Ruth Kaplan named executive director of public affairs and marketing at Syracuse University

Ruth Kaplan named executive director of public affairs and marketing at Syracuse UniversityAugust 24, 2007Kevin C. Quinnkcquinn@syr.edu

Ruth Kaplan has been named executive director of public affairs and marketing at Syracuse University, effective Aug. 1. In this newly created position, she will develop strategies to enhance national awareness of the University and its mission and highlight the various new initiatives in which SU is engaged throughout the region, the country and the world. She will dually report to Thomas J. Walsh, senior vice president for institutional advancement, and Kevin C. Quinn, vice president for public affairs. She will be based at the Joseph I. Lubin House in Manhattan — SU’s New York City headquarters.

Prior to joining SU, Kaplan served as a deputy director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where she oversaw marketing and communications activities for the museum and its programs worldwide and was responsible for directing the campaign for the reopening of the expanded and renovated museum, culminating with the opening of the Cullman Education and Research Center in November 2006.

Before joining MoMA, Kaplan was a senior vice president at the New York office of Ruder Finn Arts & Communications Counselors, where she developed strategic communications plans for a wide variety of clients, including Sony Corp., the Ford Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Prior to joining Ruder Finn, Kaplan served as vice president of marketing and communications at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where she created and implemented communications and marketing strategies for all the performing arts disciplines, including the successful launch of the Lincoln Center Festival, the most ambitious project ever undertaken by Lincoln Center.

Before joining Lincoln Center, Kaplan was head of public relations for the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. During this time, she designed and implemented creative initiatives to increase attendance to an average of six million visitors a year — the highest of any art museum in the United States. Prior to her work at the National Gallery, Kaplan served as vice president for promotion and advertising at WETA, Washington’s public television and radio station. In that capacity, she developed award-winning advertising and promotion campaigns for national programs.

Her numerous national promotion awards include the golden AMIE from the American Association of Museums for “the most outstanding marketing program in the U.S.” and The New York Times Award for ad recognition (2006). She was also honored by PR Week, the leading trade publication of the public relations industry, for her leadership of MoMA’s reopening campaign.

Kaplan began her career in London at the House of Commons, as personal assistant to Hugh (later Lord) Jenkins, minister for the arts, then moved to the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she served as press officer, promoting some of the company’s most notable successes.

Kaplan serves on the advisory board of the Strategic Communications Masters Program at Columbia University and the Poetry Society of America, and she is a member of the American Association of Museums, the International Council of Museums and ArtTable.

Kaplan holds a B.A. degree in English from Goucher College and an M.A. in English and Drama from the University of London.