AAF Reno

AAF Reno is the local chapter of AAF. We strive to be the best resource for advertising professionals.

AAF Reno is Reno's ad club, a professional organization dedicated to serving as the ultimate resource for education, networking, and recognition within the marketing and advertising industries. AAF Reno is an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation. | Join AAF Reno today!

08/27/2026

What does it take to build a sports organization that becomes part of the community? ⚾

Eric Edelstein has seen it from just about every angle. As President of the Reno Aces and Greater Nevada Field, Eric oversees baseball, business and event operations. He also previously led the launch of Reno 1868 FC and has spent his career working across professional sports.

On September 15, Eric is joining Game On: Sports Marketing in Northern Nevada to share what goes into building sports brands and creating experiences that keep fans coming back.

📅 September 15
🕦 Networking at 11:30am, panel at noon
📍 The Discovery

Grab your tickets here: aafreno.com/events/game-on-sports-marketing-in-northern-nevada/

08/25/2026

From broadcast journalism to bringing professional soccer back to Northern Nevada, Wendy Damonte knows a thing or two about building connections with a community. ⚽

As CEO of Reno Pro Soccer, Wendy is helping lead the development of a new professional soccer club and stadium district right here in Reno. Hear from Wendy at Game On: Sports Marketing in Northern Nevada on September 15 as she joins our panel to talk sports, marketing and what it takes to build a fanbase that sticks around.

📅 September 15
🕦 Networking at 11:30am, panel at noon
📍 The Discovery

Grab your tickets at the link: aafreno.com/events/game-on-sports-marketing-in-northern-nevada/

08/20/2026

How do Northern Nevada's professional sports teams build fans for life? We're about to find out. 🏟️

Join AAF Reno on September 15th for a behind the scenes conversation with marketing leaders from the region's top sports organizations. From fan experiences to sponsorships to social media strategy, this panel is bringing the playbook and you're invited.

Whether you work in sports, nonprofits, hospitality, or just want to level up your marketing game, there's something in this one for everyone.

Our panelists:
· Wendy Damonte, CEO of Reno Pro Soccer
· Eric Edelstein, President of the Reno Aces
· Josh Costa, Director of Sales at Zawyer Sports & Entertainment
· Moderated by Bryce Brauneisen, Sports Director at KOLO 8 News Now

📅 September 15th
🕦 Networking at 11:30am, panel at noon
📍 The Discovery

Grab your tickets here: aafreno.com/events/game-on-sports-marketing-in-northern-nevada/

08/19/2026

Wrapping up our Ad People of the Year spotlights with one more well-deserved recognition. ✨

The Thomas C. Wilson Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Laura Partridge, Founder and President of CCMedia, a woman-owned media buying agency she launched in 1991. Over the course of more than 40 years in the industry, Laura has negotiated over $200 million in media placements and built a company known for its strategic, media-agnostic approach to helping brands of all sizes show up where it matters.

Beyond CCMedia, she also owns CCMedia Publishing, which produces seven community magazines across the Truckee and Lake Tahoe region. And if that weren't enough, she's an active leader in the Entrepreneurs' Organization and has served on several community boards over the years.

Four decades of showing up, building something meaningful, and bringing others along the way. Congratulations, Laura. This one is well earned. 🥂

08/10/2026

Spotlighting our Ad Person of the Year from this year's Ad People of the Year, Danni Winter. ✨

Danni is the Director of Integrated Planning and Paid Media at Noble Studios, bringing nearly 15 years of experience building and scaling high-performance paid media programs. What sets her apart is the lens she brings to it. With both a Marketing degree and an MBA in Finance from the University of Nevada, Reno, she approaches media strategy with a level of financial accountability that goes way beyond surface-level metrics.

Beyond her day job, Danni is the immediate past President of AAF Reno and has served on the boards of the Reno-Tahoe AMA and the Junior League of Reno.

Fifteen years of doing the hard, technical, meaningful work. Congratulations, Danni. 🥂

08/05/2026

We came, we grooved, we net-friended. 🕺

Thank you to everyone who showed up to our 70s mixer at Living Room this past week. It was a night full of good people and even better conversations.

Stay tuned for future events!

08/03/2026

Spotlighting our Ad Person of the Year from this year's Ad People of the Year, Kurt Thigpen. ✨

Kurt is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ace Studios, a Reno-based creative agency built around one simple belief: creativity for good. Under his leadership, Ace has grown into an award-winning agency recognized as AAF Western Region's 2024 Advertising Agency of the Year, and that's no small thing.

But Kurt's impact goes well beyond the agency. He has served as President of AAF Reno, Governor of District 14, Western Region Treasurer, and currently serves nationally as Chair of the AAF Council of Governors. In 2024 he was honored with AAF's national Lee-Douthit-Levine Perseverance Award, and outside the industry he serves as Chair of Nevada's State Public Charter School Authority, continuing his advocacy for education and equity.

A leader, a storyteller, and someone who consistently leaves things better than he found them. Congratulations, Kurt. 🥂

07/31/2026

Spotlighting our Young Professional of the Year from this year's Ad People of the Year, Rowena Magbitang-Piñero. ✨

Rowena is an illustrator, designer and copywriter at Design on Edge who describes herself as an "Emotional Creative," and honestly, that says it all. Whether she's illustrating a rooster for a chicken shop or writing about her latest branding project, she brings her whole heart to everything she makes.

As a proud Filipino-American and MCC graduate, Rowena centers inclusivity, diversity and community in her work and uses design and illustration to challenge the way we see the world. Beyond her day job, she serves as membership chair for Ad 2 Reno and runs her own freelance illustration and hand lettering studio, Good Fruit Creative Co.

Four years into her career and already making a lasting impact. We can't wait to see what comes next. 🥂

07/28/2026

Spotlighting our Community Contribution of the Year from this year's Ad People of the Year, Kristen Saibini and the Downtown Reno Partnership. ✨

As the Assistant Executive Director and Marketing Manager of the Downtown Reno Partnership, Kristen has dedicated her career to showcasing the energy, improvements and spirit of the city she calls home. A Reno native and two-time University of Nevada, Reno grad, her work spans college athletics, healthcare, utilities and animal welfare, and her impact on this community runs deep.

And if that weren't enough, she spends her spare time fostering dogs and raising funds for animal welfare nonprofits alongside her rescue pup Peanut. 🐾 (Yes, Peanut has his own Instagram. Yes, you should follow him.)

Congratulations, Kristen. Downtown Reno is lucky to have you. 🥂

07/27/2026

This is it, our final invitation. 🕺

If you've been thinking about joining us, now's the time. Grab a coworker, invite a friend, or bring someone who's never experienced an AAF Reno event.

No pressure. No pitches. Just good people, great conversations, and a relaxed evening with Reno's creative community.

We'll save you a seat. 🪑
📅 July 29th, 6-8pm
📍 The Living Room, Reno
💸 FREE!

RSVP: https://aafreno.com/events/70s-mixer-less-networking-more-net-friending/

Address

Reno, NV

Website

https://linktr.ee/aafreno

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