Laura Washington Joins Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as Director of Communications

 

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation announced that Laura Washington has joined the Foundation as Director of Communications.

 

In this newly created role, Washington will build the Foundation’s communications function, developing and implementing a strategic communications plan that will support the organization’s core mission and vision, setting and guiding strategy for all communications, web site, public relations engagement and media activities. 

 

Stated Earl Lewis, President of the Foundation: “Laura stood out among a pool of exceptionally talented and experienced professionals. She knows what it takes to create a communication’s function from scratch, having done so at the New-York Historical Society.”

 

Washington has more than two decades of public affairs and journalism experience, most recently at the New-York Historical Society. There, as Vice President for Communications, she led the communications strategy that helped raise the institution's profile with the public and media, revamped the website and worked to improve government and community relations. Prior to that, she worked at Consumers Union, CUNY, Time Warner, Dow Jones and Condé Nast Publications. Washington earned a BA in history from Vassar College and holds an MS in Strategic Communications from Columbia University.  

 

“The Mellon Foundation is hugely important in the academic and arts worlds. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the great work being done here,” said Washington.