Effective April 1, 2024, Lisa Bednar began serving as the tenth, and first female, President in the eighty one -year history of the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance. AFMA is a state trade association that represents and advocates the interests of the Arizona retail food and beverage industry and their supplier partners.

Lisa served as the Sr. Director of Community and Education for the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) since 2022 where she managed AFMA’s Education Foundation and oversaw its community involvement efforts. In this role, she created significant expansion of the Foundation’s scholarship awards; under her leadership, the AFMA Board of Trustees has awarded over $400,000 in scholarships to AFMA members’ employees and dependents.

Prior to joining the AFMA team, Lisa served in varying brand and key account management roles of increasing responsibility for over twenty years at Hensley Beverage Company.

Lisa grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Nevada, Reno. (Go Pack!)

In her spare time, Lisa enjoys yoga, reading, crafting, and movie watching. Since moving to Arizona in 2000, she loves to visit new and favorite places in the state with her husband and two children.

Kristi Briceno is the Director of Communication and Special Events, as well as the Editor of The Journal for the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA). In this role, Kristi oversees the editing and production of AFMA’s bi-monthly magazine, which serves the Arizona food and beverage industry. She also manages key AFMA events, including three prestigious annual golf tournaments and the Leadership Award Banquet Dinner, which foster networking and collaboration among industry leaders.

Originally from DeKalb County, Georgia, Kristi was raised in Middleton, Idaho. She pursued her education at Boise State University, earning an associate’s degree before embarking on a diverse career path. Kristi’s professional journey began as a correction officer with the Mohave Sheriff’s Department in Kingman, Arizona. Later, she transitioned to the corporate sector with Wells Fargo, where she obtained National Certifications in Business Management, Group Management, and Special Event Planning. She furthered her education in business communications through the University of Phoenix.

Driven by a passion for helping others, Kristi founded the “I Can . . . I Will” addiction rehabilitation program for women and children, demonstrating her commitment to addressing addictive behaviors with empathy and understanding.

Since joining AFMA, Kristi has successfully organized and managed numerous high-profile events, including the AFMA Leadership Awards Banquet, which honors the Retailer of the Year, Supplier of the Year, and Hall of Fame Inductee. Her leadership in these events has strengthened industry connections and supported AFMA’s mission.

Outside of work, Kristi will take any chance she can to travel around with her husband and three grandchildren. She loves to bake, cook new authentic Italian food from her Zias, and cuddle on the couch with her two black kitties.

Shayla Cole, is the Community and Education Director at Arizona Food Marketing Alliance. She is an accomplished mass media professional with over 15 years of experience in media, print media, public relations, broadcast journalism, community engagement, education, sales, and marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Arizona State University. Previously, Shayla was the sole member of a department within a business-to-business food wholesale distribution company. Alongside her full-time role, Shayla is the CEO and Founder of Welcome Mama Bear, a safe space designed to provide community, resources, and shared experiences. An active community participant, Shayla volunteers as a Chapter President within the Arizona State University Alumni Association, furthering her engagement and contribution to the community.