A letter from Emily Krause, President, AMA Richmond
To our AMA Richmond community,
July 1 marked the official start of a new chapter year, and I could not be more excited about the one ahead of us. Over the past several weeks, our board has been building the foundation for the 2026–2027 season: onboarding
our new Board of Directors, sharpening our sponsor and volunteer programs, and setting a theme that will guide
the decisions we make together. That theme is SPOTLIGHT.
SPOTLIGHT is not just a tagline for the year. It shapes how the board invests its time, how sponsors are treated
as partners rather than transactions, and how members, volunteers, and the broader marketing community are
recognized for the work they do. SPOTLIGHT rests on four simple actions.
CONNECT: Build intentional opportunities for our community to find each other.
LEARN: Deliver relevant, accessible education for marketers at every stage.
HONOR: Fulfill every sponsor commitment. Recognize every volunteer. Thank every member.
CELEBRATE: Shine a light on the people, stories, and impact of our community.
None of this happens without a strong board, and I am proud to share that our 2026–2027 Board of Directors is
now in place, spanning Communications, our Executive Committee, Membership, Operations, Outreach,
Programming, and Sponsorships. You can meet the full board and read more about this season’s leadership on our
website.
At our core, AMA Richmond exists to empower a dynamic community of marketers by advancing professional
and personal growth, connecting the region’s diverse talent, and driving meaningful impact through service. We
strive to be the vital community for all marketers in the Richmond region to learn, connect, serve, and grow. That
mission does not change from year to year. What changes is how intentionally we live it out, and this year,
SPOTLIGHT is how we plan to do that.
This is also where you come in. AMA Richmond is 100% powered by volunteers, from committee members
helping plan our next Happy Hour to board members shaping the chapter’s future. If you have been thinking about
getting more involved, whether through Programming, Membership, Mentorship, Sponsorship, or
Communications, now is the time. We would love to have you. Learn more about volunteering.
Everything we do is made possible by the incredible financial and in-kind sponsors that support our chapter. I
invite you to get to know our sponsors and connect with them. If your organization is interested in reaching
Richmond’s most engaged marketing community, we are also welcoming new sponsors and partners this season.
Learn more about partnering with AMA Richmond.
Finally, I want to hear from you. If you have thoughts on the programming you would like to see this year,
speakers you would love us to feature, or ways we can better serve our community, please reach out directly. This
chapter belongs to all of us, and the best ideas for the season ahead come from our members.
Thank you for being part of AMA Richmond. I am honored to serve as your President this season, and I cannot
wait to see what we shine a light on together.
Warmly,
Emily Krause
President, AMA Richmond
