Director of Marketing

“Marketing with Lasting Purpose”

 

Meet Lori Beard, the Executive Director of Marketing at Life University. Beard joined Life U in November and has settled into the role seamlessly. Born in Alabama, she moved to a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio where her father landed a job after college. Though she loved growing up in the Midwest, her family roots are deeply planted in the South.

She attended Miami University in Southern Ohio, earning a business degree with a concentration in marketing. When her father relocated to Georgia, Beard followed, and she has called Georgia home ever since. She later earned her MBA from Kennesaw State University.

“My parents are Southern; my whole family is Southern. I have a very big family and many cousins,” Beard shared.

Joining the marketing team at Life U felt like a natural next step for Beard.

“It was actually a perfect fit for everything I’ve learned in my career so far, and for what matters to me personally,” she said. “I started in marketing on day one, and over time I’ve worked in various industries. I’ve always been most drawn to roles with a greater mission – where the work is meaningful and aligned with purpose. That’s how I started my career – supporting nonprofits.”

Earlier in her career, Beard worked for an advertising agency creating campaigns for organizations such as the National Wildlife Federation, Save the Children and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

“We built awareness and helped them raise funds to support their cause I loved that work. I learned everything I needed for the next 30 years of my career in those four years. It’s wild how foundational that experience was,” she reflected.

Beard later moved into the financial sector, including retail and financial services marketing, working with companies like The Home Depot. However, she found those roles lacking in personal meaning.

“There was no mission, no passion, no purpose; it just wasn’t enough for me,” she said.

She then transitioned to work for Cancer Treatment Centers of America, where she found renewed purpose. “They treated mind, body and spirit. They offered chiropractic care, acupuncture, naturopathic support – even a beauty salon,” Beard recalled.

The organization’s holistic approach to care – treating the whole person, not just the disease – deeply resonated with her because her father had endured a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer years before

“My dad was my best friend, my idol,” Beard said. “I’m so thankful I moved to Georgia after college; those were our final years together. He was a healthy 50-year-old man, newly in love, and then suddenly diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It was a death sentence. He passed away just six months later. He was younger than I am now. When I turned 52, it felt like a huge milestone. Every year since has felt like a gift.”

Her father’s journey left a deep mark on Beard, ultimately shaping her values and sense of purpose.

“It wasn’t the cancer itself; it was the side effects of the treatment that were the real problem. He needed spiritual and nutritional care, and his doctors didn’t offer that. I truly believe my dad suffered unnecessarily because no one could manage the side effects. Watching that happen changed me.”

Beard turned to faith during that difficult time, becoming a Christian.

“I realized what a miracle and a gift life is. I needed a foundation and a support system,” she said. Now she is celebrating her youngest child’s graduation from Whitefield Academy, a Christian school near her home in Mableton.

The experience also led her to adopt a healthier lifestyle –focusing on nutrition, exercise and stress management. She eventually transitioned into higher education, working at Kennesaw State University before joining Life U.

Life U is the perfect intersection of her two great passions: higher education and a vitalistic approach to health and wellness.

“Here, we care about the whole person – all the elements and obstacles to wellness – and we strive to address those through our curricula and how we educate our students,” Beard said.

She believes that marketing and communications play a critical role in supporting Life U’s mission and strategic vision.

“Marketing helps build awareness of why we’re here and how we support the broader university goals. Collaboration across departments is key to achieving the goals outlined in our Launch Pad’s strategic pillars.”

For Beard, Life U isn’t just a job – it’s a calling.

“I’ve found purpose and a home here. I’m surrounded by friends – people who care about me and look out for me – and I can do the same for them. I’ve experienced that in just my first few months here, and I am grateful.”