Loyola Marymount University President Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D., announced the creation of a new Marketing and Communications unit and appointed John Kiralla as its vice president today.
The appointment is effective immediately.
Kiralla, an LMU alumnus, has worked in marketing, digital strategy and communications for 20 years. He served as the executive director for marketing and communications for the past year and prior to that was executive director of digital, new media and design at LMU. Under Kiralla’s leadership, he and his teams have been recognized by the Webbys, CASE, W3, AMA, SPD, UCDA, Graphis and other international awarding bodies for their work on websites, publications and mobile apps. Kiralla has also consulted and worked for Apple, Collegis Eduprise, and Sungard Education.
“I am thrilled by the opportunity to lead LMU’s new Marketing and Communications organization,” Kiralla said. “President Snyder has set LMU on a bold path — one in which the university aggressively seeks recognition for its wondrous accomplishments on the world stage. This move maximizes our momentum as we further elevate our reputation, accelerate our visibility efforts, and position our brand for global impact.”
In making the announcement, Snyder said he created the new organization because LMU needs to be more focused in how it presents itself, and that the university’s future is tied to telling LMU success stories at the local, national and international levels.
“John is a leader whose creativity and drive inspires those around him to produce their best work,” said Snyder. “His fluency in brand development and his aptitude for galvanizing champions to our cause is a recipe for success. More people know about LMU today than ever. With our new Marketing and Communications organization — and John at the helm — greater renown for our institution is on the horizon.”
In the past year, Kiralla has led several major initiatives: a comprehensive redesign of LMU.edu, the university’s brand development initiative, innovative social media campaigns, and the communications and public relations efforts associated with hosting three world leaders on LMU’s campus. Earlier this year, LMU.edu was honored by the Webbys and LMU Magazine was awarded a gold medal by Graphis.
“Our team strives every day to ensure that the rest of the world knows the extraordinary stories and promise of LMU,” said Kiralla. Snyder concluded, “The new organization will continue the work John and his team started and expand on that success.”
