KNOXVILLE — The Executive Committee of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees today approved the appointment of Melissa Tindell as vice president for communications and marketing for the University of Tennessee System, effective retroactively on Jan. 1, 2026.
Tindell has served as interim vice president for communications and marketing since August 2025, leading the Division of Communications and Marketing and overseeing systemwide communications, marketing, media relations, digital strategy, open records and creative services. During her tenure, she has provided steady leadership while strengthening alignment across UT campuses and institutes and elevating how the university shares its impact with Tennesseans.
“Melissa brings three decades of experience, sound judgment and a collaborative approach to this role,” said UT System President Randy Boyd. “She understands UT’s mission and statewide responsibility, and she has helped strengthen how we tell the story of the value UT delivers to students, communities and the state.”
Tindell joined the UT System in November 2018 and has held a series of leadership roles within the organization, playing a key role in strengthening the university’s communications and marketing strategy during her tenure.
Her background includes 30 years of communications leadership experience across the education, health care, government and private sectors. Her previous experience includes communications roles with Knox County Schools, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Alcoa Inc. and Covenant Health System.
Tindell is currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership and decision-making from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She holds a master’s degree in strategic communications from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she worked for the student newspaper, the Daily Beacon, as a sports reporter and its first female sports editor.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Tindell is a frequent presenter on media strategy, crisis communications, public information and issues management. She also has teaching experience at Tennessee Technological University and Belmont University. A graduate of the UT Executive Leadership Institute and a longtime member of the Public Relations Society of America, Tindell has earned more than 40 local, state and national awards for her work.
“I am honored to continue serving the University of Tennessee in work that is deeply meaningful to me, alongside dedicated colleagues across the system,” Tindell said. “Together, we will continue strengthening how we communicate UT’s impact and support our campuses as they serve students and communities statewide.”
Learn more about the UT System Administration and its executive leadership team here.
