Robyn M. Perrin, PhD
rmperrin@wisc.edu
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Health Sciences Learning Center
750 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705-2221
Executive assistant
Carrie Brinkmeier
608-263-5606
cbrinkmeier@wisc.edu
Robyn M. Perrin is the chief communications officer for the School of Medicine and Public Health. She directs internal and external communications strategy and oversees digital strategy and creative services provided by Media Solutions. Perrin collaborates with colleagues and stakeholders throughout the school, campus, and health system to disseminate critical information, uphold the school’s brand and reputation, build connections and share examples of impact.
Trained as a scientist, with background in the liberal arts, technical communications, intellectual property and marketing, Perrin emphasizes the use of data and experimentation in the practice of communication and public relations. Prior to becoming the inaugural communication leader for the school in 2019, Perrin led public relations and communications for the Department of Medicine for five years, serving the largest department at UW–Madison. In that role, she initiated a community of practice for communications professionals within the school, with the goal of facilitating collaboration among academic medicine communicators and enhancing coordination with marketing and communication colleagues throughout the university and health system. She has been deeply engaged with the Building Community initiative and has served on committees and advisory groups focused on topics such as re-accreditation, brand, key initiatives, advancing health of underserved populations, and policy development. Perrin has a background in technical writing and marketing for multinational corporations. Her scientific research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Science, PLoS Pathogens, Journal of Biochemistry, and Plant Physiology.
Perrin is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and AAMC Group on Institutional Advancement.
She earned her PhD in plant biology and pathology from Michigan State University and performed NIH-funded postdoctoral research in plant cell biology and fungal microbiology at UW–Madison.