Mason picks Brennan as new UI VP, promotes Braun

IOWA CITY -- University of Iowa President Sally Mason has selected Joe Brennan to be the next vice president for strategic communication, and Mason promoted her Chief of Staff Mark Braun to a vice president position, she announced Thursday.

Braun will serve as chief of staff and as vice president for external relations at a new salary of $225,000, effective Aug. 1. He was earning $202,800.

Brennan, 51, was one of three finalists to interview on the UI campus in July to become the next vice president for strategic communication. Brennan, who will make $220,000 annually, has more than 20 years of higher education communications experience and will begin Aug. 31. His responsibilities include leading consistent and successful messaging from University Communication and Marketing, the university's 11 colleges, and other units with independent communication units. He also will oversee the Hancher performing arts program.

Braun was the university's lobbyist for 10 years and has been Mason's chief of staff for the past five. He will be responsible for the Office of the President, UI Alumni Association, Office of Governmental Relations; serve as the UI's transparency officer; and coordinate with the vice president for strategic communication and the university spokesperson.

Mason will ask the state Board of Regents next week to approve both appointments.

Brennan and Braun will work together to improve university communications and enhance the UI's reputation as a premier provider of teaching, research and service, Mason said in a statement.

"I am committed to effectively communicating the value of the University of Iowa to all Iowans and to the university's many other stakeholders," she said.

Brennan comes to the UI from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he is associate vice president for university communications.

Braun served as interim vice president for strategic communication since January.