Staff Directory
- Title:
- Associate Athletic Director for Brand & External Strategy
- Email:
Chris Hein enters his 11thΒ year at the University of Washington in 2025-26. He currently serves as AssociateΒ Athletic Director for Brand & External Strategy.
In his cross-functional role, Hein leads ICAβs brand advancement and digitalΒ strategy teams, and intersects with multipleΒ external units, including: athletic communications, marketing,Β revenue & ticket operations, broadcast operations, NIL &Β influencer marketing (Dawgs Unleashed), and Husky Sports Properties (Learfield).
In addition, Chris acts as ICAβs trademark and licensing liaison with UWβs upper campus marketing & communicationsΒ unitΒ (UMAC), and is the brand relationsΒ lead for ICAβs primary retail partners, Fanatics (official e-comm and team store) and the University Book Store (UBS). His external scope alsoΒ connectsΒ toΒ key relationships and initiativesΒ with partners at theΒ Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Network.Β
Chris is an original ICA x adidas team member (2018), helping shapeΒ day to day operations, communications, positioning, identity, co-marketing strategy, licensing,Β and the advancement of Washington's primary brand and apparel partnership.
Hein was hired in ICA as Manager of Digital Media in 2015 and elevated to Director of Digital Communications in 2016.
From 2015-2017, Chris oversaw departmental strategy and acted as ICA's chief digital liaison with the Pac-12 Conference, NeuLion, SIDEARM Sports, and each of UWβs digital platform partners. In addition, he acted as day to day digital lead for Washingtonβs ATH, football, and menβs basketball platforms, shepherding significant brand development and engagement growth during that time. Chris also led Washingtonβs OAS (Official Athletics Site) migration to SIDEARM Sports in 2016.
Hein was promoted to Director of Creative Communications in 2017, overseeing all ICA digital and creative team operations.Β
In 2019, he was named Assistant Athletic Director for Brand Advancement, and through that transition, built the framework for Washingtonβs current internal brand advancement unit, Sundodger Creative. Hein was part of theΒ unit that garnered 2019 and 2020Β NACMA Marketing Team of the Year Finalist recognition.
Along with his work helping shapeΒ external strategy and brandΒ positioningΒ over the last decade, and most recently - influencing UW's transition to the Big Ten Conference, Chris has also been involved in theΒ development and execution of severalΒ departmental and sportΒ campaigns - including Purple Reign (FB), Greatest Setting (FB), and Mighty are the Women (SB).Β
Prior to his time on Montlake, Chris worked in interscholastic athletics leadership at Lakeside School (Seattle, Wash.) for six years, leaving as Associate Athletic Director in 2015. His work spanned several different functional areas, including athletic & digital communications, sport operations, and organizational strategy. He was heavily involved with program-wideΒ scopeΒ that resulted in a five-year strategic plan, and the construction of The Paul G. Allen Athletics Center in 2013.Β
Before arriving in Seattle and at Lakeside in 2009, Chrisβ work in the interscholastic space started at Jackson Christian High School (Jackson, Mich.), where he coached soccer (high school & club)Β and worked as an athletics staffer for eight years. He also spent time as an athletic communications assistant at Spring Arbor University (NAIA) from 2005-2006.
The Jackson, Mich., native graduated with his bachelorβs degree (Sport Management) from Siena Heights University (Adrian, Mich.) in 2005 and his masterβs degree (Organizational Management) from Spring Arbor University (Spring Arbor, Mich.) in 2008.Β
Chris and his wife, Nikki, and sons, Ollie and Sig, reside in Seattleβs Phinney Ridge neighborhood.Β
