NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Elizabeth P. Latt was promoted this week to the post of director of Vanderbilt University's Office of News and Public Affairs, Vice Chancellor for University Relations and General Counsel Jeff Carr announced.

Latt, who has served as associate director for the past four-and-a-half years, will be responsible for the daily operations of the office, which is a division of University Relations.

Also announced was the naming of Brenda Ellis as senior editor with oversight responsibility for all News and Public Affairs print and electronic publications. Ellis will oversee the launching of several new initiatives involving both printed publications and the office's entry into increased use of computer and other technologies to accomplish its missions.

Jamie Lawson, assistant editor of the Vanderbilt Register, will succeed Ellis as editor of the newspaper.

"Liz is an excellent choice to head the team into new fields of communicating the Vanderbilt story while safeguarding the basics that are so necessary," Carr said. "By all accounts, Liz has made a major contribution to Vanderbilt in her time as associate director, and I am delighted to be able to recognize her achievement and leadership abilities with the promotion."

Carr also complimented the work of Ellis and Lawson, saying their new duties reflect not only their accomplishments and abilities, but the effort of the office to continue to serve the Vanderbilt community as new technologies become increasingly important.

Latt, 45, a former city editor and Associated Press reporter, came to Vanderbilt in June 1990. She was named associate director in December 1990.

A native of Charleston, S.C., she received her bachelor of arts from the University of South Carolina College of Journalism. After four years as a copy editor and reporter for The Columbia (S.C.) Record, Latt joined the Columbia bureau of The Associated Press, where she served as chief state government reporter. She returned to The Columbia Record in 1980 as news editor and later was named city editor. She also served as an instructor in the USC College of Journalism.

In August 1982, she moved to Nashville and worked briefly for the Tennessee Municipal League before joining the Nashville AP bureau. She later served as publications manager for Saint Thomas Hospital.

She is married to AP newsman Skip Latt and they have two sons, Will, 11, and Evan, 6.

Ellis, 44, a former copy editor and writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, spent 17 years as a university journalism assistant professor. Before joining Vanderbilt she served as news copy editor at The Tennessean. An alumna of Murray (Ky.) State University, she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and English in 1971 and a master's degree in journalism in 1977. She is a native of Paducah, Ky., and has a daughter, Jessamyn, 3.

Lawson, 26, has served as Register assistant editor since receiving a bachelor's degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University in December 1991. She was named an information officer in 1993.