Barto

Mary Ellen Barto has more than 30 years experience working in advertising and media agencies, client marketing organizations, and as an industry consultant.  Prior to joining UGA, Mary Ellen worked for Luckie & Co, establishing a Media Center of Excellence within the agency.  She also spent 13 years as Vice President of Brand Media and Field Marketing at Arby’s Restaurant Group, where she oversaw strategic media planning and field marketing for the company, managed multiple agency relationships, and was part of the marketing leadership team responsible for the brand’s revitalization.  Mary Ellen also held senior positions in some of the industries most respected advertising agencies, including Ogilvy & Mather/Mindshare (New York and Atlanta) and BBDO/OMD (Atlanta), working with a diverse array of clients, including consumer package goods (Kraft Foods, Hershey, Pepperidge Farm, McCormick), telecommunications (ATT), insurance (Nationwide,) financial (American Express) hotels (Sheraton Hotels), Tourism (US Virgin Islands Tourism), as well as retail and QSR brands.

Mary Ellen has an undergraduate degree in Business/Psychology from Albright College (Reading, Pennsylvania).

She joins UGA as Manager of the Talking Dog Agency, guiding and supporting and growing the student-led organization.