Dear Members of the Bates Community,

I write to share the news that Tracey A. Reeves, associate vice president for research and academic communications at Georgia Institute of Technology, will become vice president for communications and marketing at Bates, effective Sept. 12.

To read more about Tracey’s appointment, please see this Bates News story.

I am thrilled to welcome Tracey to Bates as the leader of the Bates Communications team and a member of the senior staff. Tracey comes to Bates with deep experience in journalism, including nine years as a reporter, editor, and bureau chief at The Washington Post, followed by 10 years as director of media relations at the Johns Hopkins University and, most recently, as associate vice president for research and academic communications at Georgia Tech. Tracey is a highly accomplished communications professional, with a track record of progressive responsibility in leadership and management and more than 15 years immersed in the issues and challenges of higher education. She has a stellar reputation as an honest and accountable leader, with a proven ability to motivate and support her teams. In many conversations during the search, Tracey impressed Bates colleagues with her warmth, insight, and thoughtful approach to complex issues. I very much look forward to working with and learning from Tracey in the coming year.

This appointment follows a national search overseen by a committee composed of faculty and staff, with assistance from The Ward Group, a search firm that specializes in communications. I wish to thank members of the search committee for their diligent work on this very important appointment, as well as the members of the community who met with finalists during campus visits and provided feedback to the search committee.

I would also like to thank Jay Burns, editorial director of BatesNews and editor of Bates Magazine, for serving as interim director of the Bates Communications Office since April, and all members of the BCO team for their continued contributions to Bates during the leadership transition.

Please join me in welcoming Tracey to the Bates community in her new role.

With all best wishes,
Clayton