Phoebe Resnick, former director of public relations at Penn Museum, died on September 25 of lung cancer. She was 85. 

Born in Brooklyn, she moved to Louisville, Kentucky when she was five. She graduated from the Kentucky Home School for Girls and then attended Wellesley College, receiving a bachelor’s degree in English and literature.

Ms. Resnick was a writer and a longtime public relations and marketing professional. She became director of public information at the Penn Museum in 1980, then served as the director of public relations there from 1984 to 1986. Ms. Resnick publicized countless events and personalities, coordinated special programs, directed tours for media and others, and served as the Penn Museum’s spokesperson in the press. She created campaigns that propelled Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass to fame and heavily promoted the publication by Penn of the first Sumerian dictionary. She also deftly spun a series of high-profile thefts that occurred at the Penn Museum in 1981 and 1982. Under the auspices of the Penn Museum, she created a radio series called Buried Treasure that broadcast on WHYY and introduced the public to some of the museum’s archaeological projects (Almanac April 10, 1984). She also served on the University Council Communications Committee.

In 1986, she opened Resnick Communications in Philadelphia, a public relations and marketing company. She worked with Moderne Gallery, the Center for Art in Wood, Thos. Moser furniture, the Main Line Antiques Show, and other clients. One colleague called her a “true communications maven with experience, savvy, contacts, and friendships that all combine to make her the ‘best of the best.’” She publicized projects about art, culture, history, music, entertainment, academics, politics, and other subjects.

She is survived by her husband, Myron Resnick; children, Rosalind Resnick, Bruce Resnick (Robyn Martin) and Dave Resnick (Marlys Miller); and eight grandchildren.