Katlin Swisher

Katlin Swisher is a strategist and researcher dedicated to the future of higher ed. As a director of strategy planning at SimpsonScarborough, she uses data and insights to develop strategies that help campuses build trust with their audiences, guide marketing communications and branding, and inform organizational change. With more than a decade of experience in higher ed, Katlin has led initiatives and programming in enrollment management, new student orientation, and marketing communications at her alma mater, West Virginia University, where she continues to teach media and leadership studies. Most recently, she was a senior strategist at Campus Sonar, an agency that uses social intelligence research to inform marketing communications and enrollment strategies.

An accomplished researcher and speaker, Katlin has presented at numerous national conferences and is published in Review of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed. She continues to give back in the discipline by serving on graduate thesis committees and as an alumni professional mentor. As a first-generation college graduate from Appalachia, Katlin knows firsthand the critical importance of higher education–especially for individuals from rural areas. She has dedicated her career to improving higher ed access, attainability, and affordability.

Swisher holds a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts in higher education administration from WVU and served as the managing editor for the Graduate Student Journal of Higher Education. In 2012, she graduated summa cum laude and as a University Honors Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from WVU. She was named WVU's Ms. Mountaineer for 2011-2012 and a WVU Foundation Outstanding Senior and Public Relations Outstanding Senior.

Outside of work, you can find Katlin cheering on the WVU Mountaineers, hiking in West Virginia’s beautiful state parks, and playing clarinet in local community bands and the WVU Alumni Band.