Eric McKeeby joins veterinary college as director of public relations and communications
Eric McKeeby has joined the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine as its new director of public relations and communications.
McKeeby comes to Virginia Tech from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), where he managed government relations communications and grassroots advocacy for the nation's oldest and largest veterinary association. He began his new position on June 1.
In his new role, McKeeby will lead internal and external communications, media relations and marketing programs for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, a two-state, three-campus school operated by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and the University of Maryland at College Park.
The college is a leading biomedical and clinical research center and includes the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Blacksburg, the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va., and the Avrum Gudelsky Veterinary Center at College Park, home of the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine.
As the government relations communications manager at the AVMA, McKeeby led communications initiatives across media platforms to advance federal advocacy on key issues such as animal health and welfare, food safety, public health, and veterinary shortages. McKeeby said that he looks forward to bringing this integrated approach to future social media, print, online, and mobile communications at the college.
"There couldn't be a more exciting time to be at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, as this innovative and vibrant college embarks on major expansion and research initiatives," McKeeby said. "We look forward to instilling this [Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine] spirit of innovation throughout our communications program."
Prior to joining the AVMA, McKeeby worked as public relations and communications manager for the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS), a leading non-profit dedicated to advancing the development of life-saving drugs and medical devices. Before that, he served as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Army, stationed for the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard") in Arlington, Va., and at the Combined Joint Task Force –Horn of Africa in Djibouti and Ethiopia. He has worked in print, radio, and online media in both Florida and New York.
McKeeby received his bachelor's degree in political science from Rollins College, in Winter Park, Fla. He received his master's degree in interactive telecommunications from New York University in New York, N.Y., and is an honor graduate of the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, Md. He is a member of the National Press Club and the Public Relations Society of America. McKeeby is a native of Mt. Dora, Fla., and the owner of two English Springer Spaniels.
