PR Professional Joins VCU Communications

By Anne Buckley

Public relations and marketing veteran Frances Dumenci has joined the Office of Communications and Public Relations at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she will be primarily responsible for disseminating information about the VCU Center for Clinical and Translational Research, or CCTR.

Dumenci was formerly the marketing manager for the VCU Health System, a position she had held since 2007. Prior to that, she was the director of public relations at the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh. She received her master’s degree in journalism and mass communications from Iowa State University.

In 2010, VCU received a $20 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to become part of a nationwide consortium of research institutions working to turn laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients, also referred to as translational research.

VCU joined the consortium through the CCTR, which is led by John Clore, M.D., associate vice president for clinical research and principal investigator for the NIH grant. The VCU CCTR is a comprehensive center working to enhance research infrastructure and promote collaboration across the university. The center also supports VCU’s efforts to strengthen ties with affiliates and community partners to better share resources and respond to community health needs.

“I look forward to working with Frances as we educate audiences both within and outside the university environment about the research programs being conducted through the CCTR and throughout the nationwide consortium,” said Clore. “This important translational research will make significant contributions to the health of all Americans and will save and improve lives.”