Staff

Jay McAninch: President/CEO

McAninch is credited with assembling a motivated, high-quality ATA workforce that develops and implements strategic plans to grow and protect the archery and bowhunting industry. McAninch works to ensure all ATA staff and resources support the industry and make the association’s members more profitable. In addition, the ATA’s president and CEO guides the growth of archery and bowhunting, especially through state wildlife agencies and their efforts to increase participation and opportunities for archers and bowhunters. Most importantly, McAninch holds ATA staff and himself accountable to the ATA Board for the group’s progress to grow archery, bowhunting and the industry.

Experience Highlights: B.S. Iowa State University – fish and wildlife biology; M.S. Ohio State University – Wildlife Ecology. Jay McAninch led wildlife research programs on topics ranging from white-tailed deer to Lyme disease to bowhunting. McAninch worked for the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York and for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources before moving to Washington, D.C., to direct the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. He took the job as CEO and president of ATA in August 2000.

Emily Beach: Education & Research Manager

Beach coordinates the ATA’s Explore Bowhunting program, an educational curriculum designed to help instructors, program leaders and educators teach students ages 11-17 basic bowhunting skills. The program was developed to spark an interest and passion for bowhunting in today’s youths. Through hands-on experiences students strengthen their appreciation for wildlife and the woods while gaining confidence by interacting with the natural environment. In addition to her education responsibilities, Beach uses her expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assemble and map spatial data. Her projects have included statewide maps that analyze the need for shooting ranges, and maps of the ATA's community archery strategy that assess potential impacts on schools, residents, bowhunters, archery shops and recreation programs.

Experience Highlights: B.S. in Biology/Ecology, Minnesota State University at Mankato.

Michelle Doerr: Director of Archery & Bowhunting Programs

Doerr’s No. 1 priority is working with states to plan and develop community archery strategies. These all-encompassing archery efforts directly benefit ATA-member dealers while recruiting new archers into our sports. By working with state agency partners, Doerr hopes to demonstrate how participation grows once a community adds archery to its sports offerings. Doerr also works with state agencies to develop staff and programs that recruit and retain archers and bowhunters while increasing shooting facilities and hunting opportunities.

Experience Highlights: B.S. Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin – Biology; M.S. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri – Fisheries and Wildlife. Doerr’s wildlife specialty has been urban wildlife manager. She is a Level II certified archery instructor and Minnesota Bowhunter Education Program Instructor.

Patrick Durkin: Contributing Editor

Patrick Durkin assists Amy Hatfield, ATA’s communications manager, in writing and editing articles, press releases, brochures and other publications. The ATA’s communications team works with other ATA staff to develop, write and edit informational materials for the ATA’s monthly e-newsletter, website, trade magazines, informational pamphlets and educational publications.

Experience Highlights: B.A. in journalism, 1983, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Melinda Gable: Director of Business Development & Strategy Integration

As director of business development and strategy integration, Melinda Gable works across all areas of the organization to streamline and accommodate growth of existing events and programs, as well as develop opportunities for new growth, ultimately increasing the awareness, value and revenue of the organization. Gable is also charged with initiating and managing NGO and non-endemic strategic relationships and alliances that focus on program and synergy opportunities. In this capacity, she is involved in the process of developing policies and plans, often in terms of projects and programs, and then overseeing the implementation.

Experience Highlights: For more than a decade, Gable has been entrenched in advancing natural resource issues on the political playing field and the sportsmen's community. After working in the U.S. House of Representatives, she joined the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF), and shortly thereafter was named President. As President, working with key members of Congress, Gable evolved the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus into the largest and most influential Caucus in the U.S. Congress, with an all time high membership of 327 bi-partisan House and Senate members.

Amy Hatfield: Communications Manager

From ATA’s trade magazine articles to its Web site and e-newsletter, Hatfield manages the group’s communication and public relations efforts to serve the interests of ATA members. She works to advance our industry and our sport by bringing valuable exposure to programs the ATA supports and organizes. Hatfield also guides the trade organization's media relations strategy and media research efforts to ensure the ATA's news is everyone's news.

Experience Highlights: B.A. University of Georgia – communications. Formerly worked on the public relations team with the National Wild Turkey Federation before being promoted to Web editor. She also served as an editor of Realtree’s newsletter, Headlines from the Treelines.

Kelly Kelly: Manager of Support Services & Operations

Kelly’s main responsibility is executive assistant to Jay McAninch, ATA’s CEO/president, and working with the ATA’s governing Board and committees. Kelly also leads the planning for many of the ATA’s sponsored events. These duties range from managing a team of caterers to coordinating setups for meetings and conferences. In addition, she supports the ATA’s program directors and managers as they work to advance archery and bowhunting. As a community point of contact, Kelly directs ATA members, individual bowhunters and interested citizens toward information on ordinances, regulations and other local and state government directives that affect archery or bowhunting.

Experience Highlights: Mankato Technical College, Accounting; Minnesota DNR (1991-2000)

Mitch King: Director of Government Relations

The ATA’s office of government relations works with state and federal wildlife agencies to grow and promote archery and bowhunting. Mitch King focuses most of his efforts on working with agency directors and leaders to establish or expand archery and bowhunting programs, and reviewing regulatory information to enhance bowhunting opportunities. In addition, the ATA’s office of government relations works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain relationships with agency staff who handle federal excise taxes, and it defends and promotes archery and bowhunting programs on the nation’s National Wildlife Refuges system.

Experience Highlights: Bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries, University of Tennessee.

Maria Lewis: Exhibitor & Membership Services Manager

Maria Lewis works in the ATA's New Ulm, Minn., office, where she helps develop and maintain the ATA's rapidly expanding membership services programs. She is heavily involved in the ATA's new NetForum products and services, ensuring the new system runs efficiently to serve its diverse members. Lewis answers any and all questions from those who call or e-mail to enroll as ATA members or need answers regarding their membership. She can also explain membership categories and definitions, and how much members can expect to pay for badges to enter the ATA Trade Show. Besides handling communications with ATA members, Lewis manages its membership rolls, ensuring the ATA's membership data remain current and accurate. Since graduating college in May 2001, Lewis has worked extensively as a customer-service professional. In addition to answering inquiries, complaints, and billing questions in previous jobs, she worked extensively in accounts-receivable while assisting in accounts payable, company finances and operations.

Experience Highlights: Lewis graduated from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., with a bachelor's of arts degree in business administration. After graduation, she worked in accounting and customer service for Canyon Outback Leather Goods Inc., in New Ulm. She is active in sports, including high-school coaching.

John Nelson, CPA: Director of Finance & Operations

John Nelson works in the ATA's New Ulm, Minn., office. There, he manages the ATA's budget, finances and operations. His work involves monitoring and reviewing budget items with staff. Nelson provides financial analysis and reports for the ATA Board, committees and councils and prepares ATA's financial statements and footnotes for certification by independent auditors. He's also led the organization in its selection of an accounting system and will assist in system integration with the ATA's database platform. Nelson has worked independently as a self-employed CPA, served as a comptroller for a private company and has been a senior accountant and Manager for more than one distinguished accounting firm.

Nelson is active in the promotion of the shooting sports and has served on the boards of various Minnesota non-profit agencies that promote hunting, shooting, archery, and outdoor activities. He is involved in the training of individuals ranging from the ages of 8 to 80. Through annual clinics, Nelson has assisted in training in basic marksmanship and competition to over 400 individuals.

Nelson is a NRA Certified Range Safety Officer and currently holds a Master's classification in over the course competition and an Expert's classification in long-range competition.

Experience Highlights. John Nelson is a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of experience. He earned a B.S. in business administration, from Montana State University, with a minor in economics.

Lisa Roeder: ATA Business Manager

Lisa Roeder works in the ATA's New Ulm, Minn., office, where she brings more than 25 years of experience as an office manager, bookkeeper and receptionist to handle the ATA's day-to-day accounting and customer service responsibilities. Her duties include paying bills, inspecting and processing expense reports, and managing account-receivables and general ledger work. She will also help manage the ATA's benefits and 401K program as her duties and experience grow. In addition, she assists in the ATA's NetForum responsibilities, and with the association's end-of-month procedures. Roeder is well-known for her community involvement in New Ulm, chief among them her work as chair of the steering committee for Network New Ulm Youth, a leadership program within the Chamber of Commerce. The program involves 28 juniors in the four local high schools, and promotes networking, leadership skills and familiarity of the community and how it works.

Experience Highlights: Roeder worked 11 years for the State Bank & Trust Co., in New Ulm, starting as a bookkeeper and advancing to a loan-operations administrator. She then worked 15 years for Skillings Technology Inc., of New Ulm, serving as its office manager, bookkeeper and payroll clerk.

Kurt Weber: Director of Marketing

As Director of Marketing for the ATA Kurt Weber is responsible for the Association's brand development and adherence to the new brand standards across the entire association. He is also responsible for managing and growing all of the corporate sponsorship opportunities and programs at the ATA Trade Show, with the goal of improving the Trade Show experience and value for both exhibitors and attendees. Weber is also tasked with developing new strategic partnerships specifically targeting the Trade Show. Weber graduated from the University of Delaware with a BA in communications and a minor in political science in 1980. He has spent the majority of his career in sales and marketing, but has been sidetracked several times into business ownership and once into elected office. Weber is currently retired and working as a consultant for the ATA.

Experience Highlights: Weber owned and operated a commercial photography studio in the 1980s, sold printing and graphic arts in the 1990s and sold advertising in the early 2000s before purchasing The Flinchbaugh Company and Apple Archery Products with partner Gregg Jenkins. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in all facets of brand management, marketing, promotions and sales.