Passion for Filling Educational Needs Drives K-12 Marketer

By Leslie Cranford, Lead Storyteller

When Hala Khalaf talks about why she does what she does for Texas Tech K-12, the desire to help students and families smolders in her eyes like a torch leading them to the path that will help the most.

Hala is the marketing coordinator for Texas Tech K-12, a position she’s held for about six months, since graduating from Texas Tech University and leaving a social media position at Texas Tech’s University Recreation. In that time, she has connected with dozens of families and their students at every grade level as well as teachers and staff, to tell and promote success stories and the school’s people, events and course offerings.

“I’ve always been drawn to roles that center around impact and storytelling,” Hala said. “As the marketing coordinator for Texas Tech K-12, this is the most fulfilling part of my job, and one that I enjoy coordinating the most. With writing scripts, directing videos, filming them, editing them and then posting them, I find meaning in highlighting stories that are otherwise hidden and often go unnoticed.”

Born in Amman, Jordan, and living there until she was 18, Hala was raised by a strong, multigenerational circle — her mom, a graphic designer; her grandparents; and five loving aunts who nurtured both her creativity and independence. Her dad, a tech guru based in England, added a dose of tech-minded influence to the mix. With roots in both design and digital thinking, Hala’s upbringing set the foundation for her unique approach to marketing.

Growing up, Hala was always creatively involved. She was part of her school’s rock cover band and even co-wrote an original song with them. When she was 15, she hosted a one-day art gallery showcasing her own work and welcomed over 100 guests.

Hala delivered the graduation speech at her high school and earned awards in International Baccalaureate classes, including one for business and one for visual arts, and in extracurriculars for music (for her band involvement), and Digital Media & Publications for founding and leading the school’s newsletter.

Choosing to pursue higher education in the U.S., and having an aunt who has resided in Lubbock for 30 years, Hala enrolled at Texas Tech. During a 2015 visit, that aunt showed Hala around the campus, igniting a spark that became a flame. Arriving for classes in 2022, Hala began working at the Rec Center her first semester, holding a lead social media position until she graduated summa cum laude in just three years with a degree in digital media and professional communication and minor in journalism from the College of Media and Communication.

Once Hala became aware of Texas Tech K-12, she was inspired by how flexible and supportive the program is for students with unique goals and lifestyles, as well as those who are facing challenges and have different needs they can’t find support for at a traditional school.

“From athletes to artists to students traveling the world, everyone has a different story, and I loved the idea of sharing these stories,” Hala explained. “It felt like a place where I could use my skills to make a real difference.

“My role is to promote enrollment and build stronger engagement across our digital channels. Our students don’t have a typical in-person experience, so I really try to bring that human aspect to them through the digital world.”

Hala beamed while relating the most satisfying part of her job: seeing how the K-12 student stories resonate with people. When a reel gets widely viewed and goes viral, or when a parent reaches out saying they had no idea a program like this existed, it’s a reminder that the work the school does really matters.

“Evie’s reel on social has been a huge success. Right now we have 400,000 views, and 1,300 followers gained just from that reel, which is the number of followers we had on June 1 before I shared it. I am projecting we will reach about 500,000 views by the end of the summer,” Hala said with pride. “We also received so much positive feedback from families after our in-person graduation ceremony. Just hearing how Texas Tech K-12 is positively impacting lives reminds me why I love what I do. We also received so much positive feedback from families after our in-person graduation ceremony. Just hearing how Texas Tech K-12 is positively impacting lives reminds me why I love what I do.”

Hala’s vision is that Texas Tech K-12 continues to grow and reach even more students who need a flexible, quality education. She hopes to expand the school’s storytelling and digital presence even further, so more families can discover what makes the program so special and to positively impact more people.

“I feel blessed and privileged to work in a place with a clear mission that genuinely moves us all,” Hala said, the fire once again shining in her eyes. “Every child deserves an education that fits their life, not the other way around. We make quality education flexible, so families don’t have to choose between life and learning.”