Brandeis University, the private institution which navigated a two-year financial crisis and litigation, has brought in a new senior VP for communications, following an national search.
de Graffenreid |
Ellen de Graffenreid, director of communications and marketing at the Univ. of North Carolina's $220M Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, will oversee media relations, government relations and public affairs, PR, advertising, Web services and publications for the Massachusetts university.
Andrew Gully resigned the senior VP post in June to take over global communications for auction house Sotheby's.
The university kicked off a search in July, tapping Storbeck/Pimental for the effort and forming an 13-member search committee.
Brandeis president Fred Lawrence, who took the reins in 2011, praised de Graffenreid's experience in academia, healthcare and the corporate sector. "I know she will have a tremendous impact in raising Brandeis’ profile across the country and around the world," he said in a statement.
De Graffenreid was previously director of communications and marketing at the Univ. of Louisville Health Sciences Center and previously held several posts at Hewlett-Packard in market research, product development, marketing and PR.
She has consulted for Planned Parenthood of Louisville, the Louisville e-Health Initiative, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program and Fearrington Cares.
Brandeis in 2009 made national headlines with a decision to close its revered art museum and auction off portions of its $350M collection, following financial woes resulting in part from donors hurt by the Bernie Madoff scheme. A lawsuit was settled and attorney general's probe concluded last year, leaving the museum open to the public.