Chris Sebastian, Director of Strategic Communications

734-649-4680
csebas@umich.edu

Chris is responsible for developing and executing a proactive strategy to measurably strengthen the university’s reputation around institutional priorities and leadership. He also leads the team that produces The University Record – the official news source for the campus community – and its website, weekly print edition and daily email newsletter. He brings more than 20 years of mission-based communication experience. Chris joined U-M in 2025 from Ducks Unlimited, where as director of communications he led outreach strategy to support wetlands conservation efforts across North America. He previously was director of communications and alumni relations at St. Clair County Community College and started his career as a daily newspaper reporter. Chris earned his B.S. in journalism from Central Michigan University.

Jeff Bleiler, managing editor

734-764-6825
jbleiler@umich.edu

Jeff joined the Record in 2019 — assisting with story planning, editing and production of its print, online and daily email editions — after a lengthy career in journalism and communications, mostly with the Jackson Citizen Patriot as a sports reporter, copy editor and news/sports leader, and with MLive Media Group as a news and local sports leader. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Michigan University.

Genevieve Monsma, staff writer

734-647-4067
gmmonsma@umich.edu

Genevieve joined the Record in 2024 and writes news and feature stories. She brings more than 25 years of writing and editing experience, mostly in New York City, as a magazine editor covering health, fitness and personal care. Genevieve has written for publications including Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Real Simple, Shape and Health. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Miami University and is working toward a master’s in strategic communication from Michigan State.

Steve Culver, production coordinator

734-764-7484
stevecul@umich.edu

Steve brings more than 30 years of experience in newspaper design and production to the Record, which he joined in 2014. As production coordinator he is responsible for the newspaper’s graphic design and also oversees printing and distribution. Previously, he helped students at The Michigan Daily and Monroe Street Journal produce their publications. Steve also published a magazine for Southeast Michigan’s LGBT community from 1990-2024.

Dirk Milliman, advertising sales representative

734-764-4342
dirkmill@umich.edu

A graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism, Dirk has been working in Michigan media for nearly 40 years, owning and managing newspapers, shopping guides and digital media sites. He is a past president of the Michigan Press Association and remains active with the MPA Foundation. His wife, Penelope, is a professional photographer. They have two children and three grandchildren.

As U-M’s daily online news source for faculty and staff, The University Record email is sent to subscribers each morning, Monday-Friday and excluding holiday breaks. Delivery is once a week on Wednesdays during the summer.

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Send an email to urecordupdate@umich.edu with SUBSCRIBE as the subject line.

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A subscription to the weekly print edition of The University Record, delivered by USPS First Class mail, may be purchased for $70 a year. Checks should be made payable to the University of Michigan and sent to the Record editorial office at: 3300 Ruthven Building, 1109 Geddes Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079. Call 734-764-0105, or email urecord@umich.edu.

Printed copies of the Record are available free of charge at racks and other locations in many buildings across campus and are mailed to U-M retirees.

Deadlines

Advertising:  5 p.m. Monday, one week before publication. Advertising details are available at record.umich.edu/advertise.
Stories and events: Noon Tuesday before publication.

An affordable way to reach U-M’s staff, faculty and retirees

• Published in print 36 times per year, weekly Sept.-April; less frequently in December and May through August.
• The Record email newsletter is published daily September through April; less frequently in December and May-August.
• Approximately 17,000 copies of the print version Record are available at over 100 locations on and near campus, and via campus mail; Approximately 11,000 copies are mailed to U-M retirees.

Do you know of a faculty member in your department or elsewhere that goes above and beyond to produce scholarship, serve students and impact communities? Perhaps you know of a staff member who does something unusual or interesting outside the workplace.

The University Record is always looking for nominations for our faculty and staff Spotlights, which honor the work of faculty and staff across the university and share the often little-known stories that make our co-workers so interesting.

To nominate a candidate, email the Record at recordeditors@umich.edu. In submissions, please include the position and job responsibilities of nominees, what makes them stand out, and a uniqname or suggested contact information.

The Record accepts submitted obituaries for active or retired faculty or staff members that are provided by the decedent’s family, university department or funeral homes within three months of the faculty or staff member’s death.

Obituaries should not exceed 600 words and can include a high-resolution image that will be cropped to a head shot. The submission deadline is noon of the Tuesday preceding publication of the Record’s next print edition. Obituaries should be submitted in Word or a plain-text format to recordeditors@umich.edu.

Obituaries are published in our print edition, included on the Record website and shared in the Record email. Links to obituaries or memorial articles for active faculty or staff only, and which are published on another university unit’s website, may be included in the Record email when we are made aware of them.