Marketing Operations · Digital Strategy

Jo Mahan

Fifteen-plus years turning sprawling, multi-channel marketing operations into measurable growth — one segmented, well-timed send at a time.

Impact, by the Numbers

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Years in digital marketing & operations

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Email sends executed in 2025 alone

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Average open rate — 2x the industry benchmark

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Subscribers managed across the contact database

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Digital projects delivered in FY24, two-person team

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Institutional websites under active strategy

Portrait of Jo Mahan

Marketing operations leader with 15+ years of experience building and scaling multi-channel digital programs across email, web, and social. Expert in high-volume campaign execution, audience segmentation, and performance optimization through data-driven strategy. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, streamline workflows, and drive measurable engagement at scale across complex organizations.

Where the Work Happened

May 2025 — Present

Associate Director of Digital Marketing

Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA

10-year tenure · Project Manager → Associate Director

  • Lead marketing operations strategy for the Administration & Finance division — email, web, and social across 20+ departments and 25+ websites serving 60,000+ students.
  • Manage a contact database of 100K+ subscribers; in 2025, executed 479 email campaigns totaling 1.1M sends at a 44% average open rate, more than double the 21.5% industry benchmark.
  • Direct HTML email production using Beefree and Constant Contact — dynamic content, segmentation, and performance-driven optimization across every send.
  • Oversee website strategy across 25+ properties: CMS migrations, SEO, accessibility compliance, and API integrations.
  • Manage and mentor a Web & Digital Strategy Specialist and a Social Media Specialist.
  • Analyze KPIs across email, web, and social using Google Analytics and platform-native dashboards to inform strategy.

Jan 2023 — Apr 2025

Digital Marketing Manager

Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA

  • Delivered 576 digital marketing projects in FY 2024 with a two-person team, managing intake through reporting via Trello-based workflows.
  • Increased email open rates by 132% through systematic A/B testing, audience segmentation, and content personalization.
  • Centralized student-facing email communications, eliminating duplication and improving deliverability institution-wide.
  • Managed digital marketing budgets and optimized spend allocation across paid and owned channels.
  • Maintained website accessibility and compliance standards across all departmental properties.

Nov 2021 — Dec 2022

Marketing and Communications Specialist

Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA

  • Managed integrated marketing campaigns for KSU Retail Services (bookstore and dining) across digital, print, and event channels.
  • Developed content strategies incorporating interactive and multimedia formats to drive engagement.
  • Tracked and analyzed campaign performance, iterating on strategy to improve reach.

Aug 2019 — Nov 2021

Program Manager

Cox Family Enterprise Center, Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA

  • Led a full rebranding initiative spanning email, social, marketing collateral, and web copy.
  • Managed corporate events for audiences of 300+, overseeing planning, marketing, logistics, and stakeholders.
  • Produced newsletters, press releases, and communications materials supporting brand visibility.

Jun 2016 — Aug 2019

Project Manager, Digital Marketing

Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA

  • Managed end-to-end digital marketing projects spanning design, video, social, email, and web — on time and under budget.
  • Built relationships with internal stakeholders, vendors, and higher education partners to advance institutional initiatives.

Feb 2014 — Jun 2016

eCommerce Manager

CabinetCorp · Kennesaw, GA

  • Led full development and launch of two eCommerce websites — branding, design, and digital strategy end to end.
  • Drove online sales growth through SEO/UX optimization, product launch campaigns, email newsletters, and social.

Aug 2010 — Jan 2014

Senior Account Manager

EYStudios, Inc.

  • Managed eCommerce website redesigns for 80+ active clients, including Inc. 5000 and Internet Retailer Top 500 companies.
  • Delivered digital strategy, design consultation, and project management to grow client online presence and ROI.

Email Work

A sample of campaign emails designed and sent to 100K+ subscribers. Click any card to open the full email.

Tools of the Trade

Marketing & Automation

  • Constant Contact
  • HubSpot
  • Really Good Emails / BeeFree

Analytics & SEO

  • Google Analytics
  • SEMrush
  • A/B Testing
  • Conversion Optimization

CMS Platforms

  • Omni CMS
  • WordPress
  • Drupal

Operations

  • CRM & Database Mgmt (100K+)
  • Asana
  • Monday
  • Trello

Creative

  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Canva

AI & Emerging Tools

  • Claude
  • Claude Code
  • ChatGPT
  • Gemini
  • Perplexity

Education, Credentials & Recognition

Education

Master of Education

Higher Education Administration — Georgia Southern University

Bachelor of Science

Communication — Kennesaw State University

Certifications

Digital Marketing Professional Specialist

University of Georgia

Google Analytics Certification

HubSpot Email Marketing Certification

Awards

First Place, Email Marketing

ACUHO-I Housing Marketing Awards, 2024

Teamwork & Leadership Award

Kennesaw State University, 2019