Nneka Thiazor will become president of the Public Affairs Council in January, becoming the first woman and person of color to lead the organization in its 70-year history, The Hill has learned exclusively.
The Public Affairs Council, a nonprofit association of public relations professionals including lobbyists, has had only three presidents since its inception in 1954.
Current President Doug Pinkham announced in January He plans to retire at the end of 2024 after serving in the position for more than 27 years.
Mr. Thiazor, vice president of markets at Cox Communications, previously served as a member of the Public Affairs Council's board of directors from 2018 to 2023.
She previously served as vice president of government and public affairs for Cox and spent 14 years at Verizon, including a stint as vice president of public policy.
In a statement, the president-elect said he was “extremely honored” to take on the role and “build on the council's core vision of bridging the gap between business and government through mutual understanding and cooperation.”
Courtney Geduldig, chair of the Public Relations Council's selection committee, praised Thiazor's “energy and passion for all aspects of public relations.”
“She completely understands what we need on council to take us to the next level of best-in-class programs for our members, and I look forward to working with her and our staff to do just that.” I look forward to making it happen,” Geduldig said.
