About the Board
The Advertising + Public Relations Professional Advisory Board is an important link between the Department and the professional world. Board members assist the faculty in evaluating and planning the curriculum. They also mentor students, visit classrooms, speak to students, host internships, and assist in strategic planning.
Statement from Members
We are proud of the Department’s many achievements, but more importantly, excited about its bright future. A large part of our celebration will aim to expand and rejuvenate the relationships between alumni, students and faculty. The Professional Advisory Board is the keystone in our effort to deepen the interaction among these three groups.
Objective
To infuse real-time marketplace learning opportunities into the communications program using currently-employed professionals from the communications industry (agencies and non-agency people).
Professional Advisory Board Members
Bree Balogun
Vice President, Account Management | Revolve TV
Bree K. Balogun is an award-winning advertising and marketing professional with a strong acumen in Account Management and Client Service. With more than 15 years of agency experience she has worked with a plethora of brands, varying from Fortune 500 companies to emerging start-ups, in developing integrated national advertising campaigns and effective marketing strategies across all mediums.
Having worked with a wide range of industries, such as Retail, Automotive, Consumer Packages Goods, Financial Institutions and Lifestyle Brands, Bree is passionate about leveraging branded content, event activation, and influencer initiatives to cultivate meaningful relationships between brands and their core diverse audiences and consumers.
As VP of Account Management at REVOLT TV’s internal creative agency, #000000, Bree leads the Account Management and Project Management departments, oversees operations, and safeguards the client portfolio. She has a strong passion and understanding of diverse markets, allowing her to lead strategies uniquely structured to make an impact on targeted audiences.
Bree holds a bachelor’s degree in Advertising from Michigan State University, where she sits on the College of Communication’s advisory board. She loves tacos, traveling and documentaries. On weekends you can find her exploring Atlanta’s food scene with her husband and four-year-old son.
Andrea Brimmer
Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer | Ally
Andrea Brimmer is the chief marketing and PR officer of Ally Financial and is responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s integrated marketing and brand transformation, driving unprecedented growth and disruptive consumer engagement.
Brimmer joined the company in 2006 and spearheaded the creation and launch of the Ally brand in 2009. Since becoming CMO in 2015, she has unified the brand under the company’s “Do It Right” mantra, and at her direction, Ally has established itself as a “different” kind of financial services company, dedicated to solving customer pain points that traditional institutions ignored.
Brimmer is widely recognized as one of the country’s most innovative and effective marketing leaders, known for being a dynamically disruptive and culturally astute trailblazer. The work of her team garnered recognition for Ally on many prominent industry lists and rankings, including the 2022 and 2023 Fast Company Brands that Matter lists. Her many honors include Forbes 2024 CMO Hall of Fame induction in recognition of her five times on the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMO list, 2023 Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50 and Fast Company’s 2023 Most Creative People in Business and the 2020 Adweek Brand Genius award.
Brimmer is passionate about advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and using her platform to create good in the world. In 2022, she launched the marketing industry’s first 50/50 pledge with the goal of spending equal amounts in advertising for women’s and men’s sports. Her leadership in gender equity resulted in her being named to the 2022 Adweek Most Powerful Women in Sports list and as the 2022 WISE Woman of the Year.
Prior to joining Ally, Brimmer spent 20 years on the agency side in Detroit, where she led the Chevrolet account. She holds several board positions with organizations including eHealth, Ad Council, Effie Worldwide, American Advertising Federation, Mobile Marketing Association and Women’s Sports Foundation. She serves on Michigan State University’s Sports Management Advisory Board and is chair of the Professional Advisory Board for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, where she also played varsity soccer for four years.
Megan Gopp
Founder and Creative Director | The Adventure Agency
The Adventure Agency’s founder Megan Gopp has been a graphic designer for 12+ years—or more, if you count the years she spent hand-making greeting cards and designing t-shirts for school functions. Before starting & growing The Adventure Agency, she worked her way up from unpaid intern to Senior Art Director for an ad agency in Downtown Chicago. Although the high-rise office and window with a view was nice, she chose to pursue the road less traveled instead. Today she’s an award winning, highly valued creative partner to brands around the world, and The Adventure Agency has been mentioned in Forbes, DesignRush, Motherly, and other publications.
Megan graduated from MSU in 2012 with a BA in Advertising, concentrating in Design. As of 2024, she has worked with over 80 companies (including Starbucks, Dunkin' and Hyatt), and has the pleasure of teaching courses at MSU. In 2024 she was awarded 40 Under 40 in Southwest Michigan, and was nominated for the 2024 Rising Star Award by the Southwest Michigan Chamber of Commerce. She loves to travel, her favorite food is cheese and she listens to true-crime podcasts during the workday.
Erica Hughes
Senior Director of Multicultural Marketing | Ally
Erica Hughes is an award-winning marketing and advertising executive with a proven track record of success working with Fortune 500 companies. Driven by a passion for connecting brands to culture and community, she has led strategic campaigns for renowned brands including Chevrolet, Chick-fil-A, and Slim Jim.
Currently, Hughes serves as the Senior Director of Sports, Consumer and Lifestyle Public Relations at Ally Financial. In this role, she is responsible for setting the strategic direction and executing integrated PR strategies that enhance the brand's visibility and reputation. She joined Ally in 2020 as the Head of Multicultural Marketing, marking a significant milestone as Ally's first hire dedicated to multicultural efforts. In this role, she developed initiatives to bridge the gap between culture and finance. Her team launched transformative programs such as the HBCU entrepreneurship pitch competition, Moguls in the Making. Additionally, she forged innovative partnerships with organizations like Revolt, the American Black Film Festival, and United Masters, all with the goal of advancing financial education within diverse communities. Her visionary leadership earned her a spot on Ad Age’s prestigious 40 Under 40 list, which honors industry leaders driving change.
Originally from Flint, MI, Hughes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Michigan State University, where she serves as Vice President of the Alumni Board for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. She also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Northern Illinois University. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Erica is a devoted mother of two beautiful toddlers, balancing her busy career with the joys of motherhood.
Gary Pascoe
Executive Creative Director, EVP | Doner, Detroit
Gary has spent 30+ years at some of the top advertising agencies in the country, including TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, Mccann, BBDO in NYC/Detroit and The Richards Group in Dallas. In 2023, Gary spent a year as a full time Advertising Professor at his alma mater, Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Michigan. Most recently, Gary joined Doner Detroit as Executive Creative Director on the RAM account.
Gary created the Emmy nominated "Walter the Cat" campaign for Chevy, and brought the 'Sopranos' to the Super Bowl for the Silverado EV launch. Earlier in his career, he created Pennzoil's long running "Not just oil, Pennzoil" campaign, Levi's "Our models can beat up their models" campaign, and worked on the "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" Chihuahua campaign.
Gary is an Outstanding Alumni at Michigan State University, a two time Automotive News Marketing All Star, he has won 8 Effies, 7 Cannes Lions, 6 D&AD Pencils and 11 Clios.
Gary is married to Amy, lives outside of Detroit, he has two sons, Deano and Dylan, and a one-eyed cat named Ralphie.
Danielle Mathews (Seaman)
Senior Director, Integrated Marketing | Pura
Danielle Mathews is the Senior Director of Integrated Media at Pura, where she leads media strategy across direct-to-consumer and retail channels. With expertise in blending brand storytelling and performance marketing, she drives full-funnel strategies that connect consumers to Pura’s innovative smart scenting experiences.
At Pura, Danielle develops data-driven media frameworks that align business objectives with consumer journeys—designing integrated campaigns across all stages of the funnel to maximize awareness, engagement, and conversion. She partners cross-functionally with Finance, Creative, and Growth teams to ensure media investments deliver measurable impact, while also building strategies that resonate with diverse audience segments ranging from tech enthusiasts to parents.
Prior to joining Pura, Danielle built a strong foundation on both the agency and publisher sides, managing media strategy and partnerships for global brands including Amazon, Google, Nestlé, Samsung, Tabasco, Mondelēz, Tim Hortons, ABInBev and Ticketmaster.
With a strong background in digital marketing, media planning, and funnel optimization, Danielle specializes in balancing retail support with direct performance growth. Her approach combines creative strategy, channel innovation, and a results-oriented mindset to scale brand visibility and drive sustainable growth.
Outside her work at Pura, Danielle is passionate about elevating consumer experiences through smart, intentional marketing—always at the intersection of creativity and analytics.
Sofia Simon
Coordinator of Operations and Client Services | Wasserman
Sofia is a client services professional who recently graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Advertising Management and quickly established herself at Wasserman, a leading global agency operating at the epicenter of sports, music, entertainment, and culture.
She started with two strategic internships—first in Music & Projects handling contract management and event logistics, then as a Marketing Intern leading campaigns for major accounts like Molson Coors—where she demonstrated my ability to blend analytical thinking with creative execution.
Now in Sofia's full-time role as Coordinator of Operations & Client Services in Wasserman's basketball division, she serves as the backbone for a diverse roster of 30+ clients spanning the entire basketball ecosystem—from emerging NIL and college athletes to established professional basketball players. She handles all aspects of their professional needs: reviewing and managing contracts to ensure compliance and accuracy, negotiating and coordinating marketing deals, accompanying them to major events like Summer League and The NBA Draft, managing photoshoots and game appearances, supporting their day-to-day requirements, and ensuring seamless communication between clients, agents, and executives.
Her role extends globally as she manages international client relations, coordinating with major universities and facilitating complex processes for overseas clients. From executing high-profile events like the Draft to preparing marketing materials, Sofia's comprehensive support and proactive approach have made her an indispensable partner in professional sports representation.
Jacqueline Steele
Global Chief Marketing Officer | Wieden+Kennedy
Jacqueline (Jacq) Steele is the Global Chief Marketing Officer for Wieden+Kennedy and a Wieden vet of 14 years. Born and raised in Dearborn and a proud Michigan State Spartan, Jacqueline moved to New York shortly after graduation to pursue her career in advertising, for what she thought would be a few year stint. 17 years later, New York is home but her heart and accent are still #PureMichigan.
It all started on Ford Motor Company and Rolex at JWT, where she credits learning both agency and client service fundamentals. It’s also where she acquired the nickname “Jacq.” She joined Wieden+Kennedy New York in 2011 and managed brands such as Equinox, Heineken and One Kings Lane before entering the world of new business. Jacq has been a key leader in W+K’s growth since 2014, forging partnerships with iconic brands including Allstate, Ally, Ancestry, Bud Light, DoorDash, Duracell, FanDuel, Ford, Google, HBO, Hennessy, Impossible, Kraft-Heinz, Lyft, McDonald's, OkCupid, Skims, Spotify, Sprite, Team USA and Vitaminwater.
Jacq is the recipient of Campaign’s New Business Director of the Year Award, recognized as a "Jacq-of-all-trades, who closely embodies the confident ethos of the independent agency.” At home, she puts her “Jacq-of-all-trades” skills to the test daily as a project manager, producer, strategist, wardrobe stylist, photographer and mom to Jackson, Hank and Lola.
Keaton Wilson
Creative Operations, Production and Project Manager Lead | AT&T
A 2009 graduate of MSU, Keaton has 15 years of experience in the Advertising industry as a Project Manager and Producer. His career spans across Big Brand Campaigns, Global Transcreation, and even lower funnel creative adaptations across the Tech, CPG, QSR, Finance, Apparel, and Telecomm industries.
Currently, Keaton is leading Project Management, Workflows, and Staffing initiatives as part of the leadership team in the new in-house Creative & Production Studio within AT&T.
His finger is always on the pulse of new ways of working as it pertains to the Project Management role in the Advertising and Marketing industries and is eager to guide, coach, and mentor new and upcoming graduates to support them in their career search and introduction.