Biography

Alissa Galyon serves as the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, where she leads the college’s communications and marketing strategy, oversees storytelling and brand development efforts, and manages executive communications. Working across all areas of the college – from Advancement and Recruitment to academic programs and faculty initiatives – she partners closely with teams to ensure communications support the college’s mission, momentum, and long-term vision.

Galyon discovered her love for higher education as an undergraduate at Murray State University, serving as a public relations and development intern for the Alumni Association. Sharing student and alumni stories, supporting scholarship fundraising efforts, and advocating for higher education shaped the foundation of her career. She later joined the University of Tennessee as a marketing and communications specialist and, in 2020, earned her master’s degree through UT Knoxville’s College of Communication & Information.

In 2021, Galyon ventured outside of higher education to serve as a public affairs specialist for the Y-12 National Security Complex. In that role, she served as a communications lead for a multi-billion-dollar Department of Energy construction project, directing external affairs, executive communications, recruitment marketing, crisis communications, and change management efforts. She has also provided freelance marketing and consulting services to local and regional organizations, with a focus on enrollment growth and brand strategy.

In a very “Rocky Top, you’ll always be home sweet home to me” moment, Galyon returned to the University of Tennessee to serve in her current role. Leading communications for Tennessee’s only College of Music allows her to combine her love for higher education with her passion for creative storytelling and strategy building – work that makes her excited to show up every day.

When she’s not at work, you can find her at her local CrossFit gym, out for a run, booping her pets’ noses, devouring a Kindle book, or exploring Knoxville’s food and coffee scene with her fellow-foodie husband. While not a classically trained musician, she grew up with a deep appreciation for music thanks to her audiophile dad and her mother, a lifelong soprano.

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Education

• M.S. in Communication & Information – University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2020)
• B.S. in Public Relations – Murray State University (2017)