Ep. 11: Building an AI Taskforce at the University of Rochester

In this episode of Breaking Silos, we're joined by Brian Piper and Megan Crawford from the University of Rochester and the University of Rochester Medical Center. Brian and Megan are spearheading an interdepartmental AI Council, aiming to formalize and standardize the use of AI in marketing and communications across the campus. This council, sponsored by senior university leaders, is enhancing collaboration between departments and campuses, with the ultimate goal of integrating AI into marcomm workflows safely and ethically. Tune in as Brian and Megan discuss the history and formation of the AI marcomm stakeholder group, the executive sponsorship backing their efforts, the specific tools and guidelines being tested, and the future objectives of their groundbreaking initiatives. Discover how their work is set to revolutionize marketing strategies and foster innovation at the University of Rochester.Guest Names:Brian Piper, Director of Content Strategy and Assessment, University of RochesterMegan Crawford, Senior Marketing Strategist, Center for Advanced Research Technologies (CART), University of Rochester Medical Center Guest Social Handles: Find Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianwpiper/Find Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-the-marketer/Guest Bios: Brian Piper - Brian Piper is an author, international keynote speaker, and consultant. Brian has been optimizing digital content since 1996. He has created online training programs for hundreds of companies including Xerox, L3Harris, IBM, and Volvo, and has spoken at hundreds of conferences and events.Brian has spent the last eight years focusing on data analytics, digital marketing, and content strategy. Since 2021, he has been diving into AI, web3, community building, and the metaverse.Brian wrote Epic Content Marketing for Higher Education and co-authored the second edition of Epic Content Marketing with Joe Pulizzi. He is a contributing author and co-editor of The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever with Mark Schaefer and a co-author of The Content Entrepreneur with Joe Pulizzi. Brian was named one of the top 10 higher education marketers to follow in 2023.When he’s not creating data visualizations, he teaches wingsuit skydiving and spends time with his wife and six children.Megan Crawford - Megan Crawford is a marketing strategist for the University of Rochester Medical Center’s strategic communications team, supporting the biomedical research division. She recently transitioned to this role from the business sector, where she spent the majority of her 20-year marketing career working in luxury goods and consulting. Megan is also pursuing a STEM MBA part-time at Simon Business School, focusing on competitive strategy, innovation, and AI. Passionate about preventive healthcare research and emerging technologies, Megan co-chairs the University’s MarCom AI committee and engages with industry leaders as a corporate relations committee member for the Association of Biomolecular Research Facilities.In her free time, Megan draws from her art background to design everything from interiors to logos, is an avid traveler and skier, and enjoys lake life along the shores of Lake Ontario.