April Voris Marketing, Consulting & Social Media

What an incredible honor to present a breakout session on personal branding at the 2026 Tri Delta Convention in Denver.

As I looked around the room, I saw collegians, young alumnae, seasoned volunteers and leaders, all at different stages of life and career. It was a great reminder that personal branding isn’t just for job seekers or executives. It’s something we build every single day.

One of the biggest ideas we explored was this:

Your personal brand is not your job title or your LinkedIn profile. It is the full story people experience about you through how you live, lead, serve, communicate and show up.

We talked about the difference between being visible and being intentional, how our everyday interactions shape our reputation, and why the strongest personal brands are rooted in our values, strengths and experiences, not in creating a polished image.

My favorite takeaway from the session:
Your personal brand isn’t about perfection. It’s about alignment.

Thank you to Tri Delta for the opportunity to share this conversation with such an inspiring group of women who are committed to lifelong learning, leadership and service. I left energized by the conversations, the questions and the reminder that our greatest influence often comes from the small moments, the ones where we simply choose to show up with purpose.

I recently wrapped up another year teaching social media for nonprofits through the Georgia Center for Nonprofits / Nonprofit University, and I’m feeling incredibly grateful.

This was my 14th year teaching with GCN, and it continues to be one of the most meaningful things I get to do.

Nonprofit professionals are some of the most resourceful, passionate, and mission-focused people out there. They are often managing big goals with small teams, limited time, and a deep commitment to the communities they serve.

Being able to share what I’ve learned about social media strategy, content, engagement, advertising, and analytics is always rewarding, but the real gift is the connection. The questions, the conversations, the shared experiences, and the reminder that social media can be so much more than “just posting.”

It can build trust.
It can tell stories.
It can move people to care, give, volunteer, advocate, and act.

Grateful for the opportunity to keep teaching, keep learning, and keep supporting the nonprofit community.

Some career moments come full circle.

This week I had the opportunity to welcome my longtime friend and former colleague Chris Jacobs to speak at AAF Mobile Bay. Chris and I go all the way back to the very first agency I worked at out of college, Cole Henderson Drake in Atlanta.

As Programs Chair for AAF Mobile Bay, it was a privilege to bring him in as our March luncheon speaker. Chris, Owner & Creative Director of Strange Animal, shared thoughtful insights on concept-driven creativity and why bold thinking still matters in today’s fragmented media landscape.

Drawing on his experience working with brands like UPS, Walmart, and BFGoodrich, he talked about the power of strong ideas, creative bravery, and how agencies and marketers need to keep adapting as our industry evolves.

It was also Chris’s first visit to Mobile, so we kicked things off the right way with seafood and gumbo at the famous Wintzell's Oyster House downtown. I loved getting to share a little piece of Mobile with a friend while also bringing his perspective and decades of experience to our AAF Mobile Bay community.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for a great conversation about creativity and the future of our industry.

The brands seeing the strongest results are not the ones creating the most content.

They are the ones making intentional decisions about focus and distribution.

I unpack this in my latest newsletter.

👉🏻 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-more-content-rarely-answer-april-voris-4rx0c

Last week’s AAF / PRCA Mobile Bay panel, What Makes Mobile, Mobile?, was a great reminder of how much thoughtful collaboration exists in this city.

Thank you to our panelists for sharing their insight and experience:
Ashley Trice, David Clark, Amy Baldwin, Jason Johnson, Chris Gibson, and James Palomo.

From storytelling and tourism to media and community engagement, the conversation was honest, engaging, and energizing. The networking that followed made it even better.

Mobile’s strength really is its people.

This morning, I had the opportunity to appear on FOX10 News alongside Brooke O'Donnell, Co-President of AAF Mobile Bay, to talk about our upcoming event, “What Makes Mobile, Mobile?”

The panel discussion and happy hour are designed to spotlight the people, perspectives, and creativity that shape Mobile’s identity and why this market continues to stand out in the marketing, communications, and business landscape.

As Programs Chair, I am proud of the conversations we are curating this year. This one is thoughtful, local, and rooted in community.

📍 Innovation Portal
🗓️ January 22, 4:30p-6:30p
🎤 Panel discussion followed by networking

Join us Thursday! Comment and I'll send you the link to register.

Fox 10 segment: https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/01/20/aaf-mobile-bay-events/

Looking forward to hosting this amazing panel on what makes Mobile, Mobile! Join us!

It was such a joy to host my longtime friend Ashley Schoenith at this week’s AAF Mobile Bay luncheon. Ashley flew in from Atlanta to share her inspiring journey of building Heirloomed, a brand rooted in authenticity, storytelling, and soul.

From her early days in advertising to becoming an entrepreneur and artisan, Ashley reminded us how powerful it is when marketing and meaning come together. Her talk, “Building a Brand with Soul: The Heirloomed Story,” was a beautiful example of staying true to your values while navigating multi-channel marketing and growing a business with purpose.

Thank you, Ashley, for sharing your story and signing a few books with our group, and for proving that great brands are built on heart as much as strategy.

I am THRILLED to host my good friend Ashley Schoenith this month at our upcoming AAF Mobile Bay luncheon. I promise this is well worth your time on October 21st! Even if you are not a member, come join us for this event as a guest!

🥪Join us for the AAF Mobile Bay October Luncheon featuring Ashley Schoenith, founder of Heirloomed Collection! (https://heirloomedcollection.com) Ashley will share her inspiring journey from a career in advertising to building her own brand rooted in creativity, heritage, and entrepreneurship. Through The Heirloomed Story, she’ll explore how she has created a business that blends storytelling and craftsmanship with smart, sustainable commerce.

Whether you’re a marketer, entrepreneur, or simply someone who values authenticity in branding, this luncheon will leave you with fresh insights on building meaningful connections through your work!

📅Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
🕒Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
📍Location: Innovation Portal, Mobile, AL

✨Special Giveaway: Everyone who registers will be entered to win a signed copy of Ashley’s cookbook, The Heirloomed Kitchen!

Ashley will also be selling copies of her new cookbook at the event!

👇Grab your tickets today!
https://lnkd.in/e5EEZsJE

What a fantastic joint program last week with AAF Mobile Bay and PRCA Mobile! As Programs Chair, I loved collaborating with PRCA to bring this dynamic panel to life.

Breaking In and Moving Up: Career Insights for All Levels gave students, emerging pros, and seasoned communicators alike practical tools and inspiration to grow in their careers.

A big thank you to our incredible panelists:
▶︎ Sarah Jones, President, Good Giant
▶︎ Jarrod England, COO, Hummingbird
▶︎ Courtney Steele, Bishop State Community College
▶︎ Denise Curtis, Mobile Chamber

Their insights and stories reminded us of the many paths to success and the value of sharing knowledge across our professional community.

Events like this are proof of the power of collaboration and why we keep showing up to learn, connect, and move forward together.