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ABOUT
To Those Who Refuse to Settle
You’re leading through serious challenges. Expectations keep rising. Resources are tightening. Pressure is constant. There's no room for misfires or traditional agency approaches — and no one can carry this alone.
I partner with a select group of leaders who want a different way: deep, industry-recognized understanding paired with agile, high-impact strategy. I roll up my sleeves, get inside your world, lay out the choices, and help you move with confidence. Every step is tailored to your goal and built to generate the transformative outcomes you seek.
How we’ll work:
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Immerse. Learn your organization, people, and reality.
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Focus. Set clear goals and choose high-leverage moves.
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Execute. Build the plan and the roadmap.
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Measure. Track progress and adjust.
If you’re about to make a big decision for what comes next, I’m here to help you think it through — let's talk.
MY STORY
For 20 years, I’ve refocused brands and marketing programs for clients across a variety of industries. From Fortune 100 companies like Nike to elite universities, hospitals, small businesses, and everything in-between, my depth and breadth of experience solving complex business challenges and leading high-performing agency and in-house teams have enabled me to efficiently identify and drive opportunities that unlock accelerated results.
I specialize in higher education and nonprofit organizations, having partnered with many regional, national, and global institutions to create highly effective and award-winning work. Collectively, these efforts have supported fundraising campaigns and activity with over $6 billion in cumulative philanthropic impact.
My expertise includes brand development / positioning, reputation enhancement, enrollment marketing, website audits and overhauls, fundraising campaigns, transformational gifts, alumni and community engagement, strategic plan development and implementation, milestone celebrations, institutional mergers, crisis communications and issues management, team building and optimization, cross-disciplinary leadership, client-agency relationships, and more.
In 2017, I left agency life to pursue my passion for higher education further, joining Drexel University — a global, R1 research institution with over 180,000 living alumni. There, as first Executive Director and then Assistant Vice President, I led an integrated, multifunctional marketing, communications, and stewardship team within its Office of Institutional Advancement. On an expedited timeline, I architected, launched, and helped drive an award-winning comprehensive campaign that surpassed fundraising and alumni engagement goals six months early, ultimately concluding in June 2022 with $806 million raised. Additionally, I served on several university-wide strategic task forces and leadership teams, providing guidance for implementation of the Drexel 2030: Designing the Future strategic plan, the Drexel University-Salus University merger, and crisis communications. These roles reinforced my ability to collaborate across diverse institutional priorities and achieve mission-critical goals.
In November 2024, I transitioned to full-time independent consulting, building on my two decades of experience to partner exclusively with education and philanthropic leaders. My consulting practice focuses on delivering strategic assessments, actionable insights, and forward-looking strategies to unlock growth, enhance brand value, and deepen engagement with key stakeholders.
Industry-Recognized Thought Leadership
I’ve had the privilege of speaking at leading conferences for:
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The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
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The AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education (AMA)
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College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania (CUPRAP)
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The University & College Designers Association (UCDA)
My work has been recognized in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chronicle of Higher Education, Associated Press, NPR, and industry publications such as Volt and the Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing.
Additionally, I’ve been a guest on podcasts such as Education Marketing Leader, as well as produced and hosted the Advancement Amplified series ("AI for IA" and its sequel "The IA MarCom Shift") in partnership with Enrollify.
ENDORSEMENTS
"My colleagues and I are very happy with the process and results from working with DJG Marketing on a website audit. We received thorough, data-driven recommendations and felt like Dan and his partner Patrick were true members of our team. What I appreciated most was that the final deliverable was tailored to our institution—not a copy/paste exercise. Throughout, Dan was communicative, supportive, and excited by the work. His experience from the agency world and in-house at higher ed institutions gave us the best of both worlds for insights and industry best practices."
Rachel Semigran
Director of Enrollment Marketing,
Swarthmore College