Laura Heilenday Named Duke Associate Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer

A Duke alumnus and marketing executive with Choice Hotels International, Heilenday will be the first to permanently hold this inaugural position

Laura Heilenday

Laura Heilenday, Vice President of Paid Media & Digital Marketing at Choice Hotels International, will be the inaugural Associate Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer for Duke, Vice President Dave Kennedy announced on Wednesday. 

Heilenday will begin her role at Duke on June 1. She follows Scott Greenwood who has served as interim Chief Engagement Officer since February 2023.

“Laura brings a great set of professional skills, perspectives, and a proven track record of motivating high-performing teams,” said Kennedy. “But as much as anything, Laura is someone who lives, breathes, and loves Duke. We’re excited about the impact she can make as we deliver new and innovative ways to engage Duke alumni at the moments that matter most to them.”

Heilenday’s appointment follows a national search led by Lindauer Global and an advisory committee that included Duke senior leaders, trustees, Duke Alumni executive committee members, Alumni Engagement and Development staff, and students. 

As the Vice President of Paid Media & Digital Marketing at Choice Hotels International, Heilenday is responsible for enterprise paid marketing, paid media, field marketing, and search engine optimization for the 22 brands in the Choice Hotels portfolio. During her tenure, the company posted record revenues, launched campaigns with new media partners such as Amazon Ads and collegiate sports partner Learfield, and relaunched enterprise organic social media. She also served as the company’s marketing lead for the integration of Radisson Americas and is on the Choice Hotels Diversity Advisory Council and Snapchat for Travel Executive Council.

Prior to joining Choice Hotels International in 2021, Heilenday held various progressively senior brand marketing and management positions with Procter and Gamble, Mars Inc., and Marriott International. To these roles she brought incredible business acumen, data-driven decision making, and a deep commitment to the core values of inclusion, respect, and excellence. 

“I am thrilled to join the Alumni Engagement and Development team and represent 200,000 global alumni as the inaugural Chief Engagement Officer,” said Heilenday. “Duke has been such an important part of my personal and professional life for over two decades, and I am truly honored to have the opportunity to serve the institution.”

Heilenday is a Double Dukie, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies and her M.B.A. from Duke. She has been an active Duke volunteer for nearly 18 years serving in a variety of roles, including National Co-Chair of the Duke Asian Alumni Alliance Board, Women's Forum Steering Committee member, ex-officio member of the Duke Alumni Association Board, and an Admissions Alumni Interviewer. She is also married to a Double Dukie, Kevin, and is a parent to two young sons.