This year, Brandcenter students will have the chance to learn from a creative leader who has spent two decades shaping some of the industry’s most recognizable brands.
Nancy Strange joins Brandcenter as the 2026-2027 Visiting Professor of Practice, bringing extensive experience as a copywriter and creative director to the program. Her career includes roles at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, FCB West, and Publicis, where she worked with brands including Häagen-Dazs, Dreyer’s, Sonic Drive-In, The Dalí Museum, Levi’s, Clorox and Eli Lilly, among others.
At Lyft, she served as Creative Director and Head of Brand Voice before becoming Executive Creative Director, leading creative work, an array of paid, owned and social media campaigns and managing a team of writers, designers, and art directors. Nancy also achieved two self-proclaimed career highlights in the role: turning the Wienermobile into a Lyft XL for a day and recreating Young Thug’s iconic computer meme.
The Visiting Professor of Practice role brings accomplished industry leaders into the Brandcenter community to share their experience, challenge students’ thinking and give them a firsthand perspective on what it takes to succeed in the creative industry.
“We want our students to learn from people who are actively shaping the industry, and Nancy brings an incredible depth of experience as both a writer and creative leader,” says Vann Graves, Executive Director of Brandcenter. “She knows what it takes to turn a good idea into work that matters….and she knows how to push people to get there.”
Nancy also knows VCU firsthand. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from VCU before earning an MA in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin. In her early career, she also worked with the VCU School of the Arts, where she taught as an assistant professor and served as Director of Communications.
Now, after many years on the West Coast, Nancy returns to the East Coast (and to her alma mater) to work with the next generation of creative talent at the Brandcenter.
Welcome to the team, Nancy!