Member Listing
CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS
EXECUTIVE ADVISORS
In Memoriam |
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Tom Kowaleski (1951-2015) Tom was a mainstay in the auto industry where he held top public relations and communications positions at Chrysler, General Motors, BMW, and Lincoln. Tom Kowaleski was a beloved member of the Advisory Council and passed away in January 2015. An incredible mentor in the Council's Mentor-Protege program, Tom's Protege, Katherine Gore, wrote this tribute in his memory. |
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John Palmer** (1935-2013) John, a longtime NBC White House Correspondent as well as an NBC Today Show anchor, was a founding member of the Council. John Palmer was named the first life-time member of the CofC Communication Advisory Council. In honor of his incredible dedication to the program, The John Palmer Communication Award was established after he passed away in August 2013. |
**Lifetime members
Meet the Advisory Council Members
Jim Hickey (Council Chair) is a veteran of 48 years as a radio and TV journalist, including 32 years with ABC News. Hickey retired from broadcasting in 2012 and since then he has published two books including a novel of historical fiction; The General & The Lady: A True Story of Civil Love and War, and a murder mystery; Naked Ambition: A Jack Hennessey Detective Adventure. Jim also occasionally narrates audiobooks. As the National Correspondent for ABC News Radio, Hickey was in the anchor chair for ABC News Radio’s special coverage of the terrorist attacks on September 11th,2001 and has reported extensively on the war on terrorism. His three decades of assignments with ABC News took him literally round the world covering news events that are now chapters in history books. He was the ABC News Bureau Chief in South Africa during the uprisings that led to the end of apartheid and reported on the triumphal return from prison of Nelson Mandela. He reported on the civil war in Lebanon from Beirut, the fall of the Soviet Union from Moscow, and the first war with Iraq, Desert Storm, from Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He also reported from Iraq developments leading up to that war. Other major stories he covered include the death of Princess Diana from Paris and London, the impeachment of President Clinton in Washington, the millennium celebration from Rome, the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University. In retirement, Jim enjoys playing bass guitar in a local classic-rock band, 40 Years Too Late. (Back to Top)
Malcolm Berkley leads integration, alignment and operations across UPS’s global communications team, and storytelling and issues management that help drive UPS’s reputation and brand relevance. Malcolm began his UPS career in 1998 in the company’s public relations department. Throughout his UPS career, Malcolm has held strategic communications positions of increasing responsibility in public relations, employee communications, public affairs, UPS Airlines and The UPS Foundation. His responsibilities have included serving as a primary spokesperson and leading the company’s public relations efforts targeting priority industries such as healthcare, high-tech and electronics, retail and small business. Prior to assuming his current role, Malcolm was president of UPS’s U.S. media relations, financial and crisis communications. Before joining UPS, Malcolm worked for GolinHarris Communications, where he provided public relations counsel to clients including Nissan, Sara Lee and Starbucks. Malcolm is an active mentor and volunteer with a focus on assisting troubled youth and strengthening the pipeline of young, diverse communications professionals. He is a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. A native of Harlem, NY, Malcolm earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Morehouse College. (Back to Top)
Kim Adler is Vice President, Internal Communications at WestRock, an $18 billion paper and packaging company. Prior to joining WestRock in 2020, Ms. Adler was Vice President and Head of Global Communications at eye care company Alcon from 2017-2019. Before that she was Vice President, Communications and Government Affairs for Novelis Inc., where she had global oversight for the company’s award-winning communications and public affairs functions from 2010 to 2017. Prior to joining Novelis, Ms. Adler held senior communications roles with Freudenberg-NOK and Freudenberg North America, and ArvinMeritor, Inc. From 1990–2007, her firm, Adler Communications, provided strategic communications support for a variety of clients including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Ford Motor Company. (Back to Top)
John Ambler is Vice President of Corporate Communications and Brand Management at United States Steel Corporation. He has extensive experience in crisis communications, public affairs, government and international relations, corporate communications and issues management. Prior to joining US Steel Corporation, Ambler held a number of leading communication roles, including Managing Director for Corporate Crisis Group, Chief Communications & Public Affairs officer for Memorial Hermann Health System, Vice President Corporate Relations for BNSF Railway and Senior Vice President and Partner with Fleishman-Hillard. He also served as Vice President Marketing, Communication & Public Affairs at Enron and in senior government affairs, public affairs and international positions at Texaco. He has been a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, The Seminar, IABC and PRSA. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College. (Back to Top)
Edward Barbini is Vice President of Communications for Kyndryl. Recognized as a spin-off of IBM IT infrastructure services, Kyndryl is focused on designing, running and managing the most modern, efficient and reliable technology infrastructure that the world depends on every day. Ed previously was VP of Corporate Communications for IBM, leading all of the company’s issues-related and C-level communications strategies for media, analysts and key influencers worldwide. He was actively involved in all corporate external relations in diverse fields such as shareholder communications and the execution of Social Media communications. A veteran of IBM, Ed has worked in many of IBM's operating units, with executive positions including head of communications and public relations for various IBM units, where he has been responsible for overseeing media relations, executive and internal communications and IT analyst relations. Prior to joining IBM, Ed worked as a reporter for the Newhouse News Service and in government, where he worked in the press offices of New York City Mayors Edward I. Koch and David Dinkins, and served as Press Secretary to New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams. Ed also oversaw the media relations efforts for the National Association of Attorneys General during his government work. Ed is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, and a graduate of Columbia University. (Back to Top)
Ted Birkhahn is President and Co-founder of Hot Paper Lantern (HPL). His firm helps global brands and business leaders protect, shape and scale their relevance and reputation in a digital-first environment. Ted’s passion and expertise in reputation management is built on an approach that integrates strategy, content and technology to enable clients to respond to market shifts swiftly and purposefully. Prior to HPL, Ted spent 19 years at Peppercomm, where he oversaw the growth and development of the firm from a start-up public relations outfit to a major international firm serving global clients. During his time at Peppercomm, Ted rose through the ranks ultimately serving as agency President. Before joining agency life, Ted was Press Secretary for the New York City Department of Buildings during Mayor Giuliani’s Administration. He also worked in New York City as a field reporter for WOR-AM radio and an assistant producer for 1010 WINS radio. Giving back to the profession and global community is also a big part of Ted’s life. He is a proud board member of several leading organizations – including College of Charleston’s Department of Communication Advisory Council, Hands Up for Haiti, and Shames JCC on the Hudson. He also volunteers his time and expertise to YVote, a non-profit organization that helps young people understand the importance of voting and participating in elections. (Back to Top)
Sangita Blomberg is the Head of US Communications for AXA Investment Managers, a global multi-asset management firm with over $800 billion in assets under management. In this role, she manages the regional marketing and communications and strategy for the firm, supports the business development strategy, and protects the firm’s reputation. More specifically, she oversees the firm's strategic priorities, corporate narratives and proactive media strategy, content-led educational programs and client events, co-marketing and advertising programs, budgeting, and other related projects. Prior to joining AXA IM in 2015, she served as the Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) for five years, and managed Executive Communications as part of the Corporate Communications team both at GE Corporate and GE Capital. Blomberg has over fifteen years of strategic communications experience, and her specialties include the following: corporate communications, integrations, strategic communications planning and execution, marketing, advertising, brand development, journalism, broadcast, and digital media. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a Pre-Medicine concentration from The College of the Holy Cross. (Back to Top)
Kathleen "Kat" Blomquist '95 has 25 years of strategic communications experience in the corporate, government, legal, nonprofit and political sectors. She is also an attorney and brings her knowledge of the law and critical analytical skills to her communication’s practice. In her past roles, Kat has specialized in media relations, crisis communications, employee communications and engagement, organizational change, public affairs and litigation communications. She performed this work in a variety of demanding environments, including the U.S. Department of Justice, Diageo, Burson-Marsteller (now Burson Cohn & Wolfe), Rubenstein Associates, the U.S. Department of Education, the Knights of Columbus and presidential and state level political campaigns. She also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, where she gained valuable experience in the criminal justice system. Kat recently hung out her shingle, Guard Hill Communications, to offer her unique blend of crisis communications and employee engagement experience to clients facing sensitive situations and reputational threats. Kat graduated from the College of Charleston in South Carolina and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York. She is a member of the New York Bar. (Back to Top)
Jeannie Bunton is Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Consumer Bankers Association. In this position, she contributes to operations and strategy to help shape CBA’s advocacy for the retail banking industry and positioning as a modern trade in the hot soup of Washington policy. Bunton formerly served as Vice President of the External Relations Group for the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), a global think tank (headquartered in Washington, D.C., with an Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, India and project offices in Mumbai, India and Nairobi, Kenya) dedicated to improving the lives of women in developing countries. Prior to joining ICRW, she was Vice President of Strategic Communications at the Securities industry and Financial Markets, Wall Street’s trade association, where she designed and executed media and outreach strategies to raise awareness of SIFMA and the Foundation for Investor Education. Before joining SIFMA, she was a senior counselor at Policy Impact, a public relations and lobbying firm, and before that, she was Director of Press and Public Affairs for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Before joining CPB, Jeannie served as a White House aide to President George H.W. Bush in the Office of Media Affairs and the Office of Presidential Speechwriting. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and American University. (Back to Top)
David Campbell is President and COO of Chernoff Newman, one of the top full-service advertising, public relations and marketing communications firms in the Southeast, where he oversees day-to-day operations of the firm in Columbia, South Carolina and its branch offices in Charleston, Charlotte, North Carolinas and Orlando, Florida. With more than 20 years’ experience in the financial industry, Campbell successfully negotiated and integrated the merger between Chernoff/Silver and Newman Saylor & Gregory, two of the largest integrated communications agencies in South Carolina, as well as the later acquisitions of ASA in Charleston, South Carolina and Carolina PR in Charlotte, North Carolina. Actively involved in the community, he was appointed by the Governor of South Carolina as the Commissioner of the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs where he currently serves as Chairman; he serves on the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald Housing Corp, the Board of Trustees for Claflin University, the Advisory Board for the Synovus Bank and is the Past Chair of Historic Columbia. He is also the former Chair for the Council of Governors for the American Advertising Federation. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University and George Washington University. (Back to Top)
Steve Cody is the founder and chief executive officer of Peppercomm, a strategic communications agency he named in honor of his late Black Lab, Pepper. In his role as CEO, Cody is responsible for driving everything from thought leadership and new service offerings to crisis counseling and workplace culture. Recently, PR Week cited Peppercomm for being among the best workplaces in 2020. The firm has won many other workplace culture awards from Fortune, Inc. and The New York Observer. Peppercomm was named the top workplace in New York City by Crain’s New York Business. In that competition, Peppercomm bested 930 other organizations, including Google, New York Life and Amazon. The firm has been named best agency of the year by PR Week, PR News and Bulldog Reporter, and has garnered countless “best” campaign of the year awards from advertising, digital, workplace and PR trade media. Cody has contributed hundreds of guest columns to Inc Magazine, been quoted extensively throughout the business and trade press and authored his own book, “What’s keeping your customers up at night?” (McGraw-Hill, 2003). Named one of Northeastern University’s 100 Most Successful Alumni, Cody is the immediate past chair of the Institute for Public Relations, sits on the nominating committee of The Page Society and is a two-time former chair of the PRSA’s Counselor’s Academy. He has also served as a member of the University of Florida’s Communications Department’s Advisory Council since 2017. Cody is a member of the Diversity Action Alliance and led Peppercomm to become one of the six founding members of the Diversity Marketing Consortium, which provides a range of pro bono PR and branding services to minority-owned businesses. Cody is married with two children and two grandchildren. His passions are ice, rock and mountain climbing as well as performing stand-up comedy (very poorly). In the latter role, he has helped organize comedy charity fundraisers that have distributed more than $100,000 to worthy nonprofits and charities. (Back to Top)
Brent Colburn, a veteran of both Democratic political campaigns and the Obama administration, is the Senior Vice President for External Relations and Communications at the University of California. Prior, he served as the Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs at Princeton University from 2018-21, and the first Vice President of Communications at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). CZI, established in December of 2015 by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and pediatrician and educator Dr. Priscilla Chan, is committed to unlocking human potential and promoting equality. Prior to joining CZI, Colburn spent a semester as a Fellow in Residence at Harvard University’s Kennedy School for Government’s Institute of Politics. Before accepting the position at Harvard, he most recently served as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, where he acted as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense for communication strategy, media relations, public information, and community relations in support of Department of Defense (DOD) activities and U.S. service members and civilian employees. Colburn also oversaw the Department’s Public Affairs infrastructure. Colburn served in a number of other positions within the Obama administration before joining DOD, including as Chief of Staff at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He began his service with the Obama administration at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he was the Director of External Affairs, overseeing Public Affairs, Legislative Affairs, Intergovernmental Affairs, International Affairs and Private Sector Outreach. Colburn worked on the last four presidential campaign cycles, most recently serving as National Communications Director for President Obama’s re-election campaign and the Communications Director for the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee. In 2008 he served as Michigan Communications Director for then-Senator Obama’s first presidential run, following stints as Research Director for Howard Dean and as a member of the National Advance Staff for Gore-Lieberman in 2000. He is a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary. (Back to Top)
Mike Cummins is a global communications professional with twenty years of experience in corporate, internal, reputation management, sustainability, financial and crisis communications. He has served as spokesperson for Fortune 500 companies, managed major crisis communications situations, helped steer organizations through times of change and developed corporate social media programs and protocols. Mike's skills include media relations, reputation management, crisis communications, executive positioning, corporate spokesperson, internal communications, team leadership and development. (Back to Top)
Shelby Curry is Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Communications for The Walt Disney Company. She has served in a variety of internal and external communication capacities with Disney for more than 10 years. Throughout her 20 plus years as a communications professional, she has held leadership positions at Ascension, one of the largest private healthcare systems in the United States, and Caesars Entertainment. Before transitioning to corporate communications, she worked as a journalist at several Indiana newspapers, including The Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, Evansville Courier & Press, and The Indianapolis Star. A literacy advocate, Shelby is the author of “The Bedtime Story Race,” a joyful picture book for young readers ages 4-7. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. (Back to Top)
Erin Dempsey is an Associate at the Brunswick Group, a strategic advisory firm headquartered in London. From Brunswick’s Washington, D.C. office, Erin advises clients on crisis and issues management, litigation communications, and public affairs. Erin specializes in complex, cross-border projects that require diligence and expert attention-to-detail. Her clients operate in the energy and resources, healthcare, and technology sectors—and have included major technology companies, large international airlines, and the like. She has significant experience in the U.S. and MENA regions. Prior to joining Brunswick in 2017, Erin worked at global public relations firm Ketchum, Inc., supporting both the public affairs practice and U.S. business development team. She holds degrees in Economics, Communication, and French from the College of Charleston. (Back to Top)
Mark Kendall Dole '93 is the Senior Director of Product Communications for Apellis Pharmaceuticals. Previously he served Head of Oncology Communications at Healthcare Business of Merck in Germany, and before that as Head of Communications, Biogen Research and Development, Biogen, the global discovery and clinical research organization for one of the world’s oldest independent biotechnology companies, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this role, Mark directed Biogen’s communication, increased the organization’s visibility and reputation, launched new communication channels and digital platforms, and advised executive members on public relations, reputation and crisis management issues. Prior to Biogen, he worked in Switzerland for F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. Also in Switzerland, Mark served as a communication manager at Novartis Pharma AG as well as the founder and managing director of zebrafish communication GmbH and medical director at Euro RSCG Life. He is a graduate of the College of Charleston, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Harvard. (Back to Top)
Whitney Eichinger is Managing Director of Culture & Engagement at Southwest Airlines. She ensures Southwest’s legendary culture remains at the heart of the business. She oversees Company initiatives designed to better understand Employee sentiment, needs, and expectations in the current environment while increasing Employee engagement. She oversees recognition strategies and efforts that lead people through change, and leads the charge to create meaningful and creative Companywide events. Whitney joined Southwest in 1999 and served as a key media spokesperson and leader on Southwest’s communications team. During her first 15 years at Southwest, she provided strategic guidance ensuring the Company was well positioned in the media during crisis situations, helped share the Southwest story by highlighting our People internally and externally, and created unique, ground-breaking events for our Employees and Customers. In 2014, Whitney and her family moved to Michigan where she expanded her leadership experience by leading a global communications team at Ford Motor Company and then served as the Director of Communications and later Vice President Communications at Bedrock and Rock Ventures—both in Dan Gilbert’s Family of Companies. In 2019, Southwest was excited to welcome Whitney back to lead the Culture and Engagement Department. (Back to Top)
Tucker Eskew has been a Founding Partner of Vianovo since 2005. Vianovo is a strategy consultancy working at the intersection of high stakes crisis, business, policy and politics. Eskew has helped lead opinion during some of the nation's most intense public debates. He played leadership roles in both Bush-Cheney campaigns and in 2008 was counselor to the GOP vice-presidential nominee. He served as Deputy Assistant to the President from 2001-2003, heading Media Affairs and then Global Communications. After 9/11, Eskew served in London as the President's wartime communications representative to No. 10 Downing Street. He began working in technology marketing and web communications in the mid-90s, when he co-founded an electronic commerce business and then started a South Carolina-based public relations and business-consulting firm. Additionally, he served eight years as Press Secretary to South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. He began his career on President Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign. He is a graduate of the University of the South (Sewanee). (Back to Top)
Michael Fanning is a senior executive with a background in sustainability, communications, public affairs, and internationally focused business school education. After a nearly 40-year career with several multi-national corporations, including Michelin Group, IBM and the Reader’s Digest Association, he was elected inaugural president from 2017 - 2018 for the Business Partnership Foundation, Darla Moore School of Business, at the University of South Carolina, the number-one ranked business school in the United States for international programs. Prior, Fanning was director of sustainable development for Michelin North America. Fanning is past liaison-delegate for Michelin Group to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Geneva, Switzerland, where he led the city task force for Sustainable Mobility Project 2.0 for Chengdu, China. He was also the company’s representative to the U.N. Global Compact and advisory board member for the Initiative on Sustainability with The Conference Board. Fanning is past chairman of the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition, and he held national board positions with the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Organization for International Investment, all based in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland. (Back to Top)
Mike Fernandez is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability and Chief Communications Officer at Enbridge (North America’s largest energy transportation company). Previously, he was the U.S. CEO for LLYC, a strategic communications firm headquartered in Spain with a significant presence in Latin America. He also served as professor of strategic communication at Boston University. He’s also served as the U.S. CEO for Burson-Marsteller (now part of BCW - one of the world’s largest PR agencies) and as chief communications officer for five large U.S.-based corporations - State Farm, Conagra Brands, Cigna and US West. He also held various marketing and PR roles at Kodak. Early in his career, he served as Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Ernest “Fritz” Hollings of South Carolina, where at age 23 he was the youngest U.S. Senate Press Secretary ever and only the second Latino to serve in such a role. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and Irmo High School (Irmo, SC). (Back to Top)
Jonathan Gandal is a Deloitte managing director and serves as the organization’s Reputation leader, providing senior-most counsel on sensitive communications matters and issues that impact the firm’s reputation. Jonathan is a proven corporate communications counselor, with more than 30 years’ experience developing and leading strategic communications for some of the world’s most respected and innovative brands. Prior to joining Deloitte in 2007, Jonathan held senior leadership roles and led award-winning client teams at public relations firms including Brodeur Worldwide, Bite Communications, Waggener Edstrom and Ketchum. His clients included IBM, Infosys Technologies, RIM, Sun Microsystems, Eastman Chemical, Philips, MasterCard International and The American Lung Association. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Citizenship. (Back to Top)
Mary Garrett is President of M.Power Coaching and Consulting, LLC, focused on developing executive leaders and helping organizations align brand and culture, customer experience and employee engagement for positive impact on business vitality. Prior, Garrett most recently was the CMO, Global Markets for IBM Corporation. She joined IBM as an electrical engineer and served in key positions in sales, as a P&L owner, and marketing, leading teams across the software and services portfolios in 170 markets around the world. Garrett currently serves on a number of boards, including Ethan Allen Interiors, Inc. (NYSE: ETH), Hillrom Corporation (NYSE: HRC), and Danbury/New Milford Hospital board. She is an active mentor in W.O.M.E.N. in America, a professional development group aimed at advancing promising professional women, and is the past chair of the American Marketing Association board. Garrett has extensive experience in the technology industry, including digital transformation, cognitive analytics, and cloud computing. She holds a patent for her work in speech recognition. She has a broad international background including Europe and emerging markets in Asia and Africa, and is inspired by driving transformational growth. She is a triathlete, married to a Brit with a great sense of humor, and is the proud mother of two grown sons. Garrett is a graduate of Brown University and Boston University. (Back to Top)
Jon Harris is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for Conagra Brands. Serving as Conagra’s CCO since 2015, Jon has helped reinvigorate the $8 billion company - home of iconic food brands such as Reddi-wip, Hunt's, Healthy Choice and Slim Jim, as well as emerging brands, including Frontera, Duke's and Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP - into an aggressive, agile industry leader that reflects consumers’ dynamic tastes. Jon has played an integral role in influencing and motivating all stakeholder audiences: employees, consumers, customers, shareholders and analysts, during a time of unprecedented change for Conagra Brands. Previously he served as Chief Communications Officer and Senior Vice President at Hillshire Brands and Senior Vice President, Global Communications for Sara Lee Corporation. Prior to Sara Lee, he held leadership positions at Bally Total Fitness Corporation, PepsiCo, Ketchum Public Relations and Medicus Public Relations. Jon also enjoyed a stint at NBCUniversal as an on-air correspondent on nationally-syndicated “Meredith Viera Show” talk show. He is an adjunct professor teaching integrated marketing and communications at the University of Chicago's Graham School, and is an active member of the World Communications 50 and the Arthur Page Society. Jon is a graduate of Rutgers University. (Back to Top)
Bruce Haynes is a Partner and Global Co-Chairman of crisis communications and issues management at FGS Global. Prior, Haynes served as Managing Director and Chairman of Public Affairs at Sard Verbinnen & Co. At the SVC global communications firm, where he specialized in public affairs and strategic communications counsel on transformative high-stakes situations that affected reputation and value, including M&A (CFIUS, anti-trust and other regulatory matters), crises, government oversight and investigations, issues management, and policy positioning. Haynes was founding partner and President of Purple Strategies, specializing in industry image and corporate reputation campaigns. Haynes work has included leading efforts to successfully reposition companies and trade associations, and reputation management and crisis communications for leading brands in the telecommunications, energy, financial services and health care categories. Working in the public and political sectors, Haynes has advised large federal government agencies on public affairs campaigns, served as media consultant to the Republican National Committee’s 2008 US Presidential independent expenditure campaign. Prior to forming Purple, he served as Chief-of-Staff to South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis and as staff counsel to two-term South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. He is a graduate of Francis Marion University and the University of South Carolina. (Back to Top)
Bill Heyman is Founder and CEO of Heyman Associates. He has been responsible for filling top communications roles for some of the most recognized brands in the world, including leading corporations, foundations, academic institutions and professional associations. Bill and the firm have affiliate firms across the globe. With his diverse network and passion for the work of executive search, Bill sets the example for Heyman Associates in building top-performing communications teams: listen to the client, get to know their unique culture and the appropriate chemistry with senior executives and deliver candidates with the right mix of both hard communications skills and intangible qualities. Bill serves on committees for The Seminar, the Arthur W. Page Society and is a founding board member of The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the University of Alabama. In 2017 he was inducted into the PR Week Hall of Fame. At the early onset of the global 2020 pandemic, Bill, along with social impact expert, Jane Randel, co-founded The CONVERSATION, a weekly zoom program for senior communications executives. The programming is dedicated to relevant critical issues of the day and has been widely and positively received. Bill is a graduate of Gettysburg College and Adelphi University. (Back to Top)
Jim Hickey is a veteran of 48 years as a radio and TV journalist, including 32 years with ABC News. Hickey retired from broadcasting in 2012 and since then he has published two books including a novel of historical fiction; The General & The Lady: A True Story of Civil Love and War, and a murder mystery; Naked Ambition: A Jack Hennessey Detective Adventure. Jim also occasionally narrates audiobooks. As the National Correspondent for ABC News Radio, Hickey was in the anchor chair for ABC News Radio’s special coverage of the terrorist attacks on September 11th,2001 and has reported extensively on the war on terrorism. His three decades of assignments with ABC News took him literally round the world covering news events that are now chapters in history books. He was the ABC News Bureau Chief in South Africa during the uprisings that led to the end of apartheid and reported on the triumphal return from prison of Nelson Mandela. He reported on the civil war in Lebanon from Beirut, the fall of the Soviet Union from Moscow, and the first war with Iraq, Desert Storm, from Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He also reported from Iraq developments leading up to that war. Other major stories he covered include the death of Princess Diana from Paris and London, the impeachment of President Clinton in Washington, the millennium celebration from Rome, the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University. In retirement, Jim enjoys playing bass guitar in a local classic-rock band, 40 Years Too Late. (Back to Top)
Andy Hilton is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for GAF, the world's largest roofing materials manufacturer. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of the company’s corporate communications and social responsibility efforts, including sustainability and community engagement. Prior to GAF, Andy led communications for ADP, an HR technology and services leader. From 2014-18, he led an integrated communications, content marketing, brand and events team responsible for shaping ADP’s corporate narrative. Andy also led communications and corporate marketing for the Water Solutions business of Xylem Inc., based in Stockholm, Sweden. Xylem was created following its spinoff from ITT Corporation in October 2011. Prior to the spin-off, Andy led ITT’s corporate public relations function from 2007-11. Andy began his communications career working for 10 years with two public relations agencies: Ketchum and Peppercomm. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. (Back to Top)
Aaron Hite '01 is the Global Client Partner at Jellyfish. Prior to Jellyfish, Aaron worked as VP, Client Partner at Merkle | DWA, where he worked with business-to-business (B2B) technology companies to drive business growth through media. Prior to Merkle, Aaron spent 5 years at Google where he worked with some of Google's largest B2B advertisers, advising on digital strategy. Prior to Google, he spent 10 years in advertising agencies. He has been Vice President at Digitas (New York), where he focused on developing customer acquisition strategy for American Express. He was also Digital Practice Lead at shopper marketing agency Saatchi & Saatchi X where he developed in-store digital integration strategies for national brands. Before Saatchi, he was an account leader at digital marketing agency 360i, where he focused on digital media, search engine marketing and social media marketing. He has also worked on the brand side at Bank of America, where he was a founding member of the Digital Media Center of Excellence and has been an adjunct instructor in E-Commerce Marketing at NYU. He is a graduate of College of Charleston and the University of Georgia. (Back to Top)
Bill Hughes is Chief Communications Officer at Pitney Bowes. In this global role, he directs communications for employees, the media and other influencers. He also oversees government affairs and works closely with the marketing and investor relations groups. Hughes joined Pitney Bowes in 2013 with more than 25 years of communications experience, having worked at both large corporations and small companies, across information technology, pharmaceutical, financial services and consumer products industries. He also has extensive international experience. Previously, he was Chief Communications Officer at CA Technologies, one of the world's largest IT management software companies. Before that, he had served as Vice President, Global Communications and Public Affairs, at IMS Health, the world's leading market information company to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Hughes also held several communications leadership roles at IBM. He was Vice President of Corporate Media Relations, as well as industry analyst relations and serving as the company’s spokesperson. He directed all communications programs for IBM's Global Sales and Distribution group. He also served as Vice President, Communications, for IBM Asia-Pacific. He first joined IBM as a Director of Public Relations for IBM's Personal Systems Group. Earlier in his career, he spent more than 12 years at Burson-Marsteller, WeberShandwick and Miller Communications. (Back to Top)
Alex S. Jones works as a scholar, journalist, and author and has made a specialty of addressing the evolving media landscape both historically and as a tumultuous contemporary issue. From 2000 to 2015, Jones was Director of the Shorenstein Center on the Media, Politics and Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School for Government at Harvard University. Before going to Harvard, he had been the Eugene C. Patterson Professor of the Practice of Journalism at Duke University. In 1987, Mr. Jones was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his articles in The New York Times on the collapse of the Bingham family’s newspaper empire in Louisville, Kentucky. From 1983 until 1992, he covered the press for The New York Times, writing on a wide range of media issues from the ethical dilemmas to financial matters. He is a graduate of Washington & Lee University. Mr. Jones is a member of the fourth generation of a Tennessee newspaper family. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy following graduation from Washington & Lee. (Back to Top)
Brian Jones is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Paradigm Media and Communications LLC. Previously he was President (2017-19), Executive Vice President (2014-17) and Senior Vice President (2003-14) at Fox Business Network (FBN). Jones joined FOX News in 1994 as Vice President of News Affiliates and helped to launch the Fox News Channel (FNC). Named in 1997 as Vice President of News Gathering where he was responsible for expanding the news infrastructure and business development of the fledgling network. Jones has also served in several executive roles at News Corporation. In 2002, he was named Director of Communications for the McGraw-Hill Companies, Information and Media Services. He returned to FNC in 2003 as Vice President of News. He was later promoted to Senior Vice President of Programming and Operations for FBN, where he managed news gathering, staffing and production operations; as well as the acquisition of financial data. He has also worked in politics as the manager of communications for George W. Bush's Presidential Campaign, 1999-2000 and director of communications for the Republican National Convention at that same time. Jones began his career working as a producer and investigative producer in local TV markets. He is a graduate of Fordham University. (Back to Top)
Stephanie Jones ’99 is a Corporate Philanthropy Communications Consultant for Dominion Energy. In this role, she leads the company’s charitable giving, community affairs, and employee volunteerism efforts across South Carolina and North Carolina. She also worked in public affairs and served as a spokesperson for the company. Prior to that, she was Director of Public Relations for Chernoff Newman, one of the top full-service advertising, public relations, and marketing communications firms in the Southeast. A graduate of the College of Charleston with a B.A. in Corporate Communication, Stephanie has more than two decades of experience in public relations, media relations, crisis communications, and corporate communications. In 2007, she was named Young Alumna of the Year by the College of Charleston. She was also recognized as a Distinguished Alumna of the College’s Department of Communication. Actively involved in the community, Stephanie is the incoming board president for the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens Society and serves on the board of directors for the Prisma Health Midlands Foundation. (Back to Top)
Ruth Kinzey is a retired Reputation Strategist. Known for developing strategic and comprehensive communication strategies. Most recently, she served as President of The Kinzey Company. Throughout her career, she has emphasized the importance of holistically linking communication, branding, marketing and corporate social responsibility. Always focused on protecting and enhancing an organization's reputation, she has led companies through crises as well as helped them actively enhance their reputations. In addition to working in the grocery retail, trucking, natural gas, and computer software corporate environments, she founded the Kinzey Company and was a pioneer in promoting the concept or strategic reputation management. During her prolific career, she has prepared change management communication, launched brands, developed government relations strategies, dealt with special interest groups, managed crises, established community relationships, supervised corporate foundations, educated consumers, engaged employees, created corporate citizenship platforms, supported investor relations activities, and executed public relations and marketing campaigns. Her consulting clients also included the banking, manufacturing, travel and tourism, and nonprofit sectors. Kinzey’s executive speech coaching sessions have helped business leaders improve their presentation skills as well as prepare for important meetings and events. Kinzey’s background includes radio news broadcasting. Additionally, she was an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, developing curriculum and teaching graduate students in the online communication master’s degree program. At University of North Carolina - Charlotte, she taught public relations, public speaking and journalism; established and chaired the Journalism Curriculum Committee; and oversaw the Communication Department internship program. Kinzey is a graduate of Coe College with a triple major in speech, English, and secondary education and has her master’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from The University of Iowa. (Back to Top)
Tim Klein is a senior communications strategist. He previously served as Interim Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Crawford & Company, Crisis Communications Consultant for Chick-fil-A Corporate, Executive Communications Consultant for Mobilitie, and Senior Communications Consultant for Cox Automotive Inc. Prior, Klein served seven years as Vice President of Public Relations for Equifax Inc., a global leader in information solutions and a member of the S&P 500 that provides financial, marketing and business data and services to banks, retail, marketing, technology, information and other companies throughout the U.S., Europe and Latin America. He directed the company’s external and internal communications strategies and was responsible for media relations, executive, financial, corporate, crisis and employee communications, for the corporation and its operations throughout the U.S. Canada, the UK, Brazil, Spain, Russia, India and eight other countries. Before joining Equifax, Klein created and headed the public relations department for Cingular Wireless, helping to merge 12 different regional wireless companies into one with a presence in every state. He was responsible for the reputation and strategic positioning and all internal and external communications of the company as it grew from 14 million customers to more than 50 million. He also led all communications efforts during the $45 billion merger with AT&T Wireless in 2004 and the integration of Cingular into AT&T in 2006. Klein is a graduate of the University of Missouri. (Back to Top)
Matthew Koch is a communications expert with extensive experience in public affairs, government and community relations, policy, and advocacy. Most recently he served as Vice President of External Affairs and Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for nine years. Koch helped the Chamber unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders and the public on strategies that support North American energy policy. In the VP role, he was responsible for leading the Institute’s efforts to promote and expand support for the construction of energy infrastructure and development of Canadian and U.S. Arctic energy resources. He is credited for building and managing the Energy Institute’s successful Partnership to Fuel America, a multistate, pro-North-American energy small business advocacy network. Before joining the Chamber, he was director of Federal Relations at the American Petroleum Institute (API), where he was chief advocate and issue manager for all downstream and refining-related issues affecting the oil and natural gas industry. During George W. Bush’s first term, Koch worked at the Department of Energy and in the White House. At the White House, he served in the Office of Cabinet Affairs as liaison to the secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and Energy and the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Koch has worked for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Governor of Texas, and for the minority leader of the New York State Assembly. He has extensive experience working on local, state, and national political campaigns and national political conventions. He is a graduate of Canisius College. (Back to Top)
Carrie Kurlander is Vice President of External Communications for Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to joining the company in 2013, Carrie was Vice President of. Communications for Southern Company, a Fortune 500 company and one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities. She also served as communications director and press secretary for the governor of Alabama, worked as an account executive for a California-based public relations firm and was an award-winning news anchor, reporter and producer. Carrie is a member of the Arthur Page Society and previously served on the University of Georgia Grady School of Journalism Board of Trust and the Board of Advisors for the Plank Center for Public Relations. She sits on the board of directors for The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Alliance Theatre and was previously on the board of the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund. Carrie is a member of the International Women’s Fund, Leadership Atlanta and was awarded the “Dream Keeper Corporate Executive of the Year” by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Executive Development Program. She and her husband Brian have two children. (Back to Top)
Keith Lindenburg is Partner at Brodeur Partners. Based in the Southeast, Lindenburg drives business development efforts for the firm and also leads two of Brodeur’s largest accounts, Deloitte and FM Global insurance. Keith is a multidimensional leader and C-Suite advisor with both in-house corporate communications and PR agency experience. Keith has more than 25 years of experience creating and executing high impact, strategic thought leadership campaigns for many of the world’s best-known brands, including Samsung, MasterCard, Canon, Guinness and the United Way. This is a return to Brodeur for Lindenburg, who was previously the Global Account Manager for the agency’s largest account, IBM. Prior to his return, Lindenburg was Executive Vice President at Edelman, the world’s largest public relations firm, where he led the NY Technology Practice. He joined Edelman from Deloitte, where he was Managing Director of Public Relations & Reputation. At Deloitte, he directed the planning and execution of all external activities, including CEO communications, media relations, crisis communications, regulatory/legislative affairs, speaking engagements and reputation management. Keith began his career as a B2B journalist and spent more than a decade with IBM in various communications leadership positions. While at IBM’s global headquarters he served as a member of CEO Lou Gerstner’s culture transformation team. Keith is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ireland and served as chairman of the College of Charleston Department of Communication's National Advisory Council. He was a 2009 Finalist for PR Professional of the Year and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Fairfield University. (Back to Top)
Thomas R. Martin serves as the Executive-in-Residence for the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston. He was named to the position, the first of its kind, in 2007. Martin works with the students, faculty and administration of the College to enhance the relationship between the Communication Department and the business community and to help its students successfully transition into the business world. In 2016 he launched the Martin Scholars program, a selective mentoring, networking and learning program. The program develops a select group of ten seniors who are either majoring or minoring in Communication through a combination of exposure to effective communication leaders who serve as mentors and teachers, networking opportunities with Communication alumni and Advisory Council members, and experiential learning. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Arthur W. Page Center at Penn State University, a research center at the Penn State College of Communications dedicated to the study and advancement of ethics and responsibility in corporate communication and other forms of public communication. Martin retired in 2007 from ITT Corporation, where he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Relations. At ITT Corporation, Martin was an officer, a member of the company's Executive Council and was responsible for worldwide brand and reputation management, public relations, employee communications, government affairs, corporate advertising and community relations. Martin was formerly Vice President, Corporate Communications for Federal Express Corporation where he was responsible for worldwide public relations, investor relations and employee communications for the Fortune 150 Company. He was also responsible for the public relations and internal communications efforts for the launch of the FedEx brand in 1994. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. (Back to Top)
David A. Mayorga is a Biden-Harris Administration appointee and Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In this role, he leads public affairs and communications for DOE—a federal government agency with an annual budget of nearly $50 Billion, 100,000+ federal employees and contractors, 17 National Laboratories and a mission to advance scientific breakthroughs, drive our clean energy future, protect the U.S. nuclear deterrent, and clean up our historic weapons research legacy. DOE is also tasked with implementing $97 Billion in historic climate and infrastructure investments from recently enacted legislation. Prior to his appointment, Mayorga served as Director of Communications for the Attorney General (OAG) for the District of Columbia. In this role, he transformed the OAG’s Office of Communications and the Office of Community Engagement into a collaborative and dynamic messaging and external relations apparatus advancing the AG’s public policy and legal goals and responding effectively to the needs of D.C. residents. At the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, he served as primary on-the-record spokesperson for all major CFPB announcements, including new regulations, law enforcement actions, public events, and general inquiries about consumer financial products and services. Earlier, Mayorga led communications for DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office, where he created and executed national rollouts for multimillion dollar federal research and development funding grants. As Senior Director at Qorvis Communications LLC, he advised the firm’s largest public affairs clients and led multifunctional teams to execute integrated communications strategies for Fortune 50/100 companies and trade associations on issues related to transportation, energy, manufacturing, and telecommunications. Mayorga is an immigrant, openly LGBTQ person, and was the first in his immediate family to attend a four-year university. He began his professional career at the U.S. House Committee on Science. Mayorga earned a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Florida and now resides in Washington, D.C. and Charleston, S.C. (Back to Top)
Mike McCurry provides counsel on communications strategies and management to corporate and non-profit clients at Public Strategies Washington, Inc. He is also a Distinguished Professor of Public Theology at the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. McCurry is a veteran political strategist and spokesperson with nearly four decades of experience in the nation’s capital. McCurry served in the White House as press secretary to President Bill Clinton (1995-1998). He also served as spokesman for the U.S. Department of State (1993-1995) and director of communications for the Democratic National Committee (1988-1990). McCurry held a variety of leadership roles in national campaigns for the Democratic ticket from 1984 to 2004. McCurry began his career on the staff of the United States Senate, working as press secretary to the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources and to the committee’s chairman, Senator Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (1976-1981). He also served as press secretary to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1981-1983). McCurry is co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates which sponsors the general election debates between candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. McCurry is a graduate of Princeton University, Georgetown University, and Wesley Theological Seminary. (Back to Top)
Dr. Michael Moore is Managing Director of Core Narrative. Previously he served as President of Material Reputation Risk Management and Senior Vice President of Communications for Thomson Reuters. At Thomson Reuters, Moore was responsible for creating and coordinating strategic messaging; overseeing thought leadership and content marketing across Thomson Reuters businesses; and managing the company’s “owned” channels including Thomsonreuters.com, the AnswersOn blog, social media and the employee portal. Previous roles included leading internal, executive and digital communications for the company. Before joining Thomson Reuters, Moore led the worldwide internal communications function at IBM, managing communications with more than 300,000 employees during events ranging from Y2K to 9/11 to the launch of IBM’s global crowd-sourcing “jams.” Prior to IBM, he was a communications consultant with McKinsey & Co., helping large corporations manage change and working in the Firm’s Media, Energy and Healthcare practices, as well as managing thought leadership and other communications for McKinsey’s West Coast Offices. Earlier yet, he worked at RAND on a wide range of public-sector issues and taught management communications at the Anderson Graduate School of Management, UCLA. (Back to Top)
Michael Neumeier, CEO at Arketi Group, has more than 20 years of proven experience in public relations, marketing and analyst relations. A specialist in counseling clients on the best means to effectively convey business messages to market and media influencers, he has built an enviable record of creating and delivering plans that result in building the bottom line. The agency he co-founded, Arketi Group, is consistently recognized by Chief Marketer magazine as one of the nation’s “B2B Top Shops.” Previously he served as director of media and analyst relations for Interland (now Web.com), a web hosting and online services provider for small businesses. Neumeier has also served as a PR and marketing executive for two large independent marketing and PR agencies, as the director of news services for Mercer University, and as a writer at the University of Florida’s Health Science Center. Mike is a graduate of the University of Florida. (Back to Top)
Phil Noble, Jr. has had a diverse 40-year career as an entrepreneur in the civic sector – in politics, media, government, NGOs and public affairs. He has worked in public and political affairs in all parts of the US and over 50 countries, in 350 political campaigns including those for 21 presidents and prime ministers. He is recognized globally as one of the leading experts in the uses of the Internet and new technology in the civic sector. His clients have ranged from startups to Fortune 500 companies, global media companies to international NGOs. Noble started over a dozen business and non-profit organization in South Carolina, nationally and globally. He was a Resident Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and has lectured at over 25 colleges and universities worldwide. Current, he serves as founder of World Class Scholars, a global real time online education and cultural exchange project. He is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College. (Back to Top)
Scott Novak is Head of Global Communications for Bruin Sports Capital, a privately held investment and operating company. In this role, he oversees all internal, external, corporate and financial communications and marketing plus strategic oversight of communications for its portfolio companies. Bruin’s global footprint spans 18 countries with 30 offices worldwide, and ownership and investments in more the 40 companies from the sports, entertainment, media, health, technology, marketing, and event sectors. Prior, he was Senior Vice President, Corporate and Brand Communications for Time Inc., which at the time was one of the world’s leading media companies. His responsibilities included all communications oversight for a portfolio of sports, entertainment, media, and auto brands, plus several corporate initiatives and programs. He took on that role after leading communications for the iconic Sports Illustrated Media Group. He joined Sports Illustrated after spending nine years at DKC, Public Relations, Integrated Marketing, and Government Affairs. There he began as an Account Executive and rose to become Senior Vice President and Co-Leader of the Media/Business/Sports Division which was DKCs most efficient and fastest-growing unit at the time. Novak began his career at Rutgers University, as Assistant Director of Sports Media Relations. He is a graduate of Seton Hall University. (Back to Top)
Kelli Parsons is the Global Chair of Corporate Affairs at Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Parsons provides strategic communication counsel and integrates corporate communication, public affairs and ESG strategies into solutions to create business and societal value. She also leads the firm's global capabilities across purpose and reputation, financial communication, crisis and issues management, social impact, employee engagement and change management. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at United Technologies, strategic advisor at Proof, and as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer of New York Life, a Fortune 100 global insurance and investment company. At New York Life, she was responsible for corporate communications, brand strategy and experience, employee experience, multimedia, events and creative services. Prior, Parsons led communications, marketing, community engagement and grant making as Chief Communications Officer at Fannie Mae, served as Head of Global Communications and Marketing at Warburg Pincus, and as Executive Vice President and General Manager at Hill & Knowlton where she led the corporate practice and the New York and Washington, DC offices. She also serves on the board of trustees of the Arthur W. Page Society. Kelli began her career as a television news reporter. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and Murray State University. (Back to Top)
Chris Piedmont '14 is a College of Charleston graduate, with a Bachelor of Arts in communication, who also serves on the College of Charleston School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean's Council. While at the College, Chris was student body vice president and leader of the campus chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. He was also heavily involved with the Department of Communication National Advisory Council and Bully Pulpit Series. He is currently a director of communications and insights with Slide Nine Agency (formerly FrazierHeiby), joining the team hot off Pete Buttigieg's history-making presidential campaign where he was an organizer in Horry and Georgetown Counties. In his current role, he brings the mind of an analyst paired with a passion for data, strategy and storytelling to connect with audiences on behalf of clients in the B2B, energy, manufacturing and healthcare spaces. He cut his teeth in mid-sized New York City agencies with strong College of Charleston ties, where he spent nearly six years honing his expertise in account management, media relations, issues and crisis management, reputation building, community engagement, social media strategy and employee communications. Working across a variety of industries from global manufacturing to leading consumer brands, Chris has prepared clients for meetings with the 45th president of the United States to interviews with the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. He thrives on the unexpected and helping clients navigate their own unique challenges. Chris currently resides in New York City, splitting his time between Columbus, Ohio. When not working, he can be found at the stove cooking, catching a Broadway show, stressing over Clemson football or volunteering for causes and campaigns he’s passionate about. (Back to Top)
Julia Race '13 is Vice President of Business Transformation at Edelman. Prior, she was the Director of Strategy at Integral, an employee activation agency. She works with startups and large organizations to transform internal communications teams, re-imagine workplace technology and foster greater culture change. Previously Julia spent six years as the Senior Manager of Landor’s Culture & Engagement practice in New York City, where she worked with Fortune 500 executives to develop brand activation strategies for clients in North America and globally. As an ICF certified leadership coach, her passion for understanding human emotion and behavior influences the way she approaches every client challenge. Her coaching helps organizations and individuals step into their fullest potential and maximize their competitive advantage. Race has delivered people-centered strategies for clients including Aptiv, BP, Bose, Ford Motor Company, FedEx, Frito Lay, Intuit and S&P Global. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston, a Mentor-Protégé Program alumna, and has played an active role in serving the College of Charleston’s Martin Scholar’s program. (Back to Top)
Topper Ray is President of Communications at Bravo Group. He leads the firm’s campaign-style approach to public relations, advocacy and creative services. Under his direction, Bravo Group’s communications practice initiates and delivers innovative solutions that help clients achieve their toughest goals. With Ray’s high level engagement in community and business issues, especially across the energy and life sciences industries, he drives growth opportunities for Bravo and its clients. His network of relationships and alliances with stakeholders across the firm’s key verticals ensures that Bravo -- and thereby each client -- is always ahead of the game. Prior to joining Bravo, he served as Chief Communications Officer for Blank Rome LLP, helping to build the firm’s global brand across the U.S. and Asia. In addition, he was a principal in Blank Rome Government Relations LLC, where he provided media strategy and crisis communications counseling for CEOs, civic leaders and public affairs efforts. Ray also served as a Senior Vice President at Tierney Communications, where he led teams in the creative development and execution of integrated public relations programs for Fortune 500 clients. He began his career in Washington, D.C. as a press aide to President George H. W. Bush in the Office of Presidential Advance, and as a press lead during the 1992 presidential campaign working for the Republican National Committee. Ray served as the National Advisory Council Chair from 2017-2019. He is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College. (Back to Top)
Kyle Rees '10 is Senior Director and Analyst at Gartner, Inc., a global research and advisory firm. Rees directs and manages a team of researchers across a portfolio of Digital IQs, and other digital performance benchmark products, focused on retail brands (includes specialty, activewear, department stores, grocery, restaurant, and large format retailers). He also works with marketing leaders across industries to identify, develop, and apply best practices in marketing, brand management, strategy, and innovation. Kyle is an alumnus of the College of Charleston with a degree in a Communication Studies. He also holds a MBA from the George Washington University. (Back to Top)
Hayes Roth is founder of HA Roth Consulting LLC, a marketing consulting firm specializing in strategic positioning, brand development and design with particular expertise in corporate, non-profit and healthcare branding. Founded in 2014, HA Roth Consulting has worked with such clients as the Catholic Medical Mission Board, Fluor Corporation, Hackensack Meridian Health System, KPMG, The Civil War Trust, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Consumer Bankers Association, the Braille Institute of America, Hudson Square, Mount Sinai Health Network, The Jimmy Fund, Hudson Square Business Improvement District, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. Previously, Hayes spent 19 years at Landor, where he was Chief Marketing Officer and led branding programs for Cleveland Clinic, Columbia University Medical Center, Citi, The Paley Center, ITT, United Negro College Fund, The PGA of America, The World Trade Center, One West Bank, City National Bank, Concern Worldwide, Royal Caribbean International and The Moody’s Foundation, among many others. In his role as CMO, Hayes created and led Landor’s global marketing and business development group, building the firm’s leadership position as the world’s pre-eminent strategic branding and design consultancy. His earlier career included eight years running his first marketing services company, Roth Marketing Communications Inc., and 15 years at ad agencies including Campbell-Mithun, Young & Rubicam and Saatchi & Saatchi, managing brand advertising for clients such as General Mills, General Foods, Merrill Lynch and Procter & Gamble. Hayes regularly lectures at Cornell and Columbia business schools and is a former Adjunct Professor of Marketing at City College of New York. He is an active member of the College of Charleston’s Department of Communication Advisory Council and Cornell Business School’s Marketing Executive Mentoring Program. Hayes is also on the board of directors for the ANA Educational Foundation and City College of New York’s Branding & Integrated Communications (BIC) Graduate Program. He is a graduate of the University of Miami. (Back to Top)
Greg Schneiders is the CEO and founding partner of Prime Group. He founded Prime Group in 1990. His long career in research and strategic planning included serving as Director of Communications in the White House and for the Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate. Schneiders also led the communications efforts for several presidential campaigns. As CEO of Prime Group, he advised hundreds of political, corporate and non-profit clients on research-based communications strategy. These have included the U.S. Department of Education, MetLife, The China-U.S. Exchange Foundation, LinkedIn, UnitedHealth Group, UPS, LabCorp, TransCanada, The U.S. Golf Association, and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He has taught political communications at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service and the University of Pennsylvania. He has been a frequent speaker on politics and communications and has contributed commentary and columns to The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal among other publications. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. (Back to Top)
Brad Shaw spent more than 10 years as vice president and chief communications officer for The Home Depot, reporting directly to three CEOs during his tenure there. In addition to providing strategic oversight of the Fortune 35 company’s corporate communications and serving as the senior communications counsel to its leadership team, Shaw managed a number of high-profile communications events for Home Depot, including: two CEO transitions (Nardelli-Blake, Blake-Menear); the well-regarded handling of a massive data security breach in late 2014; the sale of its $8 billion HD Supply business; the company’s entry into and exit from China; and Home Depot’s disaster response communications during hurricanes Katrina, Sandy and others. Shaw also had oversight of Home Depot’s corporate giving and philanthropy efforts, most notably the Home Depot Foundation, which became a leader in veterans’ housing initiatives during Shaw’s tenure at the company. Prior to joining Home Depot in 2004, Shaw served as chief communications officer at Gateway, Inc. Before joining Gateway, Shaw spent six years at PepsiCo in jobs of increasing importance, lastly as director of global communications handling corporate and crisis communications and brand publicity for the company’s U.S. and international soft drinks businesses. Prior to PepsiCo, Shaw worked at Ketchum Public Relations and Doremus Public Relations, both in New York. Brad, now retired, co-created the Atlanta-based podcast "Crazy Good Turns" in 2016, which tells inspiring stories about people who do amazing things for others. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University. (Back to Top)
Emily Schillinger currently serves as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the American Investment Council. In this role, she develops and leads the Council’s comprehensive communications and media affairs strategy. Prior to joining the AIC, she served for over fifteen years at the highest levels of government at the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Most recently, she served as Communications Director of the House Ways and Means Committee where she advised members of the committee and led the committee’s communications strategy for the successful passage of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Before joining the Ways & Means Committee, Schillinger served as Press Secretary to Speaker of the House John Boehner. Prior to this, she served as Communications Director to U.S. Senator John Barrasso and the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Earlier in her career, Schillinger served in the George W. Bush Administration as Press Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce and as Assistant Press Secretary at the White House. She grew up in Columbus, Georgia and received her bachelor’s degree from Clemson University. (Back to Top)
Kevin Shinkle is Senior Vice President, Chief Content Officer at Devine + Partners. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for the Knights of Columbus and Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for Delta Air Lines. Prior to his role at Delta, Shinkle worked in journalism and was the business editor at The Associated Press (NY) and at The Star-Ledger in Newark, NJ, respectively. At the AP, he oversaw the Business News department of the Associated Press. It is an award-winning department of reporters and editors in the U.S., Europe and Asia that thrives on incisive, creative and definitive coverage of breaking news and produces, fresh, thought-provoking enterprise. The AP is the largest and most important news organization in the world, supplying content to newspapers, television and radio stations and digital outlets. As deputy business editor and then business editor at the Star-Ledger, he oversaw a department that was recognized as producing one of the five best business sections in the country for six straight years. Reporters in this division routinely won national and state awards. The section was known for its creativity -- a business section that didn't look like a business section -- and for hard-edged investigative coverage. He has diverse experience working as a reporter for outlets such as Bloomberg (NY), The Tampa Tribune (Florida), and The Chapel Hill Newspaper as well as The Gold Leaf Farmer, both in North Carolina. He is a graduate of Hillsdale College. (Back to Top)
Dan Solomon is the CEO of Wise Action. Previously, he served as Managing Director for Litton Entertainment. Charleston-based Litton Entertainment has been creating and distributing quality television programming for over 20 years. Solomon leads the business development team and is responsible for initiatives with brands and non-profit institutions as well as digital distribution initiatives across interactive television, social, web, and mobile platforms. Prior to joining Litton, he was CEO of Virilion, a digital advertising and marketing agency, headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices around the country. With clients such as eBay, PhRMA, Business Software Alliance and UNICEF, Virilion was on the INC 5000 list of fastest growing firms for three consecutive years. Virilion was sold in 2010. Solomon also served publisher of nationaljournal.com, National Journal Group’s “members only” Web site and general manager of National Journal’s Daily Briefings Group, which included The Hotline, CongressDaily and National Journal’s Technology Daily. In 1999, he held a political appointment with the U.S. Department of Commerce and for five years worked in senior legislative positions in the United States Senate for Senator Harris Wofford (D-PA) and Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI). He has also worked in a variety of capacities on state-wide political campaigns across the country. He also practiced commercial law with the firm of Hale and Dorr and clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals in St. Louis, Missouri. Solomon is a graduate of the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota Law School. (Back to Top)
Tara Stewart '91 is a marketing and public relations executive currently working as the Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications for HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading provider of healthcare services with 185 hospitals and 2,000 sites of care. Prior to her current role, she was the Global Business Communications Leader for DuPont’s Global Solar and Advanced Materials business and also served for many years in corporate communications at DuPont with a focus on sustainability, science and technology, mergers and acquisitions and communication strategy for the government relations team. Stewart honed her skills in media, government and community relations with three different roles at Walmart where she worked as Director of Public Relations with a consistent hand in managing media relations and communication strategy for sustainability companywide. Stewart is a graduate of the College of Charleston with a B.A. in English and has held several communications roles in Charleston and throughout the Southeast including; Director of Public Relations for Blackbaud, Director of Corporate Communications for Harris Teeter, Director of Media Relations for the South Carolina Aquarium, and television producer at WCSC-TV. She lives in Charleston and spends her days gardening, on the baseball field, swimming, fishing and exploring the outdoors with her two boys, Hayden and Bennett and their dog Rutledge. (Back to Top)
Gina Stouffer is President of the Lou Hammond Group Charleston office. Stouffer has been with the firm for over 22 years. She began her public relations and marketing career in Washington, D.C. working for Odyssey Cruises and for the White House Personnel Security Office before moving to New York to join LHG in 1998. In 2002, she moved to Florida to open LHG’s Miami office and develop the agency’s brand in the Southeast, Caribbean and Latin America. Stouffer is now based in the firm’s Charleston, South Carolina office where she oversees a portfolio of accounts in the tourism, consumer products, culinary, arts and culture and technology industries. During her tenure, she has represented a number of cruise and train lines, hotel groups and golf resorts earning multiple Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Awards for LHG clients. Stouffer is also LHG’s resident real estate expert, specializing in upscale vacation communities and high-rise developments. She serves as the LHG chair for spas & wellness and family lifestyle. She is a graduate of Baylor University. (Back to Top)
TR Straub is Executive Director for Russell Reynolds Associates. Straub co-leads the firm’s Corporate Affairs and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Practices, based in Washington, D.C. With over a decade of search experience, he focuses on searches in government relations, corporate communications and public affairs and leads DEI consulting engagements. Additionally, TR is a member of the firm’s Social Justice Practice, serving progressive and impact-oriented organizations, primarily when advocacy is a core element of the organization’s work. Straub joined Russell Reynolds Associates after seven years with Heyman Associates, where he was a Senior Vice President, leading corporate communications and government relations assignments out of both New York and Washington, D.C. Previously, he worked with Teach for America, first as a Corps Member in the Baltimore City Public Schools, then as a Recruitment Director, organizing the strategy for college recruitment and awareness campaigns. He is a graduate of the University of Richmond and Johns Hopkins University. (Back to Top)
Rick Swagler is an executive communications veteran. In 2020, he retired after serving as Executive Vice President and Head of External Affairs for Regions Financial Corp. His responsibilities included corporate communications, corporate advocacy, government relations and economic development, reputation risk, corporate social responsibility and diversity. Previously, he worked for six years at AmSouth Bancorporation as the Senior Vice President of Risk Communications, and the Vice President of Media Relations. Swagler also served in senior editorial roles at The Tampa Tribune, The Birmingham News, and The Alabama Journal daily newspaper in Montgomery. He served as a staff attorney and director of publications for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Washington, D.C. Swagler is the Chairman of the Board of the Alabama Business Charitable Trust, a foundation established by Alabama Power; a past president of the Advisory Board of the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; former chair of the American Bankers Association Communications Council; and former chairman of the Alabama board of Operation HOPE. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar and a former member of the Arthur W. Page Society. Swagler is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and Stetson University College of Law. (Back to Top)
Shaunieka Taste ’04 is the Community Outreach Director for Gwinnett County Government, the second largest and most diverse county in the state of Georgia. In this role, she hosts and participates in community activities, actively engages with local stakeholders, builds collaborative partnerships, and works to increase inclusion of traditionally underrepresented groups. Taste has spent 14 years in government communications, most recently serving as the Public Relations Manager in Gwinnett County’s Communications Division. She worked closely with county leaders and elected officials to help them better connect with Gwinnett’s diverse constituency. She was instrumental in developing the county’s new brand, which celebrates the rich diversity that exists within the community. She also served as the City Clerk for the City of Avondale Estates and interned for the City of Charleston’s Public Information office. Taste is an alumna of the College of Charleston where she majored in Communication. (Back to Top)
Alicia Thompson is the Vice President of Communications for recruitment agency Randstad U.S.A. Formerly, she was Vice President of Communications for Edible Arrangements. Alicia Thompson has over two decades of experience in public relations and corporate communications. Prior to Edible Arrangements, she worked for Porter Novelli, a global strategic communications agency, where she served as managing director of the firm’s Atlanta office. In that role, she managed the office P&L, oversaw operations and talent and was responsible for developing and maintaining a dynamic client roster. Before Porter Novelli, Thompson served as general manager of the Edelman Atlanta office after being promoted from senior vice president in Edelman's consumer practice, working with clients such as Arby's Restaurant Group, Interface, Teavana and Nestle/Gerber. Prior to Edelman, she spent nine years leading the communications team at the multinational food chain Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. During this time, she managed the development and execution of all internal and external communications. Earlier in her career, Thompson held public relations positions at The Coca-Cola Company, BellSouth, Fletcher Martin Ewing and Cohn & Wolfe. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and University of North Carolina at Greensboro. (Back to Top)
Arienne Thompson Plourde has helped shape some of the most iconic and innovative brands in the world as a career strategist and storyteller with nearly 20 years of tech, diversity leadership, media, public relations and higher education experience. She is the Sr. Program Manager for Google’s Global Social Impact, leading the team’s strategic planning and operations. Previously, Arienne was Director of PR at a boutique public relations firm, and before that, was a nationally recognized entertainment journalist at USA Today for a decade. Arienne spent her newsroom career covering Hollywood, fashion and the intersection of race and pop culture, reporting from the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, People's Choice Awards, New York Fashion Week and dozens more premier red carpet events where she interviewed stars like Prince, Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga, Jay Z and Reese Witherspoon, to name a few. She was also a regular on-air contributor for NBC’s Today show and appeared as a pop culture expert on CBS, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, TV One, Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood. Arienne is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she studied history and Japanese, and holds a master’s degree in journalism from American University. She is an active volunteer leader in the Notre Dame alumni network, as a current member of the Undergraduate Experience Advisory Council and having served on both the ND Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Black Alumni of ND Board of Directors. Arienne is also an adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University, where she has taught journalism since 2018. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Arienne has lived in the Washington, D.C. metro area since 2004 and currently resides in northern Virginia with her husband and son. (Back to Top)
Patty Tucker is a Communications and Brand Strategist at Treehouse Counsel, an Atlanta-based communications consultancy she founded in 2016 to help leaders set strategy and communicate through times of growth and change. She is a Certified Conscious Capitalism Consultant passionate about how insightful stakeholder engagement creates believers and advocates. She serves Fortune 100s and start-ups across every vertical industry with strategic initiatives from brand development and purpose platforms to issues management and departmental coaching. Patty is a PR agency veteran including 14 years in leadership with Edelman, where she founded and led the 30-person Atlanta Corporate practice, stewarded best practices across the Americas region, and worked on the annual Edelman Trust Barometer research to better define how businesses build trust. In addition to CofC’s National Advisory Council, Patty serves on the Boards of the Inspire Brands Foundation and Trees Atlanta and is an engaged advisor to OnBoard, Leadership Atlanta, Conscious Capitalism Atlanta, and 1% for the Planet. Patty is a Journalism graduate of the University of Kentucky. Her youngest graduated from CofC in 2019. (Back to Top)
Nadine Vogel '85 is Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Springboard Consulting LLC, a global company working with national and multinational corporations around the world to successfully mainstream disability in the global workforce, workplace and marketplace and producing the world-renowned Disability Matters Conference and Awards Gala. She also serves as Founder and CEO of The Springboard Foundation, providing scholarships to college students with disabilities. In addition, Vogel is the CEO of Disability Mama & Co., celebrating, empowering and educating women around the world who have children with special needs. Prior to founding Springboard, Vogel held a variety of executive positions in both Corporate America and the non-profit sectors, including as a former Vice President of Marketing at MetLife. She is a graduate of College of Charleston and Golden Gate University. (Back to Top)
David Webster the President and Founder of Aberdeen Strategies LLC. He is a senior communications professional who has advised CEOs and senior leadership teams in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, reputation management, building performance cultures, managing transformational change, proactive public relations, crisis management, investor relations, government relations and effective corporate giving. His 30+ years of domestic and international experience span several industries, including financial services, energy, manufacturing, retail, real estate and construction. Prior to founding Aberdeen Strategies, Webster was the chief communications officer and head of public affairs for Sunoco, Inc., a Fortune 100 energy company based in Philadelphia. Previously, he led communications for one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Centex Corporation, and Regions Financial, a top-10 bank holding company based in the Southeastern United States. Webster also served as senior vice president of business affairs at Chase Card Services. While at JPMorganChase, he and his team created co-branded product and media relations campaigns in partnership with many of America’s best brands like Disney, Southwest Airlines, and Starbucks. Earlier in his career, Webster held senior communications positions at Bank One, First USA and Pennzoil Company. He is a graduate of Regent University, and the founding chair of the Department of Communication's National Advisory Council at the College of Charleston. (Back to Top)
Carly Westerman is a Director at Brunswick Group, where she works with clients across a range of sectors and practice groups. At Brunswick, she has advised on numerous transactions including Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $106 billion combination with SABMiller in 2015, their $5.8 billion reacquisition of Oriental Brewery in 2014, and their $20.1 billion combination with Grupo Modelo in 2012; Kraft’s $55 billion combination with Heinz in 2015; and KIND Snacks’ 2017 and 2020 investments from Mars. She has also provided critical issues strategy and counsel for organizations including UnitedHealthcare, AB InBev, McKinsey & Co., the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Thomson Reuters, among others. Carly joined Brunswick in 2012 after spending several years at boutique communications firms focused on capital markets and technology. She is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and holds a Master’s degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. (Back to Top)
Emily Wheeler is Director, Corporate Communications, at Precisely, the market leader in Data Integrity. Emily is a strategy-oriented and driven leader who has built a career in corporate communications with deep expertise in employee and executive communications, media relations, thought leadership, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Precisely, she served as Director, Corporate Communications, for the Pitney Bowes Software & Data business, where she supported the President of the business and oversaw all internal and external communications for the business, including its $700M divestiture. Prior to Pitney Bowes, Emily held multiple positions in external and internal communications with IBM both in the U.S. and the U.K. She served as the IBM representative for the National Communications Consortium, and she helped launch IBM’s Digital Experience Lab in the U.K. Emily graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, as well as the College of Charleston with a master’s degree in Corporate Communications. (Back to Top)
Judy DeRango Wicks, APR, Fellow PRSA (retired) was Vice President of Corporate Communications, Fiserv, Inc., a $4.5 billion global provider of financial services technology solutions, from 2009 to 2013. She previously headed corporate communications for CheckFree Corporation, the leader in online banking and electronic billing and payment, since 1999. CheckFree was acquired by Fiserv in 2007 and she became head of communications for the integrated company in 2009. In these roles, Wicks managed global business, banking and technology trade and consumer media relations, executive visibility, speakers bureau, social media and monitoring, and crisis management. Prior to this, Wicks was Vice President of Ketchum Atlanta, where she oversaw the IBM account, Cox Interactive, and helped Nokia launch its Nokia Sugar Bowl, fashion and entertainment programs. She joined Ketchum Atlanta in 1989 as Senior Account Executive, serving on Harris/3M, Lanier Worldwide, Sylvan Learning Centers and ATC Long Distance. Wicks began her career in Florida in the 1980s with Y&R/Zemp, Orlando, and Gary Bitner Public Relations, Fort Lauderdale. She has been inducted into the UF College of Journalism and Communications Hall of Fame, and PRSA Georgia Order of the Phoenix / PR Hall of Fame at the University of Georgia. In 2019, she received the PRSA College of Fellows Sage national award for mentoring. She is a graduate of the University of Florida (MAJC) and Stetson University (BA in English). (Back to Top)