The University of California, San Diego has appointed Stacie Spector to serve as the university’s new associate vice chancellor for university communications. Spector, who officially assumed her new role at UCSD on August 1, will manage a comprehensive communications program for the university, and will also direct the units of campus communications, publications, and special events & protocol.

Spector, a graduate of Columbia University, comes to UCSD with a wealth of experience in managing effective communications for a wide range of public and private sector clients, both locally and nationally. Spector served in The White House during the Clinton Administration as deputy assistant to the President and deputy director of communications. She has an extensive background in political campaign communications, strategic planning, and management. During the 1996 Clinton/Gore presidential re-election campaign, she served as the deputy director of communications managing the 50 state communications and rapid response operation. In 1999, she worked as deputy campaign manager and director of strategic operations for the Gore 2000 campaign.

Prior to assuming her role at UCSD, Spector maintained a successful consulting business providing national and regional communications , strategic planning, and grassroots communications services for a variety of private and public policy-oriented clients in the areas of education, international humanitarian relief and development assistance, and national trade associations, to name a few.

"We are very pleased that Stacie has joined us in this critical communications role," said Jim Langley, UCSD’s vice chancellor for external relations. "Her proven track record in strategic communications and in the national public policy arena are precisely what UCSD needs in its efforts to build stronger relationships with important segments of the local, regional, and national community."

In assuming her new position, Spector succeeds communications professional Winifred Cox, who retired from the university in April of this year.

The University Communications Office is responsible for providing a wide range of information and news to the campus community, the news media, the public, and other audiences about interesting research, events, and academic and student-related activities at UCSD. The office also initiates and oversees the design and production of numerous printed and electronic publications, including newsletters, brochures, reports and other materials. UCO also plans and manages a plethora of campus events, including special receptions, groundbreakings, and other celebrations. In addition, the office initiates regular tours for visitors to the campus.

Spector, who moved to the San Diego area 2 years ago after spending 10 years in Washington, D. C., is a native of Los Angeles, CA and is a resident of Carlsbad, CA.

Since its founding just four decades ago, UCSD�one of the ten campuses in the world-renowned University of California system�has rapidly achieved its status as one of the top institutions in the nation for higher education and research. With annual research funding of $627 million, UCSD ranks sixth in the nation�and first in the UC system�in federal R&D expenditures. UCSD faculty and graduate programs have been ranked 10th best in the nation by the National Research Council. The campus, which enrolls 23,045 students, has one of the nation's highest percentages of faculty elected to the prestigious national academies.