March 13, 2025

University of Colorado names Michele Ames vice president for communication

Ames brings nearly three decades of work in Colorado media and policy

Michele Ames, VP for Communications

DENVER – The University of Colorado has named Michele Ames vice president for communication in system administration. In that role, she will manage communications for the Office of the President and support the Board of Regents. In addition, she will partner with communications leaders across the four campuses and the University of Colorado Foundation. She will begin her duties on April 14.

“Michele has a long history with Colorado, the university and Colorado media,” said CU President Todd Saliman. “We’re excited to put her skills to work as we continue to advance the message that our university is Colorado’s university and everyone can find a path to success with us.”

For the last 10 years, Ames has worked as an independent consultant on a variety of issues including elections, health care, food access and affordable housing. She has worked for national organizations, Colorado-based groups as well as statewide issue campaigns. She served the University of Colorado by founding the first communications office at CU Denver as well as serving as special assistant to Chancellor Roy Wilson on both the CU Denver Campus and the Anschutz Medical Campus. Both inside and outside the university, she has provided issues management support to the Office of the President as well as the Boulder and Anschutz campuses over the years. Ames began her career in Colorado as a Capitol bureau reporter for the Colorado Springs Gazette. She also served as a Capitol reporter for the Rocky Mountain News.

“Coming back to the University of Colorado feels like coming home,” Ames said. “I’m deeply honored to be able to serve the university’s faculty, staff and students as well as families across Colorado who believe the route to their successful future runs through one of CU’s outstanding campuses.”

As part of her work, Ames will provide communications support to CU’s external relations team, including the offices of Government Relations, Outreach and Engagement and Advancement. She will also oversee CU system communication operations in media relations, internal communications and web development.

“I’m thrilled Michele will be joining our team,” said Danielle Radovich Piper, CU’s senior vice president for external relations and strategy. “Michele brings an extraordinary level of expertise to the job and her history with the university is coming at an important point in time for CU and higher education in our state and nation.”

Ames was selected after a search process. She replaces Jeff Howard, who left the university in January 2025. For more information about Ames, read her biography online.

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