R. Ethan Braden
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Purdue University and Purdue University Global
Ethan leads his team in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap by passionately positioning, promoting and protecting the precious Purdue University brand worldwide. Ultimately, he delights in seeing Purdue and its people shine.
In 2020, Purdue Marketing and Communications swept the American Marketing Association awards for higher education, taking home ‘Team of the Year’ while Ethan himself was named the AMA’s Marketer of the Year.
He has appeared in Fast Company magazine, the Washington Post, AdAge, The Hechinger Report, and The Morning Brew. Ethan has spoken at Dreamforce and appeared on numerous podcasts related to brand management, leadership and higher education. Ethan also teaches personal branding to student athletes through Purdue University’s Optimizing Personal Brand and Image class.
After his son was born with a severe congenital heart defect and spent his first six months in the hospital, Ethan and his wife, Betsy, became passionate about helping families facing similar experiences.
They’ve since added a daughter to the family, Margaret, and they love spending time together, often outdoors or on campus. Ethan is an avid reader and has come to call Indiana “home,” though he misses the sunshine and the food of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was born and raised.