Vice President for University Relations 607-255-9029 vp-univrelations@cornell.edu
Joel M. Malina serves as Vice President for University Relations, coordinating Cornell's internal and external communications functions as well as the university's relationships with federal, state, and local policy makers and stakeholders.
In coordinating communications, Malina supervises a large staff working in four critical areas: Media Relations, News, Brand Communications, Strategic Communications, and – in partnership with Alumni Affairs and Development – Cornellians, the university’s digital alumni publication. He also works closely with the deans and the communications directors of Cornell's sixteen colleges and schools to integrate communications across the university. Malina's primary responsibilities in this arena include leading the development and implementation of a university-wide communications strategy and serving as Cornell's principal spokesperson. The Office of the Assemblies and Office of Visitor Relations also fall under his purview.
As head of federal, state, and community relations, Malina directs the university's public policy efforts and coordinates its involvement with government-focused higher education associations. With offices on the Ithaca campus, in Albany, and in Washington, D.C., Malina and his teams serve as liaisons between Cornell and elected officials and agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Malina also works closely with the government and community relations teams at Weill Cornell Medicine and at Cornell Tech, as well as Ithaca-based academic units with a presence in New York City, on the engagement of city policy makers and stakeholders.
A cum laude graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Political Science, Malina came to Cornell from Washington, D.C., where he served as CEO and General Manager of Wexler | Walker. Over the course of 21 years at the consulting firm, Malina established himself as one of Washington's premier strategists and coalition practitioners, managing numerous successful lobbying and communications campaigns on behalf of Fortune 100 companies and trade associations.
Prior to joining Wexler | Walker in 1992, Malina served as a political aide to former U.S. Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY) and was an Associate at Austin-Sheinkopf Communications, a New York City-based political media relations firm.
A former professional actor, Malina appeared in numerous television commercials, Off-Broadway, and regional theater productions.