Oneonta, NY: Springbrook announces the appointment of Kira DeLanoy as the organization’s Strategic Communications Officer. DeLanoy has been a member of Springbrook’s senior management team since 2016, serving as the Director of Marketing & PR. She began with the organization in 2011 as the Assistant Director of Marketing & PR, the organization’s first dedicated marketing and communications professional. As Strategic Communications Officer, DeLanoy joins Springbrook’s executive leadership team, which works closely with the Board of Directors in providing strategic guidance to New York’s leading service and support provider for children and adults with developmental disabilities. With DeLanoy’s appointment to the executive team, Michael Basso has been promoted to Director of Marketing & PR.
Originally from Las Cruces, NM, DeLanoy has called Upstate New York home for 16 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from New Mexico State University and a master’s degree in History Museum Studies from SUNY Oneonta’s Cooperstown Graduate Program. In addition to her degrees, DeLanoy holds certifications in marketing strategy from Cornell University, public relations from the Public Relations Society of America (of which she has been a member since 2015), and executive communications and branding from the Communications Board. Before joining Springbrook’s team, she came from a background in communications and fundraising in museums and higher education.
As Director of Marketing & PR, DeLanoy led the refinement of Springbrook’s brand, marketing strategies, communications, and public relations activities—growing the marketing department from one to today’s nine-member team. DeLanoy led the team that created and implemented Springbrook’s vision statement, which has guided the organization’s growth over the past ten years. She has been a key member of several organizational teams that have advanced Springbrook’s growth, including the startup of Southern Tier Connect (a care coordination organization and Springbrook subsidiary), the expansion of Springbrook into new markets across New York State, and communications throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, recognized at the state level for their timeliness and transparency. When asked about her time at Springbrook, DeLanoy shared, “I am touched by the compassion that each person working at Springbrook has for the organization, but most of all for the people we support. It has been a gift to be part of a community of people who share a passion for bettering the lives of others. I am excited to take on new challenges in support of the people who are part of this amazing community.”
As Strategic Communications Officer, DeLanoy will take an active role with the executive team in charting the organization’s direction, vision, and strategy and serve as the organization’s resource for raising strategic mission and vision-based questions and concerns and driving change in pursuit of this vision. Springbrook CEO, Patricia Kennedy, who has worked closely with DeLanoy, had this to say, “This position will be integral to fostering new relations and engaging in action at various levels across the state as Springbrook seeks to shape the regulatory and funding systems we operate within—not just for our organization, but for the hundreds of organizations like us across the state. Kira has established—over 11 years of active achievement—that she is a leader in shaping a vision for the betterment of all.”
With DeLanoy’s appointment to the executive team, Michael Basso has been promoted to Director of Marketing & PR. Basso joined the Springbrook team in January 2021 as the Marketing Associate. In his year and a half in that position, he worked with DeLanoy to improve online, social media, and paid digital marketing functions. Basso also took part in strategic initiatives like implementing an organizational texting platform and joining organizational workgroups dedicated to improving operations at several Springbrook sites. Basso joins the senior management team with 20 years of experience in marketing and market research. He graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a degree in Communications. Basso is excited to continue his work for Springbrook in their marketing department and said, “I am thrilled to have this opportunity for professional growth and to grow with Springbrook—an organization that I have come to respect for its strength and dedication to its mission.”
DeLanoy began her new role on July 1, and Basso his on July 11.