Ricki is president and founder of a Baltimore, MD-based consulting practice specializing in competitive and business strategy formulation, planning, marketing, and development for nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

Her professional experience includes positions as Executive Director of Marketing and Communications for UJA-Federation in New York, the largest local private nonprofit in the country. At UJA-Federation, she:

• Reorganized and expanded the department to a staff of 30 in response to increased demand.

• Managed the writing, design, execution of more than 1000 print projects a year including annual reports and various newsletters.

• Created marketing strategies to reach a variety of publics.

• Oversaw all contacts with the media including crisis management, press releases, news conferences, position papers, etc.

• Provided marketing support for the General Campaign, which regularly raises over $25 million annually.

The R.E. Michel Company is one of the nation’s largest distributors of heating and air conditioning equipment. As the company’s Vice President for Sales and Marketing for many years, Ricki was responsible for Sales Department (including Director of Sales, ten Regional Sales Managers, 95 Sales Reps), Marketing and Advertising Departments. Some highlights of her tenure at R.E. Michel:

• Increased sales from $50 million to $100 million.

• Doubled sales per Sales Rep representative.

• Designed and facilitated Corporate Strategic Planning and Regional Planning systems.

• Directed Sales Department’s achievement of annual goals.

• Created advertising and promotional programs unprecedented in the industry.

• Managed all aspects of conversion from one major equipment line to another, a $40 million change in one year.

Ricki served as Press Secretary to the successful campaign in Maryland to eliminate “Saturday Night Special” handguns in Maryland; she was Executive Director of the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship Press Secretary on several winning political campaigns.

 A graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, Ricki holds two Master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University and earned an MBA at Loyola College.