Building a Branded House
For higher ed and academic health systems, I'm a big believer in being a branded house, not a house of brands.
Break Down Communications and Marketing Silos
The goal for large, complex organizations should be reducing silos that interfere with strategic storytelling. That starts by integrating marketing and communications.
Crisis Leadership: Three Is the Magic Number
In a crisis, the steadiest institutions don’t rely on one heroic message or spokesperson. They use a triangle where the communications team explains, the president heals and the board chair stabilizes governance.
Trying New Things … Like VCU Sushi
Last week I did something I almost never do: I ordered sushi. And not just any sushi; I ordered the VCU Roll.
Downton Abbey and Me
Earlier in my career at UCF, I helped create and run a new PBS station in Central Florida. I had two huge assets that made the launch successful: 1) a small, but mighty, team of dedicated and creative colleagues and 2) Downton Abbey exploded into the popular culture, making PBS cool again.
Boards Must Lead the Research Story. Here’s How
Governing boards and executive leaders of institutions with research missions must make research a central part of their story, and insist that story be told clearly, consistently, and compellingly.
Proudly VCU: A Brand You Can See and Feel
Branding your campus is an important, yet sometimes underappreciated, element of building your institution’s identity. At Virginia Commonwealth University, we’re intentional about finding creative ways to showcase the brand, ensuring that our on-campus and near-campus audiences experience who we are the moment they step onto our grounds.
Can You Handle the Truth (About Your Brand)?
Too often, branding myths prevent universities from creating and investing in their brands in ways that influence outcomes.
A Valentine’s Day Letter to my Team
It's been a busy, stressful 2025 so far ... so I sent this message to the Enterprise Marketing and Communications division today. If only I had time to rhyme ...
VCU’s Brand: Built with Art and Science
As the headline says, brand building is art and science … and I've always been attracted to the science part, the data. That's why the results of our recent independent survey of Richmond-area residents about Virginia Commonwealth University are so exciting.