Communications and Marketing

Brian Sereno, Associate Athletics Director, Communications

Athletics Communications is responsible for:

• Liaison between the Department of Athletics and the media inside and outside the university community
• Official Athletics Website: GWsports.com
• Television coordination, broadcast management
• Historical record keeping

Michelle Stone, Executive Director, Communications

The constituency communications team develops and implements plans and strategies for proactive and responsive communications with university constituencies, including prospective and current students and parents, the research community, staff, donors and alumni and the medical enterprise community. The team works with offices across the university on developing and implementing communication strategies, tactics and initiatives, as well as preparing and disseminating university-wide targeted communications.

Dominic Abbate, Creative Director (Interim Co-Lead for Marketing)

The digital content team develops and implements strategies for social media and other digital platforms. The team manages, updates, develops content for, monitors, and reports on analytics for GW’s social media presence across many channels. The team also serves as a strategic partner and advisor on social strategy for our partners across the university.

The graphic design team leads the visual strategy for GW’s marketing and communications collateral across all touchpoints. The team also serves as the guardians of GW’s visual identity, serving as a resource and authority on its implementation and evolution. The graphic design team works closely with the marketing specialist team, coordinating the delivery of collateral supporting GW’s enrollment, alumni and philanthropy, research, and academic reputation-related efforts.

Rachel Muir, Executive Director, Editorial Services

The editorial team produces GW Today and GW Magazine, two of the university’s primary means of communication with its key audiences of students, faculty, staff and alumni. The team also writes and edits publications for GW’s schools and divisions as well as high-profile special reports and documents critical to the university’s mission and leadership.

Annette Thomson, Associate Director of Requirements & Support, Web

The enterprise-wide digital team is responsible for GW's public-facing web and mobile presence. The team of school and unit web leads, front-end developers and digital training and support staff ensure that GW's websites are up to date and meet the university's visual identity and accessibility standards. 

Kurtis Hiatt, Executive Leadership Communications Director

The executive leadership communications team provides communications support for university leadership, including the President, Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and other members of GW leadership.

Josh Schimmerling, Director, Marketing (Interim Co-Lead for Marketing)

The marketing team is responsible for overseeing and coordinating integrated marketing efforts in support of project owners and the university. The team works with project owners in developing marketing plans and determining the marketing collateral that is needed.

Kathy Fackelmann, Director, Media Relations

The media relations team is responsible for:

• Promoting GW research, scholarship, events and expertise to the media.
• Responding to incoming media requests.
• Providing media training and strategic communications guidance.

Lesley Grier, Director, Multimedia Strategy

The multimedia team plans and implements an effective multimedia strategy to advance the priorities of the university including enrollment, alumni and philanthropy, research, and academic reputation-related efforts. The team creates enhanced and integrated multimedia content for GW's editorial and digital properties which includes produced marketing videos, events coverage, and highlights and promotions of university news and research. The team also serves as subject matter experts to university leadership and partners in multimedia and provides recommendations relating to multimedia strategy and best practices.

Sarah Baldassaro, Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing

The leads are embedded in their respective areas, working directly with school deans and directors and unit leaders, to provide communications and marketing expertise.

Jin Chon, Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications

The strategic communications team oversees brand strategy, advertising services and research communications for the university. In addition, the team manages university-wide communications and marketing initiatives that require a comprehensive rollout strategy and engagement from multiple stakeholders. This team also provides message development and marketing copy services to units across GW.