Kate Howells serves as the Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications for Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Kate oversees strategic storytelling initiatives that amplify the impact of ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise. Her efforts are focused on creating integrated narratives that highlight ASU’s groundbreaking research and foster connections with key stakeholders across academia, industry, and the broader community.
She brings a range of leadership experience across global go-to-market strategy, operations, marketing, and consumer insights. Kate began her career in the advertising agency space serving clients traditional media programs, then spent a decade at Google working with the world's largest global advertisers and agencies on their integrated digital marketing strategies. She then served as the VP, MarCom at a non-profit dedicated to advancing women in technology, leading all aspects of the marketing strategy.
A collaborative and inclusive leader, Kate is deeply committed to fostering a culture that combines human connection and creativity with data-driven wisdom and decision-making. She has a strong passion for advancing initiatives that align with ASU’s charter of doing research and discovery for public good.
Beyond her work with the University, she sits on the board of her family business, a boutique financial services firm. She lives in North Phoenix with her husband and two children.