Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, JMU Alumna Speaks Oct. 10

From: Public Affairs

October 5, 2007

HARRISONBURG — Pamela Stevens, deputy assistant secretary of state for public affairs and senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, will speak at James Madison University Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Stevens will present "Communicating U.S. Foreign Policy" in the third event of the 2007-08 Guardian Lecture Series, sponsored by the Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs. The free public lecture is a Wellness Passport event for JMU students.

DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007
TIME: 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Room 159,ISAT/CS Building

Stevens, who graduated from JMU in 1983 with a bachelor of arts degree in communications, serves as the primary point of contact for all domestic and international media requests for the secretary of state, coordinates and oversees media coverage of the secretary's official diplomatic events involving foreign ministers and heads of state and directs all State Department strategic media activities for the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. In addition, she manages the Offices of Media Affairs and Public Liaison and provides strategic direction for all departmental public outreach activities.

Prior to joining the State Department, Stevens served as the White House assistant press secretary and director of television (2003-05) and in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Affairs (2002-03). From 1997-2002, she served as a senior editorial producer for the Cable News Network (CNN), where she was responsible for content on "Late Edition," "Wolf Blitzer Reports" and "Novak, Hunt and Shields." She was the chief political producer for "Larry King Live" (1996-97) and associate producer for America's Talking, a cable television channel (1994-96).

From 1989-93, she worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce, first in the Office of the Secretary and then in the Office of Legislative Affairs. From 1985-89, she served at the White House, first as trip coordinator for President Ronald Reagan and then as staff assistant to the chief of staff.

Dr. J. Peter Pham, director of the Nelson Institute, said, "We are delighted to be able to host this 'homecoming' for Pamela Stevens. Effective communications is an integral part of U.S. foreign policy and has perhaps not received its due in terms of attention, study or resources. So we look forward to Ms. Stevens' presentation — all the more so because one of the key individuals serving in this important mission is one of our own."

In addition to her public lecture, Stevens will also visit with several classes in the JMU communications studies department.

JMU Public Affairs contact: Janet Smith, 540-568-8008 or smithjl@jmu.edu.

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