Since joining Rochester’s leadership team in 2015, Stauderman has led a ‘digital-first’ approach to the University’s communications efforts.
Elizabeth Stauderman, who has served as the University’s vice president for communications for the last seven years, plans to step down at the end of the calendar year.
Since joining the University of Rochester from Yale University, where she served as chief communications officer and special assistant to the president, Stauderman has led efforts to promote the work of the University of Rochester through a “digital-first” approach to institutional communications and external relations, digital and web communications, social media, print and electronic periodicals, and photography and videography.
As a member of the University’s cabinet, Stauderman provided counsel to President Sarah Mangelsdorf and University leaders on a broad range of communications topics, including issues and crisis management; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and global communications.
She oversaw a reorganization of University Communications in ways that allowed the team to better serve the audiences of the University, and she greatly enhanced the coordination and collaboration among communications directors across Rochester’s schools and units, including creating the University-wide Communications Steering Committee.
“Our communications efforts have benefited greatly from her commitment to the idea that when we speak as ‘one University,’ the story of the University of Rochester is one that we can all be proud to share,” Mangelsdorf said.
Since 2015, Stauderman is credited with leading an overhaul of the University’s fragmented web presence, working with her team to design a new homepage along with hundreds of other related pages. Stauderman also effectively adapted many internal communications to create a well-informed University community during the two-year institutional response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, she also maintained and improved the University’s traditional forms of news delivery, including Rochester Review magazine, to maintain continuity during a challenging period for the University.
Under her leadership, the department reorganized its storytelling efforts to strengthen the editorial focus highlighting Rochester’s global influence and expertise—particularly in research—work that has resulted in increased search and reader engagement. She also created a dedicated team to manage and monitor flagship social media channels, which are followed by more than 270,000 people worldwide.
Known as a leader who preferred to let the talents of her team take the spotlight, Stauderman assembled a strong group of professionals to advance and communicate the goals of the University. In addition to her departmental responsibilities, Stauderman took on leadership service roles at the University, including acting as the chair of four successful United Way annual fundraising campaigns. She also played a principal role in developing the University’s Meliora Values statement.
An interim leader for University Communications will be appointed in the near future while a search is conducted for Stauderman’s successor.
