Jana Rucker is an accomplished marketing and communications executive, public speaker, and executive coach, having served in senior leadership roles for Fortune 500 companies including AT&T, Sprint and Willis as well as top organizations in insurtech, aviation, and higher education.

Jana is known for being a dynamic and inspiring communicator who cares deeply for the organizations and teams she serves. As a senior leader, she collaborates with other leaders across functions to identify the win-win in every situation – including conflict resolution when needed. Leveraging diverse experience in brand and product development, crisis communications, startup and product launches, combined with a strong technical aptitude, she is a fast processor who quickly assesses business conditions identifying opportunities for growth, innovation, and improvement. One of her key strengths is the ability to quickly grasp the nuances of a situation and pair insightful strategies with flawless execution. A keen eye for design and the ability to work with designers and writers to translate concepts into beautiful stories, brands, and visuals enable her to help stakeholders transform their visions into reality. 

In addition to her work with Strata Leadership, Jana serves as Senior Director of Marketing, Communications and Brand for SmartSky Networks, a recently launched Air-to-Ground inflight connectivity provider that powers the connected aircraft ecosystem for business aviation and regional airlines. There, she leads strategic marketing, internal and external communications and reputation management. Before joining Strata, Jana served as vice president for university communications and enrollment for Harding University, the largest private university in Arkansas. Jana’s career also includes executive sales leadership providing services to organizations like AT&T and Sprint, as well as marketing and communications leadership roles for Willis Towers Watson, Crump (now CRC), and Satcom Direct.

Jana is a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University and completed the NAPSLO executive leadership school at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. 

Jana and her husband, Barry, have been married for more than 30 years. They have two adult sons. She loves to travel; try new restaurants; cook delicious meals; and bake beautiful pies, cakes, and pastries for others. She and Barry live in Oklahoma City with their dog, Dougal, a Welsh Pembroke corgi.