Smith College, Vice President for Communications and Marketing

Following a national search, Smith College has appointed Heather Johns as vice president for communications and marketing.

Johns most recently served as the vice president for marketing and communications at Bucknell University. Over her 16-year tenure, she advanced from alumni news editor to vice president, assuming the role in 2020 and serving as a member of the president’s senior leadership team.

At Bucknell, Johns built the university’s first marketing program and transformed its communications operations. She played a lead role in launching a new institutional brand, elevating national visibility, and aligning storytelling with strategic priorities in enrollment, philanthropy, and academic excellence. Under her leadership, the University developed Ethical Storytelling to guide inclusive, mission-driven communications.

Johns holds a bachelor of arts in English from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. She will begin her new role in August 2025.

Elizabeth Neustaedter and Jack Gorman led this search with Lisa Clayton.