Scott Thomsen & Larry Parnell

Scott Thomsen has served on the board of the NAGC for eight years, including previous roles as president-elect and communications director. He is the director of communications and public affairs for the Ventura County (California) Fire Department, overseeing the public information officers, community education, and community engagement. Previously, he served in various communications roles, including director, for Seattle City Light, a municipally owned electric utility, after a 20-year career in journalism as a reporter and editor for multiple news organizations, including The Orange County Register and The Associated Press.


Lawrence J. Parnell, M.B.A., is an award-winning Public Relations professional and academic who is an Associate Professor and Director of the George Washington University Master’s in Strategic Public Relations program. He has served in this role for 14 years, and the GWU Master’s is now one of the best-known and most admired programs in the US.

He holds a BS in Journalism from Boston University and an MBA from the University of New Haven. He is pursuing an advanced Strategic Management and Public Policy degree from the GW School of Business.

He also operates Parnell Communications, a strategic communications and leadership training firm. He advises government, corporate, and non-profit organizations on executive development and strategic communications. 

Prior to coming to GW, he had a 32-year career in the private and public sectors. He has worked in corporate, agency, and government settings globally and in national and statewide political campaigns. PR Week recognized him as PR Professional of the Year (2003) and named him to the PR News Hall of Fame in 2009.

He is a frequent author and speaker on communications strategy, crisis and issues management, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at industry conferences and universities worldwide.

He is the co-author of a top-selling public relations textbook, Introduction to Public Relations, published by Sage Publishing. The text, now in its second edition, is used by over 35 undergraduate Mass Communications and Public Relations programs in North America.

He is a member of the Page Society and serves on the Board of the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Parnell is active on Twitter (@gwprmasters) and LinkedIn, posting commentary and sharing research and his insights on current issues in communications and politics.

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