Sarah Dillion

About Sarah Dillion

Marketing and communications leader with 12 years of experience across higher education, nonprofit, and government. I build brand presence, lead integrated campaigns, and manage teams — with a particular love for the kind of storytelling that connects people to something bigger.I\'ve built Pepperdine\'s social media into one of the top-ranked programs among NCAA Division I schools — and I\'ve also hiked out to a cave to seek inspiration for a brand campaign concept, then waded into a creek with student-researchers to develop photography for it.In my free time I\'m a landscape and nature photographer, iNaturalist contributor, and native plant gardener. I\'m passionate about the Santa Monica Mountains and always happy to recommend a trail — or five.

Experience

1. Assistant Director of Social Media and Communications

   Pepperdine University

   Aug 2024 — Present

   Strategized and executed comprehensive social media initiatives for Pepperdine University\'s central channels, five graduate schools, and the central alumni account, ensuring brand consistency and maximizing institutional reach.Drove significant year-over-year growth in social media engagement, elevating Pepperdine\'s overall ranking among NCAA Division I schools from #23•••22 data) to #32 in 2025, and improving Pepperdine’s Instagram engagement ranking from #158 to #5 (Rival IQ reports).Increased Instagram followers by 42%, growing the audience from 42,213 in September 2022 to over as of July 2025 through targeted content strategies.Developed the concept for the University’s upcoming 5-year brand campaign, with the selected concept chosen over submissions from both an external marketing agency and internal creative leadership.Led the creative photography direction for the university\'s upcoming 5-year brand campaign, shaping its visual identity in preparation for launch.

Education

• University of Central Arkansas

  MFA, Filmmaking

• University of Central Arkansas

  BA, Filmmaking with a minor in Marketing