Heather Johns Appointed Vice President for Communications and Marketing

Dear Friends,

It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Heather Johns as Smith’s next vice president for communications and marketing effective August 14, 2025. Heather is a seasoned communications leader with a distinguished career in higher education. As vice president for marketing and communications at Bucknell University since 2020, she oversees a 38-person communications team responsible for institutional brand management, enrollment marketing, media relations, digital and visual strategy, flagship publications, and executive and internal communications, as well as campus mail services and in-house print operations. She serves as trusted counsel to senior leadership and works collaboratively across departments to build an integrated approach to communications and marketing that drives engagement and advances the institution’s mission and goals. Prior to Bucknell, Heather held editorial positions at Fitness Management magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and TV Guide, and earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Elizabethtown College in New Jersey.

After meeting Heather, I knew she would be an excellent addition to our team because she believes in Smith’s mission and is a collaborative leader with a deep understanding of communications strategy, marketing, media relations, and crisis management, and has proven her ability to advise senior leadership on complex communications issues. When I asked Heather why she’s excited about this new role, she said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the Smith College community and to help further its mission to educate and empower women of promise. I look forward to listening, learning, and collaborating with colleagues across campus to help share the stories that make Smith so extraordinary.” I hope you will join me in welcoming her to campus in August.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the members of the search committee—Luca Capogna, Jennifer Malkowski, Joanna May, Beth Raffeld, and Debra Townsend—for their time, care, and thoughtful work during this process. I also want to thank everyone who participated in the interview process, including members of the communications team, faculty council, the president’s team, the board of trustees, and human resources. The perspectives and feedback that all participants provided were invaluable.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank Debra Townsend for serving as interim vice president since November 1. Under her leadership, the communications team co-led branding and content creation for Smith’s 150th anniversary; finalized Smith brand guidelines, web improvements, and policies; appointed a national crisis communications firm; and participated in selecting a new mascot for athletics. Debra served as a key adviser to me and the president’s team as higher education faced new challenges and increased media attention. Debra’s service will conclude on June 30. I am pleased that Carolyn McDaniel, director of media relations, has agreed to serve as interim vice president from July 1 until Heather’s arrival in mid-August.

Warmly,
Sarah