Board Nominees
2027 Board of Directors Candidates
Jake Sturgis, APR – Secretary/Treasurer
Jake Sturgis, APR, is the founder and CEO of Captivate Media + Consulting, a public sector communications and video production firm serving education, government and nonprofit clients. Jake has worked in communications since 2000. He began his career as a television news producer at KBJR in Duluth before spending nearly 12 years in school district communications in the Twin Cities. In 2014, he launched Captivate, where he leads a team of strategists, cinematographers, editors and graphic designers. A longtime volunteer leader, Jake served on the Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA) board from 2015 to 2019, including one year as president, and on the Minnesota PRSA board from 2019 to 2021. Jake lives in Chanhassen with his wife and two teenage sons.
Jacque Smith, APR – DEI Officer
Jacque Smith, APR, is the communications and technology director for the City of St. Louis Park, leading the communications, cable and video production and information technology divisions. She has worked in local government communications for more than 25 years, following several years in marketing for the insurance industry and a short stint as a reporter for a small community newspaper.
Jacque has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications. She has served on the boards of the Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications Administrators and Minnesota Association of Government Communicators. She is a member of the City-County Communications & Marketing Association and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her corgi PJ, biking, reading and cooking.
Amie Hoffner – Director
Amie Hoffner teaches in the master’s of strategic communications program at the University of Minnesota. She served as vice president of corporate communications at American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ), the franchisor of more than 8,000 DQ restaurants in more than 20 countries. In this role, Hoffner led a team of corporate communications and meetings, events, and travel practitioners responsible for managing the company’s reputation worldwide. Prior to ADQ, she was vice president of corporate communications at TCF Bank where she led the function. Hoffner also worked in communications at Target Corporation, Nexstar Broadcasting, Corel Corporation, Primera Technology and Weber Shandwick.
She has won several professional awards, including national PRSA and SABRE awards in integrated communications and social marketing. Hoffner is on the board of directors of Minnesota PRSA and is a member of Page Society. She holds a master’s degree in communications management from Syracuse University and bachelor’s degrees in communications and women’s studies from Hamline University.
Ellie Javadi, APR – Director
Ellie Javadi, APR, is a strategic communications and brand marketing leader with experience spanning venture capital, academia and research. Most recently, she served as CMO at Sapphire, a late-stage venture fund, following seven years leading marketing at Norwest Venture Partners, where she guided brand evolution and digital, social and content initiatives. Previously, Ellie spent a decade at Stanford Research Institute (SRI), leading communications, marketing, social media, content and earned media for SRI and its spin-off companies. Ellie has a lengthy tenure with PRSA including three terms as President of PRSA Silicon Valley, Chair of the PRSA North Pacific District Board and involvement with several PRSA National Committees. She is also a former CEO and Board Chair of the Pacific Art League. Most recently, Ellie delivered a TEDx talk on Iran, Hair, Women & a Revolution to Come. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jennifer Ma, MBA, PhD – Director
Dr. Jennifer Ma is a professor of Integrated Marketing Communication at Winona State University, where she teaches public relations, advertising and strategic communication. She holds a PhD from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Boston College. Before entering academia, she spent more than 12 years in marketing and public relations, including serving as a national spokesperson and marketing and PR manager for Microsoft China, a marketing and PR officer for Siemens Telecom China, and an account executive at a full-service agency working with international brands including Electrolux. Her research focuses on strategic messaging, new media technology, and health communication, with an emphasis on communication effectiveness, including research on medical AI, advertising and communication campaigns. She has published in interdisciplinary journals and presented at national and international conferences. As PRSSA faculty advisor at Winona State, she works closely with students and PR professionals to support the next generation of communicators.
Lacey Nygard Leighly – Director
Lacey Nygard Leighly is a strategic communications professional with more than a dozen years of experience in public affairs, media relations and reputation management. As a Communications Manager on U.S. Bank’s Public Affairs and Communications team, she advises on corporate reputation, issues management and stakeholder communications. Previously, Lacey held roles at Xcel Energy, the University of Minnesota and The Flint Group. Lacey holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with an emphasis in integrated advertising and public relations from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a master’s degree in strategic communication from the University of Minnesota. She is currently pursuing an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).
Nick Petersen – Director
Nick Petersen is a public relations lead at Children’s Minnesota, one of the largest pediatric health systems in the country and the only one in Minnesota devoted exclusively to children. In this role, he helps shape and protect the organization’s reputation through media relations, strategic communications and crisis communications. He works thoughtfully with patient families and care teams to tell compelling stories that highlight their experiences while helping audiences better understand the people and mission behind Children’s Minnesota.
Before transitioning into public relations in 2019, Nick spent nearly 15 years in broadcast journalism, including more than a decade as a newscast producer at KARE in the Twin Cities. His experience on both sides of the media relationship shapes his approach to communications, with a focus on building trust and strong relationships to tell people-centered stories. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from St. Cloud State University.
Laura Utecht – Director
Laura Utecht is the senior director of communications at Mall of America®, where she leads the communications strategy across public relations, media relations, social media and corporate social responsibility. Her work advances MOA’s marketing vision and business goals while strengthening the brand’s reputation and connection with its audiences.
Previously, Laura served as manager of public relations for Radisson Hotel Group Americas. She brings nearly a decade of broadcast journalism experience to her communications leadership. She was the morning reporter and midday anchor for FOX6 News in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the morning anchor for the NBC and CBS affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota, where she earned an Upper Midwest Emmy Award nomination. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from St. Cloud State University.
