Profile

Samantha Fender
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
Department: Marketing & Communications
Office:  Spilman 200
P.O. Box:  6731
Phone:  (828) 689-1126
Email:  sfender@mhu.edu

B.A. Japanese Studies,  Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

My marketing experience includes working for various media companies over the past 20 years, including public relations management and sales and marketing positions in newspaper and broadcast TV.  Additionally, I have experience as a business analyst in international markets, where my time was spent building brands in North America and Asia. Working as a management consultant and a PR manager developed several styles of writing, including whitepapers, stories published in magazines, newspapers and developing web content.

I have a passion for Japanese language and culture. In fact, after living in Japan for several years working as an International Business Analyst I returned to the United States to work as a management consultant for companies seeking funding and distribution agreements in Japan. This led to an eventual placement as a public relations manager/translator for the first Japanese NASCAR driver to compete in the Winston Cup (now Sprint) racing circuit.

More recently, I enjoy getting to know students and highlighting stories about their accomplishments during their time at Mars Hill and the impact that the institution has had on their life.