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Georgia Tech Names New Vice President for Institute Communications

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The Georgia Institute of Technology has named Renee Kopkowski, currently the president and a partner in the New Jersey-based communications consultancy strat-igence Inc., its new vice president for Institute Communications. Kopkowski was selected following a national search.

A Georgia resident, Kopkowski will begin her new job in late May. Dene Sheheane, Georgia Tech’s vice president for Government and Community Relations, has served as interim vice president for Institute Communications since late summer 2018. 

Kopkowski has a long and distinguished history in corporate communications leadership. Since 2017 at strat-igence, she has led the development of strategic communications programs and campaigns for clients in higher education, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and technology. In 2016-17, Kopkowski guided communications for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. 

From 2007 to 2016, Kopkowski served in high-level communications roles for Mars Inc., a $33 billion global food company with 72,000 associates worldwide in the areas of petcare, chocolate, gum & mint, food, and Mars Symbioscience, a technology-based health and life sciences business focused on evidence-based product development.From 2013 to 2016, she led the company’s global external communications team, whose responsibilities included crisis management, media relations, digital properties, and consumer care. 

"Renee Kopkowski has an outstanding record of success in enhancing the reputation of large organizations with a wide range of stakeholders," Georgia Tech President G.P. "Bud" Peterson said. "Her strategic planning capabilities along with her strong media relations background will help us strengthen the Georgia Tech brand, which is already internationally known and respected. Her background and passion for advancing her clients’ interests at the state, national, and international levels will be invaluable in leading Institute Communications."

Kopkowski is a magna cum laude graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in journalism. She has also participated in the Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program, the Center for Creative Leadership’s "Leadership at the Peak" program, and the Arthur Page Future Leaders Experience.

"I am thrilled to join the team at Georgia Tech," Kopkowski said. "I am honored to take a role where I get to work with a fantastic team and represent a renowned research institute that I have long admired. It’s exciting to know that I will be contributing to an organization that is creating the next generation of innovative leaders and researchers as well as contributing to the economic development of the region I’ve called home for more than two decades."

Early in her career, Kopkowski wrote and produced television news, and managed media relations and internal communications for large hospital systems in Georgia and Florida. From 2000 to 2007, she co-owned and managed Wonder Public Relations, a boutique communications firm that implemented large-scale internal communications, public relations, and issue- and community-related campaigns for companies such as Mars Inc., Saint Joseph’s Hospital, The Shaw Group, The HoneyBaked Ham Company, Shepherd Spinal Center, and American Healthcare.

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  • Workflow Status:Published
  • Created By:Michael Hagearty
  • Created:03/12/2019
  • Modified By:Michael Hagearty
  • Modified:03/12/2019

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