Staff Bios

Marcel Avargues

Marcel Avargues has been executive director of the Electronic Retailing Association’s European bureau since 2001. His responsibilities include the development of tailored activities and services for the European members of the association. He also serves as the ERA’s institutional representative in Brussels, and manages relationships with national Direct Marketing and Interactive Television Associations. Additionally, Marcel is responsible for the coordination of ERA conference programming and membership development marketing in Europe. An internationally-recognized expert on electronic retailing and direct marketing issues, Marcel is a frequently-requested speaker at conferences around the globe sponsored by organizations including the European Institute for Direct Marketing, the Direct Marketing Association and the Institute for International Research, and more recently Conferences on Interactive Television in Sofia, Bucharest and Lisbon. Marcel’s marketing and management spans three decades. He began his career at Fingerhut France as vice president, marketing & product development, later holding the positions of vice president, international, and later vice president, marketing and finance for the Direct Marketing Association in New York. In 1987, he became the director of marketing & international for COREF (now Experian) France and later served as the managing director of Hachette Livre/Grolier Direct marketing division. Most recently Marcel was the marketing vice president of Correo Argentino, National Argentina Postal Services, in Buenos Aires.

Gina Cohen

Gina Cohen joined ERA as vice president of publishing, in July of 2004, bringing with her over 17 years of publication management experience. Previously, Gina was group publisher at Advanstar Communications, Inc., where she oversaw the editorial, marketing, production, circulation and advertising sales of Response, Cadalyst and e-learning magazines. Gina also ran a conference series and oversaw several online media properties.

Prior to her post at Advanstar Communications, Inc., Gina moved from associate publisher to group publisher of the Security Sales magazine group, an international and domestic division of publishing dealing with all levels of residential, commercial and government security. While heading up this magazine group, Gina launched two international marketing magazines and worked extensively in Europe, Latin America and Asia on global content development.

Gina also co-founded the International Alliance of Security Press, an organization involved in the accurate translation and worldwide distribution of content throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe. She was also one of the founding members of the Association of Latin American Security (ALAS) in 1998. Gina held the board position of Marketing and Communications Chair for three consecutive years while involved in this association.

While under Gina’s direction, Response, e-learning, Cadalyst and Security Sales magazines either won or were nominated for several awards including the Maggie, an award presented to magazines achieving the highest standard of excellence in trade journalism.

Julie Coons

Julie Coons is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Electronic Retailing Association.  ERA represents over 400 direct to consumer retailers that utilize, radio, television and online technologies to reach consumers across the globe. Ms Coons is the chief advocate for the ERA membership working with policy, legislative and media audiences.  In addition she provides strategic leadership focused on delivering member benefits that grow the industry and the association.  Prior to joining ERA, Ms. Coons served as president and CEO of the Tech Council of Maryland. During her four-year tenure at TCM, Ms. Coons was known for turning the association back to being a regional powerhouse of influence.  She oversaw a merger and re-branding of the organization, as well as successfully led an up hill legislative battle credited with taking the association to new heights.

Before joining TCM, Ms. Coons was executive vice president at PCIA-The Wireless Infrastructure Association, a trade association representing companies that develop, own, manage and operate facilities for all types of wireless, broadcasting and telecommunications services. Her time there was distinguished by the creation and growth of the pre-eminent industry trade show for the wireless infrastructure industry.

Ms. Coons is an active member of a number of professional organizations, including Women in Technology and the American Society of Association Executives. She graduated cum laude from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., with a B.A. in economics and Japanese language and literature.

Tom Dellner

Tom Dellner joined ERA in January 2007 as executive editor of Electronic Retailer magazine. Most recently the marketing communications director for Marriott Vacation Club International, Dellner also has more than 15 years of publishing experience. He has been an editor with Links magazine, Golf Illustrated magazine and Golf Retailer magazine, and his work has been published in a wide variety of golf, business and lifestyle publications. A former attorney, Dellner is a graduate of Denison University and The Ohio State University College of Law and now resides in Dana Point, California.

Debbie Duhn

Debbie Duhn joined ERA as production manager/account manager in August 2004, bringing with her 15 years of combined production management and sales experience in the publishing industry. Debbie previously worked at Advanstar Communications, Inc., where she worked on many high-profile magazines within a broad spectrum of different industries, including: Geospatial Industry, Chromatography, Post Production, AutoCAD, Pharmaceutical, and Direct Response Marketing.

Debbie assists advertisers and readers of Electronic Retailer magazine with the following: International Sales Representative, Online/Electronic Advertising Services, Production Manager, Classified Directory and Professional Reprints.

Robin Greenspan

Robin joined ERA in January of 2006. She comes to the association with over twenty years of direct sales experience in legislative information sales and tax consulting services. She graduated from the University of Maryland and is a member of ASAE. 

Jamie Hill

Jamie Hill joined ERA in June 2009 as the marketing manager. A graduate of James Madison University, she received her BBA in Marketing in May 2005. Jamie worked at the Consumer Electronics Association from October 2005 to August 2008 in the marketing department promoting their tradeshow, the International CES (Consumer Electronics Show). In August 2008, she took a year off to backpack abroad in Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia and India. Jamie now lives in Arlington, VA and is active in local soccer and bocce leagues.

Christy Hopkins

Christy Hopkins, a member of the ERA Meetings Department team, brings more than 10 years of experience in meetings support, customer service support, and management support in fast paced environments. Christy attended George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. 

Kim Lewis

Kim Lewis has been designing for 15 years, with 10 years in publishing. She has been recognized with one of publishing’s most prestigious honors as an 32-time Maggie award finalist and a six-time winner for categories such as Best Feature Layout, Best Cover Design and Best New Trade Publication.

Lewis worked with Advanstar Communications on titles such as America’s Network, E-Learning, Customer Interface, Brew Connection and Dealernews. She also supported the creative services department, handling marketing materials for both magazines and trade shows.

Prior to that, Lewis served as Art Director for Nailpro Magazine at Creative Age Publications. She also assisted with other publications there such as Dayspa Magazine, Today’s Image and Dialysis and Transplantation.

Cecilia Mason

Cecilia D. Mason, a native to the Washington area, joined ERA as an accountant in August of 2005. Cecilia comes to ERA after serving 34 years in a major Washington area bank where she managed the Accounts Payable Department, the Fixed Asset Department and worked with the General Ledger Department in account reconciliations and daily financial statements.

Bill McClellan

Bill McClellan joined ERA in January 2003 as director of government affairs. Prior to joining the association, Bill worked as a lobbyist at the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association, covering the state legislature and Georgia's congressional delegation. Before working for the GADA, Bill managed political campaigns at both the congressional and state constitutional levels. 

Vi Paynich

Vitisia Paynich brings nearly 13 years of magazine publishing experience to her role as editor-in-chief of ERA's Electronic Retailer magazine. She most recently served as editor-in-chief of Response magazine. Prior to that, she was editor of e-learning magazine, as well as special projects editor/marketing manager for Cadalyst magazine.

Vi was named associate publisher/editor of Security Sales magazine in 1999 and held the post through 2001. Vi has been the recipient of several prestigious journalism awards and nominations, including the Maggie Award. She received an Eddy award for Best Feature Article in a Trade Journal in 1999.

Vi has an undergraduate degree from California State University at Long Beach in Magazine Journalism. She also has extensive training in both business marketing and management.

Katie White

Katie White joined ERA in October 2007 as Retailer Member Relations Manager. She received her Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from the University of South Carolina. Her previous experience includes sales, marketing, and customer service. Katie is also a member of ASAE.