The Gustavus Adolphus College community welcomes Madeline Roberts, APR, as its Chief Communications Officer. She is a public relations professional with a background in executive communication, media relations, and crisis communications, spanning various industries, from public affairs to higher education. Roberts has spent her career helping organizations communicate clearly and strategically during defining moments of opportunity and change.
In her new role, she will lead institutional voice and messaging, internal communications, media relations, executive and crisis communications, and editorial content strategy. Her first day at Gustavus was Tuesday, September 1.
Roberts was previously the Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communication at Lyon College, a residential liberal arts college in Batesville, Arkansas, and she is ecstatic to return to higher education. During her time at Lyon, she led the College’s institutional communications, overseeing storytelling, executive communications, media relations strategy, and crisis response. She provided strategic counsel on the President’s Cabinet, working closely with senior leadership on institutional initiatives, including the College’s announcement to bring the first vet and dental schools to Arkansas. She also managed Lyon’s crisis response efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic by co-chairing Lyon’s COVID Taskforce alongside Gustie Dr. Jeremiah Cherwien, ʼ06. Working with leadership across departments to develop health and safety policies for the campus community, Roberts executed a multi-channel communications plan to keep students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and community stakeholders regularly informed.
Roberts most recently served as Public Relations Manager at The Peacock Group, an impact-driven, strategic communications firm based in Little Rock, Arkansas. In her role, she focused on shaping public perception for clients, often advising executive leadership on stakeholder engagement, public messaging, and media strategy during high-profile initiatives. Her recent client work includes supporting the University of Arkansas College of Engineering, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, and award-winning economic development initiatives for Mississippi County, the highest steel-producing county in the country. Her public relations efforts for the county’s “Work Here. Live Here” housing initiative helped drive over $40 million in residential construction.
Roberts’ public affairs experience includes her time as Director of Communications for Pulaski County Government. As the county’s spokesperson, she directed the county’s storytelling around high-impact projects, coordinated communications across departments, and oversaw messaging strategies for the county’s chief executive. During a devastating tornado in 2023, she led crisis communications in coordination with state agencies, emergency management officials, and the American Red Cross to ensure residents received resources and accurate information.
“Madeline’s experience and energy make her a natural fit for this role, and I’m excited to welcome her to the Gustavus community,” said John Volin, president.
Roberts holds a master’s degree in applied communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, along with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a journalism concentration from Lyon College. She earned her accreditation in public relations (APR) in 2021 through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and currently serves as president for the Arkansas PRSA chapter.
With Roberts’ arrival, the Office of Marketing and Communication is transitioning to a co-leadership structure, splitting the unit’s work between a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and a Chief Communications Officer (CCO). The two roles share accountability for storytelling, strategic alignment, reputation, and enrollment partnership, while each owns a distinct set of functions.
Madeline Roberts, CCO, owns public relations and strategic communications, including: institutional voice and messaging, internal communications, media relations, executive and crisis communications, editorial and content strategy, communications planning and operations, and the Gustavus Magazine.
Leah Wong, CMO, owns market strategy and growth, including: brand strategy and positioning, campaigns and enrollment marketing, the digital ecosystem (web, social, email), marketing analytics and reporting, creative direction, and agency and vendor management.
Roberts will also lead the communication team: Editor and Senior Writer Emily Elveru and Director of Internal Communications and Media Relations Brian Oliu, who both joined the Gustavus community in June.
“As a proud graduate of a liberal arts institution, I am thrilled to join the Gustavus community at such an exciting time of intentional and innovative growth,” said Roberts. “I have a deep appreciation for Gustavus’s mission because I have experienced firsthand the transformative impact of a liberal arts education and how it prepares you for a life of leadership, service, and purpose. As the College embarks on its strategic plan and works to position Gustavus as a national model for education, I look forward to working alongside a dynamic team to tell the Gustavus story, emphasizing its commitment to community and the dignity of all people, all while fostering communication that strengthens our campus community. The students, faculty, staff, and alumni I’ve had the pleasure to meet have already made me feel so welcome, and I can’t wait to be a part of such a great community. Go Gusties!”
Please welcome Madeline Roberts to the Gustavus community.
