Great institutional storytelling requires an audience-first approach, an editing hand, and a collaborative outlook. As director of marketing and communications at a Big Ten law school, Kelly Kussmaul leads a team of four professionals (and a few interns) to create smart, directional content that people actually *want* to read: profiles, quizzes, email campaigns, viewbooks, and, of course, an alumni magazine. Her professional background in grad school marketing/recruitment and my education in creative nonfiction fuel her work every day. Whether she's reconceiving our alumni magazine or doing deep-dive branding work with our institutional stakeholders, she bring energy and positivity to the creative process.