Mission Driven.
Results Focused.
We support, guide, and promote trade associations, professional societies, and charitable organizations from any array of industries and disciplines around the world.
Our People
Robin Applebaum
Senior Vice President | AtlantaRobin Applebaum
Senior Vice President
Atlanta
Tomas Babicky
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsTomas Babicky
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Carole Bachmann
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsCarole Bachmann
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Marco Baldoli
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsMarco Baldoli
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Abiola Bankole-Hameed
Chief Financial Officer | AtlantaAbiola Bankole-Hameed
Chief Financial Officer
Atlanta
Céline Benini
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsCéline Benini
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Marian Brestovansky
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsMarian Brestovansky
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Carl-Eric Portaels
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsCarl-Eric Portaels
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Giorgio Corbetta
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsGiorgio Corbetta
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Patricia Ferchland-Bingham
Vice President | ChicagoPatricia Ferchland-Bingham
Vice President
Chicago
John Ferraro
Executive Vice President | Washington, D.C.John Ferraro
Executive Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Michael Fischer
Vice President | Washington, D.C.Michael Fischer
Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Neil Gottlieb
Executive Vice President | Washington, D.C.Neil Gottlieb
Executive Vice President
Washington, D.C.
JerrieLynn Kind
Group Vice President | ChicagoJerrieLynn Kind
Group Vice President
Chicago
Chris Krueger
Group Vice President | Washington, D.C.Chris Krueger
Group Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Huw Longton
Senior Communications Manager | BrusselsHuw Longton
Senior Communications Manager
Brussels
Amy Luckado
Senior Vice President | Washington, D.C.Amy Luckado
Senior Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Matt Mantione
Group Vice President | Washington, D.C.Matt Mantione
Group Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Françoise Maon
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsFrançoise Maon
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Gert Meylemans
Communications Director | BrusselsGert Meylemans
Communications Director
Brussels
Jeannie Milewski
Senior Vice President | AtlantaJeannie Milewski
Senior Vice President
Atlanta
Michelle Miller
Senior Vice President | ChicagoMichelle Miller
Senior Vice President
Chicago
Nuria Moreno
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsNuria Moreno
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Molly Alton Mullins
President | Washington, D.C.Molly Alton Mullins
President
Washington, D.C.
Adriana Nosewicz
Association Director | BrusselsAdriana Nosewicz
Association Director
Brussels
Rosario Palmieri
Group Vice President | Washington, D.C.Rosario Palmieri
Group Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Robert Rankin
Group Vice President | Washington, D.C.Robert Rankin
Group Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Jakub Rusek
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsJakub Rusek
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Clarissa Russell
Vice President | Washington, D.C.Clarissa Russell
Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Pau Sanchis Matoses
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsPau Sanchis Matoses
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Maria Teresa Scardigli
Executive Vice President & Managing Director | BrusselsMaria Teresa Scardigli
Executive Vice President & Managing Director
Brussels
René Schroeder
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsRené Schroeder
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Katarina Sipic
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsKatarina Sipic
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Kari Stringfellow
Senior Vice President | Washington, D.C.Kari Stringfellow
Senior Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Stefan Thomann
Senior Association Manager | BrusselsStefan Thomann
Senior Association Manager
Brussels
Joanna Truitt
Vice President | Washington, D.C.Joanna Truitt
Vice President
Washington, D.C.
James Vrac
Senior Vice President | Washington, D.C.James Vrac
Senior Vice President
Washington, D.C.
Philip Waitzman
Group Vice President | ChicagoPhilip Waitzman
Group Vice President
Chicago
Robin Applebaum
Senior Vice President
Robin Applebaum is a seasoned communications executive with extensive agency experience in New York and Atlanta. She leads Kellen’s communication team in Atlanta, which has a proven track record of providing clients strategic communications programs that help grow their brand and positively influence their target audiences using custom integrated marketing, public relations, and online/social media plans. Robin is responsible for clients such as the Airline Passenger Experience and the Infant Nutrition Council of America, and has previously led PR efforts for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s childhood obesity program, the 93rd PGA Championship, Chanel, and Sony Pictures, as well as numerous B2B and B2C marketing programs and campaigns. As a former TV producer, Robin has a strong, proven track record working with many national media outlets including TODAY, CNBC, Bloomberg, New York Times, Associated Press, and USA Today, to name just a few.
Tomas Babicky
Senior Association Manager
Tomas works as European Affairs Manager at European Rental Association (ERA). Tomas is responsible for the public affairs activities of ERA and for its projects related to sustainability, circular economy and digitalisation.
Tomas also works as the EU Regulatory Affairs Manager at the International Association on Lighting Designers (IALD) and is involved in the EU advocacy of several clients in the chemicals sector.
Prior to joining Kellen, Tomas worked as a diplomat at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union, focusing on EU trade policy. Before that he worked as an EU policies specialist at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Czech Republic in Prague.
Tomas holds a Master´s degree in International Relations and European Studies from Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic and a postgraduate certificate in International Trade and Investment from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Tomas speaks English, Czech, French and some German.
Carole Bachmann
Senior Association Manager
Carole Bachmann is a senior consultant at Kellen, predominantly serving the European Rental Association (ERA), the representative association of the European equipment rental industry, based in Brussels.
Spanning a career of more than 25 years, her experience in the construction equipment and building systems industry includes her role as managing director, Europe for the rental software company, Wynne Systems, as director in charge of IT, Quality and Safety and M&A in the European rental company, Loxam, and as an internal auditor with Bull and in financial services/consulting at Arthur Andersen.
Carole also manages the financial services and administration of IAMA, the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance, an association created in 2020 and based in Hamburg (Germany). Carole graduated from ESSEC Business School in France.
Marco Baldoli
Senior Association Manager
Marco has extensive experience in association management. While his core expertise is in the field of European Regulation and Public Affairs, he works as a bridge-builder between different environments, sharing complicated legal knowledge with different audiences in an understandable manner. Marco knows how to monitor policies and how to craft strategies for associations in order to make change happen, ensure membership growth and increased awareness of specific topics. After several of years in Brussels, he has built a unique contact base across different sectors and policy areas in Brussels and beyond.
Marco serves as Secretary General for FERM, the European Federation of Rice Millers, as Secretary General for TomatoEurope, which represents the tomato processing industry in the EU and as Executive Director of APEP, the European Potash Producers Association.
Marco holds a Master’s degree in Law (L.L.M.) from La Sapienza University of Rome. Before working for Kellen, he worked as a legal consultant both in Rome and London before moving to Brussels in 2015 to work for FoodDrinkEurope.
Abiola Bankole-Hameed
Chief Financial Officer
Abiola Bankole-Hameed is a strategic and results-driven leader with more than 25 years of extensive financial and operational experience. As Chief Financial Officer, she is responsible for steering the financial strategies of Kellen in addition to the financial and fiscal management aspects of company operations, providing leadership and coordination for all global management finance and accounting activities.
Abiola has a deep understanding of the complex association industry and executive leadership experience in propelling organizations forward. Prior to joining Kellen, Abiola served as the Chief Financial Officer for the National Black MBA Association where she was responsible for setting the organization’s overall financial policy and direction, financial administration, business planning, and budgeting, while being an active participant in the leadership team. In previous roles, she led business strategy and oversight for all financial functions for several organizations and companies.
Abiola holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and an MBA with a concentration in Financial Management and Control from DePaul University in Chicago. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA). Abiola served as Board Treasurer for the Susan G. Komen Chicago from 2015-2016 and Advisory Council Member for Susan G. Komen Atlanta from 2016-2018. She was selected as a Finance Advisory Committee Member for the City of Naperville School District 203 in Illinois, U.S.A from 2007-2010 and appointed to the Governmental Executive Committee, Women’s Executive Committee with the Illinois CPA Society in 2014. She is currently serving as an Arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Board Treasurer for King’s Court Chapel, Roswell, GA.
Martin Bay
Senior Vice President
Martin Bay has more than 25 years of meetings, events, and tradeshow management experience. He is responsible for the technical and professional development of the Kellen meetings staff, the procurement of all contracted meeting space and sleeping rooms for over 200 contracted events annually, and is the lead solutions provider for all Kellen clients.
Martin has experience in both the corporate and association meetings management industries, and specializes in processes and procedure management. His professional passion and his meticulous attention to detail has made him a leader in the meetings management industry, and he has developed an expertise with the technological aspects of our field.
Martin is an active member in the Professional Convention Management Association, and the International Association of Exhibitions & Events, for whom he serves on the board of the southeast chapter. He is also a former member of the United States Canoe/Kayak Team, an avid bicyclist, and his interest in international travel has taken he and wife Nancy to over 21 countries, including a two-year residence in Cairo, Egypt.
Céline Benini
Senior Association Manager
Céline has a strong experience within industry associations. Prior joining Kellen, Céline worked for a European food sector association where she was responsible for scientific and regulatory affairs in the food law, animal feed law and agronomy areas, specializing in scientific & technical issues, data gathering and advocacy.
At Kellen, Céline serves as Secretary General for the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP).
Céline is a bioengineer and holds a PhD in bioengineering and agronomy from Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Liège University. Céline specialised in plant genetics, chemical analysis and statistics.
Céline is a Belgian national and speaks French, English and Italian.
Marian Brestovansky
Senior Association Manager
Marian is a Senior Association Manager at Kellen and has over seven years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Marian has expertise specifically in the management of industry associations and in European and international affairs.
Marian worked for various international and European associations and contributed with his knowledge to deliver on their strategic goals and objectives. Marian engages with the European Commission, European Parliament and Codex Alimentarius with a clear aim of contributing to legislative procedures and standard setting.
At Kellen, Marian currently leads the European Salmon Smokers Association and provides regulatory and policy expertise to European Salt Producers and the International Flight Services Association.
Marian holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and EU Affairs from Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
Carl-Eric Portaels
Senior Association Manager
Carl-Eric Portaels has solid experience within European policy work and industry associations. Before joining Kellen, Carl-Eric worked for associations representing the lighting industry and the plastics PET sector. He mostly works with topics linked to sustainability and more specifically related to the Green Deal. Carl-Eric’s last position was at the Minderoo Foundation. This gave him an in-depth understanding of how NGOs work.
At Kellen, Carl-Eric works as the European Affairs Manager for the European Portable Batteries Association and as the coordinator for the Flexible Plastics Alliance. Carl-Eric also oversees the policy and advocacy work for Tomato Europe.
Carl-Eric holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Vesalius College in Brussels and a Master’s in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Finally, Carl-Eric specialised in EU external relations with a master’s degree in EU Diplomacy from the College of Europe.
Carl-Eric is a Belgian national and speaks French, Dutch and English.
Kim Chhabria
Group Vice President
As the Group Vice President at Kellen, Kim Chhabria focuses on discovery, development and delivery of marketing initiatives and overall strategies for Kellen’s client partners. In addition, sharing best practices and trends to foster growth and creativity. Kim oversees the Shared Services teams which includes the Design, Education, Marketing, Membership, & Sales, and Meetings departments. Kim brings significant experience in association marketing and management and has experience in creating and delivering strategies focused on member retention and acquisition, credentialing and educational courses, new product launches, and events.
Kim has shared her knowledge with her peers as a speaker at American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives (MASAE), the American Marketing Association (AMA), and various in-company leadership and marketing events. Kim received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Boston College and lives in New Jersey with her family.
Giorgio Corbetta
Senior Association Manager
Giorgio has been active for more than ten years in the Brussels energy, climate and transport sectors. Giorgio has worked across trade associations in the cleantech space, energy trading businesses, and as a consultant representing companies along the energy value chain.
At Kellen, Giorgio works as the EU Affairs Director for EUROBAT – Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers. Giorgio also supports the Kellen Brussels office in the development of corporate activities related to business strategy and competitive positioning.
Giorgio graduated in Economics and Political Science from Università degli Studi di Milano and obtained his MBA in Brussels from Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.
Lauren Costello
Vice President
Lauren Costello has over a dozen years of experience managing international trade associations encompassing Board relations, government affairs, communications, events, financials, membership recruitment and engagement, sales, and strategic planning and execution. She serves as the Executive Director for the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and the International Flight Services Association (IFSA). Lauren also serves as the Operations Director of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA). She previously served as Executive Director for the Home Fashion Products Association (HFPA). In these roles, she manages the team in Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Beijing, and Brussels.
Lauren is based in New York City and is a graduate of SUNY Oswego, earning an MBA in Management and a BA in Business Administration / International Business.
Nele Devolder
Vice President
Nele Devolder is Vice President of Kellen in Brussels. She has been working for Kellen for more than 20 years, is specialised in marketing and communications, and has extensive experience in the creation, set-up and management of European and global platforms, trade associations and alliances. Nele is highly involved in strategic advice on different projects and consultations for trade associations and professional societies at global level.
Nele serves as Executive Director of ECMA, the European Candle Manufacturers Association, which is the main European industry association for the candle industry, and as Secretary General for EASEE-gas, an association representing the streamlining of energy exchange in the European gas market.
As Vice President, Nele leads the Association Management Cluster in Brussels, which includes the supervision of teams serving over 15 different trade associations and professional societies active in a variety of industries and sectors.
Nele studied Communications at the EGON Hogeschool in Ghent, Belgium. She is a Belgian national and speaks Dutch (mother tongue), English, French and German.
Erin Erickson
Group Vice President
Erin joined Kellen in 2014 and has over ten years of association management experience. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals. Erin is responsible for developing and driving strategic growth and providing oversight of membership program and services.
Erin graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in communications, and is a current member of the Colorado Society of Association Executives.
Patricia Ferchland-Bingham
Vice President
She has been with Kellen for four and a half years and works with ACOEP, IDA, ISTSS, RCMA, and SMRP on multiple education-related projects. In addition, she provides oversight on compliance and Accreditation for all Kellen clients. Before working at Kellen, Patricia was the Education Manager at Urgent Care Association.
She attended Queens College studying Education in New York. She also attended Marquette University, studying education and journalism in Wisconsin. Patricia completed her Associate of Arts in Education from the College of DuPage in Illinois.
John Ferraro
Executive Vice President
John oversees Kellen’s operations with a focus on workforce optimization, productive utilization of staff resources, internal training, client operational planning, client onboarding, and acquisition integration. He also serves as the Executive Director of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA).
John joined Kellen in 2007 and has served in a variety of leadership positions. He has extensive experience in corporate management, strategy development, relationship management and business growth, and client management. His association management responsibilities included direct oversight and executive management of activities for trade associations. In this capacity, he directed all functional teams and areas of operations, including membership development, conference management, communications and marketing, information technology, education services and accreditation programs, government affairs, and financial / investment management.
Prior to joining Kellen, John served in legislative affairs and constituent services roles for Florida Governor Jeb Bush, U.S. Senator Bob Graham, and the Florida Senate Majority Office. John has a Bachelor Degree in Political Science and International Affairs and a Master’s Degree in American Politics and Policy, both from Florida State University.
Michael Fischer
Vice President
Michael Fischer has been in the building products industry for more than 30 years, holding management positions in regulatory affairs, manufacturing, and marketing. His involvement in building and energy codes, environment and sustainability issues, product standards, regulatory affairs, and product safety issues within the industry provides a comprehensive background to deliver responsible advocacy for Kellen clients.
Michael is a member the International Code Council, ASHRAE, and ASTM International and serves on the technical committee of the Energy Efficient Codes Coalition.
He has provided strategic representation before the US Department of Energy and Consumer Product Safety Commission, the California Air Resource Board, the California Energy Commission, the California Office of the State Fire Marshal, and state code adoption bodies in Florida, New York State, Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, and other building and energy code official agencies.
Michael has previously testified before legislative bodies and helped to lead successful client strategic efforts from product standards through code and regulatory development. He is also a respected contributor to trade publications and a frequent presenter at building industry events and conferences.
Neil Gottlieb
Executive Vice President
Neil Gottlieb brings over 30 years of diverse business experience, including executive leadership roles in the Association Management industry. He serves as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Development and is a member of the Kellen Executive Committee. Among many responsibilities, Neil leads strategy and development companywide. Neil is responsible for ensuring Kellen’s strategic approach to client management is executed to drive measurable outcomes, and he leads the company’s strategic growth and development plans.
Prior to working in the Association Management space, Neil led many major pharmaceutical brand launches and marketing initiatives in key global markets, holding senior leadership positions in sales and marketing, training, and business development. Neil has also led the business development and strategy teams for the only non-profit biotech in the US that focuses on neurodegenerative disease, primarily ALS.
A graduate of the University of Arizona, Neil is an outdoor enthusiast and masters distance runner, competing in marathons across the globe and earning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal by competing in Boston, London, New York, Berlin, Chicago and Tokyo marathons. In addition, Neil has been a High School Varsity Soccer Head Coach for over two decades, winning multiple regional and state championship matches. He lives just outside of DC in Maryland with his wife and son. Neil’s other two children are grown and living successful lives out on their own but never too far from home. Neil is an avid Green Bay Packers and University of Arizona fan, and (when time allows) can often be seen at a U of A basketball game or a frozen tundra football game in Green Bay.
Jessica Jia
Senior Manager
Jessica joined Kellen in May 2015 and has solid experience in association management and leading account teams for a variety of global professional societies and industry association, representing the association towards members, volunteer leadership and partners across the region.
Jessica is an experienced account leader, offering strategic and operational support to a variety of clients, and possessing strong skills in process leadership and overall team management, liaison with members, and oversee daily operations with a focus on special client events and programs.
Since the FNGO Law came into force on January 1, 2017, Jessica has been involved in advising clients, including search and communications with Chinese Partners and PSU, coordination in details on all the procedural application of the registration of Rep Office, as well as managing the operations after the Rep Office is set up.
Prior to Kellen Company Jessica worked at the China National Convention Center, responsibility for planning and implementing overseas promotion activities, coordinate and maintain the relationship with international industry associations, international market research as well as advice local origination to bid for international conference.
JerrieLynn Kind
Group Vice President
JerrieLynn Kind has brought success to professional societies and trade associations for more than 25 years and has been serving Kellen’s clients for 15 years, to provide executive oversight to 13 associations based out of the Kansas City office. In addition, she also serves as executive director for the American Society for Pain Management Nursing, the National Association of EMS Physicians, and the Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society.
She has a broad background with membership associations, financial planning, and project management. Prior to joining Kellen, JerrieLynn worked as membership director and career development manager to national associations in the golf industry.
JerrieLynn is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Kansas City Society of Association Executives and has been active in committees and educational activities. JerrieLynn is also an approved facilitator of ASAE’s Certificate Program in Association Management.
Holly Koenig
Chief People Officer
Holly serves on Kellen’s Executive Committee and is the Chief People Officer, responsible for the People & Culture Department. She did not come to “HR” through the traditional path, and as soon as she accepted the role, she quickly made the decision to change the name of the department from Human Resources to People and Culture. “A good percentage of our employees were now working remotely. I wanted us to focus more on building a remarkable work culture that focuses on our people, community, and collaboration.”
Holly is a highly skilled association leader who has spent the last three decades serving in various capacities of association management with a track record of leading high-performing teams and managing complex relationships, trade groups and professional societies. “It is not simple for a skilled HR manager to understand what life is like for staff. All the experiences I’ve had as an association leader has helped me better understand our employee needs.”
Holly is a speaker on many association and organizational topics and has published numerous association management articles. She also enjoys coaching and mentoring young professionals and is a strong advocate of empowering women and next-generation female leaders.
Holly lives on Long Island with her family. When she’s not at work she enjoys comedy and strongly believes “a little levity can actually help us achieve our serious objectives and key results.”
Chris Krueger
Group Vice President
Pascale Lammineur
Finance Director
Pascale Lammineur is the Finance Director at Kellen. Pascale is responsible for all financial matters related to Kellen and our clients. Pascale is also responsible for leading the Finance Team in Brussels and together with her team she ensures working towards achieving the strategic goals for our clients and Kellen.
Pascale joined Kellen back in 2009 as a Senior Accountant. Pascale holds a Master’s degree in Commercial and Maritime Sciences from Lessius Antwerp and an Executive Master in Controlling from Vlerick Business School.
Before joining Kellen, Pascale worked for KBC and for a family owned company in Belgium.
Huw Longton
Senior Communications Manager
Huw is a Senior Communications Manager and has been working at Kellen since 2019. He has strong expertise in strategic communications, with experience in all aspects of internal and external communications.
At Kellen, Huw works as Senior Communications Manager for the European Rental Association (ERA) and EUROBAT, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers, and is Strategic Communications Manager for the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP).
Huw has a BA in Journalism and Contemporary History and an MSc in Public Policy from the University of London. His previous experience also includes research, media analysis, training services, event organisation, EU affairs, EU funding and journalism.
Amy Luckado
Senior Vice President
Sofie Cabeceiro Luiz
HR Director
Sofie Cabeceiro Luiz is the HR Director and an active member of the Leadership Team. Sofie has more than 20 years of experience in the HR field and is involved in defining and delivering on the strategic objectives directly linked with people’s growth. Sofie ensures that Kellen finds the right candidates who both fit the Kellen values and help clients to meet their objectives and goals.
At Kellen, Sofie is responsible for both the Kellen consultants as well as the internal staff. This includes recruitment, onboarding, engagement, learning and development, compensation and benefits and stakeholder management. Sofie ensures diversity across many levels and is a trusted Leader amongst the whole team.
Before joining Kellen, Sofie worked for Accenture as an HR Business Partner.
Sofie holds a Master’s Degree in Translation in Dutch, English and Portuguese and additionally, Sofie is a Gallup certified strength coach, trained in HR management from Cornell University and Accenture.
John Macwan
Senior Vice President
John Macwan has more than 15 years of Finance and Accounting experience. He is responsible for assisting our CFO in steering the financial strategies of Kellen in addition to the financial and fiscal management aspects of company operations which include providing leadership and coordination for global management finance activities. In addition, he is consulted when our clients need guidance on budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting.
John has experience in accounting and finance in a wide array of industries. Having begun his career in public accounting working for a mid-sized CPA firm, he held clients across many different industries such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, retail clothing, manufacturing and education. He then worked in a variety of industries which include Hedge Funds, Insurance, Marketing/Advertising and FinTech. John has helped companies make strides in process improvement around forecasting, budgeting and implementation of technology to better assist with financial planning and P&L analysis. He is well experienced in overseeing financial functions in his previous roles and in his ability to help leadership teams focus on profitability and process improvement by establishing financial literacy across the organization. John is extremely knowledgeable in integrating acquisitions from an FP&A and Revenue Management perspective at a very rapid pace.
John holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business in New York, NY and an MBA in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Silberman College of Business in Madison, NJ. He is an avid automotive enthusiast and enjoys his free time focusing on family, friends and hobbies.
Matt Mantione
Group Vice President
Matt Mantione joined Kellen in 2020 and sits on the senior leadership team as a Group Vice President, overseeing the strategic direction of our 501(c)(6) Trade association partners. Prior to joining Kellen, he served in various senior level association positions with success in growing membership, bolstering member value, enhancing operational effectiveness, and optimizing governance through fostering a culture of continuous improvement and strategic foresight. In the last two decades, Matt has provided value-added support and guidance to Boards, members and key stakeholders in over 100 countries.
Matt is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM). He is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Matt served on various ASAE National Councils, and is a published author on topics ranging from member development to employee relations. Matt, a native of Syracuse, NY, holds a Corporate Communications degree from Radford University, and was selected team captain as a member of the Division-I baseball team.
Françoise Maon
Senior Association Manager
Since 2000, Françoise has worked for Kellen with a series of different clients across different sectors. Françoise is specialised in managing European trade associations and international professional societies.
Françoise currently works for the Pan European Region of the International Association of Dental Research (PER-IADR) and the Society of Fire Engineers Europe (SFPE Europe). For both clients, Françoise serves as the European Office Manager. Françoise works for the Switching and Porting Association (SWIPO), the Polyurea Development Association Europe (PDA Europe) and CO2 Value Europe for which she serves as Manager.
Since the new Belgian Code on Companies and Associations entered into force in 2019, Françoise helped several international associations registered in Belgium to align their statutes with the new law. Françoise is also highly experienced in AISBLs’ incorporations and financial management, including financial policy and administration.
Françoise has a Master’s Degree in translation of the English and Italian languages into French from the Institut supérieur des traducteurs et interprètes (ISTI), and in Marketing Management from the Institut catholique des hautes études commerciales (ICHEC).
Françoise is Belgian and has French as her mother tongue, is fluent in English, Italian and has a good knowledge of Dutch.
Gert Meylemans
Communications Director
Gert Meylemans is the Communications Director at Kellen and it is his role to lead the Communications Team in Brussels whilst being a part of the Brussels’ management team.
Gert’s main client is EUROBAT – the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers. For EUROBAT, Gert’s role is to strategically communicate key messages to the relevant channels and ensure that EUROBAT’s voice is being heard in the Brussels arena, across Europe and beyond.
Gert is a highly experienced communications executive with experience in branding, positioning, social media and all aspects of both internal and external communications. Within Kellen, Gert also leads the Kellen Corporate Communications activities and the Communication Team consisting of four Communication Professionals working for clients from the energy and food sector.
Gert holds a degree in Marketing and Communications and has over 30 years expertise. He has international experience in automotive PR and corporate communications. Gert previously worked at Nissan Belux, Bridgestone EMEA and as a freelance communications consultant.
Jeannie Milewski
Senior Vice President
Jeannie Milewski is the executive director of the Association for Dressings and Sauces, a 160-member international trade association. She focuses on strategic direction, executive committee and board support, organizational leadership, priorities management, quality assurance and directing the general operations of the association. Additionally, Jeannie serves as executive director for The Vinegar Institute and leads the Fruit Spread Section and Concord Grape Section of the Juice Products Association.
She has more than 17 years of association management experience and has worked for several Kellen clients in the food and beverage industries. Prior to joining Kellen in 1995, Jeanie was involved in the foodservice sector with responsibilities including research and development, specifications and training.
Jeannie holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science and a Master’s in food Science from the University of Tennessee.
Michelle Miller
Senior Vice President
With over 20 years of association management experience, Michelle provides strategic oversight and guidance to various client organizations with focus on trade groups. She specializes in re-aligning organizations towards profitability and identifying growth opportunities, ensuring governance structures are aligned with strategic initiatives, solution orientated with emphasis on problem identification and conflict resolution, staffing utilization, developing staffing models to support organizations and transitions.
Michelle currently serves as the executive vice president of the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council and manages Kellen transitions/onboarding of new client organizations. She is a graduate of Northwood University in Midland Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Marketing.
Nuria Moreno
Senior Association Manager
Nuria brings over 7 years’ experience in association management for a variety of global and European food industry associations. Currently, Nuria acts as the Secretary-General of the European Vegetable Protein Association (EUVEPRO) and the European Potato Processors’ Association (EUPPA). Her expertise ranges from regulatory affairs and advocacy on food ingredients, to Codex Alimentarius and ISO standards, as well as agricultural sustainability topics. In addition, she has guided associations through strategic exercises and governance changes.
Nuria holds a Master’s degree in European Public Affairs from Maastricht University (The Netherlands) and completed an Erasmus programme at the Institute d’Etudes Politiques de Grenoble (France), with a focus on EU decision-making and interest representation.
Molly Alton Mullins
President
Molly Alton Mullins is the former CEO of SEVEN12 Management, a full-service association management company acquired by Kellen. While at SEVEN12, Molly managed an extensive client portfolio, focusing primarily on board development, strategic planning and execution, sound fiscal management, and business development. In her role at Kellen, Molly will oversee a diverse portfolio of trade association and society clients, helping position them for optimized growth, strategic governance, and increased profitability.
Molly brings more than 20 years of experience at Kellen, having worked for a number of associations, in corporate communications, and also on Capitol Hill. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Molly is an avid hiker, having visited more than 45 U.S. national parks and many more internationally. When not working (which isn’t very often), Molly can be found spending time with family and friends as well as watching her beloved Washington Capitals.
Adriana Nosewicz
Association Director
Adriana has spent almost 15 years working with European associations. Adriana is a lawyer by training and she has worked for a series of food association including European Potato Processors Association, International Stevia Council and Soft Drinks Europe.
Adriana is leads the Food Cluster in Brussels and supports colleagues in strategic direction of the associations they manage at Kellen.
Adriana also works as the Managing Director of the European Salt Producers’ Association and manages two smaller associations, one European and one international.
Adriana is fluent in Polish, English, Italian, has good knowledge of French and a basic understanding of Dutch.
Sheila O’Neal
Vice President
Sheila O’Neal is a seasoned Association Executive who has been working with nonprofit organizations for more than 30 years, and has been serving Kellen clients for 22 years. Sheila has experience working with trade associations, professional societies, standard setting bodies as well as advocacy organizations focusing solely on healthcare related organizations at Kellen. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the American Board of Genetic Counseling and the Special Operations Medical Association.
Sheila is a strategic thinker and change manager with comprehensive experience in board relations and governance, organizational management, and strategic planning. She is also experienced in event planning and management and project management. Sheila is a current member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Kansas City Society of Association Executives (KSCAE).
Rosario Palmieri
Group Vice President
Rosario Palmieri joins Kellen from the White House Office of Management and Budget where he served as associate administrator of the regulatory coordination office (OIRA). Previously, he spent more than a decade at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) as vice president, charged with managing broad areas of legal and regulatory policy, including consumer product safety, labor and OSHA, transportation and infrastructure, food and agriculture, antitrust, product liability, energy and environment.
Prior to NAM, he served on congressional committees in the U.S. House of Representatives overseeing regulatory policy. A lawyer by training, Palmieri also serves on the leadership council for the Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice of the American Bar Association.
Michael Patti
Vice President
Michael Patti is an innovative leader in association management, with more than 25 years’ experience helping non-profits achieve their technology goals. As Vice President of Technology, Michael leads a team that implements association management (AMS) and content management (CMS) systems for more than 130 clients. Michael is expert at bringing diverse stakeholders together to craft technology solutions that drive increased membership, customer engagement, non-dues revenue, meeting registrations and online education offerings. Michael has led the development of several award winning website redesign projects.
Michael holds bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Music Performance from Knox College, and has achieved certifications in SQL Server programming and C#/asp.net development. Michael’s technology experience includes Azure and AWS server management, WordPress site development and infrastructure management, Kentico and DNN CMS development, PCI compliance, DNS management, and Sofware Development Life Cycle project management. In his spare time, Michael enjoys playing guitar and trumpet, bicycling and hiking, and visiting museums in his hometown of Chicago.
Robert Rankin
Group Vice President
Robert Rankin has over 15 years of association experience, with particular expertise in food industry issues management. Robert joined Kellen in 2005 and has consistently delivered strategic solutions to address complex regulatory, legislative and administrative challenges.
Robert has broad experience in the food and food ingredient industries, and is fully engaged in a number of activities which utilize his areas of expertise. He has worked closely with officials at key US Government agencies including the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture, and has also worked with regulatory agencies in Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia/New Zealand. He also has extensive experience in the development and communication of industry positions and has testified before U.S. state legislatures, the World Health Organization and local authorities on industry issues.
Robert earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. He currently serves as President of the Calorie Control Council, Executive Director for the Infant Nutrition Council of America and Executive Director for the International Food Additives Council.
Jane Robles
Vice President
Jane serves as Vice President, Operations and focuses on business optimization, talent, and internal communications. She works across all departments to drive efficiencies, increase collaboration and performance, and improve outcomes for clients and the company.
Jane joined Kellen in 2014 and worked with clients for more than seven years. During her tenure in client services, Jane led global professional societies, such as the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP), the SMRP Certifying Organization, and the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA). Jane helped her clients achieve strategic objectives by improving value propositions, developing innovative member programs, and driving new revenue streams.
Jane holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in Communication from Purdue University. Jane resides outside of Atlanta with her husband, daughter and two beagles.
Jakub Rusek
Senior Association Manager
Jakub holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Munich (LMU) and a Post-Graduate Master in European Studies. Jakub worked in several EU affairs organisations as well as the European Parliament and the European Commission on technical and science topics directly related to food and the environment. Prior to joining Kellen, Jakub was working in a sectorial association dealing with nutrition, analytics, additives, contaminants and raw materials.
At Kellen, Jakub serves as Secretary General of the European Food and Fermentation Cultures Association (EFFCA) and provides regulatory and scientific support for the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP), the European Federation of Rice Millers (FERM) and the International Cellulosics Association (ICA).
Travis Rush
CEO
Under Travis’ leadership, Kellen has evolved the association business model, unlocking significant value for trade organizations such as the American Medical Rehabilitation Professionals Association, International Door Association, Healthcare Nutrition Council, and the Airline Passenger Experience Association. In addition to trade organizations, Kellen has also added value to professional societies, including the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals.
A proponent of the “people, process, technology” management methodology, he has helped build a modern, diverse team of the best association professionals, using the industry’s best systems and integrated processes. Leveraging said methodology, he has guided the transformation of technology, sales, marketing, events, and advocacy initiatives for more than two dozen more client organizations.
Before Kellen, he worked in real estate, film production, consulting, and sales.
As an avid traveler, he has visited six continents, thirty-three countries, and forty-five states. He graduated from The George Washington University in Washington D.C., where he was an infielder on the varsity baseball team and disc jockey at the radio station. He currently resides in the Atlanta area and is a diehard fan of the New York Mets and Bruce Springsteen.
Clarissa Russell
Vice President
Pau Sanchis Matoses
Senior Association Manager
Pau Sanchis Matoses works as a Senior Association Manager and has been working for Kellen since 2020. Pau has strong expertise in energy policy related matters and European legislation and processes. He has a broad network on both a European and national level with political stakeholders and the private sector.
At Kellen, Pau works as Senior Policy Manager for EUROBAT – The Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers, as Executive Director for VIPA International – The Vacuum Insulation Panel Association, and as Consultant for Methanol Institute.
Ahead of joining Kellen, Pau did a traineeship at the Cabinet of the Vice-President on Energy Union of the European Commission and worked as a Policy Advisor and Project Assistant for Phrenos.
Pau is a graduate of Philosophy, Political Science, and Public Administration from the University of Valencia. He completed a Master’s Degree in EU Politics and Governance at the College of Europe in Bruges.
Maria Teresa Scardigli
Executive Vice President & Managing Director
Since 2022, Maria Teresa Scardigli has been the Managing Director for the European Operations of the Kellen office in Brussels.
Maria Teresa leads the strategic direction of Kellen on a European level and supervises more than 45 professionals servicing around 35 trade associations and professional societies on both European and international levels.
Maria Teresa has strong knowledge and expertise in the food sector with more than 20 years of experience in European public affairs, interest representation and strategic management of trade associations. Maria Teresa provides strategic advice to European trade associations on topics such as governance, strategic planning, association reorganisation, membership fees restructuring and mergers of associations. She also helps associations to be incorporated under Belgian Law. She acts – amongst others – as the Executive Director of the International Stevia Council, the trade association representing the interests of the stevia industry on a global level.
Maria Teresa Scardigli graduated from the University of Rome with a Law Degree and received a Post-Master’s degree in European and Community Law from the European University Center of the University of Nancy in France.
René Schroeder
Senior Association Manager
René has over 15 years of experience in EU regulatory affairs. He is the Executive Director of EUROBAT, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers. He works with leading European and global companies on the positioning of the battery manufacturing industry and its contribution towards the decarbonisation of the mobility and energy sectors.
His expertise centers around policymakers with experience as a policy officer with the European Waste Management Federation FEAD, between 2007 and 2013, and with the European Chemicals Federation (Cefic), the European Parliament, Siemens, and the E.U. delegation in Washington, D.C.
René holds a postgraduate Master’s degree in European studies from the College of Europe as well as a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Rostock.
Katarina Sipic
Senior Association Manager
Katarina Sipic works as a Senior Association Manager and have more than 12 years of international experience from the public and private sector. Katarina’s key skills are in governance, maritime and fisheries policy and blue economy.
At Kellen, Katarina leads the European Association of Fish Processors and Traders and supports the team of European Association of Potatoe Processors. Katarina engages with the European Commission, the European Parliament & Council with a clear aim of contributing to legislative procedures.
Before joining Kellen, Katarina worked as a Member State Regional Government Representative in Brussels. After that experience Katarina got into the world of associations and worked as a Representative of the Spanish National Association of Fish Processors and Traders with headquarters in Vigo, Spain.
Katarina studied Cultural and Linguistic Mediation at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy.
Angela Stephens
Vice President
Angela Moore Stephens is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, a professional membership and educational organization consisting of over 2,000 mental health professionals. She also is the Secretary-Treasurer to both the Group Foundation for Advancing Mental Health and the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists.
Angela has more almost 40 years of association management experience. She is a results-oriented executive, with a proven ability to develop and implement new programs and projects utilizing a strategic planning approach. Experienced in charitable foundations, membership associations, and certification organizations with significant expertise in the following areas: public relations, writing/editorial/communication, strategic planning, fundraising, and volunteer and staff management.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology and is a Certified Association Executive. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) as well as the local chapter, the New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE).
Kari Stringfellow
Senior Vice President
Meredith Taylor
Vice President
Meredith Taylor is an association management professional with a focus in the media and communications fields. She manages the transition process for new clients into Kellen and oversees a portfolio of clients in the media and communications industries.
Meredith has supported the College Media Association, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and New York Women in Communications. She was honored with the New Star Award from New York Society of Association Executives and the Young and Aspiring Association Professional Award from Association TRENDS.
Meredith graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with majors in linguistics and public relations.
Stefan Thomann
Senior Association Manager
Stefan Thomann is a Senior Association Manager at Kellen, with 15 years of experience in managing national, European and international associations. Stefan has a strong passion for science and technology which helps him to understand very technical products and context in the associations he works for. Stefan is also the convenor of a CEN standardisation committee.
Stefan serves as Technical Director for ECMA, the European Candle Manufacturers Association, as Secretary General for the European Certification Board for Mineral Wool Products (EUCEB), as General Manager for Association Euro-Qualiflex (AEQ) and as Managing Director for the RAL Quality Association for Phase Change Materials (Gütegemeinschaft PCM).
Prior to joining Kellen, Stefan worked for an Association Management Company in Germany and before that, he worked as the Lab Manager of an independent testing organisation.
Stefan holds a state examination degree in Food Chemistry from Hohenheim University (Germany).
Joanna Truitt
Vice President
Ralph Vasami, Esq.
President
Ralph Vasami, Esq has a broad background in engineering, business management, operations, finance, strategic planning and law. He is actively involved with leading clients’ efforts to modify and enhance National Building Codes, and is regularly called upon to facilitate client strategic planning meetings.
Ralph is a pioneer in the vinyl window and door industry. As chairman of the Vinyl Window & Door Institute, he was responsible for gaining Model Building Code acceptance for vinyl as a fenestration product. He was also instrumental in setting up testing and standards for the products as well as the current industry certification program.
Ralph received a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University and a law degree from Pace University. He is a member of the New York State Bar.
James Vrac
Senior Vice President
After five years’ service with the British Army, James Vrac began his career in association management in 1990 working with individual membership societies in the biomedical/healthcare sector, providing board leadership, strategy development, and convention growth to national associations. Later, James spent eight years in London as executive director of an international accountancy and business advisory network operating in 86 countries. His more recent experience includes successfully steering clients through strategic and financial challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to joining Kellen, James was president of PAI Management Corporation. James is currently executive director for the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology and the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, where his broad experience has achieved membership and convention growth for both, and higher membership engagement. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and is a Certified Association Executive.
Philip Waitzman
Group Vice President
Philip Waitzman MBA, MPH, MA, LSW comes to Kellen as a mental health clinical and executive leader. Most recently, Phil served in a turnaround and stabilization capacity as Interim Executive Director at the Institute of Cultural Affairs USA. Phil has a background in higher education, associations, professional services, nonprofits, and healthcare. In addition to serving as an IED, Phil recently served as a Nonprofit Consultant to organizations, schools, and associations across industry segments with needs ranging from the turnaround, strategic growth, Board development, management and marketing, enrollment, and fundraising to program development and beyond. Previously, Phil served as President and CEO of Vision Share, a mid-to-large-sized transaction-oriented global healthcare Members Association. In addition, he has held senior partnership and strategic alliance positions with American Orthopaedic Association, Jones International University, and Adtelem. Phil is a Licensed Social Worker and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Drake University, a Master’s Degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago, and an MBA and MPH from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Maria Wang
Account Manager
Maria joined Kellen in April 2012 and has 10 years of experience in association management. She coordinates the regulatory initiatives for key clients in the food and pharma industry, including monitoring new regulations, producing quarterly regulatory digests, coordinating the solicitation of comments and input on draft regulations and national standards (i.e. GB standards). Maria is also sharing industry positions to government stakeholders, e.g. MARA, NHC, as well as Chinese counterpart associations.
Maria also coordinates the planning and execution of a working group representing global companies engaged in research, development, manufacturing of veterinary medicines, vaccines and other animal health products.
Maria has extensive experience in coordinating and arranging delegation visits, as well as membership services, meetings/trainings support services, website content management, data analysis, and desk research.
Alfons Westgeest
Board Member
As of 2022, Alfons Westgeest is Kellen’s Board member for global development, and Maria Teresa Scardigli is the Managing Director for the European operations from our office in Brussels, Belgium.
Alfons supervises Kellen’s Beijing office, which has recently expanded to serve multiple international associations in China. He is also responsible for Kellen’s strategic affiliates in Asia, the Middle East, and South America.
Alfons has expertise in various sectors including automotive, engineering, electronics, food, health care, construction, and financial services.
A graduate of Leyden University in the Netherlands, he holds a Master’s degree in Commercial and European law and was previously a partner at EY. He is co-moderator of the European Government Affairs Roundtable and teaches international lobbying at the Free University of Brussels (VUB)
Alfons is a former Board member of ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) and ASAE Fellow since 2006. In addition, he received the 2011 ‘Outstanding Contribution to EU Public Affairs’ award.
Jean Xu
Vice President
Jean is leading Kellen’s China operation. Her intuitive working knowledge of various industries throughout Asia and a strong business sense make her a perfect leader to better understand client needs.
Jean has over 20 years of experience in the areas of government affairs and monitoring, as well meeting management, marketing, business development and sales administration. Jean has over 10 years’ experience in association management.
Jean has led and supervised various international association clients, and has developed a highly recognized position in managing clients’ business in the Asia Pacific region through the restructuring of operations and the management of regional Board, committee and leadership meetings. Jean has achieved success in membership development and marketing in many industries including food, pharma, IT and several professional service sectors.
Prior to joining Kellen, Jean served as Assistant Director and Marketing Supervisor for the Beijing International Finance Forum, a United Nations backed organization that provides a platform for world financial leaders to contribute to the revitalization of the international economy.
Locations
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Phone +1.404.252.3663
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Beijing, 100025 China
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Phone +32 2 761 16 00
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Phone +1.212.297.2122
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National Press Building
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Phone +1.202.591.2438
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