Author Biography

Cathy Leaning is the associate vice president of brand marketing communications at University of Maryland Global Campus. In this role, she leads UMGC’s branding teams, including advertising creative and content strategy, design, video, and creative operations.

Leaning brings to UMGC client-side and agency-side marketing experience with private and public organizations. Prior to UMGC, she was a marketing leader at Bozzuto, where she was responsible for the full scope of marketing disciplines. While there she earned the annual NVBIA “Top Marketing Director Award” for the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.

Leaning led the marketing communications and in-house creative teams in support of B2B and B2C initiatives at Choice Hotels before joining Bozzuto. While there, she led the marketing launch of Choice’s first upscale brand, Cambria Suites. Leaning’s career foundation was at The Campbell Group, a full-service advertising and marketing communications agency where she provided strategic and creative marketing guidance and support to clients worldwide and served as the agency’s management supervisor.

Leaning is a proud product of the University System of Maryland. She earned a Master of Arts degree in integrated design from University of Baltimore and a Bachelor of Science in mass communication from Towson University. She grew up in a military family and is passionate about serving veterans, military servicemembers and their families.