Tiffani Saxton (IMC14)

Vice President, Marketing at Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Tell us about your career path. How did you get where you are today?

With my BS in communications from the University of Tennessee, I started my career working for advertising agencies just as digital was gaining steam. I worked across every media type for a large variety of clients, and when I made my way to senior leadership, I decided I wanted to gain more strategic and analytical skills in order to move to the client side. That’s when I entered the Medill IMC program as a part-time grad student. The connections I made at Medill helped me to land a role in marketing and I worked my way up on a variety of businesses within a big corporation. Recently, following a hectic pandemic season both personally and professionally, I decided again to pivot to the nonprofit sector.

What are your main responsibilities in your current role?

I oversee marketing, communications, and membership for one of our nation’s earliest and most revered human rights organizations. In my role, I am charged daily with preserving history and evolving the narrative for future generations.

What is one of your proudest career accomplishments?

I am always most proud when someone that I’ve been able to lead or manage achieves their own goals in their career. I am lucky to receive notes and phone calls from previous members of my teams who share how my leadership was able to help them be a better leader.

How did the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications program prepare you for your career?

Medill helped me deepen my skills as a strategist and how to better analyze the consumer experience in order to inform my decision making.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Black history is American history and it is every day and for everyone. We can’t unravel the thread – it is intertwined into the very fabric of our country, and we all should celebrate and honor that.

How can your industry be more inclusive and representative of society?

Hold on to your long-term commitment for it. Our industry is often hit hardest by the cycles of economics, with lots of ups and downs that push leaders to waiver on their vision. But building a business with a culture that truly represents the world as it is today demands a long view.

How have your identities influenced the way you navigate your professional career?

It has inspired me to be a voice in rooms where people like me are not always present. I feel a continual responsibility to bring an expanded perspective and charge my peers to consider what may not always be obvious to them.