William Waldo Cameron Forum on Public Affairs - 4/30/2004
Liz Carpenter
Liz Carpenter headed to Washington in 1942 to cover the White House and Congress for the Austin American-Statesman. For 18 years, she reported on Presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy. Ms. Carpenter joined the staff of Lyndon B. Johnson in his campaign for Vice President in 1961, traveled on his foreign missions as press spokesman, and was in Dallas on November 22, 1963, at the time of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Carpenter drafted the 58 words that LBJ used on his return to Washington. She was press secretary and staff director to First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, and also contributed to the speeches of the President particularly in the field of humor by creating a White House Humor Group. She was vice president of Hill and Knowlton in Washington after leaving the White House. In 1971, she was one of the founders of the National Women’s Political Caucus and co-chair of ERAmerica. She is the author of four books including Start With a Laugh.
Mary Finch Hoyt
Mary Finch Hoyt,
author of East Wing: Politics, the Press and a First Lady is a
widely-published writer, author and public affairs consultant who was White
House press secretary to First Lady Rosalynn Carter from 1976-1980. As a
freelance writer, she has been published in the New York Times,
Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Washingtonian, Good Housekeeping, USA
Weekend and Parade among other national publications. She has
appeared across the country as a public speaker and panelist. She served as
Director of Radio and TV for the Peace Corps, Washington Bureau Chief of
Ladies Home Journal and Director of Communications for the National
Trust for Historic Preservation. Ms. Hoyt also served as press secretary for
Jane Muskie and Eleanor McGovern.
Sheila Tate
Sheila Tate
served as president of Powell Tate from its founding until 1999 when she took
the role of Vice Chairman. Under her tutelage, Powell Tate grew into one of
Washington’s best and most comprehensive public affairs firms. Tate’s political
and government experience ranges from her 1981-1985 service as White House press
secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan to the 1988-1989 presidential campaign and
transition, during which she served as press secretary for President-elect
George Bush. She was also communications director for the successful 1996
Republican Convention in San Diego. Most of Tate’s business career has been
devoted to agency work. She was twice affiliated with Burson-Marsteller and
twice by Hill and Knowlton. Tate served two five-year terms on the Board of the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, appointed by both Presidents Reagan and
Bush.
Anna Perez
Anna Perez will
assume the position of Executive Vice President for Communications at NBC on May
1st. Prior to joining NBC, Ms Perez was Deputy Assistant to the President and
Counselor for Communications to the National Security Advisor, The White House.
In this position, she planned and managed all media and communications
strategies and activities of the National Security Advisor. Prior to joining Dr.
Condoleezza Rice’s staff, Ms. Perez was the General Manager of Corporate
Communications and Programs for Chevron. She has also served as Vice President,
Government Relations, The Walt Disney Company, and head of Media Relations,
Creative Artists Agency, Inc. From 1989-1993, she served as Press Secretary to
First Lady Barbara Bush. In this position, Ms. Perez was responsible for
strategic communications and media relations.
Lisa Caputo
Lisa Caputo became President and CEO of Women and Company, a member of Citigroup, in January 2000. In addition to running Women and Company, Ms. Caputo was named Managing Director, Business Operations & Planning, Global Consumer Group, in 2003. Ms. Caputo has also held positions as Vice President of Global Communications and Synergy for Disney Publishing Worldwide and Vice President of Corporate Communications for the CBS Corporation. Ms. Caputo does television commentary and public speaking. She was Contributing Editor to George magazine and has served as Co-Host of CNN’s Crossfire and CNBC and MSNBC‘s Equal Time. Ms. Caputo served as Press Secretary to Hillary Rodman Clinton for four years. She was the Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States and Press Secretary to the First Lady in the White House from 1993-1996.
Noelia Rodriguez
Noelia Rodriguez served as Press Secretary to First Lady Laura Bush from 2001 through 2003. As Mrs. Bush’s spokesperson and communications strategist, Noelia counseled the First Lady on how best to promote her education, women’s health care and children’s advocacy initiatives. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, Mr. Rodriguez identified, initiated and implemented a variety of media opportunities that increased Mrs. Bush’s visibility nationally and around the world. Mrs. Bush used the power of communications to become the first First Lady in history to record a full Presidential Radio Address; speak to the people of Afghanistan through Radio Liberty in the Czech Republic; and represented America in Paris, France for the U.S. re-entry in UNESCO after an 18-year absence. In February 2000, Ms Rodriguez was named President and CEO of LA Convention 2000, the host committee for the first Democratic National Convention of the 21st century.