Letter regarding new vice president of communications

The following email was sent today to the MIT community by President L. Rafael Reif. To the members of MIT's faculty and staff, I am pleased to share the news that, after a year-long search, MIT will soon have a new vice president for communications. Alfred Ironside, most recently vice president for global communications at the Ford Foundation, will join us on February 24th. Alfred will serve on MIT's senior leadership team and report directly to me. As MIT's chief communications officer, Alfred will advise senior leaders across MIT and shape our overall communications strategy, including media relations, crisis communications, marketing and branding, as well as digital strategy and development. In addition to supervising the Office of Communications - which includes the MIT News Office, Communications Initiatives, Reference Publications and CopyTech - Alfred will seek to align, support and inspire the efforts of communications professionals across the Institute. From the U.S. State Department and the American Red Cross to the United Nations and the Ford Foundation, Alfred has devoted his career to mission-driven institutions with global reach.