Meet Our Speakers Brian West, Media and Community Relations Manager - Publix
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Meet Our Speakers
Brian West, Media and Community Relations Manager - Publix
Brian is a third-generation citizen and life-long resident, of Plant City, FL. He is a
graduate of Plant City High School and Florida Southern College, where he earned a
bachelor’s degree in human resource management, with a minor in finance.
Brian began his career with Publix Super Markets in 1991, working in the Deli Kitchen –
their deli manufacturing facility. After serving in several different roles in both
production and support, he was promoted to the HR department, where he spent
almost 10 years as an associate relations specialist. He is currently the media and
community relations manager covering 17 counties in central and southwest Florida.
Brian serves as a board member for the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the East
Hillsborough Law Enforcement Appreciation Association, and associate director for
the Florida Strawberry Festival. He has also served as past zone chair and president
for the Plant City Lions Club, board member emeritus for the United Food Bank of
Plant City, board member for V.I.S.T.E. (Volunteers in Service to the Elderly), and past
chair for the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce.
Brian’s wife, Jennifer, is the supervisor of gifted for Hillsborough County Schools. They
have been married for more than 22 years and have three children: Elizabeth (17),
Elijah (13) and Emory (9) – affectionately described as the smart one, the sweet one
and the devil, respectively. By the way, Emory is free to a mediocre home if anyone is
looking? ;-)
Meet Our Speakers
Janine Zeitlin, Enterprise Reporter - The News-Press Media Group
Janine Zeitlin is a journalist in Southwest Florida for the USA TODAY NETWORK Florida
and has taught college journalism.
Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post,
Creative Nonfiction and elsewhere. She has received more than 50 national, regional and
state awards for her journalism, often focused on revealing inequities.
Jack W. Wert, Executive Director/CEO - Naples, Marco Island, Everglades
Convention and Visitors Bureau
Jack has dedicated over 25 years to tourism destination marketing. He has created and
led two destination marketing organizations in Florida, first in Seminole County near
Orlando and, for the past 18 years, in Collier County.
Jack holds the designation of Certified Destination Management Executive (FCDME) and
Professional Destination Manager (PDM). He is past chair of the Destinations Florida and
serves on their nominating committee. He has also served on the Visit Florida Board of
Directors, is the past chairman of the Destinations International Accreditation Board and
serves on the Destinations International and Destinations Florida advocacy committees.
In Southwest Florida, Jack serves on the advisory boards for the Florida Gulf Coast
University Resort & Hospitality Management School and the Collier chapter of the Florida
Restaurant & Lodging Association. He holds a bachelor of science degree in marketing
from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Meet Our Speakers
Brian Ososky, Marketing Director - Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau
Brian Ososky serves as marketing director for the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau
(VCB) in Southwest Florida, representing The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. He was
appointed in January 2016.
Brian coordinates the day-to-day efforts of a multi-million dollar advertising contract,
oversees the development of all creative work, and evaluates technology and social
media platforms to devise strategies to enhance marketing and branding efforts online.
Additionally, he reviews market, competition and consumer trends, ensures all VCB
promotional efforts are integrated and strategic, and creates brand position.
Prior to the Lee County VCB, Brian served as director of marketing and public relations for
Bok Tower Gardens in Lakes Wales, FL. In this position, he oversaw all areas of marketing
strategy and tactics, including full marketing support for the historic attraction’s recent
$13 million capital expansion campaign.
Previously, Brian was executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association in
New Market, VA. Among his responsibilities: administering all tourism marketing
initiatives for the 300-member organization, developing operating budgets, placing media
buys, and supervising operations of the area’s visitor center.
He also has extensive marketing and communications experience through positions with
various performing arts organizations, such as the American Shakespeare Center in
Staunton, VA; the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; and the Sarasota Ballet of Florida, where
he designed and implemented marketing, publicity and sales campaigns.
Brian has served on Visit Florida’s marketing council and regularly represents the Bureau
at industry conferences and events. He is a true Florida native and holds a bachelor’s
degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Meet Our Speakers
Kaley Miller, Marketing and Communications Manager - Punta Gorda Airport
Kaley R. Miller joined PGD in January 2018 to assist the CEO in building partnerships and
to direct the airport’s external communications, marketing and public relations efforts.
Kaley is the airport’s liaison to the Charlotte County Tourism Development Council and
collaboratively works with its VCB on its strategic marketing and data collection efforts.
Kaley is charged with developing and managing PGD’s multi-pronged communications
strategy to leverage the airport’s continued success, while promoting air service
development and PGD’s position as a regional leader in convenient, low-cost and nonstop
air travel.
Since joining PGD, Kaley has significantly increased the airport’s social media presence,
internet and media reach, and earned a VISIT FLORIDA Flagler Award for its Destination
Spotlight marketing initiative. Kaley has developed new community partnerships to
enhance the Bailey Terminal with a free “Flybrary” book exchange, regularly scheduled
food trucks, improved passenger amenities and art and photo displays.
She also works closely with Charlotte County’s Economic Development Department on
cooperative marketing campaigns, business development and site selection. Kaley
developed the creative concept for the “PGD AviEx,” and is currently marketing the
aviation hub’s new FBO, restaurant and 100-person event space, aviation-related
businesses and flight schools.
Kaley attended the University of Florida and earned a master of science degree in
information systems management and a bachelor of science in public relations. After
graduating, she worked as a consultant for Accenture, a global professional services
company.
Kaley also gained extensive experience in community relations and issues management
while improving public perceptions of Mosaic, one of the world’s leading fertilizer
companies. Prior to joining PGD, Kaley served as public relations manager for Charlotte
County’s Utilities Department, and developed outreach tools to support its water
infrastructure planning and environmental stewardship efforts.
Meet Our Speakers
Tiffany Esposito, APR, President and CEO - SWFL Inc.
Tiffany Esposito is the President and CEO of SWFL Inc. whose mission is to support,
promote and protect business and community success in Southwest Florida. Tiffany and
the SWFL Inc. team work every day to elevate the business community and create a
positive place to live, work and play.
Tiffany is a Lee County native and a proud graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University,
where she received an undergraduate degree in Communications, and a Master of
Business Administration. She also earned the Certified Chamber Executive designation,
the Institute for Organizational Management designation from the United States Chamber
of Commerce and in the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) designation from the
Public Relations Society of America.
Nina Barbero, APR, Marketing and Communication Manager - SWFL Inc.
Nina Barbero, APR, is the marketing and communication manager for SWFL Inc., the
regional chamber of commerce for Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties.
SWFL Inc. is ranked in the top 1 percent of chambers nationwide and Nina manages
communication to more than 1,300 business members – and growing!
Nina earned her bachelor’s in economics from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2016, and
is a Connecticut native. She recently earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).
She is the newsletter chair for the SWFL chapter of FPRA.
Meet Our Speakers
Tony Lee, Director of University Relations - Florida Gulf Coast University
Tony Lee is a seasoned development professional who prides himself on his ability to
build relationships. As director of university relations for Florida Gulf Coast University, he
strives to expand the university’s partnerships by engaging alumni and community
leaders.
He is also an adjunct professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. He has received
numerous community awards and is an active member of the FSU National Alumni
Association, City of Bonita Springs Citizen Board & Outreach Committee, and Leadership
Florida Regional Council.
Tony earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at Florida State University, his
master’s degree in global and strategic communications from Florida International
University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in education at the University of Miami.
Michelle Perez-Macias, Chair - Southwest Florida
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Michelle Perez-Macias is the managing partner of Macias and Associates, CPA, where she
focuses on helping small- to mid-sized businesses with their financial and tax compliance
needs. She is the chair of the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and
serves as one of the founding board members of the Lee County Independent Sales Surtax
Committee. She has a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from Florida Gulf Coast
University (FGCU) and is a Florida-licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
After moving to SWFL in 2005 and over the past 20+ years, Michelle has had quite a
diversified career in accounting. She has worked as an auditor for nonprofit and
government agencies, a business consultant streamlining internal accounting processes
and as an adjunct professor of accounting at Hodges University.
In her spare time, she enjoys running and spending time with her husband, three children
and dogs.
Meet Our Speakers
Louis Rosmy, Board Liason and Founder - Haitian American Chamber
of Commerce of Southwest Florida
Rosmy Louis is an internationally known entrepreneur with years of experience in
business and leadership development. Louis overcame many failures in life and business
over the years and started from very humble beginnings. Louis moved to the U.S. in 2004
and began his career in the direct sales industry with a company in 2006, in which he
currently holds a senior vice president position.
Expanding his vision for business, Louis established and serves as Chief
Visionary/Executive Officer of PEYKO LLC a granite, quartz and marble supplier; PEYKO
DEPO LAKAY, a construction material company in Haiti; and PEYKO VENUE, an event
center in Fort Myers.
In addition to business development, Louis’ commitment to serving the community
includes serving on the executive committee as board liaison and founder of the Haitian
American Chamber of Commerce of SWFL Inc., volunteering in the technology ministry at
his home church, and volunteer work with Literacy Volunteers of Collier County and
Lehigh Regional Hospital. As a certified life coach, he consults with young men and
women with passion and desire to not only exist but thrive in whatever they set their
minds to.
When he isn’t focused on business you may find Louis on a golf course taking lessons,
wrestling cookware in the kitchen or on a beach reading a good book. Louis’ vision for
the community is to see all Haitian American entrepreneurs unified in building long-
standing, successful brand-name companies to serve everyone in SWFL and beyond.
Meet Our Speakers
Wynn Watkins, Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs;
Director of Diversity and Work Life (retired) - J.C. Penney
Wynfred C. (Wynn) Watkins is a retired senior vice president of J.C. Penney, one of
America’s largest department stores, catalog and e-commerce retailers. He provides a
unique perspective on the relationship between the imperatives of the “C” suite and the
the role of public relations.
In his 39-year career he transitioned from operations to corporate communications:
beginning as a store department manager, advancing to the corporate director of
geographic markets, and then, in 1993, shifting to communications as VP of investor
relations, then senior VP of communications and public affairs and director of diversity
and work life.
While at work and continuing through his retirement in 2006, he has been deeply engaged
in community service: on the board of directors of the Executive Leadership Foundation in
Washington, D.C., Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, TX and Junior Achievement of
Metropolitan Dallas. A resident of Naples, he is President of Trinity Life Foundation,
which addresses the challenges of at-risk minority youth in Collier County.
Meet Our Speakers
Sam Natello, Owner and Creative Director - DotCom Global Media
Sam founded his first company, DotCom Global Media, in 1995 while earning his master’s
degree in informational systems. Shortly thereafter, Sam developed and deployed a first-
of-its-kind digital marketing system, which empowered the New York Yankees to lead the
MLB with new and aggressive online marketing campaigns for over a decade. His work
was featured in magazines across the country. Within a few short years, Sam was
working with nearly a dozen Fortune 500 companies and representing some of the most
well-known brands on the planet. During this time, Sam spent hundreds of hours
collaborating with the marketing teams and digital teams from such powerhouses as
Nike, Disney, and Dell Computers (just to name a few).
Under his supervision, his DotCom team has created thousands of websites, well over a
thousand high-performing digital marketing campaigns, sales funnels, automation-
marketing systems, countless blog articles, social media posts, promo videos, podcast
episodes, ebooks, infographics, and every other digital asset you can imagine. While
producing tons of great content and creating amazing results for their clients, the
DotCom team has received numerous awards including the WDA “Website of the Year”
award – one of the most coveted awards in the industry.
Sam has written for several national trade and business publications and has appeared
as a speaker at conferences all over the U.S. on topics including digital strategy, social
media strategy, high-performing sales funnels and his latest project, called “The Digital
Blueprint – The Complete Roadmap to Online Success.” As a digital performance expert
for over 26 years, Sam has personally worked on over 1,000 projects and consulted with
thousands of business owners - and now he is here with you!
Delaney Carroll, Account Manager - Wilson Creative Group
Delaney Carroll is an account manager at Wilson Creative Group, a full-service marketing
agency in Naples. In this capacity, she serves as the day-to-day liaison between clients
and the agency.
Her responsibilities include developing, presenting and executing strategic marketing
plans, managing client budgets, working with the agency's production team on scheduling
and estimates, and providing information and support data to the art team.
Meet Our Emcee Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC, President-Elect - FPRA Devon Chestnut is the communications manager for Cox Communications, the largest private telecom company in America, providing advanced digital video, internet, telephone and home security and automation services to six million homes and businesses across 18 states. Devon’s role includes managing Cox’s Southeast Region internal communications for 1,900 employees based in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. She also plays a pivotal role in several national company projects and initiatives. Devon serves on several Ocala/Marion County boards such as PACE Center for Girls, Leadership Ocala/Marion and Leadership Ocala/Marion Youth. In August, she will be installed as President of the Florida Public Relations Association, one of the oldest and most prestigious public relations associations, serving more than 1,000 professional and student members. She is a graduate of Leadership Ocala/Marion Class 22 and Leadership Gainesville Class 37. A native of Ocala, Florida, she holds a bachelor of science in communications and earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2012 and Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) credential in 2016.
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