Erin Colbourn

Executive Director, Media and External Engagement
University Public Relations

CONTACT: emt5002@psu.edu

As executive director for media and external engagement, Erin focuses on positioning Penn State as a top research enterprise and executes media strategies that build on the University’s reputation for educational excellence. She leads the team that oversees national media opportunities for the University and drives media placements in the most influential news outlets, including key media markets in Pennsylvania, the Northeast, and internationally. She and her team also identify compelling stories and proactively write, edit, and facilitate news interactions that align with the University’s strategic plan and fundraising campaigns.

Before joining Penn State, Erin was a senior communications professional, spending nearly a decade with FedEx leading the global media relations team at its world headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. Her honors include being named a two-time recipient of the Five Star Award—the highest individual honor at FedEx. Erin is a Penn State graduate and holds a bachelor of arts degree in public relations.