Jeff Cournoyer

As managing director, Jeff Cournoyer provides administrative oversight of the Mount Ida Campus and chairs the Mount Ida Campus Steering Committee. 

As assistant chancellor for Greater Boston Strategic Initiatives, he serves on the UMass Amherst Campus Leadership Team and focuses on building connections between the flagship campus and Greater Boston business, civic, government, education, and cultural communities. 

Cournoyer joined UMass Amherst from the UMass President’s Office, where he was vice president for communications, managing external affairs for the five-campus UMass system, including public relations, marketing, and digital media. As a member of President Marty Meehan’s senior leadership team, he was a key advisor to the president, the UMass Board of Trustees, and leadership on the five UMass campuses. Cournoyer was previously associate vice chancellor of public affairs at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he managed the Lowell campus’ offices of media relations, government relations, and community relations and led strategic communications initiatives. Prior to joining UMass, he was director of corporate communications for The Kraft Group, the holding company that owns and operates the New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium, and Patriot Place. He also served as deputy chief of staff and budget director for former Massachusetts State Senator Stephen M. Brewer and as director for the Senate Committee on Ethics & Rules. 

Cournoyer serves on the Charles River Regional Chamber Board of Directors, chairing its Governance Committee, and is a past board member of the Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation.