Nora Loechel is a strategic communications leader with extensive experience advancing mission-driven organizations through clear, inclusive, and impact-focused messaging. Her work centers on aligning complex institutional mandates with accessible communication strategies that serve diverse audiences, including individuals with disabilities, families, practitioners, policymakers, and community partners. With a strong foundation in research, audience analysis, and brand stewardship, she brings a systems-level approach to communications that supports both organizational clarity and public engagement.
At the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Loechel leads comprehensive strategic communications planning that integrates research, outreach platforms, digital accessibility, and stakeholder engagement across the IIDC's multiple centers and initiatives. Her work emphasizes translating research and policy into practical, human-centered narratives while strengthening institutional identity within a multifaceted academic and community landscape. She oversees audits of outreach platforms, developed long-term communication visions, and established frameworks for measuring impact, engagement, and reach.
Loechel’s professional approach is grounded in collaboration, empathy, and accountability. She prioritizes inclusive language, accessible user experiences, and data-informed decision-making to ensure communications not only inform but also empower. Through partnership-driven implementation and continuous evaluation, she supports the IIDC’s mission to navigate systems, connect communities, and advance equitable outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan.
Degrees
Loechel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Communication from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University.