Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Janine Iamunno has been named chief communications officer at UNCW, filling a new leadership role focused on strategic communications and brand management with an increased emphasis on institutional marketing. Iamunno’s appointment was effective April 1. She has served as executive director of UNCW’s Office of University Relations since October 2012, and will continue to oversee the office’s operations as well as campus and emergency communications. She reports to Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli.

“Janine consistently brings energy, creativity and commitment to the university’s public relations, campus communications and branding efforts,” Chancellor Sartarelli said. "I have no doubt that Janine will continue to contribute significant leadership and communications expertise to a broad range of strategic initiatives.”

Under Iamunno’s leadership, the university has modernized its media outreach, editorial and digital efforts; reorganized the Office of University Relations to align resources with both institutional goals and the needs of an evolving marketplace; created additional avenues for effective internal and community communications; and developed communication and marketing plans surrounding UNCW’s Strategic Plan. Efforts launched under her guidance include: BIG, the university’s first Brand Identity Guide in over a decade; SWOOP, a digital news and information resource delivered weekly to faculty, staff, media and the community; and redesigned web portals and university publications.

With previous leadership stints at AOL, CNN, MTV and an Oscar- and Emmy-winning production company, Iamunno brought extensive national experience in strategic communications, crisis management, media relations and marketing to UNCW. At AOL’s Patch, she served as vice president of communications for the fastest-growing hyperlocal news and information platform on the Web (and the first of its kind, with nearly 1,000 local sites nationwide). Before that, Iamunno served as senior director of public relations at CNN, where she developed and managed communications strategies for on-air and digital programming (including the launch of “CNN Heroes”); network talent; significant news events (including the 2008 presidential election); the rebranding of Headline News to HLN; and crisis communications. She is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

- Andrea Monroe Weaver

#Chancellor
#OUR