Rody Abdelrahman

About Rody Abdelrahman

As the VP of Marketing at Illinois EDC, I lead the strategy and execution of digital and paid media campaigns to promote the state as a premier destination for business investment and growth. With over 16 years of experience in the field, I have a proven track record of delivering results throughout the entire sale cycle (TOFU, MOFU and BOFU) and creating high value for organizations, my clients, and partners.Core competencies include, but not limited to, the strategy and execution of LinkedIn, Twitter/X and Facebook ads, organic social media engagement, new media (including programmatic audio and display, paid search, digital publishing and AI to strengthen workflows), and a mastery in creating captivating content and analyzing data. I am passionate about leveraging the power of digital platforms and emerging technologies to tell compelling stories, engage diverse audiences, and drive measurable outcomes. I am also committed to advancing the mission of Intersect Illinois, which is to foster collaboration and innovation among the public and private sectors to enhance the economic competitiveness and prosperity of Illinois.

Experience

1. Vice President, Marketing

   Illinois EDC

   Feb 2026 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   Develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies: Align omnichannel marketing initiatives with Intersect Illinois\' mission to position Illinois as a global leader in innovation, talent, and economic growth, creating strategies to increase marketing leads, sales qualified leads, and conversions (businesses to Illinois).• Lead and manage marketing department: Oversee marketing managers and marketing campaigns, including brand management, digital marketing (programmatic and display, geofencing, PPC/SEM, SMM, website marketing, email marketing, audio marketing, CTV, etc.), advertising, print collateral, trade show marketing, OOH deliverables, and market research, from ideation to completion.• Conduct market research and analysis: Identify market trends, customer needs, and competitor analysis to inform strategic decision-making. Conduct market research for proactive outreach to Intersect Illinois’ key industries that convey Illinois’ competitive assets and showcase the state as the best place to do business.• Manage marketing budgets and resources: Manage and execute annual marketing budget to maximize ROI on all marketing campaigns.• Build and maintain strong brand identity: Implement brand positioning, messaging, and visual identity across all marketing channels.• Measure and analyze marketing performance: Track KPIs through dashboards and iterate on marketing strategies to optimize results.• Interdepartmental Collaboration: Foster cross-functional collaboration w/comms, bus dev, research and operations teams to ensure alignment and achieve business goals.• Communicate with senior leadership: Report directly to the CEO and create quarterly reports and visual representations of campaign successes to share with board and beyond (i.e. governor’s office) to stress the importance of marketing.• Oversee marketing campaigns: Coordinate the development and execution of marketing plans for new initiatives.

Education

• DePaul University

  B.S., Computer Graphics and Motion Technology

  2005 — 2009

• DePaul University

  M.A., New Media Studies

  2009 — 2011