Joe Vinson He/Him
- Associate Director of Digital Media Strategy
Biography
Joe Vinson serves as the Associate Director of Digital Media Strategy at the University of West Florida’s Office of Institutional Communications, overseeing the strategic planning and implementation of UWF’s digital presence and supporting the web and photo/video teams in creating multimedia content that tells the University’s story.
Joe studied languages at Florida State University and Hiroshima University. After graduating in 2003, he spent more than a decade at the Appleyard Agency in Pensacola, where he led marketing campaigns in print, video and interactive media, won multiple ADDY and Telly awards and established an in-house digital production studio. He then served as digital director for the Studer Community Institute.
Joining the University of West Florida in 2016, Joe’s previous role was Assistant Director of Communications for the Innovation Institute and Division of Research and Strategic Innovation.
Joe lives in Pensacola with his wife Bradley and their three children. A local history aficionado, he started the Pensapedia wiki in 2006 and received a master's degree in Public History from UWF in 2023. He is active in the community and serves on a number of local nonprofit boards.
Education
- M.A. Public History
University of West Florida – Pensacola, Florida - B.A. English Literature, Minors in Asian Studies and Italian
Florida State University – Tallahassee, Florida
Hiroshima University – Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
Community Leadership
- 2023-present Art, Culture and Entertainment, Inc. Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2023-present Rotary Club of Pensacola Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2021-present Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2017-present Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Advisory Council, Pensacola
- 2010-present Gulf Coast Kid’s House Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2009-present Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida Board of Directors (2014-2016 President), Pensacola
- 2013-2023 Friends of West Florida Public Library Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2019-2020 Pensacola Heritage Foundation Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2011-2015 Escambia County Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors, Pensacola
- 2007-2013 AAF Pensacola Board of Directors (2009-2010 President), Pensacola
- 2015, 2017, 2019 Startup Weekend Pensacola Organizing Committee, Pensacola
Affiliations
- Rotary Club of Pensacola (Downtown)
Awards and Honors
- 2024 American Advertising Federation Multiple Local ADDY Award Winner
- 2023 Florida Historical Society David C. Brotemarkle Award for "Lost Pensacola" poster series
- 2023 Outstanding Graduate Student, UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
- 2022 National Genealogical Society Genealogy Tourism Award for "1821 Sampler Project"
- 2022 Graphic Design USA American Inhouse Design Award Winner
- 2021 American Advertising Federation Local ADDY Best of Show Campaign Award Winner
- 2008 Inweekly Rising Star