Amber Vranek Joins Iowa State as Strategic Communications Manager

Amber Vranek has joined Iowa State University’s marketing and communications department as strategic communications manager, taking on an evolved role that carries broader strategic communications responsibilities and includes leadership of the Inside Iowa State team, Inside Iowa State reported.

The appointment puts a lifelong Iowan at the helm of one of the university’s primary storytelling platforms. Vranek grew up in Iowa County and moved to Cedar Rapids to attend Mount Mercy College, now known as Mount Mercy University, where she earned a degree in business administration and public relations. She later returned to Mount Mercy to complete both a master’s in strategic leadership and a master’s in business administration.

Before joining Iowa State, Vranek built a communications career across multiple sectors. She held communications-focused roles at ACT in Iowa City, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Justice, and Kirkwood Community College. That mix of private testing, federal agencies, and community college experience gives her a varied portfolio as she steps into the university role.

Iowa State University — Photo: marcom.iastate.edu

A Role Built on Integration

The university marketing and communications department operates from suite 201 of the Kingland Building at the corner of Lincoln Way and Welch Avenue. According to the department’s own site, marcom.iastate.edu, the office provides an integrated approach to institutional communications, public relations, and marketing, offering brand guidelines, templates, and resources for digital and printed materials alongside storytelling resources for campus communicators.

Vranek’s new position sits within that integrated structure, combining strategic communications planning with direct editorial leadership of Inside Iowa State, the university’s news and features publication. She can be reached at [email protected].