L FENLASON CONSULTING 2022-present 

Principal 

Advise leaders and leadership teams on strategy, visibility and high-impact communications, with a focus on higher education and related non-profits. 

SMITH COLLEGE 2019-2022 

Vice President for Strategic Initiatives 

Served as counsel to the president on matters of strategy, strategic planning, domestic and international communications, institutional visibility and constituent relations. Led initiative to reimagine career development, subsequently supported via $10 million gift, and helped advance successful proposal to eliminate student loans. Developed and wrote op-eds, speeches, fundraising proposals, award nominations, board of trustees reports and strategy papers. Advised on presidential visibility opportunities, high-level speaking invitations and strategic partnerships. 

Vice President for Public Affairs and Strategic Initiatives 2013-2019 

Carried all public affairs responsibilities detailed below: 

● Oversaw award-winning marketing and communications for Women for the World: The Campaign for Smith (2009-16); $486 million total is the largest ever for a women’s college. 

● Served as president’s key lead on a two-year, campus-wide process to develop and write her strategic plan, Lives of Distinction and Purpose: A Plan for Smith College. The plan was unanimously endorsed by the Board of Trustees in 2016. 

● Chaired 2014 search for Vice President for Finance and Administration, the first transition in that position in 23 years. 

● Co-chaired 2013 presidential inauguration. Served as point person for presidential announcement, campus welcome, transition and onboarding. Led successful launch of new president to alumnae, national media and major donors. Facilitated inaugural year interviews, op-eds and letters in Chronicle of Higher Education, Marketplace, CNN.com, New York Times. 

Vice President for Public Affairs 2004-2013 

As a member of the president’s cabinet, served as chief public affairs officer and primary spokesperson to the media, handling complex issues including freedom of speech, bias allegations, student illnesses and deaths, contested tenure decisions, health and safety of research facilities, controversial speakers, college property acquisitions, PILOT/tax obligations and more. Developed strategic digital and print communication programs for a range of external and internal constituencies including prospective students and donors; alumnae; media, legislators and national opinion leaders; trustees; community members; and faculty, staff and students. Directed thirty two person office responsible for media relations, social media, admission marketing, web communications, campaign and alumnae communications (including the award-winning Smith Alumnae Quarterly), special events, community relations and government relations. Oversaw two revenue centers: summer academic enrichment programs and the Smith College Conference Center. Staffed the External Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. 

● Drafted the college’s 2007 mission statement and strategic plan, The Smith Design for Learning, which guided Smith’s academic, fiscal and physical development for a decade and served as the basis of a $450 million capital campaign. 

● Managed public information, community relations and media relations surrounding the complex public review process for Smith’s capital expansion in engineering and molecular sciences in 2006-07. The most ambitious expansion of the campus in four decades, the science and engineering project encompassed a 30-year development agreement with the City of Northampton, commitments to create permanently affordable housing, support for small businesses, and active participation in numerous and frequently contentious public planning forums. 

● Managed sensitive campus and alumnae communications regarding a 2005 institution-wide budget realignment that resulted in consolidation of some student dining and a reduction in staff. 

● Created a unified events management office, providing direction and professional support to hundreds of events on and off campus, including a 2007 5,000-guest campus event featuring His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. 

● Served as strategic partner/loaned executive to the leadership of Five Colleges, Inc., to execute the consortium’s first strategic plan in ten years; drafted plan, which was endorsed in 2010 by the presidents and chancellor, in their role as governing board. 

Media Relations Director 1997-2004 

Led media relations program focused on national and international visibility for faculty research, student accomplishments, alumnae success and presidential leadership. Served as official college spokesperson.

● Generated front-page New York Times coverage for Smith’s 1999 launch of the Picker Engineering Program, the first engineering program at a U.S. women’s college. Later and ongoing coverage included major media outlets around the world. 

● For President Ruth J. Simmons, the first African American woman to lead a major college or university, and President Carol T. Christ, managed interactions with the media, including feature interviews, editorial board meetings, op-eds and public statements. 

● Placed research stories in major media outlets, based on Smith faculty studies in neuroscience, biology, psychology, economics and engineering. 

HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES 1993-1997 

Executive Director of College Relations 

As a member of the president’s senior staff, directed nine-person office responsible for presidential communications, media relations, admissions and development publications, the alumni magazine and sports information. Managed communications and marketing for $75 million capital campaign. 

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 1989-1993 

National Information Officer 1991-1993 

Based out of the U-M Federal Relations Office in Washington, DC, established personal contact with editors and reporters at national outlets in Washington, New York and other major media markets. Positioned and pitched stories of university-wide import as well as individual faculty members’ research findings, presidential op-eds (President James Duderstadt) and publications. Supported the university’s active lobbying on behalf of direct student lending. 

Information Officer, University News Bureau 1989 – 1991 

Generated and marketed stories on research and programs in 10 university departments, schools, centers, and administrative units to national, regional and local media. Beats included engineering, anthropology, English, sociology, automotive industry research institute and the Michigan Journalism Fellows program. Placed stories in the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other outlets. 

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 1988-1989 

News Officer, University News Bureau 

Placed stories about Penn research and programs in national, regional and local media. Developed strategic communications plans for national conference on campus violence and an interdisciplinary presidential conference on the status of children.  

EDUCATION 

Harvard Graduate School of Education/Institute for Educational Management 2011 

Bryn Mawr College 1983-1987, A.B. in English literature, magna cum laude, with distinction in the major 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 

Trustee, Cooley Dickinson Hospital & Health Care System 

Member, Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE) Public Issues Committee

Trustee, Council for Advancement and Support of Education/CASE 

Member, Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory Commission, City of Northampton 

Member, Lamplighters/Higher Education Roundtable senior communication professionals forum 

Trustee Appointee, Smith College presidential search committees 

Chair, Smith Administrative Management Seminars