People

Debra J. Stratton, President

Debra Stratton brings to clients more than 25 years of specialized experience in association publishing, marketing, and business communications, working with organizations to expand and upgrade the quality of their communications programs. Over the years, she has built a reputation for creating award-winning publications and developing proven problem-solving strategies that have helped hundreds of publishers grow their businesses and strengthen their association communications.

As a frequent lecturer and seminar leader for FOLIO: magazine, The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP), Stratton is recognized as an authority on publishing issues. She is actively involved in the association community and has served on the board of directors of American Dental Association Business Enterprises (ADABEI), the for-profit subsidiary of the American Dental Association for publishing and business services, as well as many ASAE councils, and is currently a member of the Consultants Council. She is Past President of SNAP and a former board member of the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives.

Stratton was named Top Association Supplier of the Year by Association TRENDS in recognition of her exemplary work as a business partner to the association community.

Prior to starting her company, Stratton worked in publishing and communications for associations as well as in news reporting and public relations.

Angela Brady, Vice President

Vice President Angela Hickman Brady oversees custom publishing, working with clients to ensure reader-engaged publications that exceed expectations. She also directs a variety of research and consulting projects, drawing on her extensive experience in broadcast and print news reporting, editing, and production.

Brady previously worked for American City Business Journals, first as Small Business Editor for the Atlanta Business Chronicle and then as Special Projects Editor for the Washington Business Journal. Earlier, she served as Managing Editor of The Business Journal of Tri-Cities, TN-VA. Brady is a past board member of SNAP and a regular presenter of publishing and communications issues for a variety of organizations. She also serves as an editorial advisor to ASAE's Associations Now magazine. 

Marlene Hendrickson, Publications Manager/Research Associate

In her role as Publications Manager, Marlene Hendrickson serves as managing editor and associate editor for print and electronic publications produced by Stratton Publishing. She also provides support for research and consulting projects. Hendrickson has more than 15 years of publishing experience, including corporate and nonprofit newsletters and magazines, online publications, and Spanish language communications. Her publishing experience includes managing flagship magazines and newsletters for national organizations, such as the Association for Career and Technical Education and America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth. She has also worked as a corporate writer and news editor for Gannett Co. Inc. and as a sports reporter and writer for USA Today Sports Weekly and community newspapers.

Josephine Rossi, Publications Manager

Josephine (Josie) Rossi serves as managing editor for several magazines that Stratton publishes for association clients, while also providing editorial and production support to other Stratton projects. Rossi is experienced in working with both print and online content for consumer, nonprofit, and university publications. Beginning her career as newspaper stringer covering state politics, Rossi has since served as an electronic newsletter editor, a reporter for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and Kiplinger.com, a freelance book fact-checker, and a freelance writer for Food Network. As senior associate editor for T+D magazine, published by the American Society for Training and Development, she served as a writer, editor, and production designer.

Carrie Wood, Business Operations/Research Production Manager

Carrie Wood serves as research production manager and is responsible for research support and day-to-day management and programming for all research studies. She provides clients with updates, fields participant inquiries regarding completing Web surveys, manages all data entry and tabulation, and oversees all administrative support functions for research studies. Additionally, as business operations manager, Wood is responsible for administrative support and financial management for the company. Before joining Stratton, Wood served in administrative management roles for several companies. 

Janelle Welch, Senior Art Director

Janelle Welch directs Stratton’s design office, managing the creative process and development of all design projects, including custom publishing magazines for association clients, publication redesigns, marketing materials and media kits, direct-mail promotions, annual reports, and other collateral work. An award-winning graphic artist specializing in the unique needs of periodicals, Welch has a keen eye for marrying content and art, and has more than 17 years of experience in graphic arts, marketing, and publication design. Her designs and redesigns of association and commercial magazines have been honored by the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP), the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), and FOLIO: magazine.

Alison Bashian, Advertising Sales Manager

Alison Bashian, President of Bashian & Associates, Inc. partners with Stratton Publishing & Marketing to provide advertising sales management to several of Stratton's magazine clients. She and her sales team have a reputation for strong customer relations and regularly expanding ad sales revenues for clients. Bashian & Associates, Inc. is a professional sales organization specializing in advertising sales for associations, business-to-business publications, technical publications, and directories. Earlier, Bashian worked in advertising sales management for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and in editorial positions at Penton Publishing.

Robert Rainier, Senior Consultant

Robert Rainier is an experienced publishing professional whose background includes executive-level positions with McGraw-Hill, CBS, and the American Institute of CPAs. At AICPA, he directed the $37 million profit-driven publishing program, including the award-winning Journal of Accountancy, electronic media, books, and subscription-based newsletters. He also served at AICPA as Senior Consultant, Strategic Development working with senior management and leadership in developing new initiatives for the society.

Earlier, Rainier worked in commercial publishing with McGraw-Hill and CBS Educational and Professional Publishing, New York City, where he was Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, CBS College Publishing, managing $22 million in assets and a staff of 115 responsible for product acquisition and development for the $81 million business.

Joetta Melton, Senior Consultant

Joetta Melton is a senior marketing and research strategist with extensive experience in the commercial and nonprofit publishing and marketing worlds, especially in the health-care field. Capping a 20-year career at the American Academy of Family Physicians as Publisher and Division Director, Melton oversaw major expansion of publishing operations that more than doubled revenues to $20 million, including the launch of an advertising-supported publication, Family Practice Management, and an original research journal, Annals of Family Medicine. Also at AAFP, she was actively involved in expanding the book publishing program, directing special product launches, and directing cross-divisional teams to implement association-wide strategic planning benchmark efforts.

Earlier she worked as a marketing and research executive for major communications and advertising companies, responsible for strategic launches, creative development and media placements, and as a group product manager. Melton has been active in industry associations and is a past president of both the Association of Medical Publications and the Society of National Association Publications. She is a frequent presenter at publishing conferences.

Thomas Koerner, PhD, Senior Consultant

Thomas Koerner, PhD., is a senior publishing executive with extensive experience in both commercial and association publishing as well as association executive leadership. Koerner, who has a Ph.D. in publishing management from Northwestern University, directed the award-winning publishing program at the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) for 20 years before becoming executive director of the organization. More recently, he has served as Vice President and Editorial Director at Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, a highly regarded specialty book publisher in Lanham, Maryland. He brings to clients an extensive background in the business of journal publishing and development, book marketing and expansion programs, and communications and publishing operations. Prior to his publishing career, Koerner served as a school district administrator, teacher, and news writer.

Mary Nowesnick, Senior Consultant

Mary Nowesnick is a senior executive with extensive experience in higher education marketing, research, and branding, as well as expertise in association and nonprofit publishing and communications.

Nowesnick served as Executive Director for marketing communication services at Loyola University Chicago where she oversaw undergraduate recruitment marketing as well as communications for Loyola’s schools and colleges, office of the provost, student affairs, and student services offices. She launched Loyola’s first marketing communications department and led the recruitment marketing strategy that contributed to annual record-breaking undergraduate enrollments.

Earlier, she served as Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning national publication, Savings Institutions Magazine, published by the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. 

Active in volunteer leadership, Nowesnick has served as President of the SNAP, Washington, DC, and Board Chair for Little Brothers–Friends of the Elderly, Chicago. A frequent presenter at professional conferences, Nowesnick is the editor of two books: Mundelein Voices: The Women’s College Experience, 1930-1991 and Relationship Marketing: Process, Performance and Profit.