Meet Keri Rouse, our new communications associate

Keri Rouse joins the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center as its first dedicated communications associate.

In the new position—the first designed to increase the center's communications capacity—Rouse will oversee outreach efforts. This will include developing a communications plan to reflect the center's mission and identify methods to build a bridge between center faculty and staff and key stakeholders who benefit from and are interested in their work.

From creating web pages to managing volunteer stewardship projects out in the field, Rouse brings varied experiences in the government and nonprofit sectors, communicating the value of sustainability to different audiences. Most recently, Rouse worked in Honolulu with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. In her role in the information and education section, she supported conservation programs by producing engaging online content and outreach products aimed at educating legislators and community members about the challenges facing native Hawaiian forests and species.

A native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Rouse has an M.S. in environmental studies and a B.A. in mass communication and psychology from Point Park University in the city of Pittsburgh, where she worked for several years in environmental conservation and community outreach.

In her new role, Rouse will coordinate the creation and distribution of content to stakeholders by cultivating a photo/video library and expanding the online presence of VSAREC. With an emphasis on sharing stories of the center's impact, Rouse looks forward to showcasing the innovative research coming out of VSAREC, its real-world application, and the effects felt by stakeholders on an individual, industry, and regional level.