Biography
Jennifer Alexander has served as director of Extension Communications (formerly Extension and Experiment Station Communications) since 2016. In this role, she provides strategic and managerial leadership for the integrated communication and marketing team that serves OSU's Division of Extension and Engagement, including the statewide OSU Extension Service. This includes oversight of the team's educational publishing, news and public affairs, marketing and branding, visual design and multimedia, and web and content strategy efforts as well as executive, legislative, and internal communications for the division. Jennifer and her team also collaborate to implement digital engagement technologies and strategies that support access to and engagement with OSU Extension and the university broadly.
Jennifer has more than 17 years of experience in the communications field, primarily in land-grant university Extension and research communications. She joined Oregon State University in 2010, serving first as a publishing manager and then as interim director before assuming her current role. She previously worked as a technical editor for Kansas State University Research and Extension and in research communications for Pioneer Hi-Bred in Iowa. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree with dual major in horticulture and journalism and mass communications and a master's degree in agricultural education, both from Iowa State University.
Jennifer is active with the national Association for Communication Excellence, and served as ACE president in 2020-21. She represents the Western Region on APLU's Board on Agriculture Assembly Communication and Marketing Committee, chairs the Western Region Communicators group and contributes to the national land grant impact communications team. Jennifer is an alum of LEAD21, Class 13.
