The Marketing Team
The Marketing Team
Kristi Eaves-McLennan is executive director of marketing at Meredith College. In this position, Eaves-McLennan provides leadership and direction to a 15-person marketing team. A member of the College’s executive leadership team, Eaves-McLennan provides marketing strategy and expertise to college units to help achieve Meredith’s enrollment, fundraising and revenue goals.
Prior to joining Meredith College in 2000, Eaves-McLennan was director of public relations at Louisburg College. She has also held positions with an RTP-based national investment education firm and with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.
Eaves-McLennan graduated summa cum laude from Peace College with a Bachelor of Arts in communication. She is currently working toward her MBA at Meredith College.
Karen T. Dunton is managing director of marketing at Meredith College. Her responsibilities include the management of daily operations in the marketing office, and the development of marketing and promotional plans that support the College’s recruitment, fundraising and image-building goals. Dunton leads Meredith’s paid advertising efforts and develops regular reporting mechanisms to analyze the effectiveness of marketing efforts.
Before joining Meredith in 2004, Dunton was communications specialist for the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. She has also worked at The Baltimore Zoo and the Parks & People Foundation.
Dunton graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in communication.
Kaye Rains is office manager for the department of marketing at Meredith College. Her responsibilities include overseeing the marketing budget, managing the purchase order system, tracking budget expenditures and reconciling accounts on a monthly basis.
Before joining Meredith in 2001, Rains was self-employed, providing medical transcription and word processing services. She has also worked as a deputy clerk in the Criminal Section for the United States District Court and for the U.S Department of Agriculture.
Rains graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and criminal justice.
Content Development
Gaye Hill is marketing content strategist at Meredith College. She oversees content development for recruitment, fundraising and image-enhancing marketing materials. Hill writes high-level print and electronic projects, plans and oversees the development of content for the Meredith website, and writes for Meredith Magazine.
Prior to joining Meredith in 2007, Hill worked as director of donor communications for Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas. She has also worked as a fundraiser for an international nonprofit, and taught writing at Wake Technical Community College.
Hill graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in religion and received a Master of Arts in English, both from Florida State University.
Meaghan Bixby is the marketing writer at Meredith College. Her responsibilities include developing written content for print, online and multimedia materials that incorporate strategic marketing messages. Bixby writes content for projects designed to persuade and motivate audiences to action, including recruitment, image-building and fundraising campaigns.
Prior to joining Meredith, Bixby was a communications manager for EMPEA, a non-profit based in Washington, D.C. She has also worked for the U.S. Green Building Council.
Bixby graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in communication with a concentration in public relations.
Events
Bill Brown is director of events and community programs at Meredith College. His responsibilities include producing and supporting major events and lectures, convocations, commencement, performing arts events and other live events on campus. He also oversees the creation and implementation of community programs including community courses and camps. Before assuming his current position, Brown served as technical coordinator/ production supervisor of Jones Auditorium teaching lighting, sound, stage management, house management, box office and publicity.
Prior to joining Meredith in 1996, Brown toured nationally with the ANTA Company, the Acting Company and the Nebraska Theatre Caravan, and internationally as lighting designer and technical director for the Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble. He was the technical director at Raleigh Little Theatre and taught technical theatre at Enloe High School.
Natalie P. Herrmann is the events coordinator at Meredith College. Her responsibilities include the scheduling of campus facilities and event management. As part of the events and community programs team, Herrmann works closely with Meredith students, faculty, staff and alumnae in promoting events that best relate to Meredith’s mission.
Before joining Meredith in 2005, Herrmann was a customer service representative for Southern Bell, having previously worked for “The Columbus Dispatch” as an advertising assistant.
Herrmann graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
Jim Frick is technical coordinator for events and community programs at Meredith College. His responsibilities include evaluating the technical needs of on- and off-campus clients and implementing sound, lighting, and multi-media systems to aid these clients during events.
Before joining Meredith, Frick was the rentals and production manager for Stageworks Lighting in Raleigh and house electrician at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. He has also worked as an instructor at Louisiana State University and guest artist for Peace College Theatre. He continues to design lighting for local theatre companies, most recently at Meredith and for Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy Theatre.
Frick graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Hendrix College.
Brian Hunt is a production supervisor who works with clients both on and off campus as they develop their event. Hunt has toured nationally and designed for the North Carolina Theatre, the Miss North Carolina Pageant, and the Wake County Public School System at Memorial Auditorium and Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy Theatre.
News/Media Relations
Melyssa Allen is news director at Meredith College. Allen manages media relations and social media for the College. She works with local and regional media to promote major initiatives and events and serves as liaison with the College’s national media consulting firm. Allen manages the Headlines section of the Meredith web site, serves as co-managing editor of “Meredith Magazine” and writes/edits electronic newsletters for employees, parents and alumnae of the College. She is the primary manager of Meredith’s Facebook and Twitter feeds.
Prior to joining Meredith in 2001, Allen was communications specialist at Peace College. She has also worked for Ruder Finn Public Relations in Washington, D.C.
Allen graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication. She also has an Associate of Arts from Peace College.
Visual Communications
Vanessa F. Harris is director of visual communications at Meredith College. In this position, Harris provides art direction and design leadership to the College’s in-house design team. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the graphic standards for the College’s identity and designs key recruitment and signature publications for Meredith. Harris manages the daily operations of the design area and oversees photo shoots and freelance design support. She also provides oversight design review for the College licensing program and manages the e-print online stationery ordering system.
Before joining Meredith in 2006, Harris was director of graphic and print production for the International Society of Automation. She has also worked for UNC TV, Home Mechanix and Games magazines and is a published children’s book illustrator.
Harris graduated from Parsons School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
David Timberlake is electronic communications manager at Meredith College. Timberlake provides leadership for new projects with a focus on student recruitment and institutional outreach, including the redevelopment of the College’s website. He provides support to campus-wide web partners and serves as the liaison with technology services on web-related issues.
Prior to joining Meredith in 2001, Timberlake was art director and network administrator for Ceredigm Corporation. He has also worked as graphic design/production manager for Island Graphics.
Timberlake graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design.
Lauren Sumner is graphic and web designer at Meredith College. Her responsibilities include the production of a wide variety of creative design solutions that advance Meredith College’s strategic marketing messages. Sumner designs electronic and printed marketing materials such as web pages, newsletters, brochures, posters, programs, catalogues, handbooks and advertisements. She assists with edits and updates to the College web site and serves as support for the electronic communications manager as needed.
Before joining Meredith in 2006, Sumner was graphic designer for “Carolina Woman” magazine.
Sumner graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication with a concentration in graphic design and studio art.
Charlotte Claypoole is video and multimedia designer at Meredith College. Her responsibilities include conceptualizing, creating and producing multimedia marketing content that tells stories across a variety of platforms including broadcast, YouTube and the college website.
Before joining Meredith in 2012, Claypoole was the video technician for Durham Public Schools Channel 4. She also serves as an advisor for the Explorer Post 50 program at the Durham Bulls, where she has volunteered since 2009.
Claypoole graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication.
Andy Richards is the Web Specialist/Applications Developer at Meredith College. His responsibilities include developing web applications to meet the needs of prospective students and other key institutional constituents, supporting the Meredith community in website development and maintenance, and helping to ensure consistency in the College’s branding and web content.
Prior to joining Meredith in 2000, Richards was the CRC Coordinator and VA administrator for NC State University. He also worked at UPS from 1990 to 2000.
Richards graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts in business management.
