Laura Benedict Sileo recently joined the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as director of agriculture communications and marketing specialist. She will work with the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences and UMES Extension in guiding communication and marketing strategy.
Sileo has more than 20 years of experience in online and print media. Most recently serving as executive editor of The Daily Times and DelmarvaNow.com, she is familiar with hot-button issues facing communities, particularly agricultural, on the Delmarva Peninsula.
“I am very excited that Ms. Sileo has joined the SANS leadership team. She brings a wealth of exceptional experience and knowledge that will be vital in providing strategic leadership of the agriculture communications and marketing team, thus benefiting the SANS stakeholders it serves,” said Moses T. Kairo, professor and dean, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences and dean for UMES Extension.
The Salisbury native holds fond memories of her childhood spent exploring her family’s farm and greenhouses which supplied plants for their florist shop and garden center, and beach grass for local dune preservation efforts.
In her former role, Sileo oversaw news coverage including the chicken industry and its intersection with the environment, along with climate change, environmental justice, agritourism, sustainable farming through students’ eyes, food deserts, hemp research, cultural food shifts and farmland preservation.
She transformed the news gathering process using a storytelling and visual approach to which online audiences responded.
“I look forward to working with UMES and gaining a deeper knowledge of agricultural needs and the future of the industry on Delmarva and throughout the world,” Sileo said. “My communications team and I are committed to evolving to meet the varied needs of the SANS community and promote the good work being done here.”
Sileo holds a master’s degree in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Her bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University is in English with a focus in technical writing.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu
