Farmingdale State College (FSC) President John S. Nader today announced the appointment of Chris Maio as Chief Communications Officer (CCO), effective on April 24, 2023. She joins FSC from Stony Brook University, where she was head of communications and marketing for the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
As CCO she will report to the Vice President for Development & Communications and serve as a leading member of the FSC Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team, responsible for integrated communications and brand strategy across all levels of internal and external messaging. In this role, Maio is charged to elevate Farmingdale’s overall reputation and visibility, while developing brand-specific communications among FSC’s audiences and across communications channels.
"I am elated that Chris Maio will lead the College’s marketing and communications efforts. Her experience and record of accomplishment make her the ideal person to help raise the profile and prominence of Farmingdale’s programs and people," said Dr. Nader, President of Farmingdale State College. “Chris really understands our mission and will help build a public appreciation of the College’s leading place in Long Island’s success. We are thrilled to welcome a communicator as experienced and savvy as her to our leadership team.”
An accomplished communicator, Maio is experienced in developing high-impact brand-building programs for higher education, iconic brands and Fortune 500 companies. Specializing in the innovation and STEM fields, she helps organizations share their story through audience-specific integrated communications, consistent with a unified brand message.
“Chris comes to FSC at a critical time in our history as the school enjoys an incredible trajectory as the fastest growing school in the SUNY System over the course of the last decade,” said Matthew Colson, Vice President for Development and Communications for Farmingdale State College. “With a new strategic plan in development and a refreshed brand platform to be unveiled, her expertise and skillset will lead a talented MarComm team to elevate the profile of the institution into its rightful place. I'm excited to work with her.”
Maio spent the last six years at Stony Brook University, leading communications and marketing for the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She built the communications structure from the ground up, establishing and managing the web, content and social media strategies working with the Colleges’ nine departments. She fostered an interdisciplinary approach with medicine, the sciences, humanities and the arts, in collaboration with the university’s umbrella brand. She was also an instructor and student advisor in the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Honors program.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Farmingdale, with its unique positioning as the largest technology college in the SUNY system, highly ranked student-centric programs and expanding enrollment and capital improvements,” Maio said. “There’s a great story to tell here, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to partner with President Nader and the FSC community to build on the strong foundation they have worked to establish.”
Prior to Stony Brook, Maio worked in the tech industry, where she developed and launched a major brand campaign for Arrow Electronics, collaborated with industry and government partners on thought leadership programs at NXP Semiconductor, and managed press relations in a post-9/11 environment at Air France. Her earlier experience includes account management roles at public relations agencies, representing major brands and corporations such as Delta Air Lines and the SkyTeam Global Airline Alliance, Visa, Dupont Textiles and Interiors, and multiple consumer products.
Maio received her MS degree in Technology and Society from Stony Brook University, and a BA in Communication Arts from Marist College.
