Marketing Unleashed

Session Title: How to Market Your Experiential Event: Increase Your Odds of Getting People to Show Up

Speaker: Britni Bateman, SIU Foundation Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations Chief Marketing Officer 

About the speaker: Britni Bateman is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations and Chief Marketing Officer for the SIU Foundation. She leads marketing and storytelling efforts that highlight the impact of philanthropy and elevate the SIU brand. A 2010 graduate of SIU's Communication Design program, Britni is passionate about helping others show up with clarity and confidence.

For more than a decade, she has worked as a branding consultant, helping small businesses and entrepreneurs build authentic, consistent brands. She believes that telling your story well, and often, is key to building trust and recognition.

She lives in Marion, Illinois, with her husband, William, and their two rescue dogs.

Connect with Britni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britni-bateman-a3b2a259 

Session Title: Punching Above Your Weight: Turning Limited Resources into Compelling Content

Speaker: Desmon Walker, CEO and Co-Founder of Narratent

About the speaker: Desmon Walker is the CEO and Co-Founder of Narratent, a digital marketing agency and content production studio built to amplify stories worth telling and unlock the power of the internet. A proud graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Desmon has built a versatile marketing career with stints at Comcast, Groupon, NP Digital, and G&S Business Communications before launching Narratent.

Beyond building brands, Desmon is passionate about mentoring the next generation of marketers, sharing a practical perspective on entrepreneurship, and equipping students with real-world business skills. As Co-Chair of SIU's School of Management and Marketing External Advisory Board and a member of True Star Media's Board of Directors, he is committed to creating opportunities that lower the barrier to entry into the professional world.

Through his work, Desmon continues to encourage others to think bigger and bolder, embrace lifelong learning, and break out of their comfort zones.

Connect with Desmon on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/desmonwalker

Website: narratent.com

Session Title: Data-Driven Decisions: Understanding Analytics and Tools that can be Utilized

Speaker: Marisa Lather, Data-Driven Communications Marketing Manager, Meltwater

About the speaker: Marisa Lather is a data-driven marketing strategist, consultant, and LinkedIn Top Voice who helps brands turn insights into smarter marketing decisions. With more than 15 years of experience across content, social media, brand strategy, and analytics, she specializes in connecting data with creativity to understand audiences, identify opportunities, and build marketing strategies that drive measurable business impact. 

Connect with Marisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisalather/

Session Title: Building a Story that Attracts Visitors and Builds Loyalty

Speakers: Molly Hudgins, Executive Director of the SIU Alumni Association, and Scott Moller, Immediate Past President of the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors

About the speakers:

Molly Hudgins

Molly is the executive director of the SIU Alumni Association, the largest and oldest organization at Southern Illinois University, representing the interests of more than 270,000 alumni. A 1997 graduate of SIU and former women’s golfer, Hudgins returned to the university in 2022 as the deputy athletic director for administration and student services, where she managed oversight of academics, compliance and the department’s name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts. She was previously a faculty member and academic administrator at Lindenwood University from 2003 to 2022, beginning as the department chair of the sport management program within the Plaster School of Business & Entrepreneurship. She was associate dean of the school and became the first associate provost of curriculum and experiential learning. She later became interim dean of the business school and was appointed dean in 2020. Hudgins attended SIU from 1992 until 1997. She was a four-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association Academic All-American and earned all-Missouri Valley Conference honors as a senior for leading the team in scoring average. In 2007, Hudgins was named to the MVC’s All-Centennial Team. After SIU, Hudgins earned a master’s degree at Florida State and a Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee. 

Scott Moller

Scott is a two-degree SIU alum, graduating with a degree in journalism and advertising in 1985, and completing his MBA in 2019.  SIU provided a strong foundation to lead Scott into his marketing career.  Scott worked in the SIU ticket office and then became Director of Promotions in 1984.  He promoted some of the biggest rock’n’roll and country tours of the day for the SIU Arena.  Scott founded Marketing Werks, Inc. in 1987 with his sister, Julie Guida, ‘79. Prior to selling the $100 million independent experiential marketing agency in 2014, the firm employed a staff of more than 200 in its Chicago headquarters and Los Angeles and New York offices, plus more than 3,000 proven brand ambassadors throughout the United States. Clients included such valued brands as Verizon, PlayStation, Walgreens, Hershey, LEGO, Bridgestone, and United Health Care.   In 2025, he became a co-owner of the popular nightclub Hangar 9 in downtown Carbondale.  He also serves as the Immediate Past President of the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

Session Title: Social Media & Content That Inspires: Leveraging Video and Content to Create Destination Appeal and Drive Visitors

Speakers: Bussy and Colleen Roate, Owners of Spirited Republic and Limerick Brewing Company

About the speakers:

Colleen and Bussy Roate are entrepreneurs who have spent the last decade restoring historic spaces, building businesses, and helping shape downtown Lincoln, Illinois, into a destination for locals and visitors alike.

What began as a hobby of homebrewing beer in their garage eventually sparked a dream that grew into Spirited Republic and Limerick Brewing Company. Today, they own and operate Spirited Republic, Limerick Brewing Company, and the soon to open, The Rose Room event venue, Together, they've focused on creating unique gathering places where great food, drinks, and memorable experiences bring people together.

Their passion extends beyond their own businesses. Through partnerships, local events, and a commitment to downtown revitalization, Colleen and Bussy believe thriving small businesses help create thriving communities.

 Website: www.spiritedrepubliclincoln.com

Session Title: Partnerships That Build Destinations: Collaborating with Tourism, Chambers, Main Streets, Local Governments, and Businesses

Speaker: Katie Dudley, Extension Specialist, Community and Economic Development, Illinois Extension

About the speaker: Dr. Katie Dudley is a Community and Economic Development Specialist who leads regional and statewide initiatives focused on rural tourism, outdoor recreation economies, and community resilience. Her work helps rural communities design strategies that strengthen local ownership, workforce pathways, and long-term economic and civic capacity.

Dudley holds a PhD in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University and brings academic, professional, and lived experience in tourism, community engagement, workforce development, and outdoor recreation. Her work focuses on developing and managing thriving communities, ecosystems, and tourism systems that support both residents and visitors. Prior to joining Extension, she was a professor at California State University, Long Beach, where her teaching and research centered on sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation.

Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, Dudley’s work is grounded in a commitment to rural communities and the belief that tourism and outdoor recreation can support stronger local economies, healthier communities, and long-term resilience.

Connect with Katie on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kateddudley/

Session Title: Case Studies: Communities and Businesses That Successfully Turned Experiences into Economic Impact

Speaker: Joi Cuartero Austin, Senior Program Officer for Economic Vitality, Main Street America

About the speaker: As Senior Program Officer for Economic Vitality, Joi is primarily responsible for providing comprehensive revitalization technical services related to Economic Vitality for coordinating programs, commercial districts, and other partners across the country. Joi previously served as Senior Program Officer and Director of Illinois Main Street Programs at Main Street America.

Joi is the former Marketing & Communications director for Great River Economic Development Foundation (GREDF), the EDO for Adams County, IL and coordinating organization for the Tri-State Development Summit, a 36-county region of western IL, southeast IA and northeast MO. There she led economic and workforce development solutions.

As a former Batavia, IL MainStreet executive director, her work included leveraging local assets to enhance and redevelop Batavia’s downtown, developing an award-winning program. In 2008, she helped bring the Water Street Studios art center to the Fox Valley region, a 16,000 sq-ft space with 28 artist studios, classes and galleries. Prior to her work with Main Street, Joi worked in music television production, primarily to produce the show Soundstage.

Joi became a certified economic development practitioner (CEcD) with the International Economic Development Council where she now serves on the board. Additionally, she serves on the board of IL Route 66 Byways, Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Quincy YWCA. She also sits on the Quincy Chamber of Commerce D&I committee and is co-founder of 100 Women Who Care Adams County chapter and collaborator for TEDx Quincy.

Connect with Joi on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joi-cuartero-austin-cecd-2287976/

Session Title: What's Next? AI, Personalization, and the Future of Marketing

Speaker: Chris Westmeyer, CEO and Founder of Digital Strike

About the speaker: Chris Westmeyer has spent nearly thirty years inside the systems that drive modern marketing, from running search and analytics at Mastercard to leading programs for Apple, Unilever, Adobe, Land Rover, and other global brands. He later founded Digital Strike – Targeted Marketing to bring that same rigor and accountability to growing businesses.

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chriswestmeyer

Website: www.DigitalStrike.com

Jeff Harmon, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMCO) at SIU Carbondale, will emcee this year's Marketing Unleashed seminar. He is responsible for managing all marketing and communications for the university, printing and duplicating and WSIU. Jeff earned a bachelors degree from University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign and a MBA from Arizona State University.   

Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-harmon-abb4422/  

Website: https://siu.edu/