Joe Gutierrez
Assistant Director, Communications Coordinator
California State University, San Bernardino
Joe Gutierrez serves as the assistant director and communications coordinator for the Office of Public Affairs. As the assistant director, Gutierrez reports directly to the assistant vice president for the Office of Public Affairs and helps oversee the staff of writers, graphic design artists and office support staff, office operations; including media relations, crisis communications, internal and external communications.
As communication coordinator, Gutierrez oversees the writing, editing and distribution of news releases and pitches stories to local, regional, national and international news media outlets and responds to inquiries from reporters. He oversees the university’s Faculty Experts and Speakers’ Guide, and coaches faculty, students and staff on how to deal with the news media.
Gutierrez also covers news stories pertaining to the College of Business and Public Administration and the College of Education, and served as the managing editor of the College of Education magazine.
Before joining Cal State San Bernardino in 2000, Gutierrez spent nearly 14 years as a newspaper reporter. He worked for The San Bernardino Sun, covering a variety of beats ranging from the police beat, city hall and the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to general assignment stories. He also did a four-month stint in Washington, D.C., for Gannett News Service covering Congress, HUD and general assignments. Later, Gutierrez joined The Press-Enterprise as a general assignment reporter and city hall reporter covering the cities of Corona, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Temecula, Hemet, San Jacinto and Moreno Valley.
Gutierrez earned his bachelor’s degree in communication from Cal State San Bernardino. He was a member of the 1986 Summer Program for Minority Journalists at the University of California, Berkeley, which was run by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. He is a founding member of the Inland Empire Chapter of the California Chicano News Media Association, serving as chapter president. He also served on the CCNMA board of directors for six years and was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.
Gutierrez has been recognized for his work in public affairs and journalism, winning awards from the Public Relations Society of America, Inland Empire Chapter in crisis communication, multi-media and Web sites. He also has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Sweepstakes Prize, Inland Chapter; Best of the West and Best of Gannett.
Gutierrez is a volunteer for the Riverside chapter of the American Youth Soccer Organization, where he serves as a coach, referee and as a member of the board of directors. He also fuels his passion for soccer by playing in adult leagues.
