Last modified: Thursday, November 6, 2008
IU hires Valerie Pena for a newly created position
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 6, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Valerie Peña of Bloomington has been appointed to the newly created position of executive director and chief of staff for the Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Indiana University.
Valerie Peña
Peña, senior vice president of Oliver Wine Co., will begin her new duties Dec. 1. She will report to Mike Sample, vice president for public affairs and government relations.
"Valerie brings to IU a wealth of experience in all the key areas of marketing and public affairs that we need," Sample said. "She has planned and executed a wide variety of successful campaigns and events, and is well known in the Bloomington community as a proven manager and civic leader. She will be a great asset to us."
In her new position, Peña will be responsible for developing and coordinating university-wide marketing and advertising strategies as well as overseeing public affairs initiatives and special events. At the Oliver Wine Co., her responsibilities have included business planning and management, marketing, public relations, product development and government affairs. Prior to joining Oliver, she was executive director of the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention and Visitor Bureau for 16 years.
"I look forward to the opportunity of joining the team at the Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations," Peña said. "President McRobbie and Vice President Sample have an exciting vision for the future of the university and this office, and I feel privileged to be a part of it."
As an adjunct professor at IU Bloomington, she has taught courses in convention and event planning, tourism systems and commercial tourism.
Her civic and community involvement includes service on several Chamber of Commerce committees, the Bloomington Economic Development Corp. Board, the Town/Gown Community Relations Committee, the IU Bloomington Varsity Club Board of Directors, the Bloomington Area Arts Council and the Animal Control Commission.
Peña holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma.
