Faces of MIT: Vera Grbic
MIT News ·
IDHR communications officer Vera Grbic helps connect the MIT community with resources, support, and information through clear and accessible messaging.
Vera Grbic, communications officer at the Institute Discrimination and Harassment Response Office (IDHR), is an expert at creating clear, informative collateral. Whether she is improving the IDHR website to help people more easily find the support or resources they need or using newsletters and annual reports to explain IDHR's work and the policies that guide it, Grbic believes it is vital for members of the MIT community to know where to turn and what resources are available to them.
Grbic earned a BA in communications, with a minor in English literature, from the University of Ottawa, and an MA in communications from Carleton University. Both institutions are in Canada's capital city of Ottawa.
Before joining MIT in 2021, Grbic worked in a mix of federal government, nonprofit, and research organizations. After graduate school, she worked as a freelance journalist, during which she developed a skill she still relies on today: collaborating with subject-matter experts to ensure that creative communications are grounded in fact. As a senior communications officer for the National Research Council of Canada , she worked with engineers and scientists in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate research, aerospace, and physiology. She elevated their research and innovations to key audiences and helped create new partnership opportunities. In this role, she translated complex information into engaging communications that furthered the organization's goals. Grbic describes this work as the "through-line" connecting her previous experience to what she does today at MIT.
IDHR addresses concerns related to discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and sexual misconduct by providing education, individualized supportive measures, information about available resources, and complaint resolution pathways that include both restorative and investigative processes. Grbic develops IDHR’s annual communications strategy and has spearheaded several key initiatives, including a website and annual report redesign and the launch of IDHR’s Data Dashboard . She collaborates with colleagues across MIT to gather content ideas for newsletters, data and stories for annual reports, and feedback on communications materials. She often partners with IDHR's prevention education and outreach team, which delivers training to the community.
Grbic notes that being a communications professional means constantly learning, whether that entails researching a new topic, finding creative ways to tell a story, or meeting subject-matter experts who broaden her perspective. Accuracy is at the core of her approach. While she strives to find creative ways to explain policies and complex processes in ways that are accessible to everyone, collaboration and fact-checking are intrinsic to her work. Given the wide range of responsibilities within communications, Grbic is a jack-of-all-trades. Her experience includes creative communications, social media management, long-form storytelling, event production, report writing, video production, and website management.
In addition to her communications responsibilities, Grbic co-organizes the annual Change-Maker Awards , which honor members of the MIT community who work diligently to prevent sexual misconduct and combat harassment. She takes great pride in helping lead an event that recognizes individuals who are making a meaningful difference in building a safer culture at MIT. Grbic describes the award winners as “true inspirations.”
Grbic recognizes that nothing is done in a vacuum. She values the input of her team members and colleagues across MIT and is proud to incorporate their feedback into her content. Because no two projects are exactly alike, she enjoys the creativity and variety that her work offers.
Soundbytes
Q: What are your favorite projects that you have worked on?
A: I was part of a team that helped develop and launch the most recent sexual misconduct surveys for students and employees. I also strategized a campaign to clarify IDHR services, which included whole-scale website improvement: rewriting many sections, adjusting navigation, improving visual design, and publishing a short video explaining our process. There was also a poster campaign about the services we offer the community. MIT is awash with important storytelling, so getting that messaging to people who need it is vital. These projects brought me pride because taking the time to understand a community's experiences can have a meaningful impact.
Q: How would you describe the MIT community?
A : Smart, in a well-rounded way. Everyone is an incredibly hard worker and thinks in deep, research- and experience-backed ways on how to solve complex projects.
As an employee who has worked with students on Institute-wide initiatives, committees, and awards, I have seen how much they care about making the world a better place. The staff and faculty are gracious and bring a strong work ethic to everything they do in support of the MIT community.
Q: Are you involved in any areas of the Institute that are not directly related to your job?
A: I recently started participating in the MIT Women’s League , which I am excited to explore. When I was pregnant, I took prenatal classes at MIT, including a yoga class where I met people I am still in touch with years later. I also played in a volleyball league at the recreation facilities, which made me see the facilities from a different angle.
I’ve attended many free conferences and events hosted by MIT clubs and schools. For example, a children’s clothing swap has been organized for years, which also provides an opportunity to connect with other families in the community. I also prioritize keeping up with current topics and have attended two AI conferences organized by the Institute.
While these opportunities may feel secondary to the workplace, they are important. I’m glad I am in a space that helps feed my physical health and has opportunities for broader learning.