New School of Nursing development director is chosen

Coleen Southwell, APR, has joined the University of Wisconsin Foundation staff as director of development for the School of Nursing. Successor to former director Kathleen Wiater, Southwell is returning to her alma mater after graduating in 1982 from UW-Madison with a B.A. in journalism and public relations. With her, Southwell brings 20 years of experience in higher education and corporate/agency public relations and marketing.

Having worked at the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota (U of MN) for seven years, Southwell’s communications expertise in areas of health care is extensive. Southwell worked at the U of MN as director of public relations in the College of Veterinary Medicine from 2000 to 2001. There, she established the framework for a professional communications program including new graphic identity standards and an award-winning magazine. She also provided communications counsel on legislative issues focusing on the foot-and-mouth disease and anthrax crises.

From 1996 to 2000, she worked as director of communications at the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at U of MN, where she established, launched, managed and marketed a Web site in excess of 300 pages, resulting in more than 3,000 individual users per month (see Web site: http://www.cancer.umn.edu/). She positioned the center as one of the country’s leading cancer research institutes by ensuring that research breakthroughs and center accomplishments obtained local and national media coverage and by helping build a community presence around the center.

From 1994 to 1996, she was public relations consultant at U of MN's Cancer Center, where she established various marketing and public relations programs. She managed and implemented media relations for the grand openings of U of MN’s new research building and the remodeling of its children’s hospital. Additionally, she implemented communications for U of MN’s Academic Health Center merger with Hibbing Hospital.

Prior to her accepting the UW Foundation role, she served as marketing manager for RSM McGladrey, an accounting and business consulting firm in Janesville. There, she launched marketing communications campaigns for new brand and corporate identities.

Southwell's philosophy on health care positions her as a integral "player" with the UW-Madison School of Nursing. She explains that "quality-of-life research, often conducted by nursing faculty," is what she feels passionate about and greatly admires. She believes, however, that it is “just as important to focus on the care of patients, not just the cure."

On behalf of Dean Katharyn May and the SoN community, welcome, Coleen Southwell, to the UW-Madison School of Nursing.