MBA, Management and Marketing, Anderson University
BBA, Management and Marketing, Northwood University
Professional Certified Marketer (PCM), American Marketing Association
Salesforce Administrator Certified
Hubspot Certified
Quality Matters Certified
Carissa Newton is an Assistant Professor of Marketing & Sales in the School of Business and a marketing strategist with more than 25 years of industry experience spanning marketing & sales leadership, digital strategy, technology, and organizational growth.
Mrs. Newton has experience in a variety of industries including insurance, financial services, technology, security, and hospitality. Her success has been centered on marketing tied to clear strategic communication, new technologies, in-depth market analysis, and innovative marketing strategies. Across her experiences, she has had a blend of B2B, B2C, and eCommerce working with entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Her career bridges industry and higher education, allowing her to bring contemporary marketing & sales practice directly into her teaching, scholarship, and work with students.
Notable Career Achievements:
Built and led Cunningham Restaurant Group (CRG) corporate communications and public relations function, obtaining numerous national placements.
Rebranded Oak Street Funding and built a strong public relations strategy, contributing to year-over-year growth of over 300%.
Increased CRG gift card revenue by over 35% YOY in the first year and 45% YOY in the second year.
Increased new customer acquisition by over 118% and inbound lead volume by over 250% at FNEX.
Increased lead flow by over 150% and ROI by over 110% at Delivra.
Secured Series A/B Rounds of multi-million dollar venture capital investment as part of the leadership teams at Vontoo and FNEX.
Negotiated and implemented consolidated marketing systems for OneAmerica, including Salesforce.com for 3,000 nationwide sales agents.
Facilitated successful acquisition transitions at OneAmerica and Enova International.
Courses Taught: Principles to Marketing, Marketing Communications, Market Research, Consumer Behavior, Ethical Leadership & Moral Capitalism, Entrepreneurship, Management Communications, Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy, International Marketing, Professional Selling, Negotiations, Healthcare Marketing, Financial Services Marketing, Technical Sales & Marketing, Strategic Sales Management, Marketing Cases & Competitions, Strategic Communications, and Graduate Marketing Strategy.
Teaching Expertise: Applied marketing strategy, digital and AI-enabled marketing, experiential learning, professional selling, customer journey strategy, marketing analytics, and the integration of emerging technologies into contemporary marketing practice.
Teaching Philosophy: My teaching philosophy centers on experiential, applied learning that connects marketing theory to authentic business challenges. I believe students learn best by doing, reflecting, and adapting through real client projects, simulations, competitions, and collaborative problem-solving. I intentionally integrate emerging technologies, including AI, to build confidence, curiosity, and career readiness. My role is to create a supportive, challenging environment where students develop strategic thinking, professional judgment, and the ability to translate classroom knowledge into meaningful impact in their future careers.
Research Interests: Professor Newton's research focuses on the intersection of marketing and sales, emerging technology, and experiential education. Her interests include the use of artificial intelligence in business education, industry-engaged pedagogy, digital marketing strategy, and the evolving skills required of marketing and sales professionals. She examines how developments in AI and digital strategy are reshaping the practice and teaching of marketing, translating these changes into relevant curriculum and frameworks.
Selected Certifications:
Quality Matters (6th and 7th Edition)
Google Digital Marketing Fundamentals & GA4 Certification
Hubspot Digital Marketing & Inbound Certification
Pinterest Ad Essentials & Digital Ads
Databricks AI Fundamentals & IU Kelley Gen AI 101
SEMRush SEO, Content Marketing, and Search Engine Basics
Awards & Honors:
AMA Indianapolis Chapter Circle Awards - Best Marketing Campaign
Top Ten Marketers in Indianapolis
ONCON ICON Awards - Top 50 Marketing Team & Top 100 Marketers
Birdeye View - Outstanding AI Driven Analytics Award
Faculty Award: Experience in Action Award
Committees & Boards:
American Marketing Association, Indianapolis Chapter (Current Collegiation Relations VP, Past Programming Chair, Past President)
Women of Marian Committee
Professional Memberships:
American Marketing Association (AMA)
Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)
Quality Matters
Indiana Beekeepers (Lifetime Member)
Service & Outreach:
Hendricks County Tourism Commission (Board of Directors, Treasurer)
Visit Hendricks County, Inc. (Board of Directors, Vice President)
Speaking Engagements & Scholarship:
International Symposium for Teaching & Learning Conference (2025): Panel on Teaching with AI, Workshop on Experiential Learning, Poster Session on Impacts to Learning
The Teaching Professor Fall Conference (2025): "Teaching with a Side of AI-Recipes for Success"
Campus Compact (2026): "Authentic Inter-Institutional Global Partnerships"
Faculty Academy Fellows: Passport to Experiential Learning Workshop
SMPS A|E|C Amplify Conference (2026): "The Solo Marketer Grand Prix" and "AI Isn’t Replacing You"
With a military family, Carissa lived in 18 places all over the world before turning 18. She has lived in Indiana for over 32 years where she married into motorsports. She also owns and manages a consultancy called CN Creative Strategy, providing fractional marketing and strategy work for businesses of all sizes. Outside of her professional work, Mrs. Newton is a beekeeper managing an apiary of ten hives (branded as Oh Beehive!) at her historic home in Avon, Indiana. She enjoys exploring local places and traveling with her husband, and she spends much of her free time with her grandson.
