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President
Tisha Clapp
Designsensory

Blending analytical thinking with a passion for great brands, Tisha uses media strategy to build meaningful connections and drive real results.

A University of Tennessee advertising grad, Tisha launched her career as a traditional media buyer. Over 20+ years, she has worn nearly every hat in the business, with experience spanning agency life, startups, and client-side roles, alongside endeavors in event planning, direct sales, and school marketing and admissions. Today, Tisha leads paid media operations at Designsensory, overseeing both digital and traditional campaigns. Known for her strong left-brained skillset, she applies her trademark research, organization, and precision to every media strategy, ensuring campaigns deliver measurable impact.

 

Tisha is grateful to serve on the board for AAF Knoxville, bringing her tenacity, industry bandwidth, and commitment to the local advertising community to the role.

Vice President
Dustin Thomas, MFA
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dustin is a multifaceted creative innovator and internationally award-winning conceptual thinker with over 20 years of advertising and technology experience. His most notable clients include Apple, Nike, Ford, Coca-Cola, and America's Navy. Dustin is currently a Professor of Practice at the University of Tennessee.

Treasurer
Joseph Stabb, PhD, APR
Tombras

Joe Stabb, Ph.D., APR is Associate Director of Social Analytics, where he leads social media insights and intelligence initiatives that drive strategic decision-making for clients and internal teams. In this role, he oversees performance measurement frameworks, social listening and cultural intelligence efforts, and the development of scalable reporting and dashboard systems. He specializes in translating complex data into actionable insights and executive-level storytelling that informs content, creative, and channel strategy.

Stabb brings extensive experience in marketing communications, public relations, fundraising, business management, and leadership development. He has worked with organizations across a variety of industries to align traditional and digital strategies with measurable business outcomes and revenue growth.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Utica University, a Master of Science in management from Keuka College, a doctoral degree in leadership and policy from Niagara University, and a graduate certificate in research data management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also holds an advanced certificate in international trade and commerce from the World Trade Center Association (TE), accreditation in public relations from the Universal Accreditation Board and PRSA (APR), and an advanced certificate in effective college teaching from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).

Committed to community engagement and professional leadership, Stabb serves on the board of directors for the Volunteer Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Great Smoky Mountain Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the Knoxville chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), and The GIRL Institute. He is also active in the Rotary Club of Knoxville and a member of Shriners International.

Outside of his professional work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, camping and traveling, attending the arts, and exploring local dining.

Secretary
Christina J. Najera, PhD
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Christina is a Teaching Assistant Professor at the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she teaches courses in advertising and public relations, such as advertising principles, law and ethics in advertising and PR, and media and communication channel integration. Her research explores the effects of mediated media messages, and the cognitive and emotional processing of prosocial advertising and public health messaging related to risky behavior and body image. Her work is driven by theories drawn from communication science, cognitive neuroscience, public health, advertising, and social psychology.

Christina brings 12+ years of a mix of law, television, and marketing experience into her teaching and research. She’s worked with local non-profit organizations, small to large law firms, and the Walt Disney Company’s television network, ABC. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, specializing in Entertainment and Tourism, and a Master of Arts in Professional Communications from California State University, Fullerton, and a Ph.D. in Media and Communication from Texas Tech University.

When she is not at work teaching or researching, Christina enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading Marvel comics, romcoms, and murder mysteries, cooking and baking, gaming in Assassin’s Creed and Diablo Immortal, and cuddling with her husband, their cat Ghost, and their puggy mafia of two, Daisy also known as BaNana, and Lily the pug bear.

Ashleigh Fugate
Alderwood Creative

Ashleigh has a soft spot for East Tennessee businesses and nonprofits doing work that actually matters. Helping them grow smartly, strategically, and without losing what makes them them is what gets her up in the morning. She's proud to bring that energy to the AAF of Knoxville board and can't wait to help build up the region's creative community.

Melissa Lushbaugh
South Made Marketing

Melissa Lushbaugh is the co-founder and owner of South Made Marketing, an award-winning full-service marketing agency headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. With more than 20 years of experience in branding, social media, content creation, and digital marketing, she has helped businesses across the country grow through strategic storytelling and innovative marketing campaigns. A former high school English teacher, Melissa combines creativity with business strategy and is also an accomplished food and hospitality photographer whose work has been featured in publications including Food & Wine, Southern Living, Food Network, and Maxim. She is passionate about helping brands build meaningful connections and lasting success.

Christopher Wise
Designsensory

Chris has been a member of the marketing profession since his graduation from the University of Missouri – Columbia where he earned a BA in Marketing and Economics. Since 1992 – when he started Lancaster Market Intelligence – he has been providing proprietary market intelligence for his clients, giving those clients critical consumer and competitive insights to help understand customer needs and expectations. Prior to starting his business Chris worked on a national scale serving as Director of Marketing Services with responsibility for national advertising and promotion for Philips Consumer Electronics and managed the in-house advertising agency for The Musicland Group. In 2017, Lancaster Market Intelligence merged with Designsensory.

All his work now focuses on providing vital market information to strategically focused organizations - from NASCAR to MLS, zoos to health care providers, financial institutions, travel/tourism/hospitality destinations and venues to state governments for workforce and economic development. Long a leader in the research community, Chris has been on the forefront of uncovering and utilizing new technologies to gain deeper insights from an ever-changing cultural paradigm. While serving highly successful organizations, Chris also lends his expertise to emerging start-ups.

Chris serves the community through non-profit board participation. Is a past president of the Sertoma Center, Knox County Health Improvement Council, American Advertising Federation – Knoxville, and American Marketing Association – Knoxville. He served on the founding board for East Tennessee Information and Referral (211) and the Knox Area Rescue Ministries Executive Board. Additionally, Chris is a member of the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and the recipient of the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award. Chris has also served on the board of Historic Rugby, Inc. in Tennessee.