Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO — with Jaime Hunt

Jaime welcomes Lauren Griswold, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, the University of Vermont, to discuss her bold decision to decentralize communications by re-embedding communicators into their respective colleges and divisions. Lauren shares why alignment and relationship-building matter more than strict organizational hierarchies, how MOUs help establish shared expectations with deans, and why higher education marketing must dare to be different in a sea of sameness.Guest Name: Lauren Griswold, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, the University of VermontGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurengriswold1/Guest Bio: Lauren Griswold was appointed Chief Communications and Marketing Officer in November 2025 and leads the university’s Division of Strategic Communications. An innovator, storyteller, and culture keeper, Griswold has worked in higher education at both the university and community college levels. Her expertise includes building brand reputation, as well as leading and creating strategy and successfully scaling it across enterprises for local, national, and global organizations.Griswold comes to UVM from Boise State University, where she led that institution’s Office of Communications and Marketing as the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer. During her time in that role Griswold led the launch of the Northwest Emmy-nominated commercial, “Out of The Blue,” and was also recognized by the American Marketing Association as a finalist for marketer of the year in higher education in 2024.Prior to joining Boise State, Griswold worked at Arizona State University, Mt. Hood Community College, Edelman, Microsoft, and Major League Baseball. She has a wide range of experience in sales, marketing, communications, community relations, branding, and creative strategy. Griswold has a master’s degree in communication studies from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Washington University. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaime Hunt sits down with Nathan Jorgensen, Chief of Marketing and Enrollment Communications Manager at Ohio State University’s College of Nursing, to explore the dynamic relationship between centralized and decentralized marketing teams, sharing practical tips for building trust with academic deans and faculty. Nate explains how simple visual aids can translate complex marketing strategies, discusses the balance of institutional branding with college-specific storytelling, and shares his passionate take on why higher education is doing its best work today. Guest Name: Nathan Jorgensen, Chief of Marketing and Enrollment Communications Manager, Ohio State University College of Nursing Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/npjorgensen/ Guest Bio: Nathan Jorgensen is the chief of marketing and enrollment communications manager for the Ohio State University College of Nursing. Prior to this role, he was the senior marketing director at Miami University. He has extensive experience in strategic marketing management, team leadership, and enrollment growth initiatives. Over 16 years in higher education and more than a decade in progressive leadership roles have shaped a proven ability to drive impactful campaigns and build strong institutional brands. At Miami University, Nathan led a multifaceted marketing team to achieve significant growth, including a 25% increase in undergraduate applications from 2023 to 2025. He also created a groundbreaking partnership with the Cincinnati Bengals to expand outreach and student opportunities.   - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaime speaks with Kevin McClure, author of The Caring University and Professor of Higher Education and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership UNC Wilmington. They explore the disconnect between rhetoric and institutional action regarding employee care, how workplace culture affects student support, and ways leaders can cultivate authentic organizational care beyond surface-level declarations. Guest Name: Kevin McClure, Professor of Higher Education and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, the University of North Carolina Wilmington Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-r-mcclure-424145223/ Guest Bio: Dr. Kevin R. McClure is Professor of Higher Education and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He also serves as Co-Director of the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges. Dr. McClure is an expert on college leadership, management, finance, and workplace culture, especially at broad-access institutions. He is author of The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace after the Great Resignation. Dr. McClure is also the co-editor of Regional Public Universities: Addressing Misconceptions and Analyzing Contributions and Unlocking Opportunity through Broadly Accessible Institutions. He writes the popular Working Better column for The Chronicle of Higher Education. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaime sits down with digital strategy expert Georgy Cohen to tackle the persistent problem of content debt in higher education websites. Comparing the cluttered digital ecosystems of universities to an overflowing junk drawer, Cohen explains how years of unchecked publishing have resulted in outdated, redundant, and fragmented content that degrades institutional brands and creates confusing user experiences. Guest Name: Georgy Cohen, principal, Georgy Cohen LLC Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgy/ Guest Bio: Georgy Cohen has spent more than 20 years leading digital strategy and content strategy initiatives for higher education, publications, and nonprofits. Her experience includes stints leading web strategy at Tufts University and Suffolk University, serving as vice president of digital strategy at the digital agency OHO, and running her own independent consultancies. Georgy currently operates the creatively named Georgy Cohen LLC, working with partners in higher ed and beyond on digital strategy initiatives. She also speaks widely at national conferences, to campus teams, and to the pets who frequent her office. Georgy’s background is in journalism. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaime welcomes Megan W. Gerhardt, a professor of management and leadership at Miami University. The conversation centers on challenging the stereotypes that often define our understanding of different generations in the workplace. Guest Name: Megan W. Gerhardt, Professor of Management and Leadership at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megangerhardt/ Guest Bio: Megan W. Gerhardt, Ph.D., is a Professor of Management and Leadership at Miami University's Farmer School of Business. In addition to her academic work, she consults and speaks with leading organizations worldwide on leveraging generational differences in the workplace and is the author of Gentelligence: A Revolutionary Approach to Leading an Intergenerational Workforce.Her Gentelligence framework was featured as Harvard Business Review's Big Idea in March 2022 and selected for Harvard Business Review's Top 10 Must Reads for 2024. As the founder of gentelligence.org, all of Dr. Gerhardt’s work focuses on harnessing individual differences to drive impact and exceptional performance. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.