Workshop Overview:
Strategic Leadership in Marketing & Communications: Elevating Your Career & Leading with Purpose, is designed for entry-level to mid-level marketing professionals who aspire to grow into leadership roles. In this workshop we discuss the essential qualities of strategic leadership, invite participants to explore their purpose while finding practical ways to implement strategic thinking in daily marketing tasks and provide actionable steps to build influence and advance in the field. Through real-world insights, interactive chat discussions, and practical examples, attendees can start to enhance their roadmap to becoming more effective, forward-thinking marketing leaders—regardless of their current title.

Key Learning Objectives:

1. Understand Strategic Leadership in Marketing – Learn the key characteristics that differentiate strategic leaders from tactical marketers and how to adopt a leadership mindset at any career stage.
2. Develop Essential Leadership Skills – Gain insights into critical leadership skills such as vision-setting, data-driven decision-making, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.
3. Apply Strategic Thinking to Marketing Initiatives – Discover practical ways to align marketing efforts with broader business goals, anticipate industry trends, and leverage data for smarter decision-making.
4. Build Influence & Career Growth Strategies – Explore actionable steps to expand your influence within your organization, develop thought leadership, and position yourself for career advancement.

Greg Hedgepeth was born and raised in Halifax County, NC and was a first-generation college student that attended East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. There he received his undergraduate degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration. He later received his Masters in Management and Leadership from Webster University. Greg is also in the early stages of his doctoral pursuit in Leadership Studies.

About The Speaker:
Greg currently serves as the Director of Marketing and Communications for the NC State University Graduate School and is the President and CEO of Substantial Media, LLC an award winning minority multimedia platform that seeks to amplify the voices and stories of black and brown communities and bring awareness to important issues that impact these communities on a local, state and national level. Greg has been in the field of higher education marketing and communication for over 16 years, serving in leadership roles at the divisional and university level. Greg is a certified digital marketing and AI professional, a husband, father of two beautiful little girls, a former adjunct professor within the Mass Communications and Digital Technology Department at Shaw University, and a social entrepreneur.

Greg serves on a number of national, state and local boards to include Vice Chair for the East Carolina University Alumni Association Board of Directors, he is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Elon University School of Communications Local News Workshop, is a proud active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and a Prince Hall Mason. Greg has presented and facilitated at conferences, summits, and workshops all around the country and has been awarded for his service work within the minority community and the field of education.