Anna Pirila

Marketing and Communications Manager, Loyola University Chicago School of Education and School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Anna serves as the Marketing and Communications Manager for Loyola University Chicago School of Education and School of Continuing and Professional Studies. In this role Anna develops, coordinates, and executes strategic marketing and communication plans designed to elevate the brand of the school in support of reputational, recruitment, and relational objectives by targeting and engaging key audiences and stakeholders, such as prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and external audiences.

Before joining Loyola, Anna was a small business owner operating her consulting firm, Athene Creative Consulting, where she guided clients in identifying communications goals to design the strategy and tactics that help deliver their message in an engaging and focused way.

Before starting her business, Anna worked at Gordon C. James Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona. The wife of a Marine Corps veteran who works closely with veteran students, Anna used her personal insight as a military spouse to help clients including Veterans Heritage Project, Veterans Medical Leadership Council, Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, Armed Forces Insurance and Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation with event management, public relations, and social media services. Now, Anna has the privilege of working with Loyola University Chicago to bolster their veteran recruitment and retention through strategic integrated marketing and communications initiatives.

Anna received a BS in Psychology and a BA in Elementary Education from the University of Maine. As a lifelong learner, Anna seeks out professional networking opportunities and is eager to continue her educational journey as a Baumhart Scholar. She is thrilled to join a community of leaders who have diverse interests and goals yet are led by a shared mission of driving social impact and leading for good.