Comings and Goings
Lisa Lapin
Eric Montell
Michael Gratz
LISA LAPIN, chief communications officer for the University of California-Davis, has been appointed assistant vice president for university communications, David Demarest, Stanford's vice president for public affairs, announced Thursday.
Lapin has served UC-Davis for nearly a decade, first as director of its News Service and then as assistant vice chancellor for university communications, where she leads external and internal communications at the 30,000-student public research university. Her responsibilities at UC-Davis include media relations, crisis and issues management, executive communications, primary campus website and publications, marketing, faculty-staff communications, visual identity and design, and development, alumni and parent communications.
Prior to joining UC-Davis, Lapin spent 15 years as an award-winning reporter and editor at major daily newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, San Jose Mercury News and Sacramento Bee. She covered higher education, state and federal politics and environmental issues, and served as education editor and in newsroom management as city editor.
"Lisa has a deep understanding of the challenges facing higher education and extensive experience managing communications for a major research university," Demarest said. "She also has the knowledge of an experienced journalist. She has earned national recognition for her work handling campus crisis situations. She brings to Stanford a combination of skills that will enable her to be an effective communications strategist, counselor and leader. I know she is eager to work with her team to further advance and strengthen the university's reputation."
As Stanford's senior communications official, Lapin will serve as chief spokesperson for the university. She will oversee Stanford web content and top-level websites; media relations and the News Service; presidential and provost communications; major publications, including Stanford Report, the annual report and Stanford Facts; and campus video production. She will collaborate with the Office of Development and the Stanford Alumni Association on key communications issues and advise senior executive staff on communications policy. Lapin will report to Demarest as a member of the public affairs leadership team.
Lapin also has been a leader in the communications profession, conducting spokesperson-training workshops on campus and for numerous national organizations. She serves on the International Communications and Marketing Commission of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), advising the 3,400-institution organization on the latest advances in the field. She also serves as the commission representative to the CASE District VII Board of Directors and participates in the Association of American Universities public affairs network.
"For a communications professional, the opportunity to serve Stanford is a career pinnacle. Nowhere else is there such a wealth of good news to share about true global impact," Lapin said. "It will be an honor to work with a talented, competent team that is already recognized for its world-class communications programs. I look forward to productive collaborations throughout the campus."
Lapin's appointment becomes effective September 15.
ERIC MONTELL has been appointed the new executive director of Stanford Dining. He has been the division's interim executive director since March 2008, when his predecessor, Rafi Taherian, departed for Yale University to head its dining services. Montell's promotion was announced at the end of August.
As the head of Stanford Dining, a division of Residential and Dining Enterprises, Montell oversees an annual operating budget of $26.2 million and 211 full-time employees. He also leads Stanford's student-dining program and is responsible for the program in partnership with Stanford Athletics for feeding student athletes, the Executive Culinary Program at the Graduate School of Business and Stanford Dining's Sustainability Program, which includes the President's Campus Green Catering Initiative.
"Eric is a visionary and strategic leader," said Shirley Everett, senior associate vice provost for residential and dining enterprises. "He is a valued asset to our senior leadership team and his 10-year commitment to excellence at Stanford is legendary and evident by his significant accomplishments, award recognitions and collegial team spirit."
Montell is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and studied hotel and restaurant management at the University of Hawaii. Prior to joining Stanford, Montell worked for Marriott Management Services as the director of operations at Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Childrenís Hospital.
On Aug. 28, Everett also announced that Michael Gratz has been hired as the executive director of Stanford Hospitality and Auxiliaries. Formerly the director of hospitality services for 11 years at the University of Southern California, Gratz will oversee cuisine and customer service in all enterprise operations at Stanford. These operations include franchises on campus, such as Subway and Peet's Coffee & Tea; retail cafés, such as the café at the Alumni Center and the Axe & Palm; Stanford Athletics concessions; Stanford Catering; and the Stanford Guest House.