Amy Neil, director of Outreach News and Public Information at Penn State, will become director of West Virginia University News and Information Services, effective Oct. 1.
Neil will provide oversight for WVU ’s media relations, among other duties. She also will serve as primary spokesperson for the University on breaking and general news affecting the campus, and help to strategically position WVU nationally with the media and other constituents.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to help position WVU as the best student-centered research university in the nation,”said Neil.”I look forward to bringing WVU ’s land-grant story to the state, nation and the world.”
Neil has been with Penn State since 1998, where she began as publicity manager for Penn State Press. Later, as assistant manager of the Penn State News Bureau, Neil was the primary university contact for national, state and local media. Since 2005, she has directed the public relations and communication strategies for the largest unified outreach organization in American higher education. Penn State Outreach includes the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Cooperative Extension and Penn State World Campus.
Amy Neils work at Penn State brought positive national media attention to several of its programs,said Bill Case, WVU s executive officer for communications.We expect her to be an effective advocate for West Virginia University, and an effective leader for the talented staff at News and Information Services.
Since 1999, she also has been a part-time public relations/development officer for Schlow Centre Region Library in State College, Pa. She also was marketing and sales director with Optical Image Technology Inc., a computer software company in State College, and marketing and sales manager with TCI of Pennsylvania Inc.
She earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism, with a minor in sociology, from Penn State and has completed the Penn State Excellence in Leadership and Management, Mastering Supervision and Management Institute continuing education and development programs.
