AMA Boston Volunteer of the Quarter Award
For the last couple of years, participating in the Boston Chapter of American Marketing Association (AMA) has been a tremendously rewarding experience. From the moment I walked down the steps to the downstairs bar/recreation area at the Back Bay Social Club, I knew this was a group I wanted to be a part of. Immediately board members and new members alike introduced themselves and welcomed me to their networking family. Our chapter of AMA typically hosts two events every month, one Marketing Mingle and one panel event. The panel events always brought high-level marketing leaders together to explore their experience on the hottest topics in the market.
The Mingles introduced a relaxed, business professional atmosphere where like-minded individuals in all areas of the marketing and communications industry could connect. Light appetizers, drinks, and conversations sparked interest and laughs in every corner of the event space. Once the room was packed, the board introduced themselves and Bob Cargill, the President of AMA (at that time) would then gather everyone around for the classic “Group Selfie”. If you’re looking for the perfect mix of fun and professionalism, I highly suggest taking a look at AMA here – amaboston.org.
Every month, new members would show up excited to see what AMA was about. CEO’s, local and international students, market leaders, and fresh new talent from all over the Greater Boston Area came to AMA looking to connect and grow their sphere of influence. It didn’t matter where you were in your career or what you knew so far. AMA creates a safe space to share your expertise and learn from other marketing professionals. That’s why I knew I wanted to give back and increase my responsibilities on top of being a member.
I started volunteering right after COVID struck and events were postponed until further notice. The AMA board started working diligently to find solutions to keep our members engaged and excited for events – even if they weren’t live. After working with the Nickerson team to produce Live with Lisa, I was eager to share my recent experience with AMA and joined the events and programming team. Already planning virtual events, I was able to share my experiences on pricing, timing, video’s, and background set up. I attended every leadership meeting I could, including a board meeting where I was able to connect with all of the other volunteers and VP’s to hear the great communications efforts and developments other teams were crafting.
Personally, I’ve been given the opportunity to lead the online Marketing Mingles in a multitude of aspects. I crafted and updated the visual presentations, scheduled the meetings, developed content, met with the guests, updated their input/slides, and ran the events from the back end. These experiences have allowed me to continuously develop my ability to efficiently communicate with new team members and market leaders outside of my normal Nickerson team. Especially in a virtual world where we can’t always meet and explain in-person, finding ways to make sure all responsibilities and goals are accomplished is an important part of the equation for success. As part of 
an organization that leads in educating and connecting marketing and communications professionals, I am proud to contribute the skills and knowledge I’ve learned at Nickerson and in my personal experience to the American Marketing Association.
When I received the “Volunteer of the Quarter” award from AMA, I was shocked and excited as I never knew the award existed. I didn’t volunteer to get an award, but I absolutely appreciated the recognition. A big THANK YOU to my team leads, Helen Pinchanski and Dina Dvinov, AMA President, Meghan McGrath, and the rest of the board for the acknowledgment and for the chance to grow my skills in volunteering with AMA Boston!
I truly appreciate the opportunity to volunteer and develop my skills outside of the office and for that I want to send a big CHEERS to both the AMA board and Nickerson for giving me the resources and ability to make a difference!
