Mallory and Voltaire have been colleagues and friends for more than 15 years. They began working together at mStoner, one of the top boutique agencies for higher education web development, in 2011. Over time, they’ve shared some wonderful professional experiences, great meals, countless laughs, and an abiding appreciation for the community of higher ed marketing professionals.
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About Mallory Willsea
Mallory Willsea is a strategist and consultant working at the intersection of higher education, media, and AI. With nearly 20 years of experience in edtech, enrollment marketing, and brand leadership, she helps organizations sharpen their messaging, grow their influence, and adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape.
Mallory previously served as VP of Marketing at Element451, an AI-powered student engagement platform, and as Chief Strategist at Enrollify, where she helped build the largest podcast network in higher ed. She now advises organizations on top-of-funnel strategy, media development, and market presence.
She’s an award winning speaker and podcast host. She hosts Higher Ed Pulse and Higher Ed Icons, and co-created the Let's Go Upstate retreat. Known for blending practical insight with a forward-looking lens, Mallory focuses on what’s working and what’s next for innovative teams navigating change.
Outside of work, she’s a barre and cycling instructor who brings the same energy to a workout as she does to a whiteboard session.
About Voltaire Santos Miran
Voltaire Santos Miran is a strategist, storyteller, and realist with more than 25 years at the intersection of creative narrative and institutional strategy. He co-founded and led mStoner for two decades before serving as Executive Vice President at Carnegie Higher Ed, where he drives web, brand, and content strategy for some of the most ambitious institutions in higher education.
Voltaire believes that human beings are wired for story — and that telling those stories well requires genuine empathy, disciplined strategy, and the intelligent use of technology. His work helps colleges, universities, and mission-driven organizations find their voice and communicate with confidence, clarity, and conviction.
His approach is built on a simple but powerful premise: brand, web, and content are not separate challenges — they are parts of a single ecosystem. By combining deep user research, personality science, and rigorous governance, he helps leadership teams build digital platforms that are not just functional, but meaningful.
A sought-after speaker and workshop facilitator, Voltaire is known for presentations that energize and inspire. Clients describe him as a rare talent: someone who can find the golden kernel in any story — and deliver it with both intelligence and soul.