Dear UMBC Community,
I am pleased to share that I have appointed an interim vice president for University Communications and Marketing (UCM), the university’s central hub for marketing, communications, and brand.
With the assistance of The Registry, a firm that specializes in higher education interim leadership placements, we have secured Tim Cobb, a seasoned marketing and communications leader, to serve as interim vice president starting today, January 8.

Tim brings more than 29 years of experience in leading strategic marketing and communications efforts for universities and professional service organizations. Most recently, he served as interim executive director of communications and marketing for Bemidji State University in Minnesota, where he successfully launched the university’s first centralized marketing and communications division. Prior to that, in his work as vice president of marketing and communications at Willamette University in Oregon and as vice president for integrated communications and chief marketing officer at Southwestern University in Texas, he was responsible for all marketing and communications—including brand strategy, market research, online marketing, social media, creative development, media planning and buying, public relations, and crisis management. Tim has also spent time leading creative strategy at several marketing agencies.
Tim earned his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and his master’s in management science from Purdue University. He has also served as president of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of the American Marketing Association and as president of the Portland Advertising Federation.
Tim’s arrival marks an important next step in the continuing evolution of UCM following the departure of Vice President Tracey Reeves at the end of last year. I am so pleased that he has chosen to share his talents with us in this important leadership role at this pivotal time. We have also launched the search for UCM’s permanent vice president, with the goal of filling that position in the coming year.
Please join me in welcoming Tim to Baltimore and to our UMBC community.
Sincerely,
President Valerie Sheares Ashby