Public Relations

The Public Relations team drives strategic outreach and engagement in support of internal and external communications for UC San Diego. We do this in a variety of ways, whether working with local, national or global media, devising a social media strategy, creating compelling content for websites and newsletters or managing an issue or crisis.

And while we can deliver strategic communications solutions customized to any audience, at heart we are storytellers, driven to share UC San Diego’s most unique and inspiring stories. Stories about our amazing people. Stories about our extraordinary research. Stories about all the incredible ways the university changes lives and shapes our world.

Learn more about each of our core teams.

Academic Unit Communications

Academic unit communicators are responsible for strategic communications planning within their area. They counsel their leadership on proactive opportunities, internal and external communications, storytelling, social media and websites as well as issues management.

Find a list of campus communicators on the Media Resources and Contacts webpage.

Advancement Public Relations

Focused on showcasing the impact of philanthropy at UC San Diego, we work to build awareness of the university’s prominence through compelling storytelling. We seek to inspire others to make a difference with private support and steward our donors.

Serving as a connector between University Communications and Advancement, we manage public announcements of major gifts ($1M+), strategic planning for various Advancement initiatives and more. We also provide counsel to Advancement leadership related to PR opportunities and issues management needs.

Contact: Jade Griffin, Director of Public Relations, Advancement

Internal Communications

The Internal Communications team strives to explore bold, new ways to tell stories that connect, inspire and engage the campus community, and other audiences, while focusing on inclusivity and elevating a variety of perspectives and voices. We focus on being responsive to the needs of our internal audiences – respecting differences and recognizing achievements while promoting institutional unity and pride.

We also work with and advise units and colleagues in key administrative areas including Operations Management, the CFO’s office, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and other areas across campus. The team strives to protect UC San Diego’s reputation, working with various stakeholders to communicate clearly and thoughtfully during times of crisis and when confronted with sensitive issues. The team also manages production of flagship campus communications vehicles such as the UC San Diego Today newsletter.

Contact: Laura Margoni, Executive Director, Internal Communications

Research Communications

Research Communications works collaboratively across campus to strategically elevate the reach and public impact of UC San Diego’s multidisciplinary $1.82B research enterprise, robust innovation ecosystem and leading academic experts to a broad audience.

Contact: Kellie Woodhouse, Executive Director, Research Communications

Social Media

The Social Media team establishes the overarching strategy for our campus’ social media communication initiatives. The team oversees the primary UC San Diego social media accounts and the UC San Diego Alumni accounts. We enthusiastically collaborate with all campus communicators to assist them in achieving their social media communication objectives.

Want to learn more about social media at UC San Diego? Visit our Social Media webpage for engagement tips, guidelines, directory of accounts, idea submission form and more.

Contact: Mandy Sullivan, Director, Social Media Strategy