What does a Fractional CMO actually do and why are ed-tech companies and colleges leaning into this flexible leadership model? In this episode, we’re joined by Gil Rogers, founder of GR7 Marketing, whose deep roots in ed-tech and higher ed make him a go-to strategist for institutions looking to get smarter, faster. Gil shares what it really means to step in as a fractional CMO, how he helps clients clarify their marketing roadmap, and why a part-time leader can sometimes deliver full-time impact...
Jul 01, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Did you know that nearly one-third of college students drop out after their first year? In this episode, Carey Duke, assistant professor at North Greenville University and author of A Guide to Thrive! , joins me to explore why so many students struggle and what we can do about it. Carey breaks down the six key variables he uses to measure college readiness, offering a framework that goes beyond academics to include a student’s environment, mindset, motivation, and belief in their ability to succ...
Jun 01, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Today's guest, Marcela Andrés, is the CEO and president of designEDengagement, PBC , a consulting firm built around the idea that education can be transformed by enhancing the connection between students, families, educators, and communities. Her book, Purposeful Educator Connections, discusses how educators can strengthen their relationships with students and highlights five principles that can enhance the culture of the classroom. Throughout our conversation, Marcela emphasizes the importance ...
May 01, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 60
There is a push and pull between an advertiser’s desire to attribute advertisement spending to lead generation and their responsibility to respect consumer privacy. In this episode, Raj Sudra, the Chief Technology Officer at Gannett, joins me to discuss his role and the intricacies of digital marketing attribution. He explains the technology and systems used, such as LocaliQ's proprietary Capture technology, pixel tracking, and the importance of compliance and data privacy. The conversation emph...
Apr 01, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Teege Mettille, Director of Enrollment Success at enroll ml, is joining me today to talk about the crucial topic of college admissions. Teege shares his personal journey from being a first-generation college student to a thought leader in admissions, emphasizing the transformative impact of higher education. The conversation explores his book, 'The Admissions Counselor Malaise,' which delves into the challenges facing admission staff morale, especially post-pandemic. Key issues include the corpo...
Mar 01, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Dr. Tina King, president of San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) joins me on the show today to talk about branding and how GradComm helped elevate the beauty already present in SDCCE to connect more with the community they served. We discuss the unique aspects of SDCCE as one of the largest non-credit institutions in the nation, focusing on its mission to provide free, accessible, high-quality education to a diverse student body, including undocumented students, immigrants, and refu...
Feb 01, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 57
What are the barriers that keep students from finishing an application or from completing their degree? Emily Coleman joins me today from HAI Analytics to discuss her company’s work in building predictive models for higher education institutions. These models help predict student behavior to optimize critical processes like the allocation of financial aid. Emily explains the importance of retaining data, overcoming data silos, and incorporating both human and artificial intelligence in predictiv...
Jan 01, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 56
The behavior of leaders in any organization is learned and passed down from team to team. With 89% of managers having no formal leadership training, today’s episode is an important conversation on learning what being a good leader looks like. Elaine Gosden, CEO of Blue Gnu Consulting, joins me from England to discuss leadership development and creating happier workplaces. Elaine outlines her company's approach, which focuses on learning and development initiatives to equip leaders and teams with...
Dec 01, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 55
The worst time to plan a response to a crisis is in the middle of a crisis. My guest on the show today is Stephanie Craig, the president of crisis management firm, Kith. In this episode, we talk about the importance of planning for a crisis ahead of time and how to practice the plan so that it’s not forgotten when it’s needed. Stephanie stresses the importance of speedily handling a crisis by knowing your core values and establishing trust in the process you create. Listen in as we talk about th...
Nov 01, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 54
“How do I apply for financial aid?”, “When does the fall semester start?”, “Where can I change my class schedule?” Starting college comes with many questions. Our guest for this episode, Nick Martin, has developed a way for AI to help engage with prospective students while improving the experience of existing ones. Nick is the Co-Founder of Direqt, an organization that trains conversational AI chatbots on a school’s website, data, and social media content. After developing an AI that is an exper...
Oct 01, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Today, I sit down with Beth Noel, a communicator dedicated to accessibility and inclusive design in higher education. Beth shares her journey into this field, which may have started with a challenge posed by an Office of Civil Rights letter regarding inaccessible PDFs. Still, it has resulted in a newfound commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging for students with disabilities. Beth and I discuss the steps taken to remediate accessibility issues, form a cross-college digital accessibility t...
Sep 01, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 52
In today's episode of Higher Ed Conversations, I talk with Christine Rose, the Regional Senior Marketing Director at Outfront, about the dynamic world of out-of-home (OOH) media. Christine shares her expertise in developing and executing marketing strategies across ten markets in the West region. Our conversation covers the tangible impact of OOH media, the importance of creative design, the use of data-driven insights for ad placement, and innovative ways to integrate digital strategies with OO...
Jul 31, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 51
On this Higher Ed Conversations episode, I host a conversation with an Al expert and, more impressively, my sister-in-law, Suzi Boynton! Suzi is the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees for the San Marcos Unified School District, where she utilizes the tool of Al in her day-to-day work for the school system. In our conversation, we discussed Suzi's journey with AI and how its practical applications in her role enlightened her to its broader, more practical implications...
Jul 01, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 50
In this episode, Keith Goodman, a direct mail marketing expert, discusses the resurgence of direct mail marketing across various industries, especially in education. Keith highlights direct mail's targeted approach, allowing for personalized messaging to different audiences, a significant advantage over digital ads' broad reach. He explains how direct mail utilizes detailed demographic and psychographic data, such as household composition, interests, and behaviors, to create highly effective cam...
Jun 01, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Today, on Higher Ed Conversations, I embark on my first solo episode! And with a very good reason –I've just released my first ebook, "Why Your Community CollegeMarketing is Failing: Lessons From Online Dating, " which has already hit number one in several online categories! So, I'm here to dive into the book's three themes and how they've helped hundreds of colleges dramatically improve their marketing results. In this episode, I give you a sneak peek of the book and share how I take the topic ...
May 01, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Many students cannot enroll in a two to four-year collegiate program, but they still desire access to professional skills that will allow them to obtain higher-earning jobs. This episode of Higher Ed Conversations features Linda Kurokawa, the Executive Director of Community Education & Workforce Development at MiraCosta College. Linda highlights the importance of community colleges investing in workforce development and employer relations, showcasing how MiraCosta has become a model through ...
Apr 01, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 47
As higher education continues to evolve and expand, the presidency of its institutions has become an ever-increasing, ever-taxing role. It's this issue that this month's guest, Jeff Julian, current Chief of Staff at Harper College and President of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, shares his insights on this role. With an extensive résumé of various marketing positions such as Communications, Public Awareness, and Public Relations, Jeff discusses the catch-all yet crucia...
Mar 01, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 46
It's undeniable that social media has transformed into an essential platform for both cultivating a presence and nurturing community bonds and connections. With the embrace of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for interaction and staying informed, organizations and businesses are compelled to have a stake in social media platforms to be relevant. Joined by Megan Ellisor, Director of NC State University's social media hub, we gain firsthand insight into the strategies and significanc...
Feb 01, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Balancing children and a career may seem unachievable, but Letitia Clark, a seasoned Chief Communications Officer, elected official, and author, unveils the secrets to harmonizing professional life and motherhood. From her dynamic career path to her role on the Tustin City Council, Letitia delves into the intricacies of being a mother while excelling in the professional realm. She discusses her two books, with a particular focus on her latest book, 'Baby's Room to the Boardroom', where she empha...
Jan 01, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In this month's episode, we sit down for a fascinating conversation with Jeff Bunch, a seasoned professional with a diverse background in journalism, marketing, and higher education. From being a storyteller at a young age to his pivotal role in managing the digital presence of Gonzaga University's basketball team, his journey and insights on integrating storytelling into marketing are something you won't want to miss. Jeff discusses the strategic world of content marketing and shares his experi...
Dec 01, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 43
What's the best way to find a vendor vetted by other higher education organizations? Jeff Dillon, a former higher education professional turned entrepreneur, joins us on Higher Education Conversations to help answer that question. Jeff shares his journey from working in higher ed for over two decades to founding EdTech Connect, a crowd-sourced technology database designed to help colleges and universities find the right tech solutions for their unique needs. We discuss the challenges of selectin...
Nov 01, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 42
"Be a resource, not just a request, and then build a relationship." says our guest, Mark Bayer, on connecting with elected officials and press members. Mark is an international keynote speaker, consultant, former Chief of Staff, and podcast host. His podcast, "When Science Speaks," aims to help scientists, engineers, and executives communicate their complex ideas effectively. In this episode, Mark delves into his real-world experience and shares tips on how to turn your communication obstacles i...
Oct 01, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode, I sit down with Brian Piper, a digital and content marketing expert who shares his transformative journey and explains how to leverage content marketing effectively. Brian emphasizes that content marketing is a strategy to cultivate lasting relationships with your audience rather than a quick sales pitch. We dive into the pivotal role of social media, with Brian urging marketers to prioritize content over channel and treat content marketing as a long-term investment. Finally, we...
Sep 01, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In this episode of Higher Education Coffee and Conversation, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Kyle Dalpe, the president of Western Nevada College. With a fascinating background as a journalist, chief of staff, and vice president of instruction at various community colleges, Dr. Dalpe brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. We delve into topics such as college promotion, reaching rural communities, and building infrastructure to support innovative programs while maintaining a healthy wo...
Aug 01, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 39
On this episode of Higher Education Coffee and Conversation, I am thrilled to have a close friend and esteemed colleague as my guest, Dr. Mark Browning. Currently serving as the CEO and President at Blue Mountain Community College in Oregon, Mark brings a wealth of experience to the table. Before taking on his current role, Mark made significant contributions in marketing and communications at prestigious institutions such as the College of Western Idaho and North Idaho College. In our conversat...
Jul 01, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 38
We have an incredibly exciting guest on this episode of the podcast: Alex Wedderburn, a senior leader at Hootsuite, shares his expertise on this indispensable platform for social media management. For those unfamiliar, Hootsuite is our go-to tool at GradComm for efficiently managing and measuring the impact of our clients' social media accounts. The focus of today's discussion is Hootsuite's groundbreaking new social media certification. We delve into its importance, the invaluable knowledge you...
May 31, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 37
It’s an advice-packed episode as Lisa Takami joins me to discuss her new book , Women in the Higher Education C-Suite: Diverse Executive Profiles . Lisa has helped organizations, both private and public, to build brand messaging by leveraging partnerships that foster learner and organizational success. Her book is such a valuable resource for both women and men to learn from the stories of others to become better leaders themselves. In the episode, we dive into different topics, like the importa...
Apr 25, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 36
It’s an exciting episode of Higher Ed Coffee and Conversation as we welcome our first-ever College President on the podcast! Dr. Annebelle Nery is the President of Santa Ana College, where her strategic marketing approach has had an extremely impactful result. In our conversation, we’ll learn how Dr. Nery has used a data-based approach to marketing to increase enrollment by double digits semester after semester since the pandemic. Dr. Nery also gives some great advice on surrounding oneself with...
Mar 27, 2023•35 min•Season 3Ep. 35
Sometimes the most exciting opportunities can happen when you least expect them…and my guest today can certainly attest to that notion! Emily Zimmer, Marketing & Events Coordinator for DCTC, was enjoying her Thanksgiving when she found out that the President of the United States would be visiting Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) to promote the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Emily joins us today to talk about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with the Secret Ser...
Feb 27, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 34
In today’s world where seemingly everything has gone digital, the concept of a printed class schedule may sound like a relic of the past. However, my guests today are here to debunk this myth through the lens of a project we did right here at GradComm with our partners at North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE). Here to discuss the project is Jennifer Perez, Director of Campus Communications at NOCE, and GradComm’s own Jamie McNinch - who both worked hands-on to re-imagine NOCE’s printed class ...
Jan 12, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 33
