- November 4, 2021
5:00 pm EDT - 6:30 pm EDT
As the premier communications program in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, the National Capital Excellence in Communication Awards recognize and reward outstanding achievement in communications and public relations. This annual event will honor award winners and inductees to the National Capital Public Relations Hall of Fame. Thank you for registering. We look forward to seeing you Nov. 4!
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Lori George Billingsley is the Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer for The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC). In this role, she leads the company’s DEI Center of Excellence, all directed to enable a more engaged global workforce, mirror the markets served, and support a more inclusive culture to best position the employees of the company to drive growth.
She has been with the company for 19 years, having spent most of them in a variety of roles with increasing responsibility within Public Affairs and Communications. Most recently, she was the Vice President of Community and Stakeholder Relations for Coca-Cola North America. Lori has over 30 years of public affairs, issues communications, community and stakeholder relations, and diversity, equity and inclusion experience in developing and implementing breakthrough strategic initiatives that meet organizational goals, target audience needs and produce results. Prior to joining Coca-Cola, she led her own public relations consultancy, LG Communications; was a vice president at Porter/Novelli, a leading public relations firm where she co-founded their Multicultural Communications and Alliance Building practices; and a senior public affairs specialist for the District of Columbia Government’s Office of Human Rights and Minority Business.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (Chair), NAACP Foundation, ColorComm, The Coca-Cola Foundation and Arete Executive Women of Influence. She formerly served on the Boards of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta Mission and Leadership Atlanta. She is a member of the Howard University School of Communications Board of Visitors and the former Co-Chair of American University’s Women’s Network. She is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and Co-Chair of the TCCC’s Political Action Committee.
Lori is a featured speaker globally and has received numerous national awards, including the Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement from Howard University, PUSH for Excellence, Dr. MLK Jr. Corporate Award, Atlanta Business Chronicle Top Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Atlanta Business League’s Top 100 Black Women of Influence, Academy of Women Achievers’ YWCA of Greater Atlanta, Inaugural Bravo! Award for Diversity and Inclusion from the Hispanic Public Relations Association, Chairman’s Circle Leadership Award from the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Inc., Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Order of the Phoenix Award and is a Georgia PRSA Hall of Fame Inductee.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in public relations at Howard University and her Master of Arts in public communications at American University. In 2019, she completed a 13-month Executive Leadership Experience Program at Harvard Business School. Lori is an ordained minister.
EMCEE
Lee Woodruff is a best-selling author, public speaker, journalist and trusted advisor with 30 years of experience. As a media training consultant, she coaches executives in media and communications skills, helping them to sharpen their message, improve delivery and connect with their audiences. Lee has worked with clients in a wide range of industries, from technology, financial services, healthcare, automotive and travel to consumer products, fashion and beauty.
Lee began her PR career at Porter Novelli in New York and worked in the Washington, D.C. and San Francisco offices. In 1988, moving to Beijing, she was hired by Hill & Knowlton and then opened her own consultancy when she returned to the U.S.
A renowned public speaker, journalist and the author of three best-selling books, she was a contributing reporter for ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS This Morning.
After her journalist husband Bob recovered from roadside bomb injuries while covering the Iraq war, the Woodruffs founded the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that assists injured service members and their families with the transition to the home front. We encourage attendees to make a donation to the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
HALL OF FAME
This year, we will be inducting two industry leaders into our distinguished Hall of Fame. PRSA NCC is pleased to honor Ben Finzel and Kate Perrin.
Ben Finzel is president of RENEWPR, a DC-based public affairs communications consulting firm providing counsel and outreach on strategy, messaging, media and partnerships. Finzel helped launch FH Out Front — the first global LGBTQ communications practice at an international firm — at FleishmanHillard in 2004 and served as its first global chair.
Inductee Kate Perrin used 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing communications to found PRofessional Solutions, LLC, the Washington, D.C., area’s first public relations temp agency specializing in meeting the temporary staffing needs of area nonprofits, associations, government agencies and corporations. Prior to PRofessional Solutions, Perrin was director of public relations for the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Thank you to our sponsors!
| Event Host Platinum Sponsor | Hall of Fame and Pre-Reception Sponsor | Pre-Reception Sponsor |
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| Pre-Reception Sponsor | Event Sponsor | Food and Beverage Sponsor |
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| Event Sponsor | Supporting Sponsor | Supporting Sponsor |
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