Public Relations Council

Last Updated: September 24, 2026 9:41:07 AM PDT

The UC San Diego Public Relations Council brings together staff from across campus working in public relations, communications and external relations for professional development and networking.

Our Mission

Empowering storytellers. Building community.

The Public Relations Council serves to elevate the knowledge and skills of UC San Diego staff members and strengthen collaboration by:

Providing relevant resources and best practices in public relations;
Standardizing processes and proactively sharing our collective expertise and resources;
Integrating into the larger public relations and communications community within the San Diego/Tijuana region to help build a more diverse staff pipeline and build strong community partnerships;
Providing mentorship to give experienced, junior and new staff an opportunity to receive guidance on their career in public relations; and
Valuing integrity and advocating for ethical action in our daily jobs.

October 8 | The PR Clinic: A Live Workshop

This in-person-only workshop will center on real pitches, real PR challenges and practical advice from journalists and colleagues. To make the conversation as useful as possible, we would love your submissions for both segments.

Triton Room 1&2 | Torrey Pines Center South (third floor, adjacent to The Hive)
10:30 a.m.
Click this link to RSVP

The Pitch Lab

Gary Robbins of The San Diego Union-Tribune, Jonathan Wosen of STAT and Claire Trageser of Axios will offer an inside look at what makes a story stand out and provide feedback on pitches from our community. Have a story idea you’ve been hoping to place? Submit it for consideration. Your pitch doesn’t need to be fully polished, and we’ll let you know in advance if we’d like you to present it during the meeting.

Dear Audrey: The PR Helpline

Navigating a sticky communications situation or wondering how others might approach a challenge? Submit your question or scenario for Dear Audrey. You may include your name or remain completely anonymous.

We strongly encourage you to send us something for one or both segments. The more real-life examples we receive, the richer and more relevant the clinic will be for everyone. As a reminder, there is no expectation that attendees speak or participate aloud. You are just as welcome to come listen and learn from the conversation. Afterward, stick around for an ice cream sundae bar and a chance to catch up with colleagues.

We hope you’ll join us — and send a pitch, question or both!

Future meeting dates

Feb. 4, 2027 (location, topics TBD)
May 20, 2027 (location, topics TBD)

Join the Public Relations Council mailing list

Log in to your UC San Diego Google account (not a personal account)
Navigate to this URL: https://groups.google.com/a/ucsd.edu/g/prcouncil-ucsd-g
Click the “Ask to join group” button at the top of the page

How to send to the list

Simply format an email as you normally would, and send directly to prcouncil-ucsd-g@gcloud.ucsd.edu
Your message will be briefly held, and then released by one of the council chairs
All members of the list will receive your message, with the text "[prcouncil-ucsd-g]" inserted at the start of the subject line automatically by the system - there is no need to add this bracketed text yourself.
Questions? Contact Michelle below.

Public Relations Resources

Select resources regarding public relations provided by the UC San Diego Public Relations Council

View Resources

2026-2027 Council Chairs

Sara Bock is associate director of content strategy on the University Communications Public Relations team, a role in which she leverages her extensive experience in both print and digital media. Her position includes writing and editing, publishing and production, as well as media relations. Prior to joining UC San Diego, Sara worked as a writer and editor for the Marine Corps Association for more than a decade. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Christopher Newport University in Virginia.

Michelle Franklin, APR is director of communications for the School of Physical Sciences. Before UC San Diego, she worked for Kyocera International, Getty Images, Time Inc. and Williamstown Theater Festival. She has a bachelor's in English from Rollins College and as master's in English from San Diego State. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2022 and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the National Association of Science Writers.

Ioana Patringenaru is associate director for media relations at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego. Ioana worked as an education reporter for the Press Enterprise in Riverside County before joining UC San Diego as a senior writer for University Communications in 2005. She earned a master’s in journalism from UC Berkeley and a master’s and bachelor’s in Japanese translation from the National Institute of Asian Languages and Cultures in Paris, France. She is also fluent in French and Romanian.

Jeff Tourial has served as associate director of Athletics for communications at UC San Diego since 2019 and brings more than 20 years of experience in Division I intercollegiate athletics. Jeff oversees communications and social media strategy, as well as web site and media relations management for UC San Diego's 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. He also serves as co-host for the department’s Tritoncast podcast. Jeff received a bachelor’s and master’s in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and a master’s in sports leadership from Duquesne University.

Matt Nagel, APR joined UC San Diego as the senior executive director for public relations in the spring of 2021. Matt began his career in TV broadcasting then shifted to public relations at a boutique healthcare communications agency. Matt discovered his passion for higher education at Georgia Institute of Technology and went on to work at New York University and Carnegie Mellon. He received a bachelor’s in broadcast communications and political science from The University of Toledo and a master’s in communications from Austin Peay State University.

Prior chairs

Anthony King, APR (2022-2024), founding chair
April Green (2022-2023), founding member
Jeanna Vasquez (2022-2024), founding member

Questions? Contact Michelle Franklin.