2025 ADMAN Conference Speakers
Vanessa Errecarte, M.A., M.B.A
Vanessa Errecarte is an award-winning marketing consultant and educator. As CEO of Marketing Simplified—a Business of the Year honoree by the Chamber of Commerce—she has spent two decades primarily helping small to medium sized businesses and nonprofits compete effectively in industries often dominated by large corporations. Her expertise spans multiple industries including service, consulting, construction, real estate, hospitality, and retail, as well as grassroots nonprofits, government and academic institutions.
As a lecturer and Teacher of the Year honoree at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, she teaches Strategic Branding, Digital Marketing, and Personal Branding across all MBA programs and the MSBA program. Errecarte regularly delivers keynote and guest presentations at industry conferences such as the Social Media Strategies Summit and the Professional BusinessWomen of California conference. She currently serves as Chair of the Sutter Davis Hospital Board of Directors and recently led its $70 million capital campaign to expand the ER department, the birth center, and the meg surge unit. She also serves on two other local boards and is passionate about giving back in this way.
A Beta Gamma Sigma UC Davis MBA graduate, Errecarte also holds a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from the University of the Pacific with a focus on social networks and consumer behavior.
Errecarte has always been driven by her key belief that when used properly, marketing can be a catalyst for positive change.
Lisa Laughter, MA, ACC
Lisa Laughter is a dynamic force in the realm of personal empowerment and career development. As a Senior Career Coach, motivational speaker, and professional life coach, she brings over 25 years of experience in academic advising and higher education administration to her role. Lisa's journey began at Washington State University, where she held various advising and administrative positions before blazing a trail as the inaugural Career Coach at UC Davis and UC Davis Health.
Amy Shuman, MA, PCC
Amy Shuman serves as the Executive Director of Staff Coaching and Professional Development for the Division of Student Affairs at UC Davis. She has a master's degree in leadership from University of the Pacific, is a Gallup advanced certified Strengths coach, and a professional certified coach with the International Coach Federation. Amy is particularly passionate about leadership and empowering people to create a positive workplace culture by maximizing their strengths.
Jeff Heiser, MS, ACC
Jeff Heiser is a Senior Trainer and Strengths Coach for Workforce Development in the Division of Student Affairs at UC Davis. He holds a Master of Science degree with an emphasis in non-profit management, is a Gallup-certified Strengths coach, an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation, and holds a certification in Team Coaching. Jeff is passionate about helping individuals explore their strengths and discover how to use them daily to feel more energized, engaged, and happy at work (and in their lives).
Scott Kirkland, Application Developer
Scott Kirkland has been developing applications at UC Davis for over 20 years, creating the apps you all know and (hopefully) love—including PrePurchasing, Course Evaluations, Online Giving (give.ucdavis.edu), PEAKS, and many more. He has presented on AI to diverse audiences and is currently building AI-powered applications such as PolicyWonk and Rocky (chat.ucdavis.edu).