About Khedgen
I’m Khedgen J. Willis, a marketing and communications professional with a strong foundation in public relations, sales leadership, and digital strategy. My journey began at Florida A&M University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and quickly became involved in student leadership, digital media, and campus storytelling. I served as a Public Relations Coordinator for a student organization, where I created content across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter—boosting engagement by over 140% through targeted, data-driven strategies. During this time, I also worked as a staff writer for Journey Magazine, publishing in-depth features that expanded the magazine’s reach and deepened my skills in content creation and audience engagement.
My early marketing experience continued to grow with RippleMatch, where I served as a Marketing Development Intern. There, I led student outreach campaigns, developed messaging toolkits, and built marketing strategies focused on brand presence and consumer behavior on campus. I further refined my leadership and communications skills as part of Florida A&M’s New Student Orientation team—leading campus tours, designing recruitment materials, and facilitating onboarding workshops for hundreds of new students.
In 2022, I transitioned into corporate sales and marketing at PepsiCo, starting as a Sales Management Intern. I implemented distribution strategies for Frito-Lay innovation items, improved inventory accuracy, and contributed to increasing product presence in small-format stores. Following this internship, I was promoted to Sales Associate Leader, managing a team of three Sales Representatives and servicing over 70 retail accounts. I helped drive over $1 million in revenue and consistently exceeded regional sales goals through sharp execution and customer insight.
Most recently, I served as a District Sales Leader at PepsiCo, where I led a team of 14—including Sales Representatives and hourly associates—across a $3.5 million quarterly sales territory. I surpassed annual growth targets, achieving 110.8% year-over-year sales performance and strengthening long-term relationships with key food service accounts. I also supported corporate social responsibility efforts as a Social Media Consultant for the Carton Heroes Sustainability Project, showcasing my ability to blend leadership with creative strategy.
Throughout my journey, I’ve built a unique blend of experience across sales, marketing, media, and team leadership. With technical skills in Salesforce, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Power BI, SEO writing, and a deep understanding of digital engagement, I thrive in fast-paced, purpose-driven environments where strategy meets storytelling.