The University of Dallas has announced a new assistant vice president for marketing and communications. Clare Venegas, who has over 20 years of executive management and strategic communications experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, begins her new role on Aug. 3. 

“Our culture is yearning for purpose, authenticity and truth,” said Venegas. “The University of Dallas is leading the movement to impact culture for the better by ensuring students find their God-given purpose, understand everlasting truths and are equipped to live them out in an authentically Catholic way.

“I am excited to help tell UD’s story to our community and the wider world in innovative ways so we can increase that impact in the coming years,” she added.

Venegas started her career as a reporter and editor at the Orange County Register, where she covered local government and community news. She went on to hold several positions in marketing and corporate communications in Orange County and Silicon Valley, including serving for five years as manager of communications and public affairs for Southern California’s largest toll-road system. 

Subsequently, Venegas served as president/executive director of Obria Medical Clinics, the largest network of life-affirming women’s health care clinics in Southern California. In this capacity, she oversaw day-to-day clinic operations and led development efforts for the nonprofit, which relies primarily on donations from private individuals and family foundations. Under her tenure, she led efforts to diversify revenue by widening the scope of practice to include prenatal care, thereby increasing revenue from Medi-Cal, the state’s health care program for the underserved, by 50%. 

Prior to Obria, Venegas served as the executive director of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, an influential business group whose members promote free-market policies and contribute millions of dollars to conservative political candidates and causes each election cycle. Most recently, she served as vice president at Curt Pringle & Associates, a public relations and government affairs consulting firm based in Anaheim, California. Her clients included CHOC Children’s Hospital and First 5 Orange County, for which she provided strategic communications, legislative outreach and government affairs support. 

“I’m delighted Clare has joined the University Advancement leadership team,” said Vice President for University Advancement Jason Wu Trujillo. “Her experience in marketing and communications is both deep and broad. I’m confident her professionalism and strong belief in our mission and vision will guide the University of Dallas to new heights.”  

A skilled, personable communications professional, Venegas is as comfortable writing speeches for C-suite executives as she is navigating the nuances of public policy and interacting with elected officials. Her media relations strengths are rooted in a deep knowledge of traditional media (TV, radio and newspaper), and knowing how to produce relevant, original content for online platforms. She has recently written guest commentaries for the OC Register, OC Catholic, and Voice of OC, and has appeared on FOX News, local public television (“Inside OC”) and radio shows (“Left, Right and Center”). 

Venegas just moved to Texas from Orange, California, with her husband, Matt, and three children.