Paul Corliss, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications
pcorliss@umich.edu

Paul Corliss serves as Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications, a role that includes leadership of the Office of Public Affairs, The University Record, the Freedom of Information Act Office and the Film Office. Prior to joining U-M, Corliss served in senior marketing and communications roles with the University of Texas System and the University of North Texas System. Previously, he held leadership positions in professional sports with the New Orleans Saints, NASCAR and the NBA’s alumni association. Corliss, who began his career as a sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Christian University and a master’s in organizational leadership and administration from Concordia University of Wisconsin.

Kay Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs
(734) 936-5190
kdjarvis@umich.edu

Kay Jarvis is director of Public Affairs at the University of Michigan. She serves as a spokesperson and advises top leaders on an array of issues. Kay leads media relations efforts for central communications working in collaboration with communicators across three campuses and an academic medical center. She joined the university in 2024 and most recently worked with the University of Oregon. She also has experience in corporate communications and public relations, and worked for two decades as a journalist for outlets including The Denver Post and Austin American-Statesman. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Jody Berger, Public Relations Representative
jodybe@umich.edu

Jody Berger is Public Relations Representative in the Office of Public Affairs. Her main areas of responsibility are supporting internal communications, key issues and media relations. She brings more than 15 years of experience managing communications at Stanford University, with nonprofit organizations and on political campaigns. She began her career as a journalist reporting for national magazines and newspapers and has authored, co-authored and ghostwritten books on health care, teamwork and leadership. She is a graduate of Duke University and completed a Knight Fellowship at Stanford.

Roni Krimgold, Public Relations Representative
ronik@umich.edu

Roni is a Public Relations Representative at the Office of Public Affairs. Her main areas of responsibility include internal communications, media relations, and process improvement. She brings 15 years of experience in issues management, media analysis, and crisis response. Roni began her career as a journalist and later worked for the U.S. government, where she led media monitoring and analysis efforts, supported crisis operations, and advanced the use of emerging technologies in communications workflows. She is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.

Brian Taylor, Communications Manager
briatay@umich.edu

Brian is the Communications Manager in the Office of Public Affairs. Brian’s main areas of responsibility are supporting media relations, collaborating with teams across the Ann Arbor campus and developing content on reputational issues. He brings more than 20 years of diverse experience in media relations and strategic communications to the role. He most recently served as director of communications and media relations at the Detroit Medical Center, where he directed internal and external communications for the health system. Brian began his career as a general assignment TV reporter in Flint; he also worked as a reporter/anchor and bureau chief in the Grand Rapids area before moving into media relations.

Chris Sebastian, Director of Strategic Communications
(734) 649-4680
csebas@umich.edu

Chris is responsible for developing and executing a proactive strategy to measurably strengthen the university’s reputation around institutional priorities and leadership. He also leads the team that produces The University Record – the official news source for the campus community – and its website, weekly print edition and daily email newsletter. He brings more than 20 years of mission-based communication experience. Chris joined U-M in 2025 from Ducks Unlimited, where as director of communications he led outreach strategy to support wetlands conservation efforts across North America. He previously was director of communications and alumni relations at St. Clair County Community College and started his career as a daily newspaper reporter. Chris earned his B.S. in journalism from Central Michigan University.

Jeffrey Bleiler, Managing Editor
(734) 764-6825
jbleiler@umich.edu

Jeff joined the Record in 2019 — assisting with story planning, editing and production of its print, online and daily email editions — after a lengthy career in journalism and communications, mostly with the Jackson Citizen Patriot as a sports reporter, copy editor and news/sports leader, and with MLive Media Group as a news and local sports leader. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Michigan University.

Steve Culver, Graphic Designer
stevecul@umich.edu

Steve brings more than 30 years of experience in news design and production to the Record, which he joined in 2014. Steve is responsible for the newspaper’s graphic design and production, and also oversees circulation and distribution of the print edition. Previously, he helped students at The Michigan Daily and Monroe Street Journal produce their publications. Steve published a magazine for Southeast Michigan’s LGBT community from 1990-2024.

Dirk Milliman, Advertising Sales Representative
734-764-4342
dirkmill@umich.edu

A graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism, Dirk has been working in Michigan media for nearly 40 years, owning and managing newspapers, shopping guides and digital media sites. He is a past president of the Michigan Press Association and remains active with the MPA Foundation. His wife, Penelope, is a professional photographer. They have two children and three  grandchildren.

Genevieve Monsma, Writer
gmmonsma@umich.edu

Genevieve joined the Record in 2024 and writes news and feature stories. She brings more than 25 years of writing and editing experience, mostly in New York City, as a magazine editor covering health, fitness and personal care. Genevieve has written for publications including Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Real Simple, Shape and Health. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Miami University and is working toward a master’s in strategic communication from Michigan State.