From the President
New Associate Vice President of Communications and External Relations
Oct. 30, 2025
Dear De Anza College Community,
I am delighted to announce that Elizabeth Smith will join De Anza College as our new Associate Vice President of Communications and External Relations. Elizabeth brings more than 25 years of strategic communications leadership across
higher education, government and mission-driven organizations. Her appointment represents
a significant investment in advancing De Anza's visibility, strengthening our community
partnerships and telling our institution's powerful story. Her first day in the role
will be November 24, pending board approval.Higher Education Leadership
Elizabeth's career demonstrates exceptional breadth and measurable impact across diverse
organizational settings. She has led communications and marketing initiatives at four
higher education institutions, from community colleges to major research universities.
Most recently, as Director of Community Relations & Marketing at College of San Mateo,
she developed targeted marketing strategies that helped double enrollment at the Coastside
center while overseeing comprehensive digital marketing initiatives and building strategic
community partnerships.
At San Francisco State University, she served as Associate Vice President of Marketing
and Strategic Communications, where she shrank an undergraduate enrollment deficit
from 7% to less than 4% in just two semesters. As primary spokesperson, she successfully
navigated numerous high-profile incidents while maintaining institutional integrity
and stakeholder trust.
During her tenure at Saint Mary's College of California, Elizabeth served as Associate
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Her strategic leadership contributed to
remarkable outcomes, including a 48% increase in undergraduate applications, a 10%
improvement in selectivity, and more than 420% growth in faculty media mentions. She
also supported a successful $100 million fundraising campaign and coordinated major
civic engagement initiatives, including hosting the 2010 California Senatorial Debate
and organizing the college's largest service day with nearly 800 volunteers across
21 Bay Area locations.
At UC Davis, Elizabeth served as the institution's first Director of Marketing Communications,
launching the campus's inaugural integrated marketing initiative and building a new
marketing unit from the ground up.
Government and Public Service
Elizabeth's experience extends beyond higher education into critical public service
roles. As Deputy Commissioner of Public Affairs for the California Department of Financial
Protection and Innovation, she was appointed by the Governor to lead statewide communications,
marketing, grant programs and consumer education. She launched campaigns that generated
more than 1.4 million digital engagements and created the California Coalition for
Financial Empowerment to drive local impact across the state.
As Communications Manager for the City of Santa Cruz, Elizabeth served as lead communications
and legislative affairs officer, advising senior management and elected officials
on strategic communications. Her federal advocacy efforts resulted in Congressman
Jimmy Panetta securing $4.4 million for wildfire and affordable housing projects.
She also navigated crisis communications during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters
and federal legal challenges.
Nonprofit Sector Impact
At Code for America, Elizabeth served as Head of Marketing and later as Marketing
Consultant. She led communications for the launch of the Clear My Record program across
six cities, supporting a $1.2 million fundraising campaign and generating more than
1,700 media placements in outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post and
Los Angeles Times. She also managed the Code for America Summit, exceeding revenue
targets and increasing attendance by 14%.
Elizabeth began her career at Northwestern University, where she served as Director
of Donor Relations and Director of Marketing and Communications for the Northwestern
Alumni Association, leading university wide donor stewardship efforts and achieving
significant increases in alumni program participation.
Education and Professional Development
Elizabeth holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California, Berkeley's
Goldman School of Public Policy and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications
from Northwestern University's Medill School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
from Auburn University. Elizabeth has also completed certification as a Leadership
Development Coach through the Hudson Institute of Coaching.
Gratitude and Next Steps
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the members of the search committee for their
thoughtful and diligent work in selecting Elizabeth. Your commitment to this important
process—reviewing applications, conducting interviews and engaging in meaningful deliberation—has
been instrumental in identifying a leader who will continue to advance our mission
and values. The time and expertise you dedicated to this search reflects the collaborative
spirit that defines our college community.
At the same time, I want to congratulate and honor Marisa Spatafore as she prepares for her well-earned retirement from De Anza College at the end of
December 2025. Since joining De Anza in 2006, Marisa's dedicated service to our institution
has been nothing short of exceptional. Her unwavering commitment to equity and service
has touched every corner of our campus, and her leadership in the Communications Office
has elevated our ability to tell our story and connect with the communities we serve.
Under Marisa's visionary leadership, the Office of Communications has achieved remarkable
recognition and success. The office won first-place awards for its redesigned website,
campus video tour, and related social media campaign in a statewide competition sponsored
by communications professionals at California's community colleges, with judges particularly
praising the website's improved accessibility and navigation and the video tour's
striking aerial views of campus. In 2019, the website redesign also earned the number-one
ranking for accessibility in a national comparison of college and university websites,
with new visual elements and tools ensuring that people with diverse abilities can
make full use of the site. The Office of Communications was honored with an Excellence
Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College, recognizing outstanding
contributions in leadership and service through the John and Suanne Roueche Excellence
Awards. The office has also won five Paragon Awards and 22 Medallion Awards since
2020 for outstanding achievement in design and communication from the National Council
for Marketing and Public Relations, a further testament to the high standards Marisa
has maintained throughout her tenure.
Beyond these accolades, Marisa has assembled an extraordinary team—talented, passionate
and deeply committed professionals who embody the values she has championed. Her focus
on accessibility, student-centered communication and innovative storytelling has transformed
how De Anza presents itself to prospective students, current community members and
the broader public. Her dedication to creating materials and platforms that serve
all members of our diverse community reflects the equity-minded approach that has
defined her career.
As Marisa embarks on this new chapter, we can take comfort in knowing that the foundation
she has built and the team she has nurtured will continue to lead our college into
the future with vision and purpose under Elizabeth’s leadership.
Elizabeth's extensive experience in community college communications, combined with
her proven track record in government relations, crisis management and strategic marketing,
positions her exceptionally well to advance De Anza's mission and expand our impact
across Santa Clara County, the Bay Area and California.
Please join me in congratulating and welcoming Elizabeth Smith to the De Anza College
community. We look forward to introducing her to campus in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Omar Torres, Ed.D.
President, De Anza College