Johnny Cruz is chief communications and marketing officer at University of California, Riverside. He leads the team responsible for brand and creative, public relations, enrollment marketing, advancement communications, content and publications, executive communications, digital marketing, video and photography, issues management, and university events. Since arriving at UC Riverside in 2018, he also has served as interim vice chancellor for University Advancement and interim president of the UC Riverside Foundation, and as acting associate chancellor and chief of staff in the Office of the Chancellor.

Prior to joining UC Riverside, Johnny was responsible for telling global humanitarian stories for World Vision in his role as National Director of Public Relations; was assistant vice president for communications at the University of Arizona; and served in various brand management, marketing, and communications roles at the Make-A-Wish national headquarters.

Johnny serves on the Council on Strategic Communications executive committee for the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and the Association of American Universities marketing subcommittee, and he was a member of the Leadership Riverside class of 2023. In 2023, the American Marketing Association named Johnny one of the three finalists for the national Higher Education Marketer of the Year.

Johnny earned his degree in Radio/Television from Marietta College. He has overseen national marketing campaigns both in English and Spanish.