Student Center for the Public Trust

Meet Your Speaker –  Traci Otey Blunt

A nationally recognized and award-winning communications and public affairs strategist, Traci Otey Blunt joined the National Football League as SVP, Corporate Communications in October 2018.  Traci leads communications strategies across priority areas including rapid response/current affairs, business operations, NFL Media, public affairs, health and safety, and social responsibility. Traci has led award-winning media relations and public affairs campaigns for corporate, political, and nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. Prior to joining the NFL, Traci served in a dual role as EVP, Corporate Affairs at RLJ Entertainment and as President of Urban Movie Channel (UMC), the first subscription streaming channel showcasing Black film and television, founded by Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson.  From 2008 to 2014, Traci was EVP, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at The RLJ Companies – the parent company of RLJ Entertainment and Urban Movie Channel.  At RLJ, Traci led communications and public affairs across the 16 diversified companies in the RLJ portfolio, as well as leading executive communications for the founder and chairman. Traci previously served as a media specialist on Capitol Hill, with the District of Columbia government, and held key communications roles on several mayoral, state legislative, gubernatorial, and presidential campaigns. Traci was the national director of African American media and a deputy communications director to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential campaign.  In 2000, Traci was communications director for the Tennessee-coordinated campaign during the Gore-Lieberman 2000 presidential campaign.  Traci’s experience includes her work at two global public relations agencies (Ogilvy Public Relations and Porter Novelli), and as the communications manager at the National Association of Attorneys General. Traci serves on the board ColorComm and previously on the International Black Film Festival of Nashville. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Page UP, part of the Arthur W. Page Society.  Traci is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a proud graduate of Tennessee State University where she graduated with honors.