Joe Becker, AVP for Public Affairs and Communications, Announces Plan to Leave Lewis & Clark

Joe Becker, associate vice president for Public Affairs and Communications, has announced that he will leave Lewis & Clark in early June. [Editor’s note: Joe has agreed to stay on until early August, while the search for his replacement is underway.]

“This was an extremely difficult decision for me, and not taken lightly. But it’s the right one,” Becker said. “After 20 years in the thick of growth, change, crisis, and achievement in this community I treasure, I now look forward to cheering Lewis & Clark from the sidelines. I’ve supported seven presidents (including interims), and I’m happy to end on a high note with Wim. I can’t overstate how much I will miss the day-to-day interactions and collaborations I have with everyone in our community, especially my PubComrades and my colleagues on Executive Council. That said, my wife is retired, and I am excited to now be more present and engaged in our future together. And I look forward to the space to pursue mindfully whatever’s next in my professional life.”

“This is a loss for us, no doubt,” said President Wim Wiewel. “The work that Joe produces, his sense of history, his collegiality and dedication—all will be deeply missed. I have appreciated his wise counsel and willingness to take on new challenges. He’s been involved in many key initiatives, and played an instrumental role in the research, writing, and public process for our institutional strategic plan. Because of his leadership, he will leave us and PubCom in a great place. We will continue to strengthen our communications and marketing efforts on the foundation he set. Thank you, Joe. And we’ll give you a proper send-off when we can all gather in person! In the meantime, we will start to think about how to manage in your absence.”

Becker joined Lewis & Clark as a communications officer in 2001. Rising through the ranks of PubCom, he took on the role of leading the team in 2014. Previously he was an editorial and marketing specialist at his alma mater, Duke University.