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Sebelius aide to join KU; UR announces realignments

The director of strategic communications for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will join KU as the deputy director of University Communications. Jack Martin, a KU graduate who has overseen the governor's major addresses and coordinated communications in the top levels of state government, will report to Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications, starting in September.

Jack Martin

Bretz also has named Todd Cohen the permanent director of University Relations and announced that David Johnston, director of marketing, is moving to the KU Alumni Association to become director of Internet services and marketing. He succeeds Mike Wellman, who recently retired.

At University Relations, Cohen has announced a reorganization to create new divisions for creative, editorial services and digital media services in addition to the news and media relations division. Deb Graber will oversee editorial services, Robin Bedenbaugh will oversee digital media services. An art director to oversee creative services is yet to be hired.

Jill Jess has been named associate director for news and media relations. Jess, who begins Aug. 20, is a KU graduate with 18 years of experience working for various news outlets, including the Sacramento Bee, the Kansas City Business Journal, the St. Petersburg Times and the Emporia Gazette.

KU IQ

Although smaller than the post-World War II rush, the number of returning veterans going to college and paying for it using the Montgomery GI Bill is still significant. At the end of the spring 2007 semester, there were 253 KU students receiving benefits through the bill, according to the University Registrar.