PACnet '25 Community Conference

Leslie Ellis entered her first season with the Mustangs in August 2024 as the Assistant A.D. of Digital Marketing. In her first year on the Hilltop, she grew SMU’s email database by 24.89% and reached a 70% survey completion rate for fan feedback within the first six months on the job. Ellis’ paid digital campaigns led to increased revenue for the marketing department, including $287K total revenue for football during the 2024 campaign. She currently serves on the Revenue Generation Leadership Team, and her work, in collaboration with the external staff, was recognized by Paciolan as a Star of the Year finalist. Prior to moving to Dallas, Ellis spent three years at NC State as an Assistant Director of Digital Strategy, managing email and website communications. She also served as project manager for the Football Improvements Task Force, overseeing the implementation of gameday improvements and facility enhancements in response to fan feedback reporting and evaluations. Before her time in Raleigh, Ellis was the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the United States Tennis Association’s North Carolina office. There she managed media contacts, oversaw grassroots marketing and facilitated marketing plans for area tennis tournaments, including the ATP Tour’s Winston-Salem Open. After graduating from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2016, Ellis was the Digital Communications Specialist for her alma mater’s marketing and communications department. There she oversaw two website redesigns, a comprehensive strategic planning campaign, donor and alumni relations strategy, admission marketing, community engagement events and athletics promotions. Ellis began her career in athletics as a student worker with Lenoir-Rhyne University, working with multiple departments inside the athletics offices before graduating with degrees in Broadcasting & Electronic Media and Multimedia Journalism. Ellis also earned her Master’s in Business Administration from Lenoir-Rhyne and completed her MBA Practicum with the Hickory Crawdads, a Texas Rangers affiliate. Ellis is a member of Women Leaders in Sports and the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA). She is a native of North Carolina and currently resides in Dallas with her fiancé, Mitchell.