“We have a great story to tell, we just have to get better at telling it”: GAMA hires Kevin Ronnebaum as sixth comms head in as many years

Editor’s note: GAMA is one of the sponsors of the BoardGameWire newsletter

Tabletop gaming industry association GAMA has hired Kevin Ronnebaum as its senior marketing and communications director – making him the trade body’s sixth communications lead since mid-2020.

Ronnebaum joins GAMA after almost three decades working across creative, marketing and communications roles, most recently at non-profits including Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, Make-A-Wish, A Kid Again and Maryhaven.

His hire comes at a pivotal time for GAMA, which has followed several years of booming post-Covid growth by implementing a plan to become the “epicenter” of the global tabletop gaming industry.

The past 12 months has not been without challenges for the association, however, including losing long-serving executive director John Stacy last October, contending with the fallout from Donald Trump’s volatile tariff policy, and falling foul of a series of incidents which have caused dents to its reputation.

Speaking to BoardGameWire in May, newly-elected GAMA president Meredith Placko said putting proactive structures in place to keep GAMA from “stepping in the mud all the time” was one of her priorities – adding that being on top of communication was essential to that process.

That focus on communication was echoed by GAMA’s interim executive director and COO Melinda Prickett, who reached out to Ronnebaum after having previously hired him while she was COO of Girl Scouts of Ohio Heartland.

She said Ronnebaum stood out from a strong pool of candidates due to his “rare combination of strategic vision and operational excellence”, adding that GAMA was excited about “his ability to strengthen our communications strategy and amplify the value we deliver to our members and the broader community”.

Prickett added, “GAMA is currently in an important foundation-building chapter, and our communications priorities reflect that. We are focused on increasing both the consistency and effectiveness of our communications across all audiences.

“What’s working well is the passion and engagement of our members. There is tremendous enthusiasm for the work we do and the future of the tabletop gaming industry. Our opportunity is to build upon that foundation by creating greater clarity, consistency, and connection in how we communicate our mission, value, programs, and advocacy efforts.

“As we continue to grow, our focus is on developing a more strategic, integrated communications approach that strengthens member engagement, enhances transparency, and ensures stakeholders clearly understand the impact and value of GAMA throughout the year.”

Ronnebaum told BoardGameWire his initial priorities included strengthening GAMA’s overarching brand, increasing awareness of flagship events including Origins Game Fair and GAMA Expo, and more clearly communicating the value of GAMA membership and the association’s industry support services.

He said, “My goal [is] to help others connect socially and flourish through inspired creativity. It’s everywhere, all the time with this group. We have an awesome opportunity to bring value, share messaging that can build confidence in a startup, an artist, a creator, or a player.”

Ronnebaum added, “Ask a small business or startup that has worked with us, and they will tell you that we helped them immensely. Why? Because we care deeply about the industry and we have expertise that can help others thrive in an exciting and unique setting.”

He said, “At GAMA, we have a great story to tell, we just have to get better at telling it”, adding: “The industry needs GAMA, GAMA needs the industry, and we are here to help it thrive.”

Ronnebaum’s hire marks a continuation of high turnover at the top of GAMA’s comms department, with former incumbent Eric Francis having only joined the organisation 12 months ago.

His predecessor Amy Lowe spent just six months as marketing and communications manager, before a resignation which saw her accuse GAMA of “rampant gatekeeping”, “toxic leadership” and disrespecting its members.

Those hires followed the role being occupied by Mike Boseak, Rachel Blaske and Danni Loe since mid-2020, and mean the organisation has now had six comms heads in as many years.

Eric Francis, who spoke to BoardGameWire after announcing he was leaving GAMA in April, remained full of praise for the organisation – saying his own exit to join software networking company Megaport essentially came down to pay, which he described as “the Achilles heel of any nonprofit career”.

He said, “I worked at GAMA for about a year and it’s left a huge impression upon me. Tabletop nerds are my people, and like so many of us in the hobby I had thought it would be cool to work in the industry.

“Well, it turns out it was every better than I could’ve imagined. GAMA is a great organization, and one that faces significant challenges given that it’s a small team with a limited budget working all-out to serve a global industry that has to deal with logistical, manufacturing, commerce, and (increasingly) political policy challenges.

“I’m pretty sure that, with rare exceptions, our members and the broader tabletop industry have no idea how many irons GAMA’s staff has in the fire, how many balls they keep in the air, and how many hours they put in on a given day, month, or year.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever truly be done with GAMA, even if I no longer work there. Once I have my feet under me at the new job I’ll join a committee and otherwise support GAMA’s work; I’m also signed up for the convention support team at Origins 2026. There’s a lot to be done, and I intend to help in the doing.”