PETER C. WOOLFOLK Biography

Peter Woolfolk, founder of Communications Strategies, is a public relations professional with 25+ years of successful executive level experience. His national public relations career is highlighted by a White House appointment in the Clinton Administration as an award- winning Special Assistant/Communications to the assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Following his White House appointment he was a professional media consultant to former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher. Recruited from Washington, DC, he served as ’s first vice president of communications and public relations-- 2002 to 2004 enhancing media placements over 200 percent, creating successful internal communications system, and much more. Communications Strategies, established in 2004, has provided services to: AARP, American Baptist College, Daymar College, , AT&T, Nashville International Airport, Metro Transit Authority, Cummins/Fleetguard, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, , Nashville Opera, Nashville Sounds, Music City Center and more.

Woolfolk’s significant public affairs experience includes:

• Provided Daymar College introductions to State Senate & House Education committee chairs; Senator's Corker & Alexander educations reps; Rep. Cooper's reps. • Advised Nashville elected officials on strategy, policy and programs including: former Vice Mayor of Nashville ;current State Representative, Metro Council Members, former Metro School Board chair • Tennessee media spokesman/lobbyist for AT&T cable bill debated in state legislature 2007 • Special Assistant/Communications—National responsibility for communicating specific education policy, programs for assistant secretary. U.S. Department of Education • Western Regional Press Secretary for the 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee, • Delaware Press Secretary for Clinton/Gore 1996 campaign. • National media liaison/press secretary for the chairman of U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor; press secretary for the former vice chairman, U.S. House Science, Space & Technology Committee, and another Member of Congress. As a communications consultant:

• Produced 2016, 30-sec TV PSA for MLK Day w/Mayor Barry, State Rep. Harold Love, Renata Soto • Woolfolk’s team was on the Music City Center’s communications team handling community outreach to promote the $585 million project. • Communications Strategies has provided services to Nashville International Airport for over seven years. Won award from Public Relations Society of America—Nashville. • Consultant to Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Music City Jazz & More Festival: develops, executes statewide, regional media promotions • Managed “Grand Opening” media relations for Meharry Medical College’s Center for Women’s Health Research: received extensive local TV, print coverage, national media exposure. • Managed crisis communications issues in Washington, DC and Nashville, TN • Managed Howard University Hospital’s corporate communications department, producing their first television commercial in 1994; developed and produced the hospital’s first in-house closed-circuit television news programs.

An experienced broadcaster:

• Launched “Public Relations Review” podcast January 2019. Currently hosted on 20 sites, among Apple’s top 50% marketing podcast, listeners in over 40 countries. • Reprogramming Lane College's WLCD-FM to Smooth Jazz (2016-17); develop policy and underwriting guidelines • Re-programmed Fisk University’s WFSK (88.1 FM) in 2002-04 to create smooth jazz format moving it from “0” to join the top 30 percent of Nashville’s radio stations. Written and narrated radio and television programs, commercials. • Producer, on-air talent for national satellite television conferences. Produced & hosted BET cable television public affairs program, producer, on-air talent for Washington, DC and national radio talk shows.

Publications include:

• “Nashville Eye” columns in the Tennessean • Commentary columns in the Nashville Business Journal. • Public relations article in inBusiness magazine, Winter, 2005 • Columns, articles in weekly newspapers across the country, 1980--1996. • The Fall 1996 national issue of Counterpoint page one publication of his media plan for public school systems and the education community. • “Public Relations: How Not To Fail”, was published in the Journal of the National Educational Opportunity Association. Fall, 1987

Speaking engagements:

• Austin Peay State University, "Communicating with Stakeholders," January 2017 • , communications/PR guidance on Graduate projects; May 2014 • Middle Tennessee State University, “Ethics in Public Relation,” May 2013 • Western Kentucky University, “Diversity in Public Relations”, November 2012; April, 2011, 2010, 2009 • Bowie State University, Bowie, MD, February 2011 • Columbia State Community College, Columbia, TN, Communications Panelist, October, 2008 • Columbia State Community College, Columbia, TN, Overview of Public Relations, Jan. 2008 • , MBA program guest speaker, September, 2007 • Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc., Nashville, TN, July, 2006, Keynote address--Getting Your Organization Before The Public • Nashville Junior Chamber of Commerce, , 2005; guest speaker--Diversity from a PR Perspective • Nashville CDC, Graduation Speaker, April, 2003; Vision and Success • American Vocational Association, New Orleans, LA, December, 1998; Positive Thinking & Success • National PTA, March,1997; Keynote address--Education and Public Relations • Comprehensive System of Personnel Development Conference, June 1996; Keynote address--PR Techniques for Educators • Committee for Education Funding Conference, August, 1996; Education, Polls & PR • National Cancer Institute Communications Conference, December, 1989; panel member- Working With Minority Media

Board of Directors Memberships:

Better Business Bureau—Middle Tennessee: Chairman (2017-18); Torch Award Committee Chair; 50th Anniversary Committee Chair-2011; Student Scholarship Committee Chair—2009) WNPT-TV (Public Television) Community Advisory Board; Jan 2015—Present, Chair 2020 Metro Human Relations Commission-Commissioner, 2012--2018t Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce—Board of Governors; past Public Relations Chair

Current Memberships include:

Leadership Nashville,(2008-09 Class) Public Relations Society of America—Nashville . Western Kentucky University, Public Relations Advisory Board Nashville Downtown Rotary National Association of Black Journalists

Awards:

"2014 Top Business," DiversityBusiness.com Award of Merit, April 2014, Public Relations Society of America National Chapter Diversity Award, 2nd Place, 2012-Public Relations Society of America Parthenon “Award of Merit,” 2009,2010 Public Relations Society of America-Nashville “Honorable Mention” PRSA National Diversity Award, 2011, 2010 Certificate of Appreciation, 2010, Southern Automotive Women’s Forum (Media Relations) Outstanding Service to the Board of Directors Certificate, Big Brothers Big Sisters (2007) Certificate of Appreciation, US Surgeon General, March 2001 Two “Group Distinction Awards” from the U.S. Department of Education for national television satellite teleconferences: 2000, 1999 “Media Advocate of the Year” U.S. Small Business Administration

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Personal: 4.0 tennis player, licensed private pilot