Alex Parraga is the chief digital officer at UC Santa Barbara, a position he's held since 2014 when he first joined the university. He oversees university branding and digital strategy and is leading the charge to build marketing capabilities across campus.

Prior to joining UC Santa Barbara, Parraga spent the majority of his professional career in the advertising industry. That's where he originally found his passion for brand building and integrated marketing communications at agencies including Ogilvy and BBDO and with client partners such as Mars Chocolate, General Electric and American Express.

He's a graduate of NYU's Stern School of Business where he earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and management.