Christopher Horton was promoted to NEC Senior Director of Creative Services in August, 2023 after previously serving as Director of Creative Services since July, 2020. He was hired as the Assistant Director for Creative Services in July, 2017 after spending the 2016-17 academic year as the NEC’s Digital Media Intern.
Horton, who is beginning his fifth season with the conference, spent the last three years as the NEC Assistant Director of Creative Services. In that position, he assists in the execution of the conference’s digital media strategy and helps drive fan engagement. Horton serves as the conference’s graphic designer in support of the NEC’s web, social and digital media efforts, and produces video content for NEC Front Row and the conference’s social media platforms. He also provides support at NEC championships and televised events.
Horton has been instrumental in the activation of the NEC’s popular All In, Ball Out basketball branding campaign that launched in October, 2018 and is set to enter year three in 2020-21. He has designed all the promotional artwork in support of the campaign and associated theme nights, and was also part of the creative team that produced the 2019-20 All In, Ball Out hype video recently named a finalist for the Outstanding Short-Form Fan Engagement media award sponsored by Sports Video Group.
Horton has also been recognized for his state-of-the-art branding kits and promotional posters surrounding the NEC’s annual Social Media Day events in both basketball and football.
Horton spent the 2016-17 academic year as the NEC’s Digital Media Intern before assuming a full-time role with the conference in the newly created Creative Services position.
Horton graduated with Cum Laude honors this past spring from Rider University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Media: Radio, Television & Film. He was a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society.
In his time at Rider, Horton served as a Video Production Assistant for the Athletics Department. He produced news packages, feature pieces, team intro videos and documentaries for GoBroncs.com, and was involved with the live production of on-campus sporting events. Horton was nominated for a 2015 National Broadcasting Society Video Program Opener award for his Rider women’s basketball intro video.
Outside of the athletic realm, Horton served as a producer and on-air talent for the Rider University Network. He was the executive producer, editor and graphic designer for the news-style program “Hip-Hop Headlines,” and producer and editor for an NBC News featured student documentary entitled “Save the Satos,” aimed to bring national awareness to animal cruelty and dog overpopulation in parts of Puerto Rico.