WASHINGTON – Howard University’s Director of Public Relations, Alonda Thomas, has been named one of the Top Women in PR by PRNEWS. The awards program is “designed to shine a spotlight on the women who are representative of the next generation of PR leaders and have made significant strides in her organization as well as the communications and PR industry.”

“Over the past three years, Alonda has been a critical leader in implementing Howard University’s communications strategy, which has helped us garner national media attention for our Howard Forward strategic plan and related campaigns on philanthropy, financial wellness, research and academic success,” said President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “During the pandemic, her team has successfully positioned Howard’s leaders and experts as a trusted resource for health information and advocacy for communities of color. Alonda is very deserving of this recognition.”

As the director of public relations, Thomas is responsible for the development and management of the communications and media relations strategies designed to enhance the university’s reputation and visibility locally, nationally and internationally.This year, Thomas served as interim vice president of communications and led the Office of University Communications (OUC) during several critical milestones, including the announcement of two of the University’s largest donations in school history and spearheading the campus communications strategy during the coronavirus pandemic. As the University made the tough decision to close the campus in March, Thomas led the efforts to keep messages consistent and visible with internal and external campus stakeholders. Her PR team created the Bison In The Know campaign which profiles campus experts on COVID-19 issues. The program engaged the campus community with tips and best practices on mental health, dealing with stress and academic support.

Additionally, Thomas led the efforts to announce Howard’s COVID-19 testing site in Ward 7, a low income, minority community. While using social distancing guidelines, OUC hosted a small media event to launch the testing site and garnered media coverage by The Washington Post, FOX5, ABC7, the Washington Informer, NPR and Good Morning America.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by PRNEWS as a top woman in the public relations industry, especially during a year filled with so many unexpected events that have forced us to address the health disparities and racial injustices in minority communities,” said Thomas. “It’s also been a year of many highs for Howard University, too, as we’ve been positioned to be a resource for those in need and a champion for those who needed an advocate. I’m blessed to have played a small role in telling these stories and privileged to work with a group of outstanding professionals who live out the University’s motto of truth and service every day.”

During her tenure, the Office of University Communications has received several awards, including the PRWeek 2020 Best in a Crisis Award for the #HowardMedicineMatters campaign; the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Bronze Anvil Award for the Howard Homecoming 2019 campaign, and the 2019 National Capital Excellence Award (formerly Thoth Award) for crisis communications presented by the PRSA National Capital Chapter.

"Alonda has been a pillar for the Howard University communications team since I stepped foot on campus," said Vice President & Chief Communications Officer Frank Tramble. "She is an extraordinary talent in the public relations space and consummate professional. Her dedication to the university and creative strategic solutions to challenging situations make her an overall exceptional and unique talent." 

Hailing from Miami, Fla., Thomas attended the prestigious New World School of the Arts where she studied musical theater. She received her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree in integrated marketing and management communications from Florida State University where she was a university fellow and taught public speaking. Previously, Thomas was named one of the “Top 25 African American PR Millennials to Watch” in the Huffington Post and the 2019 Communicator of the Year by the Mid-Atlantic Black Public Relations Society. 

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