Russell Yost, APR is Associate Vice President for University Marketing and Communications at the University of San Diego (USD). At USD, Russell leads the campus' marketing and communications efforts, is part of the leadership team of USD's integrated advancement operation and serves on the President's cabinet.

Prior to joining USD, Russell served as Senior Director for Marketing and Communications at the University of Washington's College of Arts and Sciences, leading communications efforts for the UW's largest academic unit. Russell brings over 18 years of experience in higher education communications, has worked for PR and marketing agencies in Oregon, and has served as a legislative assistant in the Oregon State House and Senate. During his 14-year tenure at Willamette University, Russell served as a communications director, associate vice president and Chief Communications Officer for the university.

In 2018, Russell's team at Willamette won a prestigious national Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for its solar eclipse event. Russell’s team at the UW won a Bronze Anvil Award for its student recruitment video in 2021. Russell received the Portland Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” award in 2011, the Portland Business Alliance’s “Volunteer Recognition Award” in 2014, and the American Marketing Association Oregon President’s Award in 2011.

Russell chaired the PRSA Counselors to Higher Education Forum in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and Senior Summit in 2020. He has been on the faculty for the CASE Conference on Marketing and Branding since 2021. He holds an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and has a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University and master’s degree from Willamette University.

Kinnari “Kin” Sejpal is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications/Chief Marketing Officer at the University of Redlands where she oversees brand management, enrollment marketing, and communications and digital teams. Before joining Redlands, Kin served as the Associate Vice President, Marketing and Creative Services at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Among her many accomplishments there, Kin developed RIT’s brand strategy and launched its first national reputation campaign.

Kin started her career in the U.S. by joining Purdue University’s Office of Marketing and Media where she held progressively responsible roles in the areas of advertising, marketing strategy, and marketing intelligence.

Dedicated to advancing higher education and the importance of marketing in shaping the perception of our industry, Kin serves in prominent positions with CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) and AMA (American Marketing Association). 

Kin has an M.B.A in Marketing and Strategic Management, and an M.A. in Communications from Purdue University. 

Carrie Phillips, Ed.D., APR is the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at UA Little Rock. She is part creative, part analyst, and fully curious when it comes to solving higher education’s biggest challenges. With more than 15 years of experience, she has led efforts that have driven measurable results—from reversing a 13-year enrollment decline to launching a $250 million capital campaign and increasing national visibility through faculty storytelling. Her leadership centers on building brand and departmental culture, and her teams have earned national and global recognition.

A national thought-leader and speaker, she has worked with CASE, AMA, and Digital Collegium, and PRSA in support of higher education. She earned her doctorate from Texas Tech University, studying how universities can use marketing to mitigate the enrollment cliff, and continues to explore the intersection of leadership and higher ed at andcarrieon.com