Feb 12 2025 48 mins 4
How do you get alumni to actually engage? It’s the million-dollar question for higher ed advancement teams—and today, we’ve got answers. In this week’s episode, Ryan Catherwood, Senior Vice President at Chris Marshall Advancement Consulting (CMAC), Senior Consultant at Washburn & McGoldrick, and host of the Alumless podcast joins Dustin to break down the evolving landscape of digital alumni engagement.
Ryan brings decades of experience in alumni relations, fundraising strategy, and digital marketing, and he shares insights on what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next. From the shifting role of social media to the power of email (yes, email!), and the reality check on alumni platforms, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways.
Guest Name: Ryan Catherwood - Executive Vice President and Senior Consultant, Chris Marshall Advancement Consulting
Guest Social: LinkedIn
Guest Bio: Ryan Catherwood currently serves as Executive Vice President and Senior Consultant at CMAC, and consulting partner with Washburn & McGoldrick LLC. Ryan specializes in engagement strategies for volunteer and donor pipeline development that are rooted in a digitally focused, content-based approach to advancement in support of education.
Before joining CMAC, Ryan led the Office of Alumni & Career Services at Longwood University. His early leadership roles in advancement included marketing and digital engagement responsibilities at the University of Virginia and W&L.
- - - -
Connect With Our Host:
Dustin Ramsdell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
Attend the 2025 Engage Summit!
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.
Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register