Accomplished marketing leader and former Primrose parent brings more than 20 years of diverse marketing leadership experience and personal passion to serve children and families
Primrose Schools, the nation’s premier high-quality early education and care provider, announced today the appointment of Michelle Peterson as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Peterson brings more than 20 years of diverse marketing leadership experience across iconic consumer brands and multi-unit retail. Most recently, she served as CMO at a growing lifestyle brand focused on fashion, philanthropy and family, where she led brand marketing, e-commerce, and national and local brand activations.
Her career includes nearly two decades at General Mills, where she held key leadership roles in marketing, strategic growth channels and new product innovation. Most notably, she led the $1B Pillsbury Portfolio, overseeing consumer relevance, brand performance, innovation, retail strategy and digital. Peterson has also held executive marketing roles at Life Time Fitness (LifeSpa), Holiday Inn Express, and Pressed, where she led a comprehensive omni-channel rebrand.
“Michelle’s unique combination of strategic marketing expertise, data-driven strategy, emotional storytelling and personal connection to our mission makes her an ideal leader for this role,” said Steve Clemente, president, Primrose Schools. “As a former Primrose parent, she understands the profound impact Primrose schools have on children and families, and she brings a deep passion for helping us share that story more broadly.”
In her role as CMO, Peterson will lead brand strategy, marketing innovation and analytics to build brand awareness and loyalty and accelerate growth, further strengthening the Primrose brand position as the nation’s premier leader in early education and care.
“I’m honored to join a brand that has meant so much to my family,” said Peterson. “Primrose Schools is a brand with heart, purpose and a powerful mission. I’m excited to help elevate that mission and drive our strategic growth to serve more children and families nationwide.”
Peterson succeeds Tim Roush, who is retiring after serving as CMO for more than five years and playing a critical role in advancing the Primrose brand and marketing strategy. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and both an MBA and a Master of Engineering Management from Northwestern University.
