HEI welcomes communications director to staff

HEI is pleased to welcome Tom Champoux to a new staff position, Director of Science Communications. Champoux joined HEI on July 26. He will expand on the roles filled by Hilary Polk, who retired in May as Managing Editor after many successful years on the staff.

HEI is rapidly growing in an era when the ways people prefer to receive news and information are undergoing dramatic change. Champoux will help the Institute develop strategies to more widely share its trusted, independent science on air pollution and health in this evolving communications landscape. He will oversee and collaborate with staff maintaining HEI’s websites, social media, email, and press and media outreach, as well as manage promotion of events such as webinars and HEI’s Annual Conference. At the same time, he will supervise publication of scientific reports and other traditional editorial projects.

Champoux has spent the past 15 years leading communications efforts for several Boston area nonprofits. Previously he was director of communications for the American Meteorological Society (AMS), where he worked with his staff and consultants to elevate the organization’s national profile as experts in weather, water, and climate science. This included promoting their monthly academic journals as well as annual reports on extreme weather events and global climate assessments.

At AMS, and at his previous job at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Champoux developed comprehensive communications strategies. He also was responsible for gaining local and national media coverage, and has led projects to redesign websites and track how effectively the organizations reached their audiences.