Communications

The Communications Charter

Why does this department exist? The Communications Department serves four core functions at Deerfield.

• Serve as the primary stewards for the Academy’s identity, aligning communications goals, strategies, and tactics with the Deerfield’s mission, the shared emotions and experience of students and alumni, and the operational goals of the institution.
• Gather and share news and information about the Academy. Demonstrate Deerfield’s commitment to its mission—and meet the practical requirements of the Academy mission—through daily communications with constituencies.  Support academic, enrollment, and alumni giving goals especially.
• Enable efficiency in the Academy operations by enhancing communication clarity, increasing speed, leveraging personal preference, and enabling the use of communications technology.
• Enable critical thinking in the discipline of Communications within the academic mission of the institution and provide practical expertise in Communications within the context of Deerfield’s academic and co-curricular programs.

Roles and Responsibilities

Director of Communications – David Thiel ’91

• Steward of Deerfield Academy’s Identity (Essence, Promise, Voice, Style, etc.)
• Conceptualization, creative direction, and editorial support for communications projects, communications architecture, and strategic positioning.
• Chair of the Academy Calendar Committee
• Serves as “press secretary” for the Academy
• Manages communications policy and processes
• Indvidual contributor of user experience design, copywriting, and photography.

Associate Director of Communications – Jessica Day

• Manager for the Academy’s major publications (Magazines, Annual Report, Viewbook/Catalog)
• Community relations
• Manages writing talent used by the Communications Office
• Researches and writes articles for Deerfield publications

Electronic Communications Specialist – Danae Dinicola

• Coordinates small, short lead time, integrated communications campaigns (e.g. campaigns that integrate print, email, and web activities)
• Manages Deerfield’s bulk email system
• Administers the Academy Calendar
• Captures and author content for publication in online and offline media channels
• Manages Deerfield’s online identity:
  • Manages daily news cycle on .edu as well as social media sites
  • Monitors Deerfield’s presence on sites like Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook

Manager of Graphic Design Services – Brent Hale

• Primary graphic designer for the Academy, responsible for the design of all materials
• Manages Deerfield’s identity standards (colors, logos, typography, etc.)
• Manages Deerfield’s photographers and photo-library
• Directs photo and video shoots, and performs selected post-production work
• Manages the creative and technical interface with printers, pre-press vendors, and photographers

Archivist – Anne Lozier

• Develops procedures to acquire, appraise, process, and preserve the Academy’s unique historical holdings, and to make them available to students, alumni, faculty, and administration as appropriate
• Manages requests and/or recommends pertinent materials available in libraries, private collections or other sources for inclusion into archives
• Manage digital content obsolescence policies and the archiving of online materials
• Manages digital photo tagging and indexing

Production Coordinator – Anna Newman

• Ensures coordinations of print and electronic communication tactics within the same campaigns
• Manages schedules, key deliverable dates, and intake/output of creative assets between the Communications Office and customers/vendors
• Ensures that job requests follow appropriate processes and that full and detailed information is captured and documented about new work
• Researches and writes for Deerfield’s print publications
• Collects and authors content for web site
• Proofing and light editing of communications projects

Communication Support Specialist – Joseph Delaney

• Manages incoming Communication Department emails and general school phone-calls
• Maintains supply levels for Comm offices and the Main School Building
• Provides aid with general photography, video production, and Communications press releases
• Manages the department photography library to streamline storage, access, and application of images