NEW YORK - Aug. 6, 2020 - The Marketing Ethnic Faculty Association (MEFA), a professional membership organization that services and supports the diverse needs of marketing academics and researchers of color, announces today its new officers that will lead the group for the next four years. The new officers will also lead MEFA's upcoming virtual convening on August 15, 2020.

"As a national organization dedicated to empowering marketing academics and researchers of color, all of us are thrilled to be on the new board for the Marketing Ethnic Faculty Association," states MEFA President, Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing at Baylor University. "In the U.S., marketing researchers of color comprise close to 1% of those teaching in business schools and working in industry. However, our work makes a global impact. As new MEFA officers, we aim to work to promote our members more as well as encourage them to soar!"

Created in 2008, MEFA works to promote the professional and career development of under-represented ethnic faculty (i.e., African American, Hispanic, and Native American heritage) and professionals who hold a terminal degree in marketing and related business disciplines. The organization also works to advance research and understanding that broaden the discipline of marketing. Through MEFA's collaboration with the PhD Project, a program of the KPMG Foundation, the group seeks to increase the recruitment and retention of under-represented ethnic faculty in marketing and related business disciplines. Additionally, MEFA fosters a greater awareness and appreciation of racial, ethnic and cultural diversity in business schools and other higher education institutions. The new MEFA leadership includes:
President, Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Baylor University
Vice-President, Dr. Tony Stovall, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Treasurer, Dr. Demetra Andrews, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Co-Secretary, Dr. Tatiana Fajardo, Florida State University
Co-Secretary, Dr. Lydia Njoroge, Morehead State University
Communications Officer, Dr. Kimberly Powell, Southern University and A & M College
Sponsorship Liaison, Dr. Amber Chenevert, VMLY&R
PhD Project/MDSA Liaison, Dr. Samantha Cross, Iowa State University
Member-At-Large and Past President, Dr. Takisha Toler, Stevenson University
Member-At-Large, Dr. Nakeisha Lewis, University of St. Thomas
Member-At-Large, Dr. Eric Rhiney, Webster University
Member-At-Large, Dr. Dalila Salazar, Texas A&M University-Central Texas
"The Marketing Ethnic Faculty Association is my annual 'woosah' – it is not only refreshing, but, regenerative as well," states past MEFA Officer and current Member-at-Large, Dr. Eric Rhiney, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Marketing& Marketing Program Lead at Webster University. "As a member of MEFA, I am able to collaborate on research and teaching and just get a chance to spend quality time with great colleagues who represent every level of academic endeavor."

MEFA members also benefit from the organization's collective knowledge, intellectual prowess, and applied experiences of professionals who want to expand and ensure the visibility, influence, and future prospects for academicians, scholars, and practitioners of color in marketing and related fields.

Future MEFA events in 2020 include the organization's annual conference this August and in association with The PhD Project, a nationwide collaboration with the global advertising agency, VMLY&R, along with online member webinars.

For more information on MEFA and its upcoming annual conference, visit https://www.mefassoc.org/.

Media Contact
L.A.I. Communications
kathleen.delva@laicommunications.com