Nick Kastner

Nick is our resident brand and digital guru – leading strategies for our clients that positively impact every area of their business. His focus is helping clients build consistent and meaningful brand messaging and leveraging the digital marketplace to drive real results for clients. 

Nick works closely with everyone on the team to implement strategies that will help clients grow and is the architect for many of Forum’s strategic marketing frameworks. Daily, Nick interacts directly with clients whose focus is primarily digital and/or brand consistency and has utilized that expertise with several impressive organizations – including a number with national and international scope. Prior to joining Forum, Nick worked extensively in the agency space as well as in financial services and higher education marketing. He is a published author, both academically and in industry, speaker, and podcaster on topics ranging from SEO  and video marketing to agile project management and its uses in marketing and with knowledge workers.

After a short stint pursuing music, Nick received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (Concentration in Marketing) and his Master of Business Administration in Managerial Leadership from Piedmont University. He holds active certifications in Google Ads Display, Google Ads Video, Google Ads Search, Google Analytics Individual Qualification and Hubspot Inbound Certification. Nick is also a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Certified Agile Marketing Specialist. He is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, an opt-in research community of business professionals, a member of the University of North Georgia’s Digital Marketing Advisory board, and logistics chair of the North Hall High School Band Boosters. In 2024, Nick was a judge / juror for the Davey Awards – the largest and most prestigious creative awards for small agencies, and in 2025 is serving as a judge / juror for the Communicator Awards, along with executives from some of the world’s largest marketing agencies and companies including Netflix, American Express, and numerous others..

Across his 20+ year career, he has served on boards across northeast Georgia including Piedmont College Alumni Association (president), Habitat for Humanity of Hall County (marketing chair), Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce (marketing committee), Interactive Neighborhood for Kids (board chair), Family Resource Center of Northeast Georgia and the John Jarrard Foundation (marketing chair). He is a 2012 Leadership Hall graduate, has won awards from the University System of Georgia, Piedmont University and American Bankers Association and served as strategy lead on industry awards ranging from the Webbys to the Hermes Creative Awards.

Additional to his work at Forum, Nick continues to serve as an adjunct instructor at the University of North Georgia’ Mike Cottrell College of Business teaching in both undergraduate and graduate programs. He and his family are members of Riverbend Church where Nick serves as a deacon; he and his wife Brandy also serve as small group leaders.