Hayes Barnes

As Director of Marketing at Elevate Ventures, Hayes Barnes brings brand strategy to life through thoughtful execution and storytelling that connects ideas, people, and outcomes across Indiana’s innovation ecosystem. He leads the development and delivery of integrated campaigns, event marketing, and content that power Elevate’s mission to support entrepreneurs and early-stage companies.

Hayes manages end-to-end marketing operations — from overseeing major events like the RALLY Innovation Conference to producing data-driven campaigns, creative assets, and reports that capture impact and tell the story of Indiana’s growing innovation economy. He thrives on turning strategy into action and ideas into stories that move people, whether planning large-scale conferences, producing content that inspires, or optimizing processes behind the scenes.

Before joining Elevate, Hayes led marketing and creative direction for GANGGANG, where he helped shape nationally recognized cultural initiatives such as BUTTER Fine Art Fair and I Made Rock ’N’ Roll. His earlier work at Eli Lilly and MedPage Today provided a foundation in strategic marketing frameworks, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration — experience he now channels into building brands that empower communities and expand creative expression.

At his core, Hayes believes that great marketing doesn’t just sell — it strengthens identity.