Farwell appointed chief marketing and communications officer

May 22nd, 2018

COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri officials announced today the appointment of Kamrhan Farwell as chief marketing and communications officer for both the UM System and MU campus. Farwell’s appointment is effective July 2.

“We’re delighted that Kamrhan will help us take our marketing and communications strategy to the next level,” MU Chancellor Alexander Cartwright said. “Mizzou has turned the corner this past year, and we’re excited to have someone with a strong communications background who will complement our current team and help us share our story with the citizens of Missouri.”

Farwell currently serves as assistant vice chancellor for communications at the University of Pittsburgh. She co-directs the work of more than 50 employees who are responsible for several communications functions, including media relations, internal and external news publications, web services, marketing, and social media.

“We’re excited to have Kamrhan join us at the University of Missouri,” UM System President Mun Choi said. “Communications are an important part of a public university. Telling our story effectively, transparently and efficiently is one way we are held accountable by the citizens of the state. Kamrhan understands this and is eager to lead our efforts in this area.”

Prior to her work at the University of Pittsburgh, Farwell was an executive editor at the University of Texas at Dallas. She also served as a newsroom department head at The Dallas Morning News, where she directed a team of editors and reporters covering education throughout Texas. Before her nine years at The News, she worked as an editor at newspapers in southern California, including The Riverside Press-Enterprise and The Bakersfield Californian.

“Through the interview process, I was inspired by the vision and the commitment of the university leaders I met from all the campuses,” Farwell said. “We are all part of the next chapter in the University of Missouri’s story, and I hope to engage everyone in telling it in ways that are heard throughout Missouri and far beyond.”

Farwell replaces Jeri Doty who has served as interim executive director since October 2017. Doty will return to her permanent position as chief planning officer for MU Health Care.

“We’re extremely grateful for the work Jeri has done to build this new team and oversee a marketing strategy at a critical juncture for the university,” Cartwright said. “Under her leadership, a key piece of our recruiting work was advanced. The work she led is significantly responsible for the surge in enrollment and positive sentiment that we are experiencing throughout the state. We were very fortunate that Jeri was willing to take on this role at a very complex time.”

“Jeri is the definition of professional,” Choi said. “She provided an extraordinary service to the university, and we will forever be in her debt. I’m so thankful that we have people on our campuses willing to step up at a moment’s notice and do anything to help.”

Pronunciation guide: Kamrhan Farwell is pronounced “KAM – ren FAR – well.”