Michelle Darby
495 Old Turner Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Office: 540.231.7087
Responsibilities
Implement and maintain consistent branding standards for the department's website, social media, and external events as well as printed and marketing materials. Produce newsletters for alumni and peer publications. Increased engagement across all social media channels by creating compelling content, maintaining channel consistency, and promoting the department successes and offerings.
Craft and contribute stories about the department, faculty achievements and our students to VT News and BEAM website as well as social media.
Maintain and update BEAM website to ensure accurate information is available while furthering the mission of the department. Work with each program chair to update content, create new pages and sections, as well as streamline verbiage for greatest impact.
Coordinate and manage external relations related to career development, such as our annual fall Career Fair, industry partner campus visits, in addition manage conference appearances in terms of swag, materials, brand presence, etc.
Education
Attended Roanoke College for undergraduate studies, majoring in Sociology and Communications, Hollins University for graduate studies; and, Indiana University's Kelley School of Business for a intensive Executive Leadership Program.
Completed several leadership programs including Leadership Roanoke Valley, Virginia Tech (Roanoke Center) 21st Century Leadersihp Academy, and the Virginia Tech Leadership Excellence program.
Background
Prior to joining Virginia Tech, worked in the non-profit sector as the Vice President of Marketing for Goodwill Industries of the Valleys and Vice President of Resource Development for United Way. Also, served as the Executive Director of the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce.
Led all marketing, communications, graphic design, creative, and client facing activities for 14 states as the Manager of the FEP (Federal Employee Program) Marketing and Field Service team for Anthem BlueCross and BlueShield for close to 16 years.
Publications
Class of 2025: Casey Munk is cracking the code for biomedical engineering and mechanicsClass of 2025: Casey Munk is cracking the code for biomedical engineering and mechanics (VT News · May 12, 2025)
Virginia Tech leads in safety on and off the football fieldVirginia Tech leads in safety on and off the football field (VT News · Oct 16, 2024)
Class of 2024: Sarah Scheerer named Outstanding Senior for Biomedical Engineering and MechanicsClass of 2024: Sarah Scheerer named Outstanding Senior for Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (VT News · May 9, 2024)
NERF: Safety isn't kid's stuff (Virginia Tech Engineer · May 1, 2024)
A vital frontier (Virginia Tech Engineer · May 1, 2024)
Monet Roberts receives inaugural Henrietta Lacks Legacy awardMonet Roberts receives inaugural Henrietta Lacks Legacy award (VT News · Feb 27, 2024)
Pioneering histotripsy device receives FDA clearance to treat liver cancerPioneering histotripsy device receives FDA clearance to treat liver cancer (VT News · Nov 13, 2023)
Stefan Duma named interim head for Department of Biomedical Engineering and MechanicsStefan Duma named interim head for Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (VT News · Sep 6, 2023)
Lymphedema Wearable Device Project proves to be a winning collaborationLymphedema Wearable Device Project proves to be a winning collaboration (VT News · Jun 20, 2023)