Christen Engel, the chief of staff and vice chancellor of marketing and communication at the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA), has recently accepted a job offer with the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). She will be stewarding SRNL’s government affairs in her new role. Engel’s last day will be July 19.
Before coming to USCA in 2023, Engel worked as the senior vice president at Poston Communications, which is a crisis communications firm that serves professional service clients and Fortune 500 companies. She has also worked at Augusta University and Augusta University Health as the vice president for the marketing and communication teams.
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When she worked at USCA, Engel led consumer brand research, began the development of a new university brand, gathered a marketing team to guide project development, supported the launch of a new university website, and improved video and photo resources. She has also led university strategic planning, improved campus infrastructure, raised awareness of important news and events, enhanced relationships with legislators and external supporters, and advanced key projects and partnerships.
“Christen’s leadership of USCA’s marketing and communication division has been transformative, and her role as chief of staff greatly enhanced the efficiency of the Chancellor’s Office,” said Daniel Heimmermann, USCA chancellor. “She has been an outstanding colleague and remains a dear friend. I have no doubt that she will bring these tremendous qualities to her new position at the lab.”
Engel also led strategic communications and rebranding efforts during her time at AU.
She has been named the Nonprofit Communicator of the Year by PR News in 2022 and a Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce in 2019. The AU 2022 rebranding that was led by Engel, titled “An Experience Like No Other,” has been named one of the world’s best university marketing campaigns.
Engel is a member of the Public Relations Society of America’s Counselors to Higher Education executive committee and was the former chair of the University of Georgia’s Public Relations Advisory Council. She also graduated in 2015 from Leadership Augusta.
Chris Cardelli, creative director, and James Raby, marketing director, will oversee the marketing unit at USCA until the position is filled.
