Jeff Neal Appointed Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing

Baltimore, MD (June 12, 2017) -- ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø (ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø) Chancellor Robert L. Caret has appointed Jeff Neal as the system's vice chancellor for communications and marketing. A veteran communications professional who held leadership positions at Harvard University, as well as for a governor and two U.S. senators from Rhode Island, Neal will join ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø on August 7, 2017.

"Jeff has the background in higher education and expertise in many aspects of communications that we were hoping to find," said Chancellor Caret. "When we talked to his references, we heard terms such as proactive, astute, respected, self-motivated, collaborative, and valued colleague. We found the right person, and I very much look forward to working with him in the years ahead."

As vice chancellor for marketing and communications, Neal will provide strategic and comprehensive marketing and communications leadership, management, and support for the system, Chancellor, senior leadership, and the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Board of Regents. Neal will lead an office responsible for communicating effectively the advancement of ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø's strategic priorities, and for helping to increase various publics' understanding of and appreciation for the system and its role in advancing opportunities for students and the state.

"I am honored and excited by the opportunity to assist Chancellor Caret and his team in promoting the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø's mission of providing high quality, accessible, affordable educational opportunities, supporting groundbreaking research and scholarship, and serving the needs of the people of both ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø and the nation."

Neal will succeed ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø vice chancellor for communications Anne J. Moultrie, who in February 2017 announced her retirement from ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø effective June 30, 2017.

Moultrie has led ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø communications since late 2003 and served ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø institutions for 35 years. Before joining the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Office, she served as assistant dean of communications for the Smith School of Business at the University of ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø, College Park, the flagship of the 12-institution ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø.

"The ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø has benefitted greatly from Anne's professionalism, commitment, and wide-ranging communications expertise focused on positioning the system and its leadership as excellent, innovative, fiscally responsible, and committed to advancing opportunities for our students and our state," Caret said.

Neal most recently served as chief university spokesperson and senior director of communications at Harvard University through July 2016, having joined the institution on a full-time basis in September 2009 as senior communications officer.

He brings to the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø position extensive experience in government communications. Neal served as press secretary for then-Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri from January 2003 through June 2008. Before joining that office, he served a combined five years in the press offices of the late U.S. Senator John H. Chafee (R.I.) and then-U.S. Senator Lincoln D. Chafee (R.I.), reaching the position of press secretary before his transition to the R.I. governor's office.

Neal earned a bachelor's degree in history from George Mason University in 1993 and a master's degree in medieval history from Durham University (United Kingdom) in 1996.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu