Brian Crawford Named Executive Director of Strategic Communications

March 6, 2013

Brian Crawford, an accomplished health care public relations leader, has been named the University of Chicago Medicine's executive director of strategic communications, effective Monday, March 4.

He will oversee the planning and execution of external public relations and internal communications strategies around UChicago Medicine's clinical, research and teaching mission. He also will work with the marketing division, hospital leadership, faculty and staff in ongoing efforts to build the institution's reputation.

"I am very excited about Brian joining our team," said Kathy DeVries, vice president of marketing and communications. "He brings a collaborative, focused and balanced leadership style that will enhance our solid media relations, social media, and internal communications team."

Crawford, 54, served as vice president of public affairs at Presence Health, created by the 2011 merger of Mokena-based Provena Health and Chicago-based Resurrection Health Care Corp. Prior to that, he served as senior director of system public relations for Resurrection, where he led initiatives in government, public and community relations from 2004 to 2012.

He also served in corporate media relations at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, working closely with its national chief medical officers, the national office of clinical affairs, and research scientists and physicians in the Blue Cross Blue Shield/Kaiser Permanente joint evidence-based practice center. Earlier in his career, he held public relations roles with Advocate Health Care-affiliated entities and worked in public affairs for the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council.

Born in Central Illinois, Crawford is a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he also got his master's degree in environmental design. In 2012, he received his Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University.