2026 SFEA Annual Conference: All Shook Up!

Jessica Chinyelu, “The Sponsorship Lady”, is the visionary Founder of SL Consulting, a highly sought-after social impact consultancy dedicated to helping global companies achieve meaningful goals that foster diverse change and deliver measurable impact. Additionally, she is the mastermind behind The Sponsored Society, an exclusive membership program designed to help organizations strategically boost their sponsorship revenue with unwavering consistency. Jessica's innovative methodologies have revolutionized the means by which global influencers and organizations optimize their financial streams through strategic sponsorships, resulting in remarkable profitability. Her passion for teaching corporate sponsorship and activation strategies initially manifested through the creation of the immensely successful Woman of Purpose Conferences, which consistently sold out. Jessica orchestrated the acquisition of multiple six-figure sponsorships to facilitate these transformative events, catapulting her reputation as a trusted advisor for influencers and event curators eager to replicate her success. Renowned as an in-demand Sponsorship Consultant, Strategist, and Speaker, Jessica has collaborated with esteemed companies such as JP Morgan Chase, Discover, Walmart Connect, The Container Store, Deloitte, H&R Block, Methodist Health Systems, Brinker International, and numerous other globally recognized enterprises. Thanks to Jessica's expertise, her clients and students have secured sponsorships from esteemed entities like Cricket Wireless, Experian, Toyota, Origin Bank, Compassion International, Microsoft, and many other prestigious organizations. Jessica's remarkable accomplishments have garnered extensive media attention, and she has been featured in esteemed publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, Black Enterprise, Essence, BuzzFeed, DailyMail UK, Cosmopolitan, as well as on prominent platforms including ABC News, Good Morning Texas, XONecole, and several other influential media outlets. Jessica obtained her Bachelor of Sciences in Legal Studies and a Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Health Systems Management from Texas Woman’s University. Residing in Celina, Texas, Jessica enjoys sharing her life with her loving husband and two beautiful children.

Jason G. Zinser is a returning SFEA conference speaker with over 13 years of experience in communications, strategic marketing, and live event production. As VP of Strategic Operations and Communications at Romeo Entertainment Group, Jason combines expertise in marketing with a passion for behavioral science and the responsible application of technology in business practices. His AI-focused talk continues to explore practical, ethical uses of technology in the event industry, while his “Science of Why We Buy” session reveal how understanding human psychology can help marketers create more effective, emotionally resonant ticket sales strategies. Jason’s diverse insights equip event professionals to make smarter, more impactful marketing decisions.

Emily Presley is the current opiate overdose awareness peer support specialist for Communicare in Oxford. She is currently the Narcan trainer and travels to different regions of Mississippi educating and bringing awareness to our communities about the importance of Narcan, which reverses opioid overdoses. Originally from Memphis, TN, she graduated from St. Agnes Academy and attended Mississippi State University, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration. After working in public relations for a large obstetrics and gynecological practice in Memphis, Emily pursued a career in the medical field. She graduated from Baptist College of Health Sciences with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2006 and practiced nursing for 10 years until an addiction to opiates derailed her life. She obtained her certification through Mississippi State Department of Mental Health and became a certified peer support specialist. Emily has 3 years of experience helping others with substance use disorders through her experience, strength, and hope to live a new way of life. When the opportunity became available to use her medical background to train people on Narcan and opioid reversal, she jumped at the opportunity. She is passionate about saving as many lives as possible and being an active participant in fighting the opioid crisis that is affecting our country. Emily enjoys her family and friends, and being active and of service in her 12-step fellowship. Her new Shih Tzu puppy has also brought joy to her life.

Paloma Wu serves as Deputy Director of Impact Litigation at the Mississippi Center for Justice. She has litigated cases challenging racial bias in policing and police hiring; discrimination against persons with disabilities; youth jail and prison conditions; and laws targeting free speech and the right to vote. Paloma runs a statewide legal support network for civil rights protesters, and she represents protesters in civil and criminal proceedings. Paloma was previously Acting Senior Supervising Attorney for Criminal Justice Reform at the Southern Poverty Law Center; Legal Director of the ACLU of Mississippi; and an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she litigated securities matters. Before becoming a lawyer, Paloma was an investigator for death-sentenced people in a capital habeas unit, and she served on a legal team representing all people with mental illness in California prisons.

Summer Chappell Waldrip has been working as a nationally certified sign language interpreter for 25 years. Summer is a native user of American Sign Language and holds a master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Memphis and is currently pursuing a PhD. at the University of Mississippi. In addition to being a professional interpreter, Summer is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and teaches ASL Interpreting at Ole Miss. Summer has provided training to law enforcement, sign language interpreters, counselors, and community members on various topics over the last 20 years.

Renée A. Van Sickle is a community development leader and public administration professional with a decade of experience in local government, land use planning, policy development, and community engagement. She currently serves as the Community Development Manager for the City of Winder, Georgia, where she oversees the city’s land use processes, leads a multidisciplinary team, and has secured more than $8.2 million in competitive grant funding to support major capital and community initiatives. Renée’s career includes roles with the cities and counties in West central Florida, and with the City of Winder, Georgia by way of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Local Government Management Fellowship. Through Renée’s tenure, she has led ordinance development for special events, entertainment districts, and street cafés, and strengthened the organization’s capacity in grant writing and grant administration. Renée holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Central Florida and a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy & Administration from St. Petersburg College. She is an active member of ICMA, the American Planning Association, and Florida and Georgia professional associations supporting women in government leadership and people of color. She is passionate about helping communities thrive through thoughtful policy, strategic partnerships, and inclusive public engagement.

Kyle has been working in media for 24 years now, and with the Advance Local for the last 14 years. Born in West Texas, Kyle has moved around quite a bit. He spent his early years in Denver, Colorado before landing in New Orleans where he graduated from high school. From there Kyle went to Ohio University where he studied broadcast journalism. As a journalist Kyle won a regional Emmy Award and several AP awards. That job took him to Wisconsin and then Birmingham, Alabama. While Kyle has lived in Birmingham for the last 21 years, he frequently is sleeping elsewhere as he travels often. His adventurous spirit has taken him up tall mountains and down raging rivers as he’s always looking for new travel adventures. When not traveling Kyle heads up strategy and sales for Advance Travel and Tourism where he works with DMO’s and attractions to understand and tell their stories.

Ashley Elkins is the President and Founder of Vitality South, a creative marketing agency, and the Owner of Active DataComm, an I.T. solutions company specializing in tech support, cybersecurity, and custom software. With over 15 years of experience in marketing and a strong background in organizational leadership, Ashley brings a rare blend of strategic insight and technical expertise to every project. She holds a Marketing degree from Mississippi University for Women and an MBA from Georgia State University with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and Development. A dynamic speaker and community leader, Ashley is passionate about helping tourism professionals harness the power of technology and AI to drive engagement, efficiency, and growth. Based in Tupelo, Mississippi, she lives with her husband Chris and their two ambitious daughters, balancing innovation in business with a deep commitment to family and community.

Abby Lee Carter is the founder and owner of BrioLIVE Entertainment, a dynamic company known for delivering unforgettable live entertainment experiences. With a passion for the live music experience and an entrepreneurial spirit, Abby has built BrioLIVE into a trusted name in the industry—synonymous with professionalism, creativity, and excellence. Abby has been around the music industry since she was born... literally, she was toddling around festivals across the Southeast while her dad’s band performed! She always says that she got her start in the industry as a merch-girl at the age of eight. Her passion for music directly correlates with her deep love for special events and festivals. In 2011, she earned a Certificate in Meeting & Event Planning from UNC Charlotte. After graduating from UNC Charlotte with a B.A. in Communications in May of 2012, Abby joined Green Dot Music as an Entertainment Consultant and the Social Media Director. Those roles transferred over when she started brioLIVE Entertainment in the Summer of 2016. She enjoys booking both regional and national acts and has worked with artists such as Neon Trees, Collective Soul, Big & Rich, The Fray, Brothers Osborne, Smash Mouth, Loverboy, Rick Springfield, 38 Special, and Joe Diffie, just to name a handful. Dedicated not only to live entertainment but also to empowering artists, and elevating the live entertainment space, Abby continues to push boundaries, bringing bold ideas to life and inspiring others through her work with Brio.

Luke Hatfield is the owner of Hatfield Creative, specializing in commercial printing as well as promo and apparel fulfillment solutions. He started in the industry in 2015 and has worked with clients nationwide on projects such as medical kit fulfillment, apparel stores, large format graphic buildouts for retail shops, and more. He holds a Bachelor's of Business Administration from Western Michigan University where he specialized in Sales and Business Marketing. Luke is always on the look out for new industry trends and looking for creative new ways to help his clients succeed.

"Brian is a passionate advocate for thriving local communities who grew up in the charming Gold Rush town of Placerville, CA. As an MBA research project at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business, he sought to tackle ""the local marketing problem"". As the founder and CEO of Locable, he is also the author of “Marketing 3-4-5™: The Business Owner's Guide to Effective Local Marketing in 15-Minutes or Less.” Locable’s software powers nearly 200 local media websites, over a hundred Main Street Programs, and thousands of small businesses across the US. Brian and his family recently concluded a multi-year cross-country tour in which he taught Marketing 3-4-5™ to small businesses through workshops nationwide and now resides with his family of 7 in Middle Tennessee."

As the CEO of EventHub, Michael has presented dozens of educational sessions at conferences including at SFEA, IFEA, FFEA, CalFest, WFEA, Western Fairs, RMAF, IAFE, Washington Association of Fairs, and others. He shares both insights and relevant data from working with dozens of city special events teams, and hundreds of festivals, fairs, expos, and sports properties across the US and Canada, in addition to his own direct experiences as a former festival and sponsorship director. EventHub is the leading fair and festival vendor software and mapping platform in the United States.

Kyndra has 30 years of event management experience. She began her career in 1996 at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff AZ. As the director of the City of Knoxville’s Office of Special Events, Kyndra and her team coordinates hundreds of events held on City property per year, helping organizers plan and obtain permits to close roads, provide traffic control, schedule fire safety inspections, and serve food and alcohol. She also supports the Mayor’s office and other city departments internal events. The department also coordinates visits from residents of Knoxville’s sister city, Muroran, Japan. Kyndra also serves as Vice Chair for Marketing and Communications for the Municipal Special Events Summit, a conference for government event professionals and industry planners, coming together to share best practices and set new standards in event management.

Kumi Alderman is the Executive Director of the Asian Culture Center of Tennessee (ACCTN) and the founder of the award-winning Knox Asian Festival, one of the Southeast’s most vibrant and respected cultural celebrations. Since establishing ACCTN in 2014, Kumi has dedicated her career to promoting cultural understanding, diversity, and unity across East Tennessee. Under her visionary leadership, the Knox Asian Festival has grown from a small, local gathering into a major regional festival drawing tens of thousands of attendees each year. The festival highlights authentic performances, traditional arts, educational outreach, and cuisines representing more than a dozen Asian countries. It has become an essential cultural platform, fostering community connection and elevating Tennessee’s global identity. The festival’s excellence has earned significant recognition. In 2024, the Knox Asian Festival received the Best Festival Award from the Southeast Festivals & Events Association and the Iris Award from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Kumi was also honored by the Government of Japan with the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for advancing mutual understanding between Japan and the United States. In 2025, she was named Community Leader of the Year by the USPAACC (U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce), recognizing her outstanding contributions to cultural development and community empowerment. Beyond the festival, Kumi leads impactful year-round initiatives through ACCTN, including cultural education in schools, senior centers, and diverse community organizations. These programs reach thousands annually, offering interactive experiences in language, arts, culinary traditions, and cultural appreciation. Kumi continues to champion a vision of building a more welcoming, inclusive, and globally aware community. Her leadership has made the Asian Culture Center of Tennessee a trusted partner in cultural education, tourism development, and community-building throughout the Southeast.

Originally from the Adirondack Region of Upstate New York, Tom later moved to North Carolina, then Louisiana and back to North Carolina. Tom is an entrepreneur from Plymouth, NC who received his BS in Business Administration at East Carolina University in 1979. Upon graduation, Tom set off on his own and began a wooden pallet business in Louisiana. Success bred success and Tom’s business grew until he had 12 corporations in six states. Over the years he migrated away from the wood products manufacturing industry and became more involved in real estate, agri-business and marketing. He has done marketing for the outdoor industry from Alaska to Africa as well as for communities and counties. Tom serves as the Director of the Washington County Travel & Tourism Authority for the last 15 years as a side job. In 2015 created the wildly successful NC Black Bear Festival that has now become the National Black Bear Festival. The event has won Best Festival in North Carolina and the Southeast several times. In his spare time, Tom enjoys paddling, painting, photography and travel, having visited all 50 states and over 50 countries.

Kelsey Fleming is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations at Thalassas, where she leads strategic initiatives focused on marine debris reduction and coastal resilience. With a strong background in research programming, Kelsey designed and implemented a first-of-its-kind cigarette butt recycling program in Coastal Mississippi. The initiative not only diverts harmful waste from local waterways but also generates direct support for graduate students pursuing environmental research, creating a sustainable model that combines conservation, community engagement, and academic advancement.

Elizabeth Russell, TMP, currently serves as the In-Market Strategist for the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB). In this role, she manages visitor experience, engages with community partners to develop unique tourism products and experiences, and collaborates with industry partners to encourage deeper engagement with the Tupelo community for travelers visiting the city. Elizabeth joined the TCVB in 2016 after serving as the Marketing and Public Relations Director with the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association (DTMA). Prior to her work in Main Street, Elizabeth spent 10 years with the Marketing and Public Relations Department at North Mississippi Health Services, headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi. A graduate of the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College, Elizabeth is also the recipient of the 2021 Southeast Tourism Society Rising Star Award. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Festivals and Events Association and is a member of the Mississippi Tourism Association and Southeast Tourism Society. A cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Elizabeth is the mother of two boys, Walker and Lewis, and resides in Tupelo, Mississippi.

"Courtney Holcomb serves as the Special Events Coordinator for the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau. In this role she handles all special event permitting for the City of Tupelo, while working with event organizers to host successful festivals and special events. She also works to bring new and exciting events to Tupelo for visitors and citizens of the city. Prior to her role at the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau, Courtney served as Events Coordinator at the Cadence Bank Arena & Conference Center where she managed 600 events annually held at the facility. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, working in hotels and event centers. Courtney enjoys giving back to Tupelo through involvement in several community organizations. She currently serves as president of the P.E.O. Chapter AC and as vice president of the Early Childhood Education Center Parent Teacher Organization. She is a recent graduate of STS Marketing College; receiving her TMP and Festivals & Events certificate in 2025. A graduate of Millsaps College, Courtney lives in Tupelo with her husband Alan, and four children, Mackenzie (10), Savannah (7), Alaina (5), and Calvin (11 months)."

Devin Murray is the Digital Strategist at the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau. With a degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from the University of Mississippi, Devin is passionate about authentic storytelling and strategic marketing, with a focus on navigating the continuously evolving landscape of social media and digital marketing. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she brings a unique perspective to promoting Tupelo, viewing the city through both the lens of a local and that of a visitor. Devin oversees social media strategy, content development, and digital campaigns that highlight Tupelo’s culture, history, businesses, and experiences. She is dedicated to creating compelling, high-quality content that engages residents while positioning Tupelo as a unique tourism destination.