Dana Simmons Takes Reins as Presbyterian College’s First Chief Marketing Officer

PC president Dr. Matthew vandenBerg announced this week that Dana Simmons, currently the director of enrollment communications and operations at Stetson University, will fill that position as its first chief marketing officer.

Simmons joins the College’s administration after the president announced last spring that PC must place a greater emphasis on marketing in order to be more competitive in higher education.

“To command the attention and nurture the continued interest of prospective students, their families, our alumni and friends, and the world, PC requires a unified, engaging and compelling brand, as well as bold, clear and powerful storytelling and messaging,” said vandenBerg. “I am pleased that Dana Simmons has agreed to join our talented leadership team and serve as our storied institution’s first chief marketing and communications officer. Her energy, depth of knowledge, drive, focus and passion made her a clear standout in our national search, and I am confident she will help PC’s marketing and communications to reach unprecedented heights.

A graduate of Brigham Young University, Simmons began her career in marketing as the e-commerce marketing and search marketing manager for FranklinCovey Co. in Utah. She made her move to higher education in 2006 when she became director of enrollment marketing communications for Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also served as director of marketing communications at Western Governors University in Utah before landing at Stetson.

With her creativity, Simmons has led rebranding initiatives and managed strategies across multiple channels in a variety of methods to achieve maximum marketing performance.

She  has shared her expertise with many others in the marketing field, including the Capture Higher Ed. Resolve Conference, the American Association of Colleges Recruitment Admissions Officers, the American Marketing Association, and the RecruitmentPlus Users Conference.

Simmons’ work earned her the Utah American Marketing Association Spotlight of the Month in June 2012, the Presidential Star Award at Westminster College in 2009, and the Summit Award from FranklinCovey in 2005.

“It is a tremendous honor to join Presbyterian College as the chief marketing officer and usher in a new era under President vandenBerg,” Simmons said. “By taking an active role in PC’s future through the lens of its values and long and storied history, I am confident that together we can successfully increase brand awareness, enrollment growth, and advancement initiatives. We can’t simply do what we’ve always done. Our innovative strategies will meet our students and stakeholders where they live in this world of ever-increasing complexity.”

In addition to her professional role, Simmons said she looks forward to becoming a part of the PC community.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better fit than Presbyterian College as the mission and values strongly align with mine,” she said. “With the new class each year, our desire is to prepare the next generation of students to lead with intellectual fortitude and bring a spiritual awareness that guides our global and environmental conscience. Nothing is more important to me than being part of a community that is adventurous, compassionate, and takes responsibility for each other and the world.”