IU has appointed two new communications and public affairs professionals for the University. Both will be appointed as interim co-leaders of public affairs and strategic communications efforts at IU, according to an Aug. 18 press release.
Margie Smith-Simmons will work as the interim assistant vice president for strategic communications and as University spokesperson. Ryan Piurek will work as the interim assistant vice president for public affairs and presidential communications.
Both Smith-Simmons and Piurek have worked for IU in the past.
Smith-Simmons worked as the director of strategic communications at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis. Piurek worked as the director of strategic communications at IU-Bloomington.
Both Smith-Simmons and Piurek will report to IU Vice President for Engagement Bill Stephan.
According to the press release, Smith-Simmons will oversee the development of IU’s communications program. This includes news and media relations as well as campus communications and social media. She will also be the chief spokesperson for the University.
Smith-Simmons succeeds Mark Land in the position. Land left IU at the end of July to go to Clemson University, where he accepted the position of vice president of university relations. Land worked as the IU spokesperson for five years and oversaw numerous fields from news and media relations to social media.
In his new position, Piurek will lead public affairs initiatives at IU. These initiatives focus on academic programs, University-wide policies and institutional priorities, according to the press release.
Piurek will serve as a communications liaison for people both within and outside IU’s academic community. He will also be in charge of communications for the strategic priorities and initiatives of the IU Office of the President.
Laurel Demkovich
