Ellen Holton Named Assistant Athletic Director of Creative Services & Brand Strategy

TOLEDO, Ohio – University of Toledo Vice President and Director of Athletics Bryan B. Blair today announced the hiring of Ellen Holton as the Assistant Athletic Director of Creative Services & Brand Strategy.

Holton has nine years of experience in the field of social media and digital creativity and comes to Toledo after serving as the Assistant Athletic Director of Digital Strategy and Communications for UC Davis since 2023. She managed all social media accounts related to UC Davis Athletics and its 25 sports as well as the digital media and communications units.

“Toledo Athletics has an incredible history and has experienced tremendous success recently. Bringing Ellen onboard will continue to elevate how and where we tell our story,” said Deputy Athletic Director Al Tomlinson. “She is known for her strong leadership and has an excellent track record of increasing brand engagement through her creativity and innovation. Her experience as a basketball student-athlete and women’s basketball coach, combined with her expertise in creative, provides a unique prospective and skillset that makes her a great addition to our team.”  

“I want to thank Al Tomlinson and everyone involved in the hiring process,” said Holton, an Elgin, Illinois native. “It was clear once I stepped onto campus that Toledo Athletics has a powerful vision and a clear trajectory, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this and to return to my roots in the Midwest. I’m looking forward to pushing the Rocket brand to new heights and working alongside the talented creative team already in place. There’s something special happening here, and I’m proud to be a part of it. Go Rockets!”

Before her stint at UC Davis, Holton spent a year at Tulsa as the creative director, where she oversaw a complete rebrand of the athletic department’s marks, logos, and messaging. Holton also spent seven years as an assistant women’s basketball coach at North Alabama, Denver, and Wheeling Jesuit.

A graduate of Northern Kentucky, Holton played on the Norse women’s basketball team and earned degrees in accounting and finance. She then received her MBA with a focus in project management from the University of North Alabama.

Some of Holton’s accomplishments include growing the UC Davis Athletics social media engagement by 104.8% and social media impressions by 116%, regularly featuring on national college sports creative platform SkullSparks for exceptional work and engaging graphics, and presenting at the 2024 University of California System Social Media Summit.