Central Oregon Community College (COCC) is pleased to announce that Jennifer Abel Kovitz has been hired as its new director of communications, a position she began on June 8. Kovitz fills the newly restructured role in the college relations office following the retirement of former executive director, Ron Paradis, who served in that capacity for 28 years. The college plans to rebrand and update the structure of its marketing and public relations office later this year.
With a background that incorporates strategic communications and national and international publicity campaigns, Kovitz most recently served as associate publisher and vice president of sales and marketing at Catapult book publishing group and has also been a consultant for arts and literary organizations through ZG Stories, a feminist B Corp agency.
Kovitz spent more than a dozen years on the marketing and publicity side of the publishing industry. She was the first employee hired by Catapult, the now national-bestselling and international award-winning publishing startup. In 2018, she was named a “Publishers Weekly” Star Watch Top Honoree, an award that recognizes emerging publishing leaders and their accomplishments for a global audience.
Kovitz was also the founder and executive director of 45th Parallel Communications, a consulting agency that implemented PR, marketing and operational strategies for independent book publishers.
She has served as an advisory council member for the Portland Book Festival and been a mentor for master’s degree candidates in Portland State University’s publishing program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature & religious studies from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. She and her family are relocating from Portland.
Zak Boone, COCC’s chief advancement officer and executive director of the COCC Foundation, said that Kovitz’s in-depth understanding of communications practices from the publishing industry will find firm traction in higher education. “She is data-driven, well-versed in multi-channel communications and marketing strategies, and brings to the college a focus on community engagement and an overall approach centered on equity,” said Boone. “It’s a very strong range of skills.”
For more information, contact Jennifer Kovitz, director of communications, at 541-383-7599 or jkovitz@cocc.edu.
STUDENT AWARDS ANNOUNCED AT COCC COMMENCEMENT
Four Central Oregon Community College (COCC) students were honored as part of the college’s 2020 commencement celebration, which took place last week via a web-based ceremony. Students Erin Hargrove, Roberto Iriche-Vargas, Jennifer McCabe and Connor Smith received awards.
Erin Hargrove, of Redmond, received the Walter G. Coombs Distinguished Achievement Award, which recognizes the student who maintains the highest scholastic average among those receiving a certificate of completion. Hargrove earned her certificate in medical assisting. A graduate of the American School of Correspondence in Lansing, Michigan, Hargrove is hoping to enter the health care workforce while earning an associate degree in general studies.
Roberto Iriche-Vargas, of Prineville, merited the COCC Distinguished Student Service Award, an honor presented to the student who exhibits a strong contribution to the campus though innovative initiatives, volunteerism, leadership and academic excellence. A graduate of Crook County High School, he earned an Associate of Applied Science in Manufacturing and plans to transfer to the Oregon Institute of Technology for a bachelor’s degree in technology and management.
Jennifer McCabe received the Avon F. Mayfield Award, presented to a student who displays progress in scholarship, quality of leadership, contribution to student welfare, progress toward useful and active citizenship and outstanding service. McCabe, of Bend, earned her Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree in biological sciences and plans to work in a field related to botany or biology.
Connor Smith, of Bend, received the Helen Leicester Honorary Scholastic Award, a COCC award that honors the student who receives an associate degree while maintaining the highest GPA with the highest number of COCC credits. A Mountain View High School graduate, Smith earned his Associate of Applied Science in Computer and Information Systems: Networking. Smith plans to attend the Oregon Institute of Technology and pursue a bachelor’s degree in information technology.
