JOHNSON CITY – (October 1, 2021) Jessica Vodden has been named Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for East Tennessee State University. Vodden comes to ETSU with more than a decade of experience in higher education marketing and public relations.
“Jessica brings an impressive record in creating and leading successful strategic integrative marking initiatives in higher education and other settings,” said ETSU President Brian Noland. “She will be instrumental in helping to promote the ETSU story and lifting our brand to new audiences across the region and beyond.”
Vodden is a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. She received a master’s degree of public administration, nonprofit management from the University of Colorado Denver.
Prior to joining ETSU, she founded and led Vodden Labs and Studio, a consulting firm focused on human-centered design. She has also held roles as chief marketing officer for Savage Grant, an investment firm focused on the Appalachian region, and chief operating officer for CentralApp, a tech company connecting Appalachian workers with tech jobs at companies and organizations across the U.S., including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Vodden worked for West Virginia’s state higher education system for nine years, concluding her tenure as the senior director of communications. She has also worked for several nonprofit organizations and began her career working in a full-service marketing agency.
Vodden has earned more than 20 awards for achievements in her field, including the FAFSA Completion Challenge for second place from the National College Access Network/Kresge Foundation; the Power of One Award from Rainbow Pride of West Virginia; and the Innovator of the Year award from the West Virginia Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
In conjunction with Vodden’s hire, ETSU is renaming the former Office of University Relations. Effective today, the office will be called the Office of University Marketing and Communications.
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