New VP of Marketing and Communications William Warren
August 11, 2021
After an extensive national search, we are pleased to announce that William Warren has been selected as the Vice President for Marketing and Communications. Warren will be joining SBU after ten years at the University of Utah, where he was the university’s first Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. Warren will serve on President McInnis’ Executive Leadership Team and lead all marketing and communications for the academic and research enterprise, Stony Brook Medicine, and the Stony Brook Medicine Healthcare System. His first day will be September 13.
“I am absolutely delighted to have Bill join Stony Brook University at this critical juncture,” said President McInnis. “Bill is a proven leader who, in addition to his deep experience in higher education, brings a broad range of expertise from both the political and corporate worlds. As we emerge from an incredibly difficult year, I am thrilled to have Bill join our team as we launch bold, new initiatives and forge exciting, strategic partnerships.”
At the University of Utah, Warren built a marketing and communications team that includes crisis communications, issues management, digital strategy, and creative services. Under his leadership the university launched its first overarching marketing campaign, known as “Imagine U,” which is now in its ninth year. His efforts to ensure better alignment of marketing messaging and brand identity accelerated when he served as interim chief marketing and communications officer for the University of Utah’s health care system and health sciences colleges — the first time one individual oversaw marketing activities for both campuses. He also oversaw the award-winning redesign — in both print and digital formats — of the University of Utah Magazine.
Warren’s roots — and his heart — however, are here in New York. Prior to joining the University of Utah, he served as vice president of communications at CA Technologies, one of the largest independent software corporations in the world. There, for eight years, he oversaw a wide range of functions, including government affairs, community relations, corporate philanthropy, executive and internal communications. During his career he has also held senior communications roles at MCI, ARCO, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“I am so pleased to be coming back to New York, to support President McInnis and her team as they showcase the excellence of Stony Brook — a true catalyst for social and economic change in the region and beyond,” said Warren. “Stony Brook has a great story to tell and I’m enthusiastic about what lies ahead in the next chapter of this great institution — New York’s greatest public university.”
Teresa “Terry” Flannery, PhD, one of the top marketing and communications professionals in higher education, will be wrapping up her one-year engagement as interim vice president on September 10. “I am so thankful Terry agreed to serve in this interim capacity for the past year. She provided tremendous leadership and guidance as we navigated through an incredibly challenging and complex year,” said McInnis.
Warren holds masters' degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Rice University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He will be accompanied by his wife Patricia Rohrer, who holds a doctorate from Columbia University and has taught at City University of New York (CUNY), New York University (NYU), Teachers College at Columbia University, and Barnard College. They have two children, Simon and Jaspar.
Maurie McInnis
President