The name Esbenshade, comes from Espenschied, and literally means "aspen wood." Like many German and Swiss family names, Espenschied comes from a historic village in Germany of the same name. The village dates back to the 12th century and is older than Berlin, Germany's capital.
About Me
WENDELL S. ESBENSHADE
An award-winning executive marketing and communications strategist and leader. Over 25 years' experience in higher education marketing and communications, as well as content development and strategy.
My experience and skills include, integrated marketing, SEO/SEM, analytics, graphic design, publication development, communications, PR and media relations, website development, social media, rebranding/brand management, creative direction, project management, managing budgets, dashboarding, goal setting and strategic planning.
Professional Experience
Director of Marketing and Communications, Oct. 2023 – Present
Tulane School of Social Work (TSSW), Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
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Spearhead all marketing and communications strategies to support brand growth, recruitment, and stakeholder engagement for a nationally ranked graduate school.
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Over the last two years, led marketing/branding efforts that increased completed applications by 41.2%, while improving lead quality by increasing the number of newly enrolled students by 72.6% in the same period.
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Led complete website redesign with enhanced brand messaging, dynamic content feeds, embedded video, GEO/AI-ready, and clearer CTAs to drive user action.
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Conducted mission-aligned brand research and competitor analysis to develop differentiated positioning messaging tailored to diverse adult learner segments.
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Created video content for storytelling, virtual tours, and internal communications from leadership.
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Designed and launched segmented, data-driven email campaigns using A/B testing and performance analytics to optimize pipeline growth and ROI.
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Built centralized marketing data repository to ensure accuracy across internal teams and external vendors.
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Developed and implemented stand
Director of Marketing and Communications, Oct. 2010 – Sept. 2023
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, Lancaster, PA
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Architected and executed a college-wide rebranding strategy (name, logo, website, brand narrative) that resulted in a 22% enrollment increase within the first year.
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Developed marketing performance dashboards tracking cost per lead, conversion rates, and ROI to guide budget and resource allocation decisions.
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Integrated digital marketing tools and CRM platforms to personalize content delivery, optimize the student journey, and increase retention rates.
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Collaborated closely with academic leadership and enrollment teams to translate program priorities into compelling marketing campaigns aligned with institutional mission and social justice values.
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Led crisis communications and brand reputation management initiatives, representing marketing strategy at executive and board levels.
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Directed and mentored a high-performing hybrid marketing team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Education
2022
Certified Digital Marketing Professional Course
Digital Marketing Institute
2014
MBA
Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
1994
BA Art (Graphic Design), Minor – Business
Messiah University, Grantham, PA
Awards & Recognition
• Cuppie Awards: Greater Good Ad Campaign (Silver), CUPRAP, 2020*
• Cuppie Awards: Instagram Story (Bronze), CUPRAP, 2020*
• Cuppie Awards: Spotify Ad (Silver), CUPRAP, 2020*
• Telly Award: Advertising (Silver) – Outdoor, The TELLY Awards, 2018
• Telly Award: Advertising (Silver) – Print, The TELLY Awards, 2018*
• Telly Award: Online Video (Bronze) – Recruitment Video, The TELLY Awards, 2015*
• Session Presenter, Education Dynamics, Conference, “Life After Launch: Measuring Your Institutional Brand,” 2014
• Session Presenter, CASE District III Conference, “Small School, Big Voice – Making Your Size Work For You,” 2010
*Produced in conjunction with partner vendor, JPL, of Harrisburg, Pa.