The Advisory Council for the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston has added four national executives to serve on the council.
The Advisory Council is comprised of a dynamic group of industry veterans dedicated to mentoring communication students. Through this relationship, communication students get unparalleled access to these executives’ expertise and graduate from CofC with a robust knowledge in how to network and build contacts. Students not only are professionally prepared for the real world, but they say that these council members help them focus on a particular area of communication in which they can specialize and thrive.
The Advisory Council welcomes:
  • Brent Colburn, Vice President of Communications, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative – Colburn, a veteran of both Democratic political campaigns and the Obama administration, recently joined the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) as their first Vice President of Communications. CZI, established in December of 2015 by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and pediatrician and educator Dr. Priscilla Chan, is committed to unlocking human potential and promoting equality. This multi-billion dollar philanthropic effort brings together tools like grant making, social impact investing, and public advocacy to promote issues including personalized learning in education and basic science research with an aim towards curing, preventing and managing diseases.
  • Kyle Farnham, Managing Director-Atlanta, MSLGROUP – Farnham is a senior communications counselor, public relations practitioner and agency leader with more than 20 years of agency and corporate experience developing and implementing strategic communications programs for some of the world’s most recognized brands and leading companies in a variety of industries. During his time with MSLGROUP, he spearheaded some of the agency’s largest PR-driven sponsorship activation programs, including Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, The Home Depot’s sponsorship of the USOC’s Olympic Job Opportunities Program in 2004 and 2006 and Chevrolet’s sponsorship of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay.
  • Bruce Haynes, Founding Partner, Purple Strategies – Haynes is a founding partner of Purple Strategies, specializing in industry image and corporate reputation campaigns. He leads Purple’s teams working with some of the world’s best known brands in the areas of strategy and message development, research, advertising, media relations, and digital and social media monitoring and engagement. Haynes work has included leading efforts to successfully reposition companies and trade associations, and reputation management and crisis communications for leading brands in the telecommunications, energy, financial services and health care categories.
  • Kevin Shinkle, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Delta Air Lines – Shinkle is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer responsible for external communications, media relations and employee and cross-divisional communications throughout Delta’s global system. He is based in Atlanta, Ga., and has been at Delta since 2014. Prior to his role at Delta, he worked in journalism and was the business editor at The Associated Press (NY) and at The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., respectively.
The Advisory Council for the Department of Communication began in 2006 and has featured an impressive and diverse team of more than 50 professionals volunteering their time, lending their talent, sharing their knowledge and preparing College of Charleston communication students for careers in communications and life after graduation. Council members have been integral to creating opportunities for communication students. For instance, the council established a scholarship called the John Palmer Communication Award. Palmer, a longtime NBC White House correspondent as well as an NBC Today Show anchor, was a founding member of the council. Additionally, council members participate in a mentor-protégé program, serving as career coaches for communication majors.