Avery Enderle Wagner

I launched my career in the advertising industry, but since 2019 I've brought these critical skills to mission-driven work in higher education.

I currently focus my skillset on communications strategy, multimedia design, and brand development at the University of Virginia Vice Provost for Academic Outreach, where I lead communications strategy, storytelling, and creative initiatives that connect students with opportunities to engage in public service.

Previously at UVA I worked on research communications, institutional design systems, and leadership materials at UVA Arts & Sciences, handled print, web, environmental design and even crisis communications design at UVA Facilities Management, and strategic communications, campus-wide functional design systems, and publication production for the UVA Office for Sustainability.

Before joining higher education, I held the title of Creative Director at Hoot Design Co., a culture-driven brand agency.

In my total of nine years of experience at Hoot, I developed extensive brand strategy, graphic design, copywriting and marketing skills as I learned the ins and outs of bringing story-driven brands to life. As creative director, I oversaw a creative team of designers, strategists, and copywriters, facilitating award-winning creative collaboration in a high-stakes industry.

I’ve also designed brand identities, campaign strategies and integrated content marketing campaigns through my independent work at Real Shiny Creative Studio.

I harness the power of design thinking frameworks to ask big questions, iterate, solve complex problems, and track what works.

I've developed expertise across design and creative tools (Adobe Creative Cloud suite, photography, video production), digital marketing platforms (various CMS backends, Marketing Cloud, Mailchimp, search marketing, optimization funnels), and technical skills (HTML/CSS, analytics, copywriting) to create comprehensive content strategies that I continuously optimize based on performance data.

Beyond technical expertise, I excel at leading creative teams and facilitating collaborative environments where innovative ideas flourish. My leadership experience includes building and mentoring teams, managing cross-functional projects, and translating strategic vision into actionable creative direction that drives measurable results.

I earned my B.A. from the University of Missouri–Columbia in 2015, where I designed my own interdisciplinary major focused on 19th Century Art & Culture. (Yes, I was that student who wanted to study everything at once!)

My interdisciplinary degree from the Mizzou Honors College allowed me to dive deep into research questions that explored the intersection of visual culture, history, social movements, identity and storytelling — themes that continue to influence how I approach design and communications work today. I also completed a Certificate of Multicultural Studies, which shaped my understanding of how diverse perspectives strengthen creative solutions.

Alongside my liberal arts education, I intentionally pursued an apprenticeship-style approach to developing my professional skills, working full-time or nearly full-time at Hoot Design Company throughout my undergraduate years. Under the mentorship of Owner and Chief Strategy Officer Kristen Brown, I gained experience across graphic design, copywriting, and web development while learning how strategy and creative execution work together.

I graduated magna cum laude and carried that interdisciplinary perspective into my career in advertising, eventually becoming Hoot’s first Creative Director. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to mission-driven work, where I could bring together research, strategy, storytelling, and creative production to support a larger purpose.

Since 2019, I’ve brought that blend of analytical thinking and creative practice to public service in higher education, helping institutions connect people with ideas, opportunities, and stories that matter.