Justin Sumner

About Me

Web platform architect and digital content strategist with over 15 years of experience engineering scalable digital ecosystems within large public research institutions. Expert in enterprise content governance, user interface optimization and semantic data architecture. Proven track record of bridging the gap between technical infrastructure and user-centered content strategy to reduce institutional friction and ensure system compliance.

Experience

Digital Experience Team Lead

University of Kentucky Digital Platform and AI Group | Lexington, KY | July 2026 - Present

  • Direct the Digital Experience team within the Digital Platform and AI division.
  • Govern system-wide information architecture, custom content modeling schemas and central content distribution APIs.
  • Advise campus units and internal marketing verticals on digital architecture, content strategy models and deployment best practices.
  • Supervise technical staff and content strategists, managing daily operations, project allocation and professional development workflows.
  • Partner directly with parallel Digital Operations and Developer teams to ensure seamless continuous integration and system architecture alignment.
  • Collaborate with diverse vertical teams across Marketing and Strategic Communications to oversee digital content governance guidelines and provide administrative support for digital content platforms.
  • Lead cross-functional product development initiatives to integrate emerging generative artificial intelligence utilities into the enterprise web framework.

Digital Strategist

University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | July 2024 - July 2026

  • Engineered enterprise-wide digital strategies to unify institutional web architecture and consolidate departmental content silos.
  • Established comprehensive digital content governance models to regulate distributed campus web properties and ensure brand alignment.
  • Consulted with campus units and marketing verticals on information architecture, strategic content modeling and platform best practices.
  • Authored scalable training resources for the university content management framework to facilitate systemic adoption and reduce administrative burden.
  • Partnered with cross-functional teams to map complex user journeys, streamline content delivery and optimize front-end performance metrics.

Web Content Strategist

University of Kentucky Central Marketing | Lexington, KY | January 2020 - July 2024

  • Managed information architecture and digital content strategy across primary institutional domains.
  • Formulated scalable web property charters to enforce governance, simplify digital strategy and align departmental actions with central university objectives.
  • Engineered user-centered content paths to streamline resource discovery for prospective students, current scholars and alumni.

Multimedia Specialist

University of Kentucky College of Public Health | Lexington, KY | September 2015 - January 2020

  • Optimized localized web platforms and managed multi-channel digital assets to elevate research visibility.
  • Designed a three-phase compliance system utilizing standardized templates and content management tools to streamline accreditation documentation.
  • Developed structured digital assets to translate complex public health data into accessible public resources.

Senior Graphic Artist

University of Kentucky Auxiliary Services | Lexington, KY | August 2011 - September 2015

  • Structured multi-platform digital graphics and managed visual content layouts during the early transition to responsive web design.
  • Coordinated branding consistency across digital marketing campaigns, student affairs platforms and campus dining web interfaces.

Customer Service Assistant

University of Kentucky Auxiliary Services | Lexington, KY | September 2006 - August 2011

  • Maintained customer satisfaction protocols to support departmental marketing campaigns and auxiliary service operations.

Education

Postgraduate Coursework in Instructional Systems Design

University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | 2016 – 2018

  • Focused on user experience design, cognitive task analysis and instructional architecture frameworks.

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | 2011

Certifications & Memberships
  • Senator, EVPFA Sector, University of Kentucky Staff Senate
  • Co-Chair, LGBTQ+ Employee Affinity Group
  • Member, Drupal Association
  • Certified, Google Analytics
  • Certified, Microsoft Copilot for Productivity

Technical Skills

  • Strategy & Architecture: Content governance, information architecture, taxonomy design, semantic mapping and SEO optimization.
  • Interface & Development: UI/UX design, wireframing, semantic HTML, CSS layout and prototyping.
  • Platform Operations: Enterprise CMS proficiency, multi-channel analytics and multimedia production.

Presentations

What Were They Thinking? Using Property Charters to Help the Right People Follow the Plan

HighEdWeb Association Annual Conference | October 2022

Detailed the operational execution of a content strategy utilizing web property charters across decentralized university departments. Defined framework parameters for target audiences, established governance structures and demonstrated how structured charters simplify digital strategy for non-technical academic stakeholders.

Leveraging Content Management Framework for Assessment Compliance and Reducing Faculty Burden

Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education Conference | June 2017

Demonstrated an automated compliance system designed to streamline public health accreditation documentation. Analyzed the implementation of standardized templates, course-specific shells and content management tools to preserve historical records while reducing faculty data entry burdens.