[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 82 (Friday, May 18, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E685]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF MS. DEBORAH LELIAERT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 18, 2018

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Deborah Leliaert, 
Vice President for University Relations and Planning, as she retires 
from her position at the University of North Texas.
   Ms. Leliaert joined UNT in 1992 as director of news while attending 
UNT's Toulouse Graduate School. In 1996, she advanced to associate vice 
president for marketing and communication and UNT System associate vice 
chancellor for communications and marketing. She held this title until 
2001 when the UNT System Board of Regents approved the creation of 
associate vice president for university relations. Ms. Leliaert was 
promoted into this new role to oversee the university's communications 
and marketing as well as visitor and public relations. She continued in 
this capacity as associate vice chancellor for communications and 
marketing for the UNT System.
   In a career spanning more than a quarter century of UNT's history, 
Ms. Leliaert witnessed a tremendous period of growth, challenge, and 
celebration, serving six presidents and three chancellors as the 
institution's chief internal and external spokesperson through much of 
this time. This window of UNT's history included its acceptance as a 
full member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; 
countless new programs and building projects; new campuses; recognition 
of UNT as an emerging research institution and the development of 
ground-breaking relationships for the University through research 
efforts and public partnerships such as exists with UNT's current 
relationship with the Dallas Cowboys.
   Managing much of the marketing and communications involved in 
supporting UNT's brand management and institutional reputation, Ms. 
Leliaert also supported UNT's ambitious student recruitment and 
retention objectives for a campus that has grown by almost 20 percent 
in only the second half of her tenure with UNT. Her efforts to bolster 
UNT in the media intersected with the rapid rise of social media and 
modern transformation of the media landscape.
   Ms. Leliaert's talents, particularly her eloquence and skill to 
respond in times of crisis, will be sorely missed by the UNT community. 
As a proud UNT alumnus, I thank her for her contributions as a long-
serving member of UNT's staff, and I wish her much happiness as she 
commences her retirement after a significant and successful career.

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