Things have changed in the Office of Marketing and Communications (OMC). There are familiar faces, new faces and a revamped team mission.
With the start of a new chapter in the OMC, we wanted to reintroduce ourselves.
Our goal: to become more collaborative and strategic partners with you. How? By growing awareness of the campus in Northwest Indiana and beyond; modernizing communications practices with digital tools and analysis; and shifting our mindset to be more proactive and streamlined in our communication and marketing approaches.
IU Northwest is already great — but let’s build upon that momentum and amplify that energy through creative and engaging content.
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications apigors@iu.edu | 219-980-7203
Aaron has been at IU Northwest for nearly 14 years, working in several UITS departments, which has led him to his current positions as the executive director of marketing and communications along with the director of web services and technical events in UITS. He started his professional career working in television and advertising before coming to the Northwest campus as a videographer in 2009. Aaron, who was involved in the designing/planning of the Arts and Sciences building, has worked as a video production manager, director for instructional media services and oversaw the support center before coming over to Cedar Hall in the fall of 2022.
How can Aaron help you?
Connecting the wider campus with the OMC.
Developing creative and strategic partnerships between your school/department and OMC.
Providing project oversight and direction.
Fun fact
Aaron is a two-time IU regional alumnus, earning his undergraduate degree in communications from IU South Bend and MBA from IU Northwest.
Emily Banas
Public Relations Specialist ebanas@iun.edu | 219-980-6536
Emily has worked in public relations her entire professional career and has been on the OMC staff for 12 years. Emily got her start in PR at a fashion and beauty agency in London while earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri. Looking to do “more work for good,” she eventually found her way to Hill & Knowlton, a public relations agency in Chicago, where she spent five years. When life brought her to Northwest Indiana, she found a position at IU Northwest in 2010 and has been here ever since, working in various marketing and communication roles, always proud to tell the good stories of IU Northwest.
How can Emily help you?
Communicating your (or your students’) stories across campus and with the outside world.
Connecting you with media to promote your story or expertise.
Developing day-to-day marketing and communications plans.
Gathering story ideas, assisting with story development and finding the best way to share stories internally and externally.
Fun fact
An avid boater in the summer and snow skier in the winter, Emily spent five years growing giant pumpkins in her (suburban) backyard after her son acquired giant pumpkin seeds from the Lake County Fair.
Kevin joins the team as a media producer. After graduating from Miami University in 2021 with a dual major in theatre and film studies, Kevin began his career working as an intern for a startup production company in Chicago. From there, he spent time working at Celtic Chicago, an advertising, digital, social and content marketing firm, along with MS Run the US as a videographer.
How can Kevin help you?
Producing stand-alone and supplementary videos.
Running IU Northwest social media pages and adopting best practices.
Helping develop stories and bringing them to life creatively.
Assisting in shooting photos.
Fun fact
In college, Kevin did a monologue of Dwight Schrute from the TV show “The Office,” for one of his classes. Shortly after, actor Rainn Wilson (who plays Dwight Schrute in the show) visited Miami’s campus, where Kevin was able to meet, and have dinner with him.
Robby General
Digital Communications Specialist rgeneral@iu.edu | 219-980-6856
Robby, the digital communications specialist, is new to higher education. Previously, he worked as a sports reporter at The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana) and Indianapolis Star for nearly five years, where he covered professional, collegiate and high school sports. He's also freelanced for various publications across the country. Robby, a Chicago native, graduated with his bachelor’s in journalism/telecommunications from Ball State University in 2018 and master’s in sports journalism from IUPUI in 2019.
How can Robby help you?
Serving as the writer for internal campus communications, including feature and news releases.
Enhancing, with analytics and SEO, and updating content on the IU Northwest website.
Updating digital signage, adding events to the campus calendar and sharing stories.
Assisting in campus communications through email marketing, social media, and emergency alerts.
Fun fact
Robby covered the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, rode in the back of a two-seater IndyCar with racing legend Mario Andretti and twice voted for the Heisman Trophy.
Becca has been working in graphic design since high school. Her passion for graphic design started by drawing pictures on a poster board for a local library. Becca received her degree in journalism (focusing on advertising and graphic design) from IU Bloomington and has spent most of her life in Northwest Indiana. She arrived at IU Northwest, where she’s currently a graphic designer, in the fall of 2017 after spending time as a graphic designer at Valparaiso University — where she earned her master’s in digital media — the Times of Northwest Indiana and Sport Graphics.
How can Becca help you?
Creating graphics: anything from social media, postcards, brochures, flyers, invites, digital prints, t-shirts, billboards, buttons and more.
Answering questions and advising a strategy for how the OMC can work best for you.
Helping partners troubleshoot problems and come up with creative marketing solutions.
Fun fact
Fate seems to have brought Becca back to IU Northwest. Her mother went into labor while taking a mid-term on campus. Years later, Becca was selected to participate in WGN-TV’s “The Bozo Show.”
Dawn comes to IU Northwest as its marketing manager after spending more than 20 years in marketing, communications, public relations and management. Dawn, after receiving a degree in theatre from Lewis University, began her career as a theatre manager at Governors State University. She toured with the Joffrey Ballet, based out of Chicago, as a public relations manager while studying at the University of Illinois Chicago. She earned her master’s in applied professional studies from DePaul University. Previously, Dawn has worked as a marketing and communications specialist, grants manager, director of development and more.
How can Dawn help you?
Promoting IU Northwest through advertising and external marketing.
Amplifying the message of IU Northwest to potential students and supporters.
Serving as the day-to-day manager for creative campaigns.
Focusing on external advertising and recruitment.
Fun fact
Dawn has a passion for standup paddle boarding. While she’ll be indoors during the winter, you can find her on Cedar Lake or Lake Michigan when the weather gets nicer.
TerryAnn has been at IU Northwest since 2007, working with Campus Events and Marketing and Communications. A Gary lifer, she went to St. Joseph’s College, where she worked for just under three years as an admissions counselor after graduation, earning a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in marketing and minor in communications. TerryAnn spent three years as a publicity manager at the Star Plaza Theatre before working as an independent contractor for Canterbury Productions/O.M.A.R. Presents for 17 years before coming to the Northwest campus.
How can TerryAnn help you?
Planning and coordinating event requests to ensure everything, no matter how big or small, is in place for the event.
Crafting the Daily RedHawk, an email news bulletin used for campus updates sent to faculty, staff and students.
Monitoring and tracking a daily media report and sending it to campus leadership.
Helping coordinate and plan commencement on campus.
Fun fact
Behind Cedar Hall — previously a childcare center — used to stand a three-flat apartment at 3521 Washington St. TerryAnn lived in this building until eighth grade and now works just steps away from her childhood home.
Indiana University Northwest resources and social media channels
