Marlena Branham serves as Marketing Co-Chair for the University of Michigan Alumni Association’s Phoenix Chapter. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts in 2021 and her Master of Science in Information, specializing in UX Research and Design, from the University of Michigan School of Information in 2025. She also completed a graduate certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the College of Engineering, bringing together her interests in human behavior, technology, business, and community impact.
As Marketing Co-Chair, Marlena is passionate about making the Phoenix Wolverine community more visible, accessible, and connected across generations. She hopes to celebrate the experiences of Arizona Wolverines and create a welcoming environment where recent graduates and longtime alumni can build genuine relationships.
Throughout her eight years in Michigan, Marlena built an interdisciplinary experience that extended far beyond the classroom. As an undergraduate, she served on the board of Creatives of Color, helping cultivate space for students of color to express themselves while building community through creativity.
During her master’s program, she was selected as an Inclusive Leader in Information and became involved with Black@SI and other initiatives focused on belonging, representation, and equitable access within technology. For two years, she served as an Adobe Student Ambassador, leading workshops on Adobe Creative Cloud, content creation, and marketing while developing a campus strategy that reached more than 250 students, faculty, and organizations. Through the UMSI’s admissions team, she supported prospective students and admissions processes serving more than 1,300 applicants. Her commitment to education and mentorship continued as a Graduate Student Instructor and as an Instructional Aide supporting career-development coursework.
Today, Marlena works primarily as a brand and strategy consultant in marketing, helping small businesses and founder-led organizations across the country transform scattered ideas into clear brands and actionable growth strategies. Her client and creator portfolio includes campaigns, content, and collaborations involving Urban Decay, Good Molecules, Avalon International Breads, HER Social App, Amazon, independent artists, and other founder-led businesses. She also built a personal cross-platform audience of approximately 15,000, giving her firsthand experience in digital storytelling, audience development, and brand partnerships.
Alongside her consulting practice, Marlena is the founder of Herbtropia, a wellness-technology business designed to help people more confidently discover holistic and integrative health practitioners, wellness events, and educational resources.
Born and raised in Arizona, Marlena returned home from Michigan in 2025, with the experience inspiring her to invest more intentionally in Arizona’s entrepreneurial, creative, wellness, and alumni communities while creating many of the spaces and connections she once needed herself. Outside of her professional and volunteer work, she enjoys singing, dancing, crocheting, discovering local restaurants, and finding ways to bring people together.
My Why
“My Michigan experience taught me that I never had to limit myself to one discipline, one interest, or one definition of success. I arrived wanting to understand the science of how people think and left with the ability to connect human behavior, research, technology, entrepreneurship, marketing, and community building. Michigan gave me the confidence to build a career and life that reflect the full range of who I am.
As a multidisciplinary woman of color working across technology and creativity, I haven’t always had a clear roadmap or found spaces capable of holding every part of my identity and ambition. At Michigan, I learned the importance of seeking out community, advocating for inclusion, and turning unmet needs into opportunities to create something new. Those lessons continue to shape the way I build businesses, support founders, and approach leadership.
Returning to Arizona was both a homecoming and a new beginning. I came back with new skills, new ideas, and a stronger understanding of how much meaningful communities matter, especially during periods of transition. Michigan taught me to think boldly, build thoughtfully, and create the communities and solutions I once needed myself. I’m proud to carry those lessons, along with the Maize and Blue, into everything I build next. Go Blue!”