UCI Division Hires Shellie Nazarenus as Communications Manager
By Anna Lynn Spitzer
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3.01.04 - The UCI Division has hired Shellie Nazarenus as communications manager to work with the Calit² communications team with a special focus on promoting institute activities at UCI. Her responsibilities include media relations, writing articles and producing videos on Calit² research projects for the Web site, and coordinating special events and conferences. In fact, Nazarenus is already known to the Calit² community, having been assigned to cover Calit² on behalf of the UCI Central Communications office in the early days of
"Communicating our goals and the results of our research," says UCI division director Albert Yee, "is extremely important to Calit² because we need to create and deliver impact. Shellie brings a great deal of experience and enthusiasm to this important task. I am absolutely delighted to have her on board."
Nazarenus has been a senior communications officer for UCI since 2001. Prior to that she directed public and media relations for the Daniel Boone Regional Library System in Columbia, Missouri, for two years, and served in a similar capacity at the Model Spinal Cord Injury System at the College of Medicine at the University of Missouri. She has taught at the School of Journalism, University of Missouri, from which she holds an MA. degree. And she has been a news anchor, reporter, and public affairs director for affiliates of the NBC and CBS television networks.
Says Nazarenus, "I want to renew my understanding of the research strengths of the UCI Division of Calit², work with my UCSD colleagues to articulate how they complement UCSD's, and develop the appropriate communications tools to showcase those strengths. I greatly enjoyed working with Calit² in the past, so I'm delighted to have this new opportunity."
When asked about her professional strengths, Nazarenus points to her diversity of skills. "I have experience," she says, "in broadcast and video, print publications, multimedia and Web design, and special events. I can analyze a communication need and confidently apply the appropriate tools of the trade to deliver the message to the target audience."
Because Nazarenus has worked as a media member and handler, she understands the media's needs and will gladly advise faculty members on the most effective ways to interact with reporters.
As a former UCI communications officer, Nazarenus brings institutional knowledge of the campus to this position. She has long-standing relationships with the directors of communications at UCI units relevant to Calit², including Michelle Williams at the new School of Information and Computer Science, Nicole Knight at the Samueli School of Engineering, marketing director Wendy Day Brown of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, and director Eleanore Stewart of the Beall Center for Art and Technology. She says she looks forward to working closely with them and others on joint press releases, promotional materials, and events.
When asked about her personal strengths, she responds with vigor: "I like working as part of a team. I respect everyone's expertise and contributions and want my expertise to be valued and sought out."
She has a reputation for taking charge of any project that comes her way. "If I'm told to get something done, I will - period!" she says emphatically. "Along the way, I will enlist the advice and expertise of appropriate people, and I'm good at finding out who those people are."
While not a technical writer, her background as a journalist and communicator has taught her how to be sure she has the facts and interpretations right. So she is committed to doing her homework before meeting with faculty members. "I can't promise that I will come with an expert grasp of the subject matter," she says, "but I will be prepared to have an intelligent conversation. I ask lots of questions!"
"We're very pleased to welcome Shellie back," says Stephanie Sides, Calit² director of communications. "While our institute is made up of two campuses, our mantra is to do everything as one virtual institute, including in the communications arena. Shellie brings a lot of energy to our team."
With Nazarenus' arrival, Sides plans monthly meetings of the communications team, alternating location between the two campuses to achieve the goal of one virtual communications unit. She points to the strengths that Nazarenus and Doug Ramsey (media relations at UCSD) share in media relations and video production, which will strengthen the relationship between the two campus divisions in those areas.