The Fashion Institute of Technology has appointed Kimberly Fasting-Berg as its first chief marketing officer, adding an enterprise marketing role as the college targets global growth, enrollment and industry partnerships.

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) has appointed Kimberly Fasting-Berg as its inaugural chief marketing officer, creating an enterprise-wide marketing leadership position as the New York institution seeks to strengthen its brand, enrollment strategy and relationships across the global creative economy.

Fasting-Berg began the role August 25 and will report to FIT President Jason Schupbach while serving on the president's cabinet. The appointment makes marketing, branding and communications a formal component of the institution's executive leadership structure.

FIT is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and is known for programs spanning fashion, design, business, communications and related creative disciplines.

The new CMO role is linked to FIT Future//Forward, a strategic initiative launched under Schupbach that aims to position the college as a leading laboratory for creative and creative-business careers.

Brand Strategy Moves Higher in Higher Education

The appointment comes as colleges and universities increasingly compete for students, industry partnerships and global visibility in an environment shaped by demographic changes, shifting student expectations and rapid developments in technology.

For FIT, the marketing remit extends beyond conventional communications. Fasting-Berg is expected to oversee enterprise-wide branding and marketing while supporting enrollment, student success and new partnership opportunities.

That places the role at the intersection of reputation management, customer—or in higher education, student—experience, digital engagement and institutional growth.

The move also reflects the increasing overlap between higher education and the creative industries. Institutions specializing in fashion, design and media compete not only on academic programs but also on their relationships with employers, cultural institutions, alumni networks and professional communities.

An Executive With Fashion and Media Experience

Fasting-Berg joins FIT after serving as executive vice president and chief marketing officer at WME Fashion, where she led marketing and business strategy for the Fashion Group, including IMG Models, Art + Commerce, The Wall Group and IMG Fashion Events.

Earlier, she served as chief marketing officer at Kravet, leading marketing initiatives across the home furnishings company's portfolio.

Her career also includes more than a decade at Condé Nast, where she held senior marketing positions connected to brands including Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Glamour and Allure.

At Condé Nast, her work extended brand platforms across digital channels and major cultural properties, including GQ's Men of the Year, the Met Gala, Vanity Fair's Oscar Party and Vogue's Forces of Fashion.

That background gives FIT an executive whose experience spans fashion, publishing, entertainment, cultural events and brand partnerships—areas closely aligned with the college's institutional identity.

Fasting-Berg is also a SUNY alum, having earned a bachelor's degree in communications and marketing from the University at Albany.

Marketing and Enrollment Are Becoming More Closely Linked

The CMO appointment comes at a time when higher education institutions are confronting a challenging operating environment.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), total undergraduate enrollment in U.S. postsecondary institutions fell substantially between 2010 and 2021 before beginning to stabilize and recover in some segments.

At the same time, prospective students increasingly research institutions through digital channels before making enrollment decisions. This has expanded the role of institutional marketing from traditional awareness campaigns toward integrated digital journeys encompassing program discovery, reputation, student experience and career outcomes.

For a specialized institution such as FIT, the challenge is more nuanced. Its brand already carries significant recognition in fashion and creative education, but the institution must translate that recognition into measurable outcomes across enrollment, partnerships and global engagement.

An enterprise CMO can potentially centralize those activities rather than leaving marketing responsibilities distributed across academic departments and individual programs.

Market Landscape: Higher Education Becomes a Brand Competition

The higher education marketing landscape increasingly resembles other consumer-facing industries.

Universities compete through brand positioning, social media, content, alumni engagement, digital advertising, search visibility and experiential marketing. Specialized institutions face additional competition from alternative education providers, professional programs and online learning platforms.

The creative economy adds another dimension. Students increasingly evaluate education based on employability, industry access, professional networks and the relevance of curriculum to rapidly changing creative and technology sectors.

FIT's strategy therefore places brand building alongside institutional transformation rather than treating marketing as a standalone communications function.

The appointment also creates an opportunity for FIT to connect its alumni and industry relationships into a more unified brand ecosystem.

Strategic Outlook

Fasting-Berg's first priorities are likely to involve translating FIT's existing brand equity into a broader institutional narrative around creativity, technology, business and culture.

The college has an established reputation in fashion and design, but its Future//Forward strategy suggests an ambition that extends into the wider creative economy.

That positioning could become increasingly important as generative AI and automation alter creative workflows and reshape the skills employers seek. Creative professionals are increasingly expected to combine traditional expertise with technology, business understanding and adaptability.

For FIT, marketing can play a role in communicating how its programs and industry partnerships respond to those changes.

The larger strategic question will be whether the new CMO structure can connect brand awareness with measurable outcomes—including enrollment, student engagement, alumni participation and industry partnerships.

For higher education marketers, the appointment is another indication that brand leadership is moving closer to the executive level as institutions compete for attention, talent and financial resources.

Top Insights

• FIT has appointed Kimberly Fasting-Berg as its first chief marketing officer.
• Fasting-Berg reports to President Jason Schupbach and joins the president's cabinet.
• Her remit covers enterprise marketing, branding and communications.
• She previously held senior marketing positions at WME Fashion, Kravet and Condé Nast.
• Her Condé Nast experience included major fashion, media and cultural brands.
• Fasting-Berg is a SUNY alum with a communications and marketing degree from the University at Albany.
• The role supports FIT Future//Forward, the college's strategic initiative for creative and creative-business careers.
• FIT is using the new leadership position to strengthen connections among students, alumni, industry and creative communities.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts