JR Tarabocchia

JR Tarabocchia is the Assistant Vice President for Institutional Marketing at Willamette University, where he leads the university’s efforts to attract and enroll students across its colleges and schools. He works with a talented team of marketers, writers, designers, developers, and admissions professionals who manage nearly every way a prospective student might encounter Willamette, including email, advertising, social media, the university website, SEO and GEO, direct mail, print, photography, video, and more.

Together, they are building a more data-informed and student-centered marketing operation. Their work includes improving marketing attribution, running A/B tests, and talking directly with prospective students and their families through focus groups to learn what actually resonates.

JR oversees integrated campaigns that connect Willamette’s story with measurable enrollment results. His team collaborates closely with colleagues in admissions, communications, web development, and academic programs to launch new initiatives, sharpen messaging, and ensure that every touchpoint, from a paid search ad to a viewbook to a campus landing page, feels distinctly Willamette and makes sense to the people it is intended to reach.

Before taking on his current role, JR served as Assistant Dean of Recruitment and Student Activities at Willamette’s College of Law. During his time there, he led admissions efforts that helped increase enrollment by 50% over four years.

Prior to joining Willamette, JR spent nearly a decade at Portland State University in a wide range of student-facing and enrollment roles. He organized commencement ceremonies, led student ambassadors, established a welcome center, recruited undergraduate students, worked in the Dean of Students Office, secured corporate sponsorships, wrote the university’s student employment handbook, and co-founded a community chorus.

JR is also an active volunteer. He currently volunteers with Tualatin Riverkeepers on the Paddle Team. His previous volunteer roles include serving as “Cookie Dad” for his daughter’s Girl Scout troop and as a member of his town’s Tree Committee, two positions that required surprisingly similar levels of diplomacy.

Outside of work, JR enjoys kayaking, rowing on his Concept2 erg, baking with his sourdough starter (named “Baby Jane Dough"), playing Mahjong (Hong Kong style), and playing the piano and accordion, though not at the same time. Mostly, though, he just loves spending time with his family.