Salena Scardina

Salena Scardina
Marketing & Economic Development Executive | Customer Experience Consultant | Transformational Leader

Salena Scardina is a strategic marketing executive and economic development leader with over two decades of experience transforming customer experience, building strong brands, and leading large-scale organizational change. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President of External Engagement and Chief Marketing Officer for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, where she led the historic rebranding of Indiana with the launch of “Indiana for the Bold.” Her efforts generated over $500 million in earned media and contributed to a record-breaking $89 billion in new committed capital investment for the state.

Her expertise spans global brand development, data-driven marketing strategies, public-private partnerships, and integrated communications. At Herff Jones, Sweetwater Sound, Vera Bradley, and McDonald’s Corporation, she consistently elevated customer experience, drove operational excellence, and implemented innovative CRM and ERP systems. In 2018, Salena founded HeroCX®, a customer experience consultancy, advising numerous direct-to-consumer and B2B companies to grow through strategic customer engagement and digital transformation.

Today, in addition she leads Align Indiana, a strategic marketing and communications group dedicated to amplifying Indiana’s untold and underestimated stories. With deep expertise spanning business, government, and economic development, Align Indiana crafts impactful strategies that highlight the state's strengths and attract new interest by boldly sharing Indiana’s story.

Named a 2023 Indianapolis Woman of Influence, Salena is passionate about leveraging marketing as a catalyst for economic impact, workforce attraction, and business growth. She has served on boards for the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, the Greater Fort Wayne YMCA, Northeast Indiana Public Radio and other civic and nonprofit organizations. Salena proudly calls Fort Wayne and the great state of Indiana home, where she resides with her husband and two children.