Media Relations

ETSU Office of University Marketing and Communications staff members are assigned to cover specific colleges, divisions, and offices across the East Tennessee State University campus. 

Members of the news media are encouraged to contact a staff member at the numbers below, or, to reach the main University Marketing and Communications office, call (423) 439-4317.

Jess Vodden

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
(423) 439-5696
vodden@etsu.edu*   

• Administration
  • Office of the President
  • Internal Audit
  • University Counsel
• Publications
  • From President Noland’s Notepads
• Issues Management
• Public Safety
• Athletics

 *If Jess is unavailable to address media requests or time-sensitive issues, please contact Melissa Nipper or OJ Early.  

Melissa Nipper 

Executive Director of Communications

(423) 439-4325

nipperm@etsu.edu

• Administration
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Office of the Provost/Academic Affairs
  • Advancement (administrative)
  • Alumni
  • Facilities Management
  • Human Resources
  • Registrar’s Office
  • ETSU News website
• Strong BRAIN Institute
• Equity and Inclusion 
• Publications
  • Provost’s Pen
  • ETSU Today magazine
  • President’s Annual Report
  • ETSU At a Glance

O.J. Early

Communications Manager 
423-439-8464
earlyo@etsu.edu

• Publications
  • BucWire
  • Events Emails
  • Weekly Update
• College of Arts and Sciences
  • Africana Studies Program
  • Appalachian Studies
  • Art and Design
  • Basler Chair of Excellence
  • Biological Sciences
  • Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies
  • Center for Appalachian Services
  • Center of Excellence in Paleontology
  • Chemistry
  • Criminal Justice and Criminology
  • Communication and Performance (Storytelling)
  • Geosciences
  • History
  • Literature and Language
  • Mary B. Martin School of the Arts
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Media and Communication
  • Medical Professions
  • Music
  • Philosophy and Humanities
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Political Science, International Affairs and Public Administration
  • Psychology
  • Theatre and Dance
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Division of Storytelling
• Clemmer College
  • Counseling and Human Services
  • Curriculum & Instruction
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Educational Foundations & Special Education
  • Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis
  • Sport, Exercise, Recreation and Kinesiology
  • Quillen Chair of Excellence in Education
  • Center for Community College Leadership
  • Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Learning and Development
  • Mathematics & Science Education
  • Center of Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education
• College of Business and Technology
  • Accountancy
  • Bureau of Business and Economic Research
  • Center for Banking
  • Computing
  • Digital Media
  • Economics and Finance
  • Engineering
  • Engineering Technology
  • Interior Architecture
  • Management and Marketing
  • Military Science/ROTC
  • Surveying and Mapping
  • Tennessee Small Business Development Center
• Honors College
• ETSU Natural History Museum – Gray Fossil Site
• George L. Carter Railroad Museum 
• Martin Center
• Sherrod Library 
• ETSU Online

Rachel Howard

Marketing and Communications Specialist
(423) 439-5699
howardre1@etsu.edu

• College of Graduate and Continuing Studies
• Student Life and Enrollment
  • Undergraduate Admissions
  • Graduate Admissions
  • Campus Recreation
  • Counseling Center
  • Disability Services
  • Dining Services
  • Fraternities and Sororities
  • 1st Year Experience
  • Housing & Residence Life
  • ID Services
  • Leadership and Civic Engagement
  • Multicultural Center
  • New Student & Family Programs
  • Student Activities and Organizations
  • Student Government Association
  • Culp Center
  • Student Media
  • Financial Aid and Scholarships
  • Advisement
  • Veteran's Affairs
  • Roan Scholars
  • Center for Academic Achievement
  • TRIO
  • Career Services

Jonathan Roberts

Marketing and Communications Specialist
(423) 439-4314
robertsjm3@etsu.edu

• Academic Health Sciences Center
• ETSU Health (academic side)
• Quillen College of Medicine
  • Biomedical Graduate Program
  • Center of Excellence for HIV/AIDS
  • Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences
  • Family Medicine
  • Internal Medicine
  • Medical Library
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pathology
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
  • Surgery
• College of Nursing
  • Graduate Programs
  • Nurse managed clinics
  • Undergraduate Programs
  • 6 ETSU Health Nurse-Managed clinics including Johnson City Community Health Center, Johnson City Downtown Day Center, Hancock County Elementary-Based Health Center, Hancock County Middle/High School-Based Health Center, Mountain City Extended Hours Health Center, University Health Center 
• College of Public Health
  • Center for Rural Health Research
  • ETSU /NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center
  • Center for Applied Research & Evaluation in Women’s Health (CARE Women’s Health
  • Addiction Science Center
  • Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research
  • Tennessee Institute of Public Health
  • Biostatistics and Epidemiology 
  • Community and Behavioral Health
  • Environmental Health
  • Health Services Management and Policy
  • Health Sciences
  • ETSU-Eastman Valleybrook campus/Project EARTH
• College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences
  • Allied Health Sciences (Respiratory Therapy, Dental Hygiene, Radiologic Science)
  • Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
  • Rehabilitative Sciences (Rehabilitative Health Sciences Nutrition and Dietetics, Physical Therapy, Sport Nutrition, Occupational Therapy)
  • Social Work
  • Dental Hygiene Clinic
  • Gary E Shealy Memorial ALS Clinic
  • Speech Clinic and Hearing Clinic/Nave Center
• Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Pharmacy Practice
  • Center for Pharmacy Education, Advocacy, and Outreach
• Publications
  • ETSU Health Magazine
  • Gatton RX Magazine
  • Quillen Magazine