Clayton Jones enters his fourth year as Western Oregon's Assistant Athletic Director of Communications in 2025-26.
The last two years, Jones focused on improving the Wolves' video content - taking over much of the content creation to supply WOU Athletics social media more video and graphics. In his first year in 2022-23, he upgraded the Wolves' brand continuity on social media, increased impressions over all social media channels, implemented a new music program to improve game day operations and is in the midst of upgrades in the communication department's equipment.
Overall, Jones brings nearly 20 years of combined experience in athletic communications, journalism and public relations – including at the NCAA Division I, Division II and junior college levels.
Jones came to Western Oregon after spending the previous year as a communications consultant for the New Mexico Highlands Athletic Department. Prior to that, Jones spent two years at Western Colorado University as its Assistant Athletic Director of Communications where he guided the Mountaineers to consecutive top-three finishes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference J.W. Campbell/Con Marshall Sports Information Department of the Year voting – the first two top-three finishes for WCU in the award's history.
Prior to Western Colorado, Jones - a University of Oregon graduate born and raised in Portland, Oregon - spent the 2018-19 year at New Mexico Highlands as its Assistant Athletic Director of Communications and External Relations where he guided the department to its first ever top-three finish in the RMAC SID of the Year voting. Jones also worked in athletic communications at the University of New Mexico (in charge of communications for baseball, women's basketball and women's soccer), Pepperdine and Dodge City Community College.
Before transitioning to athletic communications, Jones spent more than a decade as a sports journalist - including nine-plus years at the Hobbs News-Sun in Hobbs, New Mexico. He led the News-Sun sports department to the New Mexico Press Association Best Sports Coverage award in each of his final three years at the newspaper while winning numerous writing and photography awards. Jones also spent eight years in the Army – two active duty and six in the National Guard, including the last several in public affairs as a sergeant at the Oregon National Guard Headquarters after starting his military career as a cavalry scout.
