Erin Murphy, former press secretary to Indiana Gov. Holcomb, named senior director for media and public relations for Purdue University

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Erin Murphy, a communication strategist and former press secretary to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, has been named senior director for media and public relations for Purdue University.

Murphy, who stepped into the role Sept. 9, reports to Julie Rosa, vice president of communications, and will work closely with the university’s senior officers, including the president, provost and treasurer.

“Erin is a recognized leader and strategist with extensive experience in media and public relations,” Rosa said. “Her background in communication and media strategy will be instrumental in advancing Purdue’s key initiatives. I am excited to have her on our team.”

Murphy will lead the media and public relations teams responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of communication and media strategies for Purdue and its priority initiatives. Acting as the university’s primary spokesperson, she will build and maintain relationships with media outlets and reporters to promote and protect the university’s reputation, priorities and interests. Murphy also will provide media-related guidance and direction to all entities throughout the Purdue system.

“Purdue is an innovative leader and a brand with true impact,” Murphy said. “I look forward to collaborating with the talented team of communicators and marketers here to achieve great things together.”

Since 2021 Murphy served as press secretary and was a senior advisor to Holcomb, where she developed and implemented strategic communication plans and worked with statewide media to convey the governor’s initiatives.

Prior to that role, Murphy served as communications director for the Indiana Department of Child Services from 2018-21 and the city of Westfield, Indiana, from 2013-18. She was also a news anchor and reporter for WISH-TV in Indianapolis; WICD-TV in Champaign, Illinois; WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana; and a news reporter for KLKN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Murphy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Indiana University and a Master of Arts degree in public relations from Ball State University.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.