Director of Innovation & Insights, American Marketing Association (AMA)

Scott Stern is the director of innovation and insights at the American Marketing Association (AMA), where he has worked since May 2016. He leads an interdisciplinary team responsible for AMA's national analytics program and for converting customer insights into innovative experiences for AMA's 30,000 members and 250,000 nonmember customers around the world. Prior to joining AMA, Scott served in the Central Intelligence Agency. As a targeting officer in the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, he served in leadership capacities for units engaged in high-profile counterterrorism operations in the Middle East and South Asia. As an analyst in the Office of Counterterrorism Analysis, he provided analytic support for key policymakers, Congress, military and intelligence officials on political and counterterrorism issues in South Asia, including multiple assessments for the President’s Daily Brief. Scott was the recipient of the CIA’s John A. McCone Award, Exceptional Performance Awards, and Meritorious Unit Citations. Scott was recognized as an Emerging Leader in 2019 by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Chicago Project on Threats and Security at the University of Chicago. He received both his BA in International Studies and his MA in International Relations from American University.