience than to get inside the classrooms and show students the vast opportunities and support that our members have to offer? Join us as we share tips, strategies and stories intended to help you get interview-ready, find a mentor, land an internship or jobs, and then excel in your career. We’ll also answer all of your burning questions!
We are bringing industry professional speakers to local colleges and universities to have creative discussions about the advertising, marketing and public relations industries.
“This is a great opportunity for current and up-and-coming creatives to realize the support and the amount of talent that is vibrant in north Alabama. Come see why!”
Tom PattersonCreative Director for Bold Agency
AAFNA Student Outreach Chair
Student Roadshow 2024 Organizer
PANELISTS
Her professional journey began while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and Public Policy at Oakwood University, taking on roles in social media, digital strategy, and event production for organizations including a global health nonprofit. These early experiences shaped her passion for storytelling, strategic communication, and community-centered work. After graduating in 2020, she pivoted into congressional communications, gaining a strong foundation in public affairs and advocacy. She later moved into corporate and agency roles in Washington, D.C. and New York City, contributing to work at top global firms including Publicis Groupe, R/GA, and Omnicom Group, and helping shape campaigns for Fortune 50 brands such as Verizon, Amazon, and Walmart.
Leonorah is the Founder of Salt and Light Initiative (sali) a culture-forward consultancy dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations craft authentic, community-rooted narratives. She is also a board member of the American Advertising Federation of North Alabama, alumna of the adfellows 6.0 class, and recipient of the Emerging Leaders award by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
She recently debuted as a fine artist, using sculpture and mixed media to explore themes of identity, healing, and personal transformation. Whether through brand storytelling or visual art, her work is grounded in the belief that creativity is a powerful tool for connection and change.
Her favorite creative platforms? Pinterest for visual inspiration, TikTok for bold, honest storytelling, and Substack for long-form reflection and community-building through the written word.
With a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and a Minor in Marketing, she seamlessly blends creativity with strategic thinking. Her passion in design is shown through her commitments and work towards Design Week Huntsville. Beyond work, Ashton enjoys painting, designing apparel, reading, and keeping up with the latest design trends.
For the past six years, I worked closely with Louise Fili as her senior designer at Louise Fili Ltd and now as a partner at our type foundry, Tipofili. Having worked on smaller teams, my responsibilities often extended beyond just design-work and into art direction, account management, and operations. And while I am comfortable working independently within a team, I most enjoy working collaboratively as a member of one.
Nearing a decade now in the creative trenches, Tyler brings a storyteller’s curiosity, a strategist’s swagger, and a street-smarts sense of what makes people stop, feel something, and act.
“Every lived (and unlived) experience finds its way into my work. Each one has a story. And stories are sticky.”
leader, web developer and graphic designer with broad-based expertise in ad, print, and web
production as well as extensive experience in campaign development, project management,
layout/content design, brand development, web design/implementation, product
animations/illustrations, video pre and post production, and trade-show design
management.
His duties include providing strategic direction for the not-for-profit Institute’s integrated marketing and communications efforts. He also helps create, develop and execute a range of strategies and tactics to advance the visibility and reputation of the HudsonAlpha brand.
Kelley joined HudsonAlpha from Children’s of Alabama, one of the nation’s largest pediatric healthcare systems. Before Children’s, he held communication and marketing roles at AAA-Alabama and the University of Montevallo.
He earned degrees from Auburn University and the University of Alabama where he worked in both schools’ athletic department public relations offices and covered local and state news for several state newspapers and other publications as both an undergraduate and graduate student.
Kelley is an active member of the Alabama chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), which he represented on the Universal Accreditation Board from 2014-17. He and his wife, Natalie, have two sons, Jesse and AJ.
ROADSHOWS LOCATIONS & DATES
Oakwood University
Monday April 21
Time: 5:30 PM
Moderator: Tom Patterson
Speakers: Leah Hall
UAH
Tuesday April 22
Time: 4 PM
Moderator: Tom Patterson
Speakers:
Alabama A&M
Friday April 25
Time: 11 AM
Moderator: Tom Patterson
Speakers:
TOPICS COVERED
- Tools of the Trade
- Networking
- Portfolios & Resumes
- Social Media Recommendations
- The Intangibles
- Freelancing
- Generational Differences
- Value Your Work
- Legal Considerations
- Open Q&A time