Follett Higher Education Names New Chief Marketing Officer
Seasoned executive and Follett communications lead Leann Fowler promoted to CMO role after two years with the company
WESTCHESTER, IL., October 24, 2024 – Respected communications and marketing expert Leann Fowler has been named Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Follett Higher Education Group, North America’s largest campus retailer serving more than 1,000 campuses. Fowler will lead all aspects of Follett’s marketing strategy, focused on enhancing the customer experience, driving engagement and excitement across both B2B and B2C channels, and delivering differentiated marketing that strengthens the campus connection between students, faculty, alumni, and fans. Her vision aims to elevate Follett’s role not only in supporting campus partners but also in creating dynamic, personalized retail experiences that resonate with shoppers.
Follett Higher Education CEO Emmanuel Kolady said, “Since joining Follett in 2022, Leann has quickly demonstrated her strong marketing expertise and ability to drive meaningful results. Her forward-thinking approach and deep understanding of the higher education landscape have been instrumental in shaping our strategy. Leann’s focus on building effective teams and aligning our marketing efforts with both campus and consumer needs positions her well to lead Follett’s next phase of growth. Her leadership will enhance how we communicate our value to campus partners, while creating personalized, engaging retail experiences that directly connect with students, families, alumni, and fans.”
As CMO, Fowler will lead efforts to enhance Follett’s omnichannel retail strategy, delivering unique, consumer-focused experiences both in-store and online. Her focus is on advancing the success of campuses while also directly addressing the needs of students, fans, and alumni, ensuring that Follett remains a trusted partner throughout the academic journey. This includes personalizing the shopping experience, leveraging digital tools to engage students where they are, and driving brand loyalty through tailored marketing that fosters campus pride.
Fowler said, “This is an exciting time for Follett Higher Education. We’re creating personalized experiences that truly resonate with students, fans, and campus communities, both in-store and online. Our focus is on being a trusted partner for campuses while enhancing the consumer experience, helping students and their families access the materials and merchandise they need in a convenient and engaging way. I’m looking forward to continuing to support Follett’s evolution as we realize our mission to inspire, enable, and celebrate the academic journey in a way that drives consumer engagement and loyalty.”
With more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of technology and higher education innovation, Fowler brings deep industry expertise on engaging students and campus communities with unique experiences that meet their evolving needs. Most recently, Fowler served as Follett’s Senior Vice President of Academic Marketing and Communications, where she led the company’s B2B marketing, public relations, and communications initiatives. Her work in this role was recognized by Chain Store Age, which named Fowler a Top Woman in Marketing at the publication’s 2024 Retail’s Top Women Awards. Prior to joining Follett in 2022, Leann held leadership roles at VitalSource and Acadeum, and spent over a decade at John Wiley and Sons, a multinational publishing company.
Fowler earned her Bachelor of Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations from Emerson College and her Master of Business Administration from Simmons University.
For more information about Follett Higher Education, visit Follett.com
# # #
About Follett Corporation | Follett.com
Follett Higher Education is a leading educational service provider and omnichannel retailer providing students, faculty and staff, parents, and fans the course materials, learning tools and retail services needed to successfully support the academic, athletic, and collegiate journey. Follett Higher Education supports over 6 million students through its 1,000+ physical and online collegiate retail stores across North America.
