Brad Bohlander
Brad Bohlander has been named University of Arizona senior VP and chief communications and marketing officer following a competitive national search. Bohlander has more than 20-plus years of experience in public higher education communications and marketing. He will begin at UArizona Sept. 5.
“Brad has extensive communications and marketing experience in higher education and has led award-winning collaborative teams in creating and implementing strategic communications and marketing campaigns,” said University of Arizona President Dr. Robert C. Robbins. “He has a proven a track record of success in managing complex communications issues and implementing data-driven strategies to advance institutional reputation, and he understands the complexities of large land-grant universities such as ours. The university welcomes his valuable expertise and perspective, and I look forward to working with him.”
Bohlander will lead all facets of strategic and integrated marketing and communications for the university, in line with the institution’s mission, values and strategic priorities. UArizona is ranked among the nation’s top 50 public universities by U.S. News & World Report and is ranked in the top 20 in research expenditures among public universities by the National Science Foundation.
“I am truly honored to serve in this important position and thrilled to be joining the outstanding University of Arizona community,” Bohlander said. “The University of Arizona is a tremendous university that is clearly on an upward trajectory under President Robbins’ leadership. I am excited to join his excellent leadership team and work alongside colleagues across the institution to help the university achieve its goals and reach its remarkable potential.”
Bohlander joins the university from North Carolina State University, where he has served as chief communications and marketing officer since 2011. In that role, he oversees brand identity and central communications functions including public relations, media relations, marketing, internal communications, crisis communications, web and digital strategy, social media and creative services, and trademarks and licensing. He also serves as official university spokesperson.
Bohlander’s leadership at NC State has driven positive change in communications culture and effectiveness, greatly enhanced collaboration across campus, and led the university community to new levels of marketing and communications success. These efforts have significantly elevated the university’s brand and reputation and helped empower NC State to achieve its aggressive strategic goals.
Prior to that, Bohlander was executive director of public relations and university spokesperson for Colorado State University from 2002 to 2011. He moved to that position from the University of Colorado system, where he served as associate director for institutional relations from 1999 to 2002. While at Colorado State University, he led a successful crisis communications effort in collaboration with the CSU Police Department and campus safety officials. He built on this experience at NC State where he leads the university’s integrated crisis communications and issues management efforts and serves in a leadership role on the university’s emergency operation team.
