Julia Ferrante

Julia Ferrante joined Middlebury in June 2020 as associate vice president for public affairs in the Office of Communications and Marketing. 

In this role, she oversees the division of public affairs, including crisis communications, external and internal communications, media relations, select executive communications, and social media. She works closely with the vice president for communications and marketing, collaborating with colleagues across Middlebury College, the Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey, Language Schools, Schools Abroad, Bread Loaf School of English and Writers Conferences, and School of the Environment. Responsibilities include creating and sustaining crisis communications plans and policies, directing Middlebury’s response during emergency situations, reputation management, and advancing brand positioning. 

A Rhode Island native and graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Julia previously worked in higher education communications, marketing, and media relations for 12 years, overseeing media relations, news, social media, marketing, web communications, and design in various positions at Connecticut, Mount Holyoke, and Franklin & Marshall colleges and working in media relations, news, and admissions marketing at Bucknell University. Before making a career change to higher education communications, she was an award-winning journalist for 15 years, covering topics including higher education, health care and hospitals, criminal courts, government, religion, and Native American tribes and casinos, at daily newspapers in Florida, New York, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.