Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White announced Wednesday the hiring of PJ Mullen as the Hokies' Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Marketing Officer.
A nationally recognized leader in collegiate athletics marketing, fan engagement and brand strategy, Mullen joins Virginia Tech after serving as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing, Fan Experience and Brand Strategy at Rutgers. In his new role, Mullen will provide executive leadership for Virginia Tech Athletics, overseeing marketing and fan experience, athletic communications, creative services, ACC Network operations, broadcast operations and the department's in-venue experience.
Mullen will also serve as a key member of Virginia Tech Athletics' executive leadership team, helping advance the department's strategic priorities while enhancing the Hokie brand, growing fan engagement and identifying innovative opportunities to generate revenue in an evolving collegiate athletics landscape.
"PJ is one of the most innovative and forward-thinking leaders in college athletics, and we're thrilled to welcome him and his family to Blacksburg," White said. "I've said many times that college athletics is in the entertainment business, and our responsibility is to create the very best fan experience and gameday atmosphere in the country. PJ understands exactly what that looks like.
“He has built a reputation for elevating brands, creating memorable experiences for fans and driving innovation across every area he leads. His vision, creativity and collaborative leadership will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen the VT brand, deepen our connection with Hokie Nation and position Virginia Tech for long-term success."
Mullen brings more than a decade of collegiate and professional experience spanning athletics administration, marketing, media and live event production. Since arriving at Rutgers in 2021, he has led the department's marketing, brand advancement, creative services, fan experience, spirit and band programs while serving on the Scarlet Knights' Executive Leadership Team.
Under Mullen's leadership, Rutgers transformed its external strategy through integrated marketing, brand development and commercial growth initiatives. He spearheaded the creation of The Rutgers Boardwalk, now the centerpiece of the university's football gameday experience, expanding fan engagement, premium hospitality opportunities and corporate partnerships. He also helped elevate Rutgers' annual Blackout Game into one of the nation's premier college athletics promotional events, earning widespread recognition for its creativity, production quality and fan engagement.
As chair of Rutgers Athletics' Revenue Generation Task Force, Mullen collaborated across the department to identify and implement new revenue opportunities while also leading the Scarlet Knights' NIL branding strategy, maximizing student-athlete visibility and commercial opportunities through integrated storytelling and marketing efforts.
“My family and I are incredibly grateful to Brian White for the opportunity to join Virginia Tech and become part of such a special university and athletics department,” Mullen said. “From our very first conversations with Brian and his team, it was clear they have a bold vision for the future of Virginia Tech Athletics, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. We couldn’t be more excited to join Hokie Nation and the Blacksburg community.
“Virginia Tech has an iconic brand, rich traditions and one of the most passionate fanbases in college athletics. We’re excited to embrace what makes this place so special, build on that foundation and help bring new ideas and unforgettable moments to life.”
In addition to his collegiate athletics responsibilities, Mullen has contributed to some of the nation's premier professional sports organizations. He serves on the live event production teams for the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies, including the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX championship season, and recently worked with Major League Baseball's live events team during the 2026 MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby in Philadelphia.
“I’m incredibly excited for Virginia Tech Athletics and for PJ as he steps into this role,” head football coach James Franklin said. “I’ve known PJ for a long time, and I can tell you he’s one of the most creative, energetic and passionate people I’ve been around. He has a unique ability to combine vision with execution, building experiences that energize fans, strengthening a program’s brand and bringing people together around a common purpose.
“PJ will be a tremendous asset to our department, our university and our community, and I’m excited to work alongside him again. I’m extremely confident he’ll amplify the incredible traditions we already have, elevate our gameday atmosphere and create unforgettable experiences for Hokie Nation.”
Before Rutgers, Mullen spent nearly five years at Penn State as Director of Marketing, overseeing marketing, fan engagement and game presentation initiatives for football and men's basketball, including one of college football's premier gameday environments at Beaver Stadium.
Earlier in his Penn State tenure, Mullen served as Director of Player Development and Community Relations under current Virginia Tech head football coach James Franklin, helping support the Nittany Lions during their 2016 Big Ten Championship season.
“I also want to thank Keli Zinn, Coach Greg Schiano, President Tate and everyone on their staffs at Rutgers for their trust and support,” Mullen expressed. “Thank you to the Rutgers fanbase for embracing our vision and helping bring so many special moments to life. My family and I loved our time in New Jersey. It played a major role in my personal and professional growth, and we’ll always cherish the people and relationships we built. There’s no doubt Rutgers Athletics is in great hands under Keli’s leadership.”
Before transitioning into athletics administration, Mullen spent more than a decade in news, sports and entertainment media, producing nationally syndicated programming and leading content and programming operations. He also served as an adjunct professor in Penn State's College of Communications.
A native of Media, Pennsylvania, Mullen earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Penn State in 2007. He and his wife, Alex, have two children.