Complexity is inherent in higher ed marketing and communications. Clarity is a leadership act.
Our Perspective
Higher education marketing leaders navigate competing priorities, evolving expectations, and constant pressure to deliver more with less. But that complexity doesn’t have to be chaotic.
​​At Navigate Gray, we believe clarity is a leadership act.
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Clarity of purpose.
Clarity of structure.
Clarity of expectations.
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When leaders design organizations with intention, they unlock the capacity and focus their teams need to perform at their best—and advance institutional priorities. We help CMCOs lead that transformation with intention.
The Founder
For nearly 30 years, Rob has worked in and with colleges and universities to elevate reputation, deepen constituent relationships, and grow resources. Recognized for his expertise in marketing and communications organization design and development, he founded Navigate Gray to help CMCOs bring clarity to organizational complexity and build future-ready organizations that drive institutional impact.
Before launching Navigate Gray, Rob served as vice president for marketing leadership at RHB, where he guided institutions in sharpening their market position and strengthening organizational capability. He spent nearly two decades at Indiana University in senior roles ranging from campus vice chancellor to system-wide associate vice president.
Rob is co-author of What Makes a Strategic Plan ‘Strategic’? and co-editor and contributor to Inside Higher Ed’s “Call to Action” column. He is also a faculty fellow in the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice at Bay Path University and teaches in the university’s doctoral program in higher education leadership and organizational studies.
How We Work
Navigate Gray is led by a single principal. When engagements benefit from additional expertise, Rob draws on a trusted network of senior collaborators—experts in organizational change, research, marketing and communications strategy, and leadership development—who bring specialized perspectives that strengthen the work.
This model allows Navigate Gray to remain focused, flexible, and tailored, ensuring each client receives the right expertise at the right moment.
In Their Words
Christie Harper, Vice President for Marketing, University of Arizona
“Rob is thoughtful and deeply perceptive. His work with our team at the University of Arizona helped us think differently about how we work together in a more integrated way and helped me to become a more effective and impactful leader. I always appreciate his insights and his counsel.”
Jonathan Purvis, Vice President for University Advancement and Marketing, Butler University
“I’ve worked with Rob Zinkan in a variety of leadership capacities over the course of 25 years — as a respected colleague at a large public university, and as a trusted advisor at a medium-sized institution. Rob brings valuable insights to critical issues facing higher education leaders today with expertise ranging from strategic planning to institutional marketing and communications to fundraising. When thorny issues arise requiring outside perspective, Rob is my first call.”
Kate Ledger, Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment and Outreach, ODUGlobal, Old Dominion University
“Rob is smart and kind, and his leadership is a guidepost in our industry.”
