Farnaz Khadem

Farnaz Khadem is Vice President for University Communications at Stanford University. As Stanford’s senior communications official, she is responsible for the university’s centrally-managed internal and external communications and public relations activities, including media relations, executive communications, social media, online and print publications, and the Stanford University website.

Prior to joining Stanford, Farnaz served as Chief Communications Officer at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where she was responsible for the university’s Office of Strategic Communications, comprising media relations, publications, and internal and digital communications. Previously, Farnaz served as Director of Communications at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Director of Corporate Communications at Life Technologies, a global biotechnology company; and Assistant Director of Media Relations at the University of California, Irvine.

She has extensive international experience, having worked as the head of communications for the World Anti-Doping Agency in Montreal, Canada, and the Vaccine Fund, a Bill & Melinda Gates-funded organization based in Lyon, France. She has also served as a Foreign Service officer in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps, with postings in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Rome, Italy. Farnaz holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. She speaks Farsi, French, and Italian.