Dan Giroux / DJG Marketing

Hi—I'm Dan.

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I've spent more than 20 years helping organizations tell better stories, build stronger brands, engage the people who matter most to them, and achieve ambitious goals.

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My career has taken me from leading strategy and creative work at agencies to building and leading an integrated Advancement marketing, communications, and stewardship team at Drexel University. Along the way, I've worked with Fortune 100 companies, dozens of universities, and mission-driven nonprofits, bringing together a mix of agency, institutional, and leadership perspectives.

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Today, I focus primarily on higher education and philanthropy, advising leaders as they prepare for major campaigns, strengthen their teams, and make important decisions about their organizations' future. Collectively, my work has supported fundraising campaigns and activity representing more than $13 billion in cumulative philanthropic impact.

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Areas of Expertise

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• Advancement Marketing & Communications
• Campaign readiness, narrative, and expression
• Brand strategy and creative development
• Advancement team design and organizational alignment
• Alumni and donor engagement
• Philanthropic storytelling and donor communications
• Strategic planning
• Executive advising
• AI for Advancement
• Agency selection and external partnerships

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Career Highlights

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Agency Leadership

Before moving into higher education, I spent much of my career working with organizations across industries to strengthen their brands, marketing strategies, and communications. That experience continues to shape how I approach complex challenges, build collaborative relationships, and connect strategy with execution.

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Drexel University

In 2017, I joined Drexel University, a global R1 research institution, where I spent nearly eight years leading an integrated Advancement marketing, communications, and stewardship team.

I also led the brand, communications, and engagement strategy for The Future Is a Place We Make, an award-winning comprehensive campaign that achieved its fundraising and alumni engagement goals six months ahead of schedule and concluded in June 2022 with $806 million raised.

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DJG Marketing (Independent Consulting)

In November 2024, I returned to consulting full-time, founding DJG Marketing to advise higher education and nonprofit leaders on some of their most important strategic priorities.

My recent work includes serving as Campaign Communications Consultant to UCLA External Affairs as the university prepares for its next comprehensive campaign, as well as advising other institutions and partners on Advancement organizational strategy, brand positioning, campaign readiness, and strategic planning.

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Writing, Speaking, & Media

I'm a leading voice in advancing the strategic role and value of Advancement Marketing & Communications. Through my writing, speaking, research, and industry conversations, I challenge conventional thinking about how Advancement teams should operate, demonstrate their impact, and contribute to institutional and philanthropic success.

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My writing has appeared in Volt and the peer-reviewed Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing. I've also shared my perspectives at marquee industry gatherings, including:

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• CASE Summit for Leaders in Advancement and District conferences
• AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education
• College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals (CUPRAP)

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I've produced and hosted two five-part Advancement Amplified podcast series in partnership with Enrollify (and guested on other shows):

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• AI for IA (2025)
• The IA MarCom Shift (2025)

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My work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, the Associated Press, and other national media outlets.

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For more of my writing, speaking, and consulting work, visit ​djgmarketing.com​.