Columbus, OH – The Buckeye Institute announced on Thursday that after more than 70 candidates applied for the position, Lisa A. Gates has been selected as Buckeye’s new vice president of communications. Gates, an Ohio native, will oversee all of the Institute’s communications and marketing efforts.

“We are pleased to have Lisa join our team and bring her tremendous experience back home to Ohio,” said Robert Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute. “Lisa’s expertise will help The Buckeye Institute promote sound free-market policies and solutions in Ohio and states across the country.”

Gates has more than 20 years of experience in communications, media outreach, crisis communications, message development, public relations, marketing and branding.

Most recently, Gates served as director of communications at the International Republican Institute (IRI), a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization that supports democratic actors around the world as they build democratic institutions and accountable, transparent governments. While at IRI, Gates oversaw all communications, marketing and branding efforts for the Institute and its 60 plus programs worldwide and implemented a comprehensive communications strategy that helped the Institute establish a strong brand that is recognized as an expert in the field of democratic governance, women’s empowerment, and youth leadership.

During her time at IRI, Gates also served as an election monitor and coordinated communications efforts for 21 international election observation missions in Afghanistan, Egypt, Georgia, Honduras, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nigeria, Somaliland, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

Prior to joining IRI, Gates served as public affairs officer and director of the International Press Center for the Coalition Provisional Authority and the U.S. Mission in Baghdad, Iraq. In that role, she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the International Press Center and served as a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy and the Coalition Provisional Authority on women’s issues and the Iraq Stock Exchange.

Gates previously served as spokesperson for then-Governor Jeb Bush of Florida. A graduate of The Ohio State University, Gates got her start in public affairs working in the communications office of then-Governor George V. Voinovich of Ohio.

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