Adelphi, Md. (February 6, 2024)—University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has announced that Donna Itzoe, an award-winning senior communications executive with an established track record of success in designing and executing communications, public relations and digital/social media strategies for globally recognized corporate brands, has been named senior vice president and chief communications and events officer.
“Donna has shown a remarkable dedication to her craft and to continually improving as a professional throughout her career, coupled with a commitment to serving, teaching and mentoring those in her industry,” said UMGC President Gregory W. Fowler. “This is in addition to her success as a results-oriented strategic thinker for complex organizations, and I am excited to have her join our leadership team.”
Itzoe comes to UMGC from Lewisville, Texas-based Global Medical Response (GMR), where she served as senior vice president for marketing and communications, responsible for growing the brand. GMR comprises more than 150 brands and 80 trademarks, providing medical care primarily in the areas of emergency and patient relocation services across the United States and around the world.
“I am honored and excited to join an institution with such a proud history of service and commitment to adult learners, including many who serve in the military,” said Itzoe. “UMGC has a well-earned reputation for innovation in learning experiences that fit the needs of students, and I look forward to leading a team that helps share the university’s success story with the world.”
Prior to GMR, Itzoe held key communications roles at industry-leading companies including Raytheon Corp., where she established communication strategy and created the first social engagement and online experience for the company’s cyber division, and Verizon, where she served as director of public affairs and corporate communications, overseeing corporate strategy for integrated messaging, communications channels and company-wide communications. At EDS (now Hewlett Packard), she built strategic communication programs to support global initiatives and developed strategy and messaging for Intranet, trade shows, webcasts and printed publications.
Itzoe has led teams that have won numerous awards, including the Internet Advertising Competition’s best transportation integrated ad campaign, PR News’s best social media plan and best social media team, and an International Association for Business Communicators (IABC) award for best communication strategy for GMR’s response during the Ebola epidemic, and an IABC Silver Quill Award for Verizon’s Intranet program.
Itzoe is active in the IABC and the Public Relations Society of America, frequently speaking at events and conferences around the world. She is the author of several articles and papers on communications and marketing and previously taught communications and journalism courses at Richland College and University of Maryland, College Park.
Itzoe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, magna cum laude, from Mercer University and a Master of Arts in Public Relations and Communication from Georgia State University.
About University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers. Today, UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide, and more than 135 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland. For more information, visit umgc.edu.
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