CIA Media Relations (CIA Newswire)

Stephan Hengst, Director of Media Relations

Stephan Hengst has served as the Director of Communications for The Culinary Institute of America since 2005. He earned both his Associate and Bachelors Degrees in Culinary Arts Management from The Culinary Institute of America in 1997 and 2000, respectively.

Hengst first began working in PR and Communications his sophomore year of high school when he was elected as the National Youth Spokesperson for The American Diabetes Association in 1992. Following his graduation from the CIA in 2000, he took a position as Marketing Team Leader for Whole Foods Market and Whole Body and oversaw the opening of their flagship New York City location in 2001. Following his time in Manhattan, he went on to become the Chef Spokesperson and Communications Manager for New Hampshire-based Stonyfield Farm and Brown Cow Yogurts, as well as O'Natural's Restaurants, before returning to his alma mater in 2005.

Hengst oversees the Media Relations and Communications duties for all three of The Culinary Institute of America's campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; and San Antonio, TX.

Virginia Muré, Communications Manager

v_mure@culinary.edu
845-451-1555

Virginia (Ginny) Muré is Communications Manager at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). She has been in the college’s Media Relations Department for 16 years. Ms. Muré responsibility is to spread the word about the college to various audiences, including prospective restaurant customers, degree program applicants, and Continuing Education students. She does this by writing and distributing a monthly recipe print feature to national food and lifestyle editors; press releases to both consumer and trade media; coordinating media interviews with faculty, staff, and students; and hosting journalists visiting campus.

She works closely with CIA faculty to oversee a majority of the college’s video production for platforms like Facebook and YouTube. One of her videos won a 2010 Tasty award for the Best Food Program – Web category. In 2009, Ginny played an instrumental role in the creation of the New York Emmy Award-winning series Around The World in 80 Dishes, which was created in collaboration with Epicurious.com, and is currently working with America Online to produce a new series of instructional videos featuring CIA chefs and faculty.

Before joining the CIA in 1993, Ginny was a marketing representative for a firm that sold a variety of products produced by national and international oil refineries. She was also a partner in a restoration and renovation company whose mission was to save historical buildings and provide affordable residential housing.

Ms. Muré is a graduate of Empire State University division of S.U.N.Y. where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Marketing Communications. She is also a member of the Dutchess County Tourism board.

Jeff Levine, Communications Manager

j_levine@culinary.edu
845-451-1372

Jeff Levine is Communications Manager at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). He has been in the college’s Media Relations Department for 13 years. In broad terms, Mr. Levine’s responsibility is to spread the word about the college to various audiences, including prospective restaurant customers, degree program applicants, and Continuing Education students. He does this by writing and distributing press releases to both consumer and trade media; coordinating media interviews with faculty, staff, and students; and hosting journalists visiting campus.

Before joining the CIA in 1997, Jeff was a reporter, editor, and producer for television and radio and a newspaper reporter. He earned awards from the New York State Broadcasters Association for both spot news coverage and documentaries. Jeff was a member of the team that launched ESPN Radio in 1992, and has also worked for NFL Films and Major League Baseball Productions.

Mr. Levine is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. He earned his Master of Arts Degree in Communications from Marist College in 2007. Jeff is involved in his community as an EMT, youth sports coach, and softball umpire, and as a member of the Board of Directors of his synagogue.

Jay Blotcher, Media Relations Specialist

j_blotch@culinary.edu
845-905-4419

Jay Blotcher has been Media Specialist in the CIA's Continuing Education department since October, 2005. A publicist since 1987, Blotcher began his career in New York City. There he brought local and national media attention to authors, restaurants, filmmakers, musicians, political activists, galleries, performers, fundraisers and cultural events for 14 years.

In 1990, Blotcher co-founded the pioneering Public Impact Media Consultants, a boutique PR firm which provided media exposure for progressive organizations in New York City and nationally. From 1995 to 1999, Blotcher was Media Relations for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR), generating publicity for the leading AIDS research organization in the world and its co-founder Elizabeth Taylor and chief fundraiser Sharon Stone. Blotcher relocated to the Mid-Hudson Valley in July, 2001 and resumed his independent publicity work.

As CE's Media Relations Specialist, Blotcher promotes the Food Enthusiast Programs (which includes Boot Camps and Weekends at the CIA classes), the ProChef Certification program, the The Menu Research and Flavor Discovery Initiative, CIA Consulting and select programs at the Greystone and San Antonio campuses.

Blotcher is a 1982 graduate of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.