Berklee Names Claire Machamer Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing
Claire Machamer
Image by Wayne Reich
Berklee has appointed Claire Machamer as the senior vice president of communications and marketing, a newly created role that she will assume on May 22. Reporting directly to President Erica Muhl, Machamer will oversee all aspects of institutional branding and marketing, external and internal communications, and events planning. Machamer comes to Berklee from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), where she has been the vice chancellor for strategic communications since July 2018 after serving as chief technology officer and director of digital media for the institution.
“I’m so pleased to welcome Claire Machamer to our senior leadership team,” said Berklee President Erica Muhl. “As an institution built on the power of nurturing creativity, we are thrilled to have a proven innovator and experienced communicator in this critical role to drive our marketing and communications strategies. I look forward to working with Claire to showcase Berklee’s strengths as we elevate our brand to new heights in national and international distinction.”
About Claire Machamer
An award-winning executive with an extensive track record of success in higher education, academic healthcare, and publishing, Machamer brings an impressive range of experience and expertise to the Berklee community. As the inaugural vice chancellor for strategic communications at UNCSA, Machamer led the newly-formed Division of Strategic Communications and oversaw the successful reorganization of the marketing, communications, and digital media departments. She led a crucial marketing campaign for Powering Creativity, a brand awareness and student recruitment initiative that exceeded fundraising goals and increased enrollment by 2.5 percent year-over-year. In addition, Machamer worked closely with university leadership and deans to dedicate resources and staffing to develop and maintain a proactive national media relations strategy, growing key industry connections and increasing rankings—UNCSA’s drama school ranked number four in the world in 2022, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Machamer also directed a comprehensive crisis communications strategy for COVID-19, leading multiple task forces to coordinate timely, consistent, and accurate messaging.
I look forward to sharing the stories of our brilliant community and showcasing the profound impact of arts education on society.
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Before being named to the vice chancellor position, Machamer served as chief technology officer at UNCSA, overseeing the five departments of the Technology Division and executing a comprehensive digital student recruitment strategy based on in-depth market research, among other key accomplishments. As director of digital media, Machamer headed up a redesign and launch of the UNCSA website, which won an award at an international competition in 2016. Prior to UNCSA, Machamer worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she served as the consumer communications manager in the Health Systems Marketing and Communications Department. She also told stories, managed content strategy, and led day-to-day operations for nine years as managing editor and assistant editor of SouthernLiving.com, a lifestyle publication that reaches over 12 million consumers a month.
“I am so excited to join Berklee and feel like I am stepping into a world of limitless creativity and inspiration,” said Machamer. “It's an honor to collaborate with President Erica Muhl and her visionary leadership team, who have already had such a positive effect on the institution. I look forward to sharing the stories of our brilliant community and showcasing the profound impact of arts education on society.”
Machamer holds an M.S. in information technology management from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and a B.F.A. in graphic design from Auburn University in Alabama. She is committed to community volunteer efforts that fight food insecurity and promote literacy for children. Machamer is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the REACH Women’s Network, an organization that promotes gender equity by elevating the collective voice and influence of women in the workplace.
