Your AWC National Board of Directors works diligently behind the scenes to keep our organization flourishing. Meet your team below.
Anita K. Parran, National Chair, Kansas City, MO
Anita K. Parran, is the Chair of the Association for Women in Communications. Parran, a native of St. Louis, makes her home in Kansas City, MO where she is Principal for KK Charles Communications, LLC, a firm she founded in 1998. The firm specializes in public and media relations, professional writing and special projects management. It provides communications consultation services for a select clientele of non-profit and for-profit entities and has earned a number of APEX international awards for communications excellence.
Anita received a B.A. in Journalism from Stephens College and M.A. in Business Management from Webster University in Webster Groves, MO. She also earned the Certified Communications Professional (CCP) designation sanctioned by the University of Washington School Department of Communication.
Anita writes music and lyrics and has written scores of poems.
Jeanette Gass, Vice Chair, Membership Committee Co-Chair, Washington D.C.
Jeanette Gass is Membership and Development Director at the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) where she is responsible for membership communications, recruitment and retention plans, volunteer operations, and fundraising communications efforts.
She holds an MS in Nonprofit and Association Management, an MA in Global Communication, and a BA in International Studies and Anthropology. In addition, she is an active volunteer with ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership and the Association of Certified Nonprofit Professionals as well as the Secretary/Treasurer of AWC DC Metro.
She also plays flute, clarinet, and saxophone and loves to eat out at new restaurants and travel around the world.
Mitzie Zerr, Immediate Past Chair, Springfield, MO
Mitzie Zerr is the owner of Zerco Consulting, a management firm that oversees
activities in an industrial park of 23 major employers in Springfield, Missouri. She began her business in 2018, after a lengthy career with City Utilities. Reading novels and researching family history are high priorities for her.
Mitzie spends hours in the kitchen trying new recipes, especially sweets, to share with her husband. She gladly hangs up the apron when she gets a chance to travel to see her 10-month-old grandson who lives nearly 1,000 miles away.
Judy Arent-Morency, Treasurer, Tulsa, OK
Judy Arent-Morency first joined the AWC National Board in 2005 and has served as treasurer, secretary, and national chair. After a brief hiatus, Judy rejoined the national board in 2016 and is the current treasurer.
She is marketing director and project manager for Aftrade Global, Inc., an engineered equipment trading firm. Judy teaches journalism and technical writing classes online for University of Phoenix. She is also active in the AWC Tulsa Professional Chapter and in local nonprofits while continuing to do freelance technical and script writing. When Judy has a free minute, she enjoys gourmet cooking, sewing, and jewelry making.
Emily Deppermann, Secretary, Bloomington-Normal, IL
Emily Deppermann graduated from Illinois State University with a B.S. in Public
Relations in December 2020. During undergrad, Emily was the social media chair and president of the ISU AWC student chapter. She is currently back at ISU pursuing her Master’s in Communication, and she is a communication graduate assistant in the Alumni Engagement Office.
Her favorite book series is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir.
Anikia Brown, Membership Committee Co-Chair, Washington D.C.
Anikia L. Brown, MS, is a skilled marketing and communications strategist with 10 years of association management experience. Currently as the Marketing and Communications Manager for the National League for Nursing (NLN), she supports 45,000 individual and 1,100 institutional members, comprising nursing education programs across higher education and health care. At NLN, she leads the strategic planning and execution of all marketing and communications efforts including, brand awareness, digital engagement, and membership recruitment and engagement.
Anikia is an active association leader. As a member of the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE), she sits on the Young Professional Advisory Council and was selected as a 2020-2022 Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) Scholar. Most recently she was recognized as Association’s Forum’s 2020 Forty Under 40 Award recipient.
She is also an active member of the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) where she founded the AWC Washington DC Metro Chapter and serves as chapter President. Anikia received her Master of Science in Public Relations Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Marketing from Howard University.
While Anikia has many fun hobbies, she mostly enjoys being a fur mom to her Giant Schnauzer Swanky, and spending lots of time with her family and friends.
Ashlee Sang, Professional Development Committee Chair, Bloomington-Normal, IL
Ashlee Sang is based in Central Illinois, with a background in anthropology and a penchant for travel. Through Ashlee Sang Consulting (ashleesang.com), she works with visionary founders who want to grow their impact and their business in a way that’s rooted in values and propelled by purpose.
Before doing brand messaging strategy and consulting, she worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including a human rights education NGO in Senegal and a local branch of Habitat for Humanity. The common thread has been sharing messages that matter.
Ashlee is a fan of one-liners, happy surprises and taking walks in the sunshine.
Molly Hall, Partnerships Chair, Springfield, IL
Molly Hall is a veteran communications professional whose career includes award-winning multi-media journalism, corporate and non-profit communications. Her passion is educating through stories, helping people better know and understand their communities and world – and issues that affect them.
Molly spent 14 years in broadcast news, before transitioning to government, then corporate communications. Most recently, she spent 18 years as executive director of the national non-profit Energy Education Council (EEC)
Hall has taken leadership roles in her volunteer board work as well, serving in various positions including president of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association, Illinois Society of Association Executives and others. A long-time member of AWC, Hall has held several leadership positions in the Springfield, IL chapter including president.
Molly loves gardening and according to her family, “has “the greenest thumb on the planet.” While contemplating her next career role of service, she volunteers for her church, and works on growing national awareness of AWC.
Julie Navickas, Student Outreach Committee Chair, Bloomington-Normal, IL
Julie Navickas is the Assistant Director of Academic Advising in the School of Communication at Illinois State University. She is also the impact manager at Burning Soul Press, social media strategist at Labyrinth Made Goods, executive director of The Writing Champions Project, and is an instructor of continuing education at Heartland Community College.
Julie earned a master’s degree in both organizational communication and English studies and a bachelor’s degree in public relations – all from Illinois State University.
She’s a mom of three and in her free time, authors romance novels. Her debut novel I Loved You Yesterday launches in August 2022 with Inkspell Publishing.
Jo Grant Langston, Director, Lubbock, TX
Jo Langston is an associate professor of practice in the College of Media and Communication at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. She teaches undergraduate courses in public relations, including writing, special event management, media relations, PR campaigns and crisis communication. Before entering academia, Langston worked 35 years in hospital public relations and marketing. She began her career at Hendrick Medical Center, Abilene, Texas in 1982, with the AIDS crisis as her baptism by fire.
She graduated from TTU in 1974 with a degree in journalism. She completed her master’s degree in communications in 2003 from Angelo State University. In 2021, she was named to the Texas Tech University Teaching Academy.
She is an avid reader and her favorite author is Stephen King. “Reading fiction allows me to go to another place away from the stresses of my life and King’s places are like none other,” Jo says.
Sherry Glover Thompson, Director, Washington D.C.
Sherry Glover Thompson is honored to serve on the national board! AWC has been a
launching pad where she learned to refine her skills as an effective communicator, proactive leader and progressive change agent. She looks forward to helping our members develop their full potential, as well while we grow and learn from each other. Her message is “learn to bloom where you’re planted until you return to your roots.” Become a lifelong learner!
