David Dodds

Biography

David Dodds is the assistant vice president of communication and a member of the Division of Marketing & Communications. In those roles, Dodds develops and implements media and communications strategies for UND, develops strategic media plans, coordinates public relations, UND Today, manages media contacts, pitches stories and responds to media and public inquiries.

Dodds began his AVP duties in July 2025 after a six year stint as communications director. He also is the founding editor and developer of UND Today.

Dodds has been with UND for 18 years, and has worked primarily with media, publications and public relations. Previous to his time at UND, he spent 10 years as a reporter for The Grand Forks Herald, where he mostly covered higher education.

Retired from the North Dakota Army National Guard, Dodds served on several deployments as a military journalist, including to the Middle East and Balkans over his 25-year military career. While in the Army, Dodds managed visits by national and international civilian reporters, helping them embed with troops who were serving overseas. He has been deployed to Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Kosovo, Germany, Italy and South Korea.

Dodds, who was born in New Rockford, N.D., and grew up in Dickinson, N.D., earned his bachelor’s degree in communication from UND in 1998. He is married to Jennifer, an elementary teacher in Grand Forks, where they have chosen to settle and raise five daughters: Emma, Eliza, Josephine, Amelia and Lydia.