NEW ORLEANS – From Xavier University:
Xavier University of Louisiana has named Ashley Irvin as Acting Director of Marketing and Communications; Ashley Daniels as Sr. Manager of Website Development, Innovation, and Analytics; Lance Sumler as Manager of Communications and Media Relations, and Darrell Johnson as Major Gifts Officer.
Ashley Irvin
Acting Director of Marketing and Communications
Ms. Ashley Irvin, was appointed as Xavier University of Louisiana’s Acting Director of Marketing and Communications. Ashley joined the institution in March of 2018 and was quickly recognized as a rising leader in the department serving a myriad of roles.
Immediately prior to this appointment, she served as Communications and External Affairs Manager for Xavier University Office of the President where she oversaw all presidential communications and external affairs relations with key stakeholders and Xavier’s Marketing Communications Specialist, leading the marketing efforts for the BUILD program where she successfully developed and implemented strategic communications plans, managed social media, and prepared promotional materials.
Prior to her joining Xavier, under Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Ms. Irvin served as the Communications Assistant and Liaison for the City of New Orleans where she oversaw the execution of citywide communications programs, special events and public meetings, in addition to social media management, internal and external correspondences, media inquiries and strategic marketing campaigns. She also worked as a field organizer on the campaign of Senator Mary Landrieu and Deputy Clerk for the Orleans Parish Civil District Court, where she gained experience planning community-based events and political campaigns.
In her role, Irvin will oversee all aspects of Xavier’s marketing and communications efforts, including leading marketing strategies, media outreach, advertising campaigns, social media, community relations, and branding implementation for the organization.
Ashley Daniels
Sr. Manager Website Development, Innovation, and Analytics
Ms. Ashley Daniels, a 2010 Xavier graduate, joined Xavier as a Marketing and Communications Specialist in January of 2018 and was selected as Manager of Marketing and Digital Strategy in 2019. In her new role as Sr. Manager of Website Development, Innovation and Analytics, Daniels will continue to serve as a key leader in advancing the university’s digital communications and strategy as well as overseeing website analytics and tracking.
Daniels will work with the digital marketing team to monitor tagging for university marketing campaigns, business intelligence and data gathering. She brings eight years plus of experience managing multiple facets of marketing programs and platforms. Daniels holds a B.S. in Sales and Marketing with a minor in History.
Lance Sumler
Manager of Communications and Media Relations
Lance Sumler joined Xavier in November of 2018 as Marketing and Communications Account Executive for Academic Affairs, serving as a strategic advisor to partners, departments and units across campus in an effort to fulfill marketing and communications goals and objectives for academic departments.
In his new role as Manager of Communications and Media Relations for Xavier University, he will oversee communications to the media, manage content initiatives and other communication channels including university publications. Prior to joining the Marketing and Communications Department, Sumler was a morning news anchor, multimedia journalist and executive producer at WABG-TV. He graduated from Tulane University in 2015 and holds a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Public Relations.
Darrell Johnson
Major Gifts Officer
Mr. Darrell Johnson, an experienced leader in non-profit organizational management and tactical fundraising, has joined Xavier University of Louisiana’s Office of Institutional Advancement as a major gifts officer.
Johnson’s new role will incorporate working directly with the Office of the President and senior leadership to identify and steward highly engaged donors, while simultaneously collaborating with Alumni Affairs and Advancement Services to create and execute fundraising strategies, and work plans to meet annual revenue goals.
A native Louisianian, Johnson comes with 15 years of executive leadership, strategic planning and public relations experience, and most recently held the position of Louisiana Director of Development with Boys Town Louisiana. Previous roles include stints as the executive director for both United Services for Aids Foundation in New Orleans and My Fellow Man Alliance in Houston, Texas. He has also served as Director of Development and Boys Prevention Programming with United against Human Trafficking (Houston). Johnson completed his undergraduate studies in communications at Loyola University New Orleans and his masters-level training in urban studies at the University of St. Thomas (Houston). He recently completed a distinguished fellowship with the Nancy M. Marsiglia Institute of Justice at Loyola University New Orleans’ College of Law and is currently a Campaign for Black Male Achievement/Leaders in Residence (CBMA/LiR) Fellow.
The Marketing and Communications Department reports to Vice President of Administration/Chief of Staff Patrice A. Bell. Ms. Bell presently has a special assignment to guide the development office on behalf of President Reynold Verret as the institution seeks a leader to fill the role of Vice President of Institutional Advancement.
