Truett McConnell's Brandi Wood receives 'Outstanding Newcomer Award' at 2025 GEAC Conference

Brandi Wood

CLEVELAND, Ga. — Truett McConnell University is proud to announce that Brandi Wood, Director of Marketing & Communications, has been named the recipient of the “Outstanding Newcomer Award” at the 2025 Georgia Educational Advancement Council Conference held in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

The award recognizes Wood’s early leadership, adaptability, and measurable impact in advancing TMU’s brand awareness, communications, and outreach during a season marked by both growth and challenge.

Since joining TMU, Wood has led major initiatives that expanded the University’s reach on a national scale. Under her leadership, TMU produced professional advertising campaigns that aired across prominent national platforms—including Fox News, Hulu, and Spotify—contributing to a dramatic increase in online engagement and visibility. As a result, TMU’s website traffic grew from several thousand visits to more than one million within a year.

Wood also developed and launched Echos Alumni Magazine, TMU’s first alumni publication in more than 20 years. The magazine was created to strengthen communication with alumni and deepen engagement with the broader TMU community.

In addition, Wood provided strategic communications leadership during a highly publicized leadership transition at the University. During this time, she launched the I AM TMU campaign, highlighting student stories and reinforcing TMU’s mission. The initiative became TMU’s primary messaging platform for more than two months and generated the highest engagement of any social media campaign in university history.

Beyond these achievements, TMU’s marketing and communications team has recently advanced several major projects that are strengthening the University’s brand and storytelling efforts, including:

• Development of a new TMU website, currently underway, with an anticipated spring launch
• Creation of new institutional branding guidelines to strengthen brand consistency and excellence
• Launch of a new video production studio to enhance content quality and campus storytelling
• Production of dozens of new marketing and admissions materials supporting recruitment and engagement

“Brandi is incredibly deserving of this honor,” said Dr. Stacy Hall, Vice President for Advancement at Truett McConnell University. “Every day she demonstrates creativity, professionalism, and an exceptional work ethic. We are grateful for her leadership and proud of the impact she continues to make as we advance TMU’s mission and strengthen the way we tell our story.”

The Outstanding Newcomer Award reflects TMU’s commitment to excellence in communications and advancement, and it celebrates the dedicated professionals who help elevate the University’s mission to prepare students to live with biblical conviction and lead with Kingdom impact.