Debra Fazio-Rutt Joins The New York Women's Foundation as Vice President of Strategic Communications
New York, NY, March 30, 2021 -- Debra Fazio-Rutt has joined The New York Women's Foundation in the newly created position of Vice President of Strategic Communications.
Reporting to Ana Oliveira, President & CEO of The Foundation, Ms. Rutt will serve as an integral member of the senior management team. She will be responsible for developing, incorporating, and implementing a broad range of public relations, media relations, social and digital activities relative to the strategic direction and advancement of The Foundation's mission and fundraising opportunities.
"We are delighted that Debra has joined us at this critical time for the work of The Foundation," said Oliveira. "Now, more than ever, donors, activists, and policymakers want to discover, understand and invest in solutions, such as those created by our grantee partners, to move equality and justice forward for women and girls in New York and beyond. Debra has a demonstrated track record in driving strategic communications during times of growth and transformation. She is an outstanding leadership team member, and we look forward to partnering with her in advancing our mission.”
Ms. Rutt joins The Foundation after an 18-year career at ViacomCBS. She most recently served as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Paramount Network, where she oversaw programming publicity, media and talent relations, awards, philanthropy, and festivals. She also played a leading role in the network's re-branding efforts from Spike TV. Before joining ViacomCBS, Ms. Rutt was Manager of Publicity for The History Channel and a Senior Account Supervisor at Trylon Communications, Inc.
Ms. Rutt attained her B.A. in Communications from La Salle University in Philadelphia. She resides in Northern New Jersey with her husband and two children. Her volunteer work includes Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey and Family Promise of Bergen County.
The New York Women's Foundation invests in women-led, community-based solutions that promote economic security, safety, and health for the most vulnerable women. By the end of 2021, The Foundation will have distributed more than $100 million in its 34-year existence to over 500 organizations, impacting millions of women and girls across New York City and beyond. Follow The New York Women's Foundation at its website and on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
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