News Release

Town Welcomes Heather Woolwine as its New Communications Director

September 3, 2024

The Town of Hilton Head Island is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather Woolwine as its new Communications Director, effective September 3. Heather brings over 20 years of experience in public relations and communications, most recently serving in leadership roles at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston.

With an extensive background in both internal and external engagement and executive communications, Heather is poised to strategically enhance the Town's communication efforts. Her career in public service includes significant achievements in media relations, corporate and healthcare communication, and higher education. She has developed and executed clear, authentic, and evidence-based communication strategies that resonate with diverse audiences.

"We are delighted to welcome Heather Woolwine as our new Communications Director," said Town Manager Marc Orlando. "Heather’s deep experience in strategic communication and her proven ability to connect with diverse audiences make her an invaluable addition to our team. We are confident that her leadership will strengthen our efforts to engage with the community and effectively communicate the Town’s vision and initiatives to our residents, business owners, and visitors."

Building on her experience and leadership, Heather is well-equipped for this important and highly visible position with the Town.

As Communications Director, Heather will be responsible for conveying the Town Council’s Strategic Plan priorities, engaging with community stakeholders, and overseeing the Town’s media relations, communications, branding, and marketing efforts. Her priority will be to ensure that residents, business owners, and visitors are not just well-informed about the Town's projects and initiatives, but also fully understand how these developments will affect their daily lives.

In her most recent role as Public Affairs, Media Relations, and Presidential Communications Director at MUSC, Heather was instrumental in shaping the institution's public image and narrative. She led a team of more than 10 professional communicators in the production, distribution and evaluation of outcomes-based strategies to promote the MUSC vision, mission and strategic goals. Her responsibilities included planning and implementing multimedia strategies within and outside MUSC to elevate the professional brands of the MUSC President, Board of Trustees and senior leadership team. Heather served as the senior statewide spokesperson for MUSC, provided media training and managed crisis communications for the MUSC network. Additionally, she has experience as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Charleston, where she contributed to the education of future communication professionals.

Heather holds bachelor's degrees in psychology and corporate communication and a master’s degree in communication from the College of Charleston. She is also a certified diversity executive. Heather is committed to giving back to the community, having held leadership roles with several organizations, including the Public Relations Society of America, Children’s Trust of South Carolina, and Tri-County SPEAKS (formerly People Against Rape Crisis and Advocacy Center).

The Town of Hilton Head Island warmly welcomes Heather to its leadership team and looks forward to the innovative and strategic contributions she will bring to enhance the Town’s communication efforts.