Strategic integrated marketing communications and commercialization educator and thought leader. Experience in brand, channel, sales and marketing in agency, and corporate environments with leading Fortune 100 organizations that include Ogilvy & Mather, The Coca-Cola Company, M&M/Mars, Inc., and The Colgate Palmolive Company. In addition to corporate leadership, Chris founded and operated SOAR Marketing Consultants, a marketing consulting firm that identifies strategic opportunities and develops actionable results for businesses. After 25+ years in the corporate sector, she entered the classroom where she teaches in the Integrated Marketing Communications program in the School of Journalism and New Media at The University of Mississippi.Chris delights in merging her marketing and management knowledge with high energy to deliver knowledge and solutions to students as well as to internal and external clients. She has a passion for marketing - through traditional and new media channels. She excels in uncovering new marketing opportunities, sizing/evaluating/commercializing those opportunities, and creating strategic solutions to deliver results. Chris has a passion and talent for new brands and innovation project launching 13 new brands/line extensions including Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke with Lemon, Diet Coke with Lime, Diet Vanilla Coke, Diet Cherry Coke, and Fresca Flavors, as well as 2 packaging innovations at The Coca-Cola Company. Chris was one of the first in the U.S. to recognize, quantify, and sell-in Fast Lane Merchandisers. She has led research and commercialization projects on retail merchandising, beverage vessels and catering. Specialties: Teaching, integrated marketing, strategic planning, organization management, commercial leadership, brand development, shopper marketing, category management, channel marketing, cross cultural marketing, innovation, and execution management.