Contact us
VCU News is produced by Public Relations, along with the twice-weekly VCU Newsletter and daily TelegRAM. As part of Enterprise Marketing and Communications, Public Relations leads the news and public information efforts of VCU and VCU Health.
If you have questions, comments or a story idea, email vcunews@vcu.edu.
Staff
Contact information for VCU News staff is listed below, along with contact details for additional public relations contacts across the university and the rest of the Public Relations staff.
For media inquiries, contact one of the Public Relations staff members below. The news topics they are responsible for are included on their bio pages. Members of the media should call or text (804) 418-0174 to reach an on-call public relations staff member for emergency requests outside of regular business hours. See more information and guidelines for media.
- Michael R. Porter, APR
- Associate vice president for public relations
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- Leigh Farmer
- Assistant Director of Public Relations, VCU Health
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- Elinor Frisa
- Director of story development
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- Tom Gresham
- Director of news operations
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- Amelia Heymann
- Public relations coordinator
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- Sara McCloskey
- VCU Health News editor
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- Brian McNeill
- Director of public relations, Monroe Park Campus
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- Danielle Pierce
- Director of public relations, VCU Health
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- Mia Stephens
- Public Relations Coordinator, VCU Health
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- Olivia Trani
- Senior public relations specialist for research and science
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- Joan Tupponce
- Writer
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- Leila Ugincius
- Senior public relations specialist
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- Dina Weinstein
- Writer
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- Sian Wilkerson
- Public relations specialist, Monroe Park Campus
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These staff members are responsible for public relations in specialized areas across VCU at the college, school and unit level.
- Mary Kate Brogan
- Director of communications
- VCU School of Pharmacy
- Phone: (804) 828-7701
- Email: broganm2@vcu.edu
- Malorie Burkett
- Director of communications and marketing
- VCU College of Health Professions
- Email: mgburkett@vcu.edu
- Maggie Christ
- Communications Strategist
- VCU School of Public Health
- Email: christmm@vcu.edu
- Alexis Finc
- Director of communications
- VCU College of Humanities and Sciences
- Phone: (804) 827-1351
- Email: alfinc@vcu.edu
- Vernon Freeman Jr.
- Interim director of communications
- VCU School of Dentistry
- Phone: (804) 628-8575
- Email: freemanva@vcu.edu
- Caitlin Hanbury
- Director of communications
- VCU School of Nursing
- Phone: (804) 828-1071
- Email: cshanbury@vcu.edu
- Wesley Hester
- Executive Director of Communications
- VCU School of the Arts
- Phone: (804) 828-2787
- Email: hesterw@vcu.edu
- A.J. Hostetler
- Communications Director
- VCU Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health
- Phone: (804) 828-9652
- Email: aj.hostetler@vcuhealth.org
- Michal Howick
- Associate Director for Strategic Enrollment and Communications
- Brandcenter
- Phone: (804) 828-8384
- Email: howicksm@vcu.edu
- Jeffrey J. Kraus
- Director of executive communications
- Office of the Provost
- Phone: (804) 350-3941
- Email: krausjj@vcu.edu
- Geoff LoCicero
- Director of communications
- VCU School of Social Work
- Phone: (804) 828-9335
- Email: locicerog2@vcu.edu
- Lynne McCarthy
- Communications and Alumni Relations officer
- Life Sciences/VCU Rice Rivers Center
- Phone: (804) 827-1164
- Email: lcmccarthy@vcu.edu
- Jim Nolan
- Director of communications
- VCU School of Medicine
- Phone: (804) 828-2497
- Email: James.Nolan@vcuhealth.org
- Laura O'Brien
- Director of strategic communications
- VCU School of Education
- Phone: (804) 827-3628
- Email: lbobrien@vcu.edu
- David Oglethorpe
- Executive director of strategic communications
- VCU Office of Research and Innovation
- Email: oglethorped@vcu.edu
- Shira Pollard
- Director of communications and marketing
- Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
- Phone: (804) 828-7035
- Email: shira.pollard@vcuhealth.org
- Jennifer Pulver
- Director of Marketing and Communications
- VCU College of Engineering
- Phone: (804) 827-0631
- Email: pulverj@vcu.edu
- Sue Robinson
- Director of communications and public relations
- VCU Libraries
- Phone: (804) 828-0129
- Email: srobinson26@vcu.edu
- David Slipher
- Director of communications and external relations
- L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs
- Phone: (804) 828-1614
- Email: slipherd@vcu.edu
These staff members specialize in social media and other areas within Public Relations.
For the media
Our public relations staff members are here to assist journalists and members of the media as they cover stories and people at VCU and VCU Health. We are a 24-hour operation, and you can call or text (804) 418-0174 to reach an on-call public relations staff member for emergency requests outside of regular business hours. Please adhere to the guidelines below.
- Media representatives must arrange interviews and photo shoots with VCU faculty, staff or patients in advance through Public Relations.
- A Public Relations staff person will accompany any reporters, video crews and photographers while on campus to ensure confidentiality, privacy and appropriate sensitivity to students, patients and families. Members of the media may not enter student housing or position themselves at the entrances to student housing, except on rare occasions with special permission.
- News media must seek permission from Public Relations to set up to videotape or broadcast live from campus and they must park in designated areas. Permission will usually be granted for exterior work as long as it does not interfere with university operations.
- Members of the media reporting on VCU Health must follow additional guidelines, and Public Relations staff pay particular attention to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and other regulations involving patient confidentiality. Please review the guidelines on the VCU Health brand website.