Ellen Bradley

Ellen Bradley serves as Chief Brand Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the leading trade group for recreational boat, marine engine and accessory manufacturers in the U.S. who drive more than $230 billion in annual economic impact and support an estimated 100 million Americans who go boating each year.

Ellen is responsible for the NMMA brand, deploying marketing and communications strategies that continuously elevate the association’s voice and reputation as the leader in connecting the recreational boating industry with policy makers, boating consumers and stakeholders.

Ellen oversees NMMA’s market expansion work through Discover Boating, helping welcome more people to enjoy the benefits of life on the water and fueling a commitment for doing so in an increasingly sustainable way. Recently, Ellen led the team in revitalizing the industry’s Discover Boating brand with a new visual identity and omni-channel strategy, resulting in the launch of the successful “See You Out Here” campaign, attracting more than 6 million next generation and current boaters to the Discover Boating community and connecting nearly 2 million of them with boat manufacturers and dealers to explore boat ownership. In under two years, the new strategy resulted in Discover Boating moving from a $6-7 million six-month marketing campaign to a year-round brand experience valued at nearly $30 million.
In 2024, Ellen and her team were the architects behind the global marine industry’s Propelling Our Future education campaign on behalf of more than 50 marine industry trade associations worldwide. The campaign harmonized global boating industry stakeholders, bringing one voice and successfully educating policy makers and boating consumers on the portfolio of propulsion technologies shaping the industry’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Additionally, Ellen leads NMMA Business Intelligence, the association’s strategic data science and research that powers the industry’s most comprehensive insights. As the hub for industry, consumer and economic data and trends, NMMA Business Intelligence shapes some of the most important decisions in recreational boating.
Prior to becoming Chief Brand Officer, Ellen rose within NMMA from Vice President of Marketing Communications to Chief Communications Officer. Ellen took on these roles after joining NMMA from Harpo, Inc., where she drove communications for Oprah Winfrey’s entertainment properties and foundation. Earlier in her career she held strategic communications and brand marketing positions on both the agency and client-side including representing entertainment and consumer brands, government agencies, and trade associations spanning Hilton Hotels, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, Coca-Cola, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing. 

Ellen has been recognized by PRWeek as a Woman of Distinction (2024), Boating Industry Magazine Woman Making Waves (2019), Boating Industry Magazine 40 Under 40 (2007, 2017) and Association Forum, 40 under 40 (2015).
She currently serves on the boards of directors for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and Chicago-based A Giving Heart Foundation and is a member of Step-Up Women’s Network, a non-profit mentoring program for young girls. Ellen graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two children and can be found boating on Lake Michigan during the city’s beloved summer months and going for long runs along its beautiful lakefront trails.