WELLESLEY, Mass. – Bethany Ellis, Director of Athletics and Chair of the Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics (PERA) at Wellesley College, has announced the hiring of Ryan Emerson as Director of PERA Strategic Communications.
"We are thrilled to welcome Ryan Emerson to the Wellesley College community and the PERA Department," said Ellis. "Ryan's extensive experience will be invaluable as we continue to elevate our athletic programs and engage with our community. We look forward to the fresh perspectives and strategic insights he will bring to our department."
Emerson joins the Blue community following a four-year stint as the Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director at Dean College in Franklin, Mass. Emerson's duties at Dean included overseeing all media relations for the Bulldogs' 16 varsity programs, managing the scheduling of athletic contests, working on Giving Day and Student-Athlete awards ceremonies, collaborating with stakeholders across campus, and working as a Department Liaison with Team IMPACT.
"I am grateful to the search committee and the Wellesley community for giving me this opportunity to join the Blue family," said Emerson. "I look forward to promoting and building awareness of the successes of our student-athletes in and out of the classroom."
Prior to working at Dean, Emerson spent 12+ years at Colby-Sawyer where he was responsible for all 23 Charger varsity teams. He also worked for two years as a Graduate Assistant in the Media Relations office at Providence College. He received his MBA with a concentration in Luxury Marketing in the spring of 2008. While at Providence, Emerson was the primary contact for women's volleyball, women's soccer, women's ice hockey and secondary contact for men's basketball.
Before making the decision to get his MBA, Emerson spent one year as the assistant director of communications at Bryant University. He assisted in the promotion of the Bulldogs' 20 athletic programs, which included development of media guides and statistics at all home events including football.
Emerson graduated from Western New England College in 2005 with a B.S.B.A. in Sport Management (AACSB). He spent three and a half years as a student assistant in the athletic communications office and was a sports writer for the campus newspaper, The Westerner. He was also a statistician at the 2001-02 and 2002-2003 Basketball Hall of Fame's Hoophall Classic, a high school tournament featuring many of the top-ranked teams in the nation.
Emerson has been a member of the Media Coordination team at several NCAA Division I and Division II Basketball Tournaments. He was a member of the Flash Interview Crew at the 122nd US Open Golf Championship and 44th U.S. Senior Open Golf Championship. Emerson also spends some time providing game day support at other local colleges and universities.
Emerson, a native of Rumford, R.I., is a member of the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). He also was on the AP Division III Football All-America Committee from 2021-2024.
Wellesley Athletics strives for excellence at the conference, regional, and national levels, while providing opportunities for students to achieve their potential and learn the values of discipline, leadership, critical thinking, and responsibility to oneself and others.
