by Luciana Starks

Mary Koppel joined City of Hope as senior vice president for external relations and strategic communications on Nov. 28, providing overall strategic direction for City of Hope’s marketing and communications programs.

Mary Koppel (Photo courtesy of Mary Koppel)

In this role, Koppel oversees marketing and communications support for the medical center, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences and philanthropy. She also oversees government and community relations.

Prior to joining City of Hope, Koppel worked for the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis as director of communications for the medical school and assistant vice president for public affairs for the Academic Health Center. She also served as director of communications and physician communications for Allina Health System in Minneapolis. Koppel began her professional career as a news producer for WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.

She has received numerous Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Institutional Advancement awards and has won two regional Emmy awards as a news producer from The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Koppel received her master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C., and her bachelor’s degree in politics from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.