Amanda Grantham is the associate director of digital content at Shenandoah University and has been in this role since January 2022. Prior to working in the Office of Marketing and Communications at SU, she served as the assistant director of Career & Professional Development at the university. Amanda holds a bachelor of arts in english and a master of arts in college student development and administration from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV. She enjoys a good spreadsheet, juggling torches, and running ultramarathons.

Jason Smith is the Founder and Managing Director of OHO, a digital agency dedicated exclusively to higher education and in business for 26 years. He has spent more than two decades leading teams of strategists, designers, UX researchers, marketers, and developers who partner with colleges and universities to solve complex digital challenges—from large-scale website redesigns to enrollment-focused digital marketing.

A former designer and creative director, Jason brings a strong perspective on how strategy, storytelling, design, and technology work together to influence audience behavior. He has worked with 37 of the top 100 U.S. colleges and universities, helping institutional leaders clarify their goals, connect with users, and strengthen their digital presence.

Today, Jason is focused on how AI is reshaping search, discovery, and visibility in higher education. His work centers on helping marketing teams understand how prospective students are using AI tools—and how institutions can adapt to remain visible and competitive in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

Scott Spriggs leads Shenandoah University’s Admissions & Recruitment, Marketing & Communications, Advancement, and Alumni Engagement divisions, overseeing brand strategy, philanthropic engagement, enrollment growth, digital outreach, and strategic communications. Under his leadership, Shenandoah has achieved record-breaking enrollment, including its largest first-year class in history (600+ students) and more than 1,700 total new undergraduate, transfer, and graduate students in 2025. His strategic direction has strengthened recruitment pipelines, elevated brand visibility, and positioned the university as a leading private institution in the region. He is the immediate past president of the CCA.

Beth Campbell currently serves as the vice president for Marketing and Communications and leads integrated marketing and communications for the College. This includes overseeing strategy and execution for the College’s website and digital presence, media relations, and the community relations program. She joined Randolph-Macon in 2021 after leading similar functions at WorldStrides, the nation’s largest student travel and experiential learning company.

A strategic marketer with deep technical capabilities, Dr. Brent Hoard brings over two decades of expertise in higher education marketing, digital strategy, and marketing technology to his Senior Director of Digital Strategy role at Randolph-Macon College. With a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology, Brent also applies evidence-based approaches to both marketing strategy and team development, bridging academic research with practical execution. His work spans digital marketing, web analytics, marketing automation, and data-driven decision-making, always with an eye toward maximizing impact of limited budgets. Additionally, his recent publications and presentations explore the influence of bias on design decision-making and the use of web analytics to inform decision-making in higher-ed marketing. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Brent shares his life with wife, Liz, and their two dogs, Max and Ace.

Dawson has been the visual content creator for the Virginia Tech College of Engineering since 2023, where he develops video campaigns and series. Previously, Dawson worked on the feature films, "You're Killing Me", which premiered on Showtime in April of 2023, and "Hero" produced by Local Cinema Studios and the University of South Carolina. Dawson graduated from Western Carolina University in 2022 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in film and television production.

Amanda has been the social media manager for Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering since 2019, overseeing on-brand messaging across Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. She drives brand awareness through strategic planning, content calendars, and creative campaigns like “Engineering Explained.” Amanda earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a marketing concentration from Radford University in 2016.

Emma is a Digital Content Associate at the George Washington University, where she helps design and implement social media and communication plans for the Graduate School of Education and Human Development as well as the university’s main channels. She works to establish strong online communities and drive brand growth through data-driven strategy.

Prior to her work at GW, Emma worked in public relations for independent films. She holds a Bachelor’s degrees in Cinema and Television Arts and Strategic Communications.

Anna is a Senior Digital Content Specialist at the George Washington University, where she has spent the past three years developing social media and communications strategies for GW Law and the broader university. Her work has streamlined communications deliverables across the law school and strengthened the university’s cohesive digital presence.

Before joining GW, Anna worked as a political fundraiser for state and federal campaigns. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications and Public Relations and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics.

Meredith Cole is the Director of Marketing for the University of Virginia’s Office of the Vice President for Research. She is a novelist, filmmaker, and screenwriter who worked in television promotion for Food Network, Lifetime and The Learning Channel, and in content marketing for an education software company before coming to UVA. Meredith has a B.A. from Smith College and an M.A. in Film and Screenwriting from American University.

Rishi Jaitly is a distinguished entrepreneur, executive and educator with extensive global experience leading missions that unlock the potential of people and places. As Professor of Practice and Distinguished Humanities Fellow at Virginia Tech, he founded the Institute for Leadership in Technology, which offers the nation’s first Executive Leadership Credential in the Humanities to rising leaders from around the world, and indeed all those who crave “Full Stack Human” skills and sensibilities in this AI-ascendant era. Until recently, Jaitly served as a Senior Advisor to OpenAI.

Aric Berg is the marketing and communications project manager at Eastern Mennonite University. He joined the EMU community in 2023 after more than 16 years in local television advertising and promotions. He enjoys being the project manager for a small (but mighty!) marketing and communications team because it allows him to help set the team up for success and lets him be a jack of all trades by getting his hands in a little bit of everything!

Ryan is the senior writer and communications manager at Eastern Mennonite University. Since joining the Harrisonburg-based university in 2023, he’s written hundreds of stories that promote its unique blend of values and highlight the successes of its students, faculty, and alumni. He also serves as the primary media contact for EMU. Before entering higher education, he spent more than a decade as a reporter, copyeditor, and page designer for magazines and newspapers.

Macson McGuigan is the visual media manager for marketing and communications at EMU, his alma mater. He is responsible for generating a wide range of photos and videos to support the university’s mission. From directing promotional videos for Giving Day and cover shoots for the alumni magazine to crawling through underground caves with science students and soaring high in the skies with aviation students, Macson rarely experiences a dull day on the job.

Adam Wirdzek is the web manager at Eastern Mennonite University. When he’s not finding new ways to make technology work in EMU's favor, Adam produces dubstep and creates experiences for connecting people through music. His motto is “empower your friends.”

Brad Soucy is the senior director of marketing and communications for philanthropy and partnerships, where he plans and oversees a wide range of high-impact, strategic projects to engage partners and secure transformational gifts. As head of the Creative Studio, Brad’s mission is to tell the story of Virginia Tech’s strengths and aspirations by partnering with faculty, fundraisers, and university leadership.

Starting in 2015, Brad has helped to lead branding efforts, manage digital product development, design campaigns, and hire talented creative team members to support the Advancement Division. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Annie McCallum is the director of advancement communications at Virginia Tech, where she leads marketing and communications efforts that inspire alumni pride, deepen connection, and strengthen philanthropic engagement.

She oversees major marketing and communications initiatives that reach alumni and donors and directs the publication of Virginia Tech Magazine. A Virginia Commonwealth University graduate and former journalist, Annie brings a storyteller’s precision to shaping campaigns, digital experiences, and the magazine’s editorial strategy.

With more than a decade of strategic communications experience, Annie leads a high-performing team that shapes how the university engages its alumni and donors, sparking meaningful relationships that support Virginia Tech’s mission.

Noah Frank is the assistant director of communications and news for the D.C. area at Virginia Tech. In his current role, he spearheads storytelling for the D.C. area and works with the university’s media relations team as its local representative. He is a local and national award-winning journalist and communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience who has lived and worked in the D.C. area since 2012. He has helped launch large-scale, forward facing multimedia campaigns, including implementing the #NATITUDE brand for the Washington Nationals.

Shannon Andrea is the director of marketing and communications at Virginia Tech in the greater D.C. area where she serves as the lead communications advisor, providing strategic guidance to align university wide communications, marketing, and branding initiatives. She is part of the integrated Advancement Division, supporting Virginia Tech’s mission and growth in the region. 

Since joining Virginia Tech in 2017, Shannon established the university’s Media Relations office in the D.C. area and has played a key role in growing media coverage and elevating storytelling around faculty expertise and research as the university expands its presence and innovation network.

Shannon brings more than 25 years of experience in strategic communications and marketing within the Washington, D.C., nonprofit and educational sectors.

S.B. “Chandler” Chandler, Ph.D., is the Digital Accessibility Officer in the Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education at Virginia Tech where he works closely with TLOS Accessible Technologies. He holds IAAP’s Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies and Web Accessibility Specialist certifications, forming the Certified Professional in Web Accessibility. Chandler has over 25 years of undergraduate and graduate teaching experience at Virginia Tech. His professional consulting experience spans health care, publishing, non-profits, and education. Much of his early work was at Apple, Adobe, NASA, and the federal government. Chandler’s expertise in user experience, web design, electronic publishing, and programming provides a base for his digital accessibility evaluation, advocacy, and compliance analysis.