John (JD) Doughney, an accomplished alumnus of the College of Communication and Information (CCI), was selected as the keynote speaker for the prestigious 2025 Seminole 100 ceremony on February 22, 2025. As a successful business leader, he spoke about what the Seminole 100 recognizes and values, celebrating 100 of the fastest-growing alumni-led or alumni-owned businesses.
Doughney expressed that being invited to deliver the keynote at the Seminole 100 was an incredible honor. “The great thing is that we all have this shared experience with the role that FSU played in our lives and preparing us for success and celebrating our success,” said Doughney. It not only provided him with the opportunity to reconnect with old friends but also broaden his professional network by meeting new and influential people.
Doughney graduated from Florida State University (FSU) with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Political Science, followed by a Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communication. During his undergraduate years, he took advantage of the many opportunities that FSU had to offer. Reflecting on his time at Florida State, Doughney shared, “When I was an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to join Red Bull as Student Brand Manager and that opportunity started my 20+ year career in marketing. Prior to that opportunity, I was pretty sure that I would attend law school or pursue a career in politics. Instead, FSU provided a new opportunity that ended up being my passion and career path.”
Following his years at FSU, Doughney then worked at Meta leading Global Partnerships for 11 years. He currently serves as Vice President of Marketing for Inspire Aesthetics, and also teaches marketing at the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.
“FSU provided me a safe testing ground to explore leadership, business and communication, and that real-world experience gave me a running start to what came after graduation,” said Doughney.
Doughney’s path to success stemmed from the valuable experiences and knowledge he gained at FSU. “My experience at FSU and CCI, along with my parents, faith, and growing up playing sports, are the experiences that I point to as having the most profound impact on shaping my leadership and serving as the foundation of my success,” said Doughney. “Understanding communication and being able to communicate effectively has been the most critical skill across every job I have held. You can be smart, or creative, or innovative, but if you cannot inform and inspire other people with your vision and plan then it doesn’t go anywhere.”
Beyond shaping his professional life, FSU also played a significant role in his personal life. It was at FSU that he met his wife, Amy, during their time as students. Reflecting on their relationship, Doughney shared, “There has been no greater impact on my life than meeting her and building a life and family together.” Today, they have three sons—Jack (12), Cobe (10), and Brooks (6)—who are all proud Seminole fans.
During his speech, Doughney made sure to highlight and share his experiences at FSU and what and wo helped him get to where he is at today. Doughney acknowledged Mark Zeigler, Dr. Marilyn Young, and Dr. Mary Coburn in his speech as some of the individuals that supported him through his journey. “When I think of FSU, family and home are words that come to mind. I want to celebrate that and encourage our alumni to get more deeply involved with shaping our current students and future alumni by sharing their expertise,” said Doughney.
For young entrepreneurs and students, Doughney offered this advice: “Listen and learn. Have a bias toward action. No work is beneath you and the hard work in the beginning of your career really helps to create mastery later in your career. The challenges and the hard work represent the best opportunities to learn and grow. View them as opportunities.”