Our Partners Align with Our Mission

Michelle Mekky is a veteran, award-winning broadcast journalist and public relations executive who has led high-profile marketing and PR campaigns for some of the nation's most innovative brands, businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. She is founder and president of Mekky Media Relations, Inc., a boutique PR agency that strategically partners with many leaders in their industries, helping them tell their stories to new audiences to fuel their growth.

Michelle got her start in television news, spending over a decade as a senior producer and news writer for Fox-TV in Chicago. She transitioned from journalism to PR and marketing, working at top agencies and using her insider media knowledge and widespread connections to achieve top-tier coverage for clients ranging from startups to global powerhouses. She launched Mekky Media in 2016 to bring her own brand of PR to the market, with an emphasis on personal attention and creative storytelling.

Mekky Media provides PR strategy, media relations, media training, event promotion, social media strategy, and influencer outreach. Clients range from startups to industry leaders across nonprofits, technology, healthcare, restaurants, retail, fitness, financial and legal, and B2B. In 2021, Michelle doubled the size of her team and led the agency to a 62-percent revenue gain over the previous year.

Michelle is part of the prestigious International Public Relations Network (IPRN), Forbes Agency Council, and Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). She blogs for Forbes and is a motivational speaker sharing about her journey, entrepreneurship, and media training. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, holding her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the renowned Medill School of Journalism.

Jerry Waddell is the CEO, President, and Co-Owner of Video Ideas Productions, Inc. (also known as VI Media Pros), which he co-founded with his partner Martha J. Knight in 1987. For nearly four decades, Video Ideas Productions has specialized in unique media solutions across all platforms — from high-quality marketing and advertising content to websites that inform and influence. Their award-winning work has served customers in 42 states and internationally, from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses.

In 2010, Jerry created the concept for PointsMap®, LLC — a custom mapping system that allows administrators to create Points of Interest (POIs) enriched with photos, descriptions, web links, video, and audio. In 2015, he expanded the platform with PointsMap App functionality, enabling full mobile access on phones and devices. PointsMap was featured in Meetings & Conventions magazine's Tech Beat column, recognizing its innovative application for the meetings and events industry.

Prior to founding Video Ideas, Jerry spent 14 years with Olan Mills Studios (1973–1987), earning sales awards and rising to Area Manager, District Manager overseeing 7 states, and ultimately National Training Director. In that role he conducted between 100 and 175 marketing and training seminars across the U.S. and Great Britain, and produced training and marketing videos nationwide.

Jim is the President & CEO of Response Marketing Group, a consumer-data focused marketing agency in Richmond, VA. As such, he is responsible for relationship development and account strategy at the independent agency, which offers proprietary Ad technology, marketing strategy/planning, data segmentation and campaign reporting. The agency serves a number of clients in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors, as well as retail, healthcare and financial services.

RMG was founded in 1986 and their approach is consistent with the success gleaned from 40 years of experience – data insights married to relevant messaging to the target audience. Their focus remains helping clients drive increased visitor engagement, increased occupancy, return on ad spending, and board advocacy. They have developed proprietary Ad Tech solutions, SmartPIXL and Bullseye, that have introduced game-changing outcomes for clients across the US.

Jim is considered a thought-leader and tourism futurist, speaking frequently at Tourism Conferences across the U.S. such as the Southeast Tourism Society, Forrester Marketing Conference, Ad Federation, Travel & Tourism Research Association and the American Indigenous Tourism Association.