Two New Appointments at FSU

We are pleased to announce that Fayetteville State University has selected Joy Cook as the new Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications, effective immediately. Cook, who has served on an interim basis as FSU's media relations director and University spokesperson since May 2021, comes to the university with decades experience as a communications strategist and media and crisis management expertise. Cook is the president of Joy Cook PR Group, a company she founded in 2010. She is skilled in branding and marketing, as well as strategic communications planning, social media and digital strategy. Prior to this, Cook worked at North Carolina A&T since 2016-2019 in a variety of roles, including interim media relations director, marketing & public relations manager, and communications specialist.

Cook will oversee the Department of Communications and manage the day-to-day operations for internal and external audiences. She will work closely with the Chancellor, cabinet, and deans to further strengthen and promote the university's goals and initiatives. In this new role, she will lead the institutions communications and marketing strategies and will chair the university-wide Communications Council.

Cook will replace Jeffrey Womble, who had served as the lead for the Communications department for more than a decade. Womble recently took on a new role as the Senior Advisor for Stakeholder Engagement and works directly with the Chancellor and senior leaders across the campus. In this new role, designed to emphasize the importance of building and maintaining successful relationships with university stakeholders, he is responsible for planning, developing and executing strategic engagement opportunities and advancing the university's mission across stakeholder groups.

"This is a passing of the baton at FSU and I am excited to have both Joy and Jeff in these new positions. In the short time Joy has been working with FSU, we have seen our media and social media presence expand. It is critically important that we tell our stories and tell them in away that ensures everyone is paying attention," said Chancellor Darrell T. Allison.

"When I arrived at FSU in 2021, I saw something in Jeff that made me realize his value to this institution surpassed his current role. As senior advisor, he has already begun helping us rebuild our reputation with old friends, and make steps to meet with new supporters of this great institution. I lean on Jeff in so many ways and am glad he will help me take our university to the next level," added Chancellor Allison.