As the senior associate vice president for communications and external relations at Wake Forest University, Brett Eaton leads a multi-disciplined team of marketing and public relations professionals. He also serves as the executive director of the "Wake Will Lead" campaign, an effort to raise $1 billion in support of the university's mission.

Before transitioning to a career in higher education, Eaton held a variety of leadership positions within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. For helping the Pentagon recover from the 9/11 terrorist attack, the Secretary of Defense awarded him the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service.