Getting to Know Chief Marketing and Communication Officer Lynn Griffith

Lynn with her husband Brendan, daughter Ava and son Callum.

Lynn Griffith, who previously served as assistant vice president of university communication, was named the university’s chief marketing and communication officer in October. As she settles into her new role, the two-time Marquette alumna took some time to chat with Marquette Today about her family, her outdoorsy trips and a distant relation to a Green Bay Packers legend.

Hometown:

Green Bay, Wisconsin. Go, Pack, Go! 

Tell us about your family:

My husband, Brendan, is my biggest supporter and makes me laugh every day. We have two kids: our daughter Ava, who is three, and our son Callum, who is 10 months old. They’re my favorite people in the world and we have so much fun together! I’m also very close with my mom, brother and sister.

What are your favorite hobbies and interests?

I enjoy reading and I try to spend time outside every day. Our weekend “family adventures” usually involve a hike or a neighborhood walk for coffee/hot chocolate.  

What are your favorite movies?

I’ve seen “You’ve Got Mail” dozens of times.  

Lynn and her family at her son Callum’s baptism.

Who are/is your hero(es)?

My mom raised my siblings and me as a single parent who worked outside the home. She somehow made it look easy and I know it wasn’t. More importantly, she taught me to believe in myself and that “playing well with others” is the most important skill on any report card.  

Any favorite quotes/mottos? 

“Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.” — Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 

What are you currently reading?

I read mostly fiction because I’m fascinated by storytelling. I just started “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. 

Lynn hiking with her family.

Any favorite vacation spots?

I enjoy any vacation where I can spend time outside. I loved hiking in Banff National Park, and my most memorable vacation was trekking 26 miles along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This fall, we took a family trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula and my daughter hiked a few miles with us — I’m looking forward to many more outdoorsy family vacations in our future! 

What was your biggest career learning experience?

How you treat people matters more than anything else.

Lynn and her husband Brendan at Machu Picchu.

Any fun facts people should know about you?

I’m distantly related to Curly Lambeau, and being from “up north,” I can fish and camp with the best of them. I live in an early 1900s house and love all the projects associated with fixing it up — in another life, I would have been an interior designer.  

What most excites you about being at Marquette?

What excites me most is leading a team of people who I really care about — they are some of the hardest working, most talented people I know, and I’m grateful to work with them every day. In addition, as a two-time alumna, Marquette has given me so much, and it’s very special to have the opportunity to pay it forward for the next generation of students.