J. Elizabeth Smith has been appointed to the newly created post of director of marketing communications in University Communications. Smith comes to UC Davis after nearly five years at Northwestern University.

At Northwestern, she most recently served as director of donor relations, where she worked to significantly expand donor stewardship programs. Prior to her work in donor relations, Smith was hired as the first director of marketing and communications for Northwestern Alumni Association, where she spent more than three years building its marketing and communications function.

Smith has also worked in public relations in Chicago and Los Angeles.She holds a master's degree in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Auburn University.