Is the WordPress era over? And if so, where will agencies go? Will they choose low/no-code solutions? Or opt for more customizable Headless CMS platforms? Or will they just use AI to build full web applications (aka “vibe coding”) without needing a developer?
The panel will discuss what will be the state of WordPress in the next 5-ish years. Will it be something that you actually want to use to build sites for clients? And if not, where should agencies pivot? (i.e. what’s the most future-proof website option in 2026 and beyond?)
Zoom in to listen to expert opinions and get the opportunity to ask your own questions.
Panel
Daniel Kedinger Director of Creative & Digital Services MESH
AMA New Orleans has teamed up with the Adobe Creative Campus, AMA Tulane, Propeller, and the Tulane Freeman Business School to organize a regional marketing competition to provide undergraduate students with real-world experience.
Join AMA New Orleans on November 6th to support local students as they compete for the winning spot pitching to a panel of judges. Student Teams have developed strategic marketing plans for a local wellness company to increase brand awareness and drive sales. Giving back to New Orleans while building their resume!
Schwartz Family Center at the Tulane Freeman School of Business Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex (GWBC) Room 207 7 McAlister Drive New Orleans, LA 70118 Map
NOTE: see the EventBrite link for more detailed description on how to find the building.
Time
6 – 8.30pm
Price
Free.
Oct 16, 2025
October Happy Hour
Join the New Orleans marketing community as we network.
Whether you’re a member or just curious about AMA, join us at a Happy Hour Meetup at Bayou Beer Garden. There’s no agenda here, folks—we just want to create a space where you can network, ask questions, and collect ideas from your colleagues.
AMA Board members will be there, and we hope you will, too. Come say hello and join the conversation about all things marketing. Looking for work? Facing a new challenge? Bring it up here. It’s fun to talk shop with like-minded professionals.
Event open to 21+ only.
Price
Free.
Date & Time
Thursday October 16, 2025 6 – 8pm
Location
Bayou Beer Garden VIP area in the Courtyard 326 N Norman C Francis Parkway New Orleans, LA 70119 Map
Oct 01, 2025
AI is Changing SEO: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies
AMA New Orleans is hosting a panel of local SEO experts to discuss how AI is impacting search and what marketers should do to prepare.
AI is affecting everything in the marketing world, but perhaps nowhere more significantly than SEO. In addition to spawning a new round of “SEO is dead!” proclamations, AI is forcing marketers to dramatically shift their search strategies – and things aren’t about to get any easier.
Zoom in to listen to expert advice and get the opportunity to ask your own questions.
Summer Marketing Soiree: Genuine Marketing that Reflects our Rich Culture
Join us for a night of networking and discussing how we as marketers, advertisers, and creatives can more authentically reflect our rich culture in our work! After an hour of networking, there will be a panel featuring a variety of local community leaders sharing their strategies and experience in creating authentic marketing and creative campaigns.
All attendees will receive two complimentary beverages.
President Southeast Louisiana Regional Black Chamber of Commerce
Sharanda Strong Henry is a dynamic marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and community leader whose work bridges cultural heritage, business innovation, and economic empowerment. Based in New Orleans, Sharanda brings over 18 years of experience in brand development, client engagement, and strategic communication—particularly in industries serving multicultural and intergenerational communities.
She is the founding President of the Southeast Louisiana Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, where she champions the growth of Black-owned businesses across Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes. Sharanda is also the owner of Strong Loving Life, an insurance agency known for its compassionate, culturally competent approach to health and life coverage—especially for seniors and caregivers.
In every space she enters, Sharanda uplifts the unique stories and strengths of women, weaving authenticity and purpose into marketing practices that reflect the soul of New Orleans. Her voice on this panel reflects her belief that marketing in culturally rich communities isn’t just about strategy—it’s about storytelling, service, and standing in the power of who you are.
Malana M. Joseph Mitchell
VP of Public Relations at Spears Group
Malana M. Joseph Mitchell, a native of Edgard, Louisiana, is an award-winning public relations and brand strategist. She is the vice president of public relations for Spears Group, an award-winning strategic communications, creative, and public relations agency. Malana brings the company 19 years of experience in public relations, media, journalism, communications, and event planning. As vice president of public relations, Malana develops and implements high-level public relations strategies and manages media relations for top-tier clients such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Hancock Whitney, the National Basketball Association (NBA), Verizon, the National Fried Chicken Festival presented Raising Cane’s, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, among others. She was instrumental in helping the agency to receive its multiple Silver Anvil Awards, the highest honor given by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Also, Malana led communications efforts for two NBA All-Star Games that were hosted in New Orleans, generating hundreds of stories across the U.S.
Beginning her career in 2005 as a mayoral fellow in New Orleans City Government, she was instrumental in helping the administration get the city up and running following Hurricane Katrina. Mitchell spent several months in the city’s Emergency Operations Center coordinating national and international press following the storm. During her five-year tenure at City Hall, Malana served as a publicist, community affairs coordinator, and director of boards and commissions. Malana also led the production of the Mayor’s “One New Orleans Conversations,” a series of 27 community meetings across New Orleans. She was also responsible for securing venues in the community and coordinating with other city and elected officials.
Malana is a proud Magna Cum Laude graduate from Dillard University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a minor in Speech Communications. She earned her Master of Arts in Mass Communication and Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations from Kent State University. She is a member and the immediate past President of the New Orleans Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), New Orleans and Company PR Council, FirstLine Charter School Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the all-female Krewe of Muses. Additionally, she previously served as a board member of College Beyond and the New Orleans Arts Education Alliance.
She has also received countless awards, including PR Week’s Champions of PR, New Orleans Magazine’s Top Female Achiever, CityBusiness Woman of the Year (2018 and 2024), Communications Executive of the Year presented by the American Advertising Award (2018 and 2024), Stanford Who’s Who as well as the Ball of Fire and Plate Spinner Awards presented by PRSA.
She has partnered with organizations such as Lyra Health, BetterUp, Modern Health, CoachHub, and Headspace Health and has served as a Practicum Advisor at The Georgetown University Institute of Transformational Leadership, mentoring students on their journey to earning health and wellness credentials.
Passionate about whole-person success, Laila believes in the power of transformation through joy, resilience, and strategic action. She incorporates visioning, goal-setting, positive psychology, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and strength-based coaching into her work, guiding clients to break through barriers and step into their highest potential. Recognizing the need for practical tools to help high-achievers manage their time, energy, and priorities, she created WholeSOUL Happiness™, a 10-week online program designed to empower individuals to take control of their lives with strategic planning and a clear roadmap to success.
Laila’s mission is deeply personal. After overcoming significant life challenges—including unmanageable stress, infertility, and a battle with breast cancer—she emerged stronger, more resilient, and more determined to help others do the same. Her experience inspired the launch of Breast Cancer Unleashed: Where Every Topic Is Appropriate, a groundbreaking podcast that tackles the raw, unfiltered realities of breast cancer and chronic illness, offering support and empowerment to those on similar journeys.
In addition to her coaching practice, Laila is the Founder & President of LikeMinded Ladies™, a 501(c)(6) membership organization dedicated to connecting and uplifting women in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Through this powerful network, she fosters an environment where women support one another in achieving their professional and personal goals, creating a thriving community built on empowerment and collaboration.
Laila is also a columnist for Expert Profile Magazine, where she writes about maintaining spirit, resilience, and inner strength during life’s challenges. Through her writing, she provides insight and actionable strategies for navigating adversity with grace and personal power.
Before stepping into the coaching and leadership space, Laila had an accomplished career in media, public relations, and tourism marketing. An award-winning television and radio journalist, she later became a PR and marketing executive shaping New Orleans’ tourism industry through her work with MILES and New Orleans & Company, supporting over 1,100 business members with innovative content strategies. Her expertise in media messaging, brand storytelling, and strategic communication continues to help businesses and individuals amplify their presence and impact.
Laila lives in New Orleans with her husband, Tim, and their mischievous beagles, Champion and Nike. A lifelong learner with a deep passion for personal development, spirituality, wellness, and human potential, she is dedicated to helping others design lives of joy, success, and fulfillment. Whether coaching high-achievers, fostering community among women, or speaking on stages, Laila is an unwavering champion for transformation, empowerment, and the pursuit of an extraordinary life.
Fran McManus (Moderator)
VP of Marketing at Scott Equipment
Fran is a New Orleans native who loves making connections, especially when they involve travel. Thanks to educators, mentors and colleagues she’s met along the way, her professional background includes brand marketing and implementation, social media, PR, ad sales and advertising strategy. Much of her advertising career was spent working with the Louisiana Department of Culture Recreation and Tourism and over 60 Convention and Visitors Bureaus across the state promoting tourism –Louisiana’s unique music, culinary and cultural diversity. Her work has received multiple awards. Early this year she was the recipient of the Silver Medal Lifetime Achievement Award – chosen by the American Ad Fed New Orleans. She has hosted and participated in many panels- most recently for the Chamber Women’s Leadership Conference – addressing Taking the difficulty out of difficult conversations and in the past – Be the Flamingo, how to stand out in the crowd. Thanks to a husband and family that support her always, she serves on a number of boards including the Executive Advisory Board for Like Minded Ladies and Vice President of the Midsouth Women in Tourism. She has been active in several business, school and community organizations – New Orleans Chamber, Dress for Success, Ursuline Academy Board of Trustees and Diversity, Equity and Belonging committee, Louisiana Travel Promotion Association, New Orleans & Company, Volvo Construction Equipment Dealer Playhouse. Fran currently works as VP of Marketing for Scott Equipment – a heavy-duty construction equipment company with 16 locations in 5 states.
Jul 21, 2025
Communicating for Impact
AMA New Orleans is thrilled to announce Stan Phelps, author of Silver Goldfish: Loud & Clear, will present “Communicating for Impact” — a guide for marketers to cut through the noise and deliver their message with clarity and presence.
Based on Silver Goldfish, this keynote explores how to be LOUD (engaging) and CLEAR (organized and compelling) in every communication. Whether presenting to the C-suite or leading a team meeting, learn how to connect with confidence and clarity under pressure.
Key Takeaways
The five keys to audience engagement
Why structure beats spontaneity
How to be remembered—and understood
St. Noir has graciously allowed us to use their space for our coffee happy hour and presentation. We ask our guests to please show St. Noir their support by patronizing the cafe during the event. Buy a coffee, pastry, or glass of wine (or all three!) and help us pay it forward!
Stan Phelps is the best-selling author of the acclaimed Goldfish Series of books. Stan has spoken at 70 AMA Chapters and is a Former Gold Chapter of the Year President.
Book Giveaway!
Two lucky attendees will receive a copy of Stan’s book Silver Goldfish at the event. Anyone who registers is automatically entered to win.
Price
Free.
Time
6-8pm
Location
St. Noir Café 1128 St Roch Ave New Orleans, LA 70117 View map
May 30, 2025
AAF’s Crawfish Connect
AAF New Orleans & AAF Baton Rouge invite the members of AMA New Orleans to attend The Crawfish Connect for an afternoon of games, beers, and—you guessed it!—crawfish!
This networking event is open to all marketing professions throughout southern Louisiana.
Tickets include 2 drink tickets and Crawfish from NOLA BOILS!
Price
$20 per person. AMA NOLA members will have received a discount code through the email newsletter.
Time
4:00-7:00pm
Location
New Orleans City Park Shelter 1 9 Victory Ave New Orleans, LA 70124 Google Map
May 28, 2025
May Happy Hour
Join the New Orleans marketing community as we network and meet the new 2025-2026 Board Members.
Whether you’re a member or just curious about AMA, join us at a Happy Hour Meetup at Zea’s Restaurant! There’s no agenda here, folks—we just want to create a space where you can network, ask questions, and collect ideas from your colleagues.
AMA Board members will be there, and we hope you will, too. Come say hello and join the conversation about all things marketing. Looking for work? Facing a new challenge? Bring it up here. It’s fun to talk shop with like-minded professionals.
Price
Free. RSVP (Eventbrite) required.
Time
5:30-7:30pm
Location
Zea Rotisserie & Bar 5080 Pontchartrain Blvd New Orleans, LA 70118 Google Map
Apr 29, 2025
College to Career Workshop: Stand Out & Get Hired
Join the New Orleans American Marketing Association for our College to Career Workshop, an exclusive event designed to help young professionals like you build your brand and make a strong entrance into the industry.
Get a professional headshot to elevate your LinkedIn profile.
Receive expert resume feedback from industry pros.
Network with marketing professionals who can offer real-world advice.
Enjoy complimentary small bites while making valuable connections.
This free event is open to college students and young professionals under 21 who are eager to jumpstart their careers. Don’t miss this chance to build your brand, sharpen your skills, and set yourself up for success!
Date & Time
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Location
Salon22 2407 Bienville St New Orleans, LA 70119 Google Maps
Price
FREE and open to the public!
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