Program Authors
Kymm Martinez served as the first-ever VP of Marketing, Insights & Communications (MIC) and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the University of St. Thomas, a top 20 national Catholic university and the largest private university in Minnesota. Under her leadership, St. Thomas revolutionized the university's approach to marketing and communications. The MIC Department has transformed from a decentralized, non-digital marketing function into a powerful, centralized department with upgraded performance, capacity and sensitivity to diversity, equity and inclusion. In March 2022, Kymm left St. Thomas to become the CMO for the American Cancer Society. Prior to St. Thomas, Kymm had a 20-year marketing career at General Mills. She has a B.A. from Mt. Holyoke College and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. A frequent guest speaker and author, Kymm has been featured in AdWeek, podcasts, authored articles on inclusive recruiting and been interviewed on DEI topics.
Katie Jensen was formerly the Associate Vice President of Insights and Analytics at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Her work at St. Thomas ranged from examining enrollment journeys for prospective students, to refining marketing messages through consumer feedback, to guiding the institution's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Climate survey. Prior to St. Thomas, Katie spent 13 years studying the consumer motivations behind food purchase decisions and applying those insights to a variety of audiences and brands, including Quaker, Yoplait, Pillsbury, and Cascadian Farm. Katie holds a BS in Marketing with an emphasis in Marketing Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Becky Stenlund is University Insights Manager at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Her work at St. Thomas includes building understanding and empathy for a wide range of audiences who interact with the university and its schools and colleges. Many of her insights culminate in personas that rely on storytelling and moments of truth along the enrollment journeys to inform marketing messages. Before coming to St. Thomas, Becky worked and consulted for a variety of markets, primarily in the financial services and medical device industries, to inform both B-to-B and B-to-C service and experience decisions. Becky holds a BA in Psychology with Written Communication from Bethel University. She also holds a Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) designation and is an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator.