Inside DELTA: 5 Questions with Katie Bean

A graduate of NC State University, Katie Bean has always been a supporter of all things Wolfpack. She has worked in both education and communication, and she knows that as DELTA’s Marketing and Partnership Development (MPD) program manager, she has made a great career choice.

Originally from Cary, North Carolina, Bean attended NC State University and earned her degree in history education in 2007. “I thought I was going to be a high school teacher,” said Bean. She taught United States history and government classes for one year before realizing it was not for her.

In 2008, Bean shifted from teaching and education to marketing and communication. A friend of Bean’s owned a small business, Confero Inc., and she was offered a full-time job as a communications manager. After working there for three years, Bean realized she could not stay away from NC State forever.

She began working in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2011 as the student services coordinator for the Department of Social Work and the business services coordinator for Interdisciplinary Studies. This was a split position, and Bean gave about 50 percent of her time to each part of her role in the college.

Two years later, she accepted a job at DELTA, where she brought her experience in communication to the program manager position.

How would you describe your position? What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

“I really like that there is not really a ‘typical’ day for me,” said Bean. Each day is different because MPD works on 15-20 marketing projects for Online and Distance Education programs each year.

“I think I am pretty adaptable to whatever situations come up on any given day,” said Bean. Bean explained that it’s hard to say what she does on a daily basis because it’s “whatever is the biggest fire of that day.”

Her role is to manage each aspect of the various marketing campaigns from start to finish with the support of the Marketing and Communications team.

According to Bean, the marketing campaigns often include developing print and promotional materials, building websites, supporting Online and Distance Education program coordinators in developing content, pay-per-click advertising, social media and other marketing tools specific to the individual program.

When she is not working on projects, she handles the budget for MPD and works with various vendors, serves as a representative of Online and Distance Education at education fairs and provides administrative support for a variety of committees.

A large part of her work involves shifting priorities and making sure the client is pleased with DELTA’s services. “I live by the deadlines,” said Bean. She takes pride in making sure expected materials are always delivered on time to clients. She works to keep her project teams on schedule, all while maintaining exceptional work and not losing sight of the end goal.

What makes your job special?

“I have met a lot of great people at DELTA but also across campus through my job here,” said Bean. Since MPD works across every unit at DELTA and works with different programs on campus, Bean has been able to work with a variety of people over the years.

“Typically, when I tell people that I work at DELTA they immediately ask if I know someone because they have had a great experience working with one of our instructional designers, Help Desk staff or classroom support technicians.”

“It’s great to work at a place that is so well respected across the university,” Bean added.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Not only have the people Bean works with been special and enjoyable, she also gets to learn about different disciplines and subject areas.

“I enjoy that the projects are often very different, and I get to learn about the different fields that we’re doing marketing for,” Bean said. She noted projects for Textiles, Geospatial Information Science and Technology (GIST) and Food Safety have been interesting to learn about among many others.

“It’s fun to meet faculty members and hear what they’re passionate about, and then develop marketing materials to recruit students who fit that mold,” said Bean.

The variety in her job keeps it enjoyable and interesting. “I learn new things at work all the time, especially in the world of marketing, things are always changing,” she added.

What has been your favorite experience at DELTA so far?

“I really enjoy representing Online and Distance Education at education fairs on various military bases in North Carolina,” said Bean.

One of Bean’s favorite things about her job is getting to talk to service members about educational opportunities at NC State. She has visited Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City. Each base comes with a new scenery and people to learn about.

“It is interesting to go down to the bases and see how they operate and talk to service members about where they are in their lives and their future plans,” said Bean. She is able to hear about each person’s unique path and find educational opportunities that may fit their goals, all while representing NC State.

What do you like to do outside of work and in your spare time?

Bean loves to spend time with her 13-year-old miniature poodle, Coco Bean. She also enjoys the outdoors and traveling.

“I love to go biking and Coco rides along in her little basket with me,” Bean said. “We finished the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail last year, which runs from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh.” Next year, the pair plans to complete the 184-mile Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Towpath trail.

In addition to biking, Bean also likes to hike and is currently making her way through national parks. This year she visited the Rocky Mountain National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Zion National Park, Arches National Park and Death Valley National Park. The short weekend or four-day trips have been a way for Bean to do what she enjoys and see multiple parts of the country all in a year.

While a student at NC State, Bean studied abroad and spent a semester in Wales, United Kingdom and was able to take weekend trips to places around Europe. Her other travels have included many of the Caribbean islands through cruises, and during the Thanksgiving break, Bean spent time visiting family in the Cayman Islands.

Between traveling and spending time with Coco, Bean uses every bit of her time off of work to do what she enjoys.