The National Restaurant Association announced the hiring of Leslie Shedd as the newest member of the Association’s growing communications team. Shedd will serve as the Vice President of Communications, working with the communications team to expand the Association’s presence both in traditional and new media. In her new role, Shedd will develop and implement the Association’s digital, social, and traditional communications strategy to promote America’s restaurant industry. In addition, she will continue to build relationships to support the public relations’ priorities of the Association and manage many of the day-to-day duties of the media relations team.
“We are extremely excited to have Leslie join our team at the National Restaurant Association,” says Cicely Simpson, executive vice president of Government Affairs and Policy. “Like so many Americans, Leslie started out in the restaurant industry, working as a hostess, a waitress, a bartender, and eventually as a front of the house manager at Outback Steakhouse. When you take her first-hand knowledge of the industry and couple it with her communications experience on the local, state, and federal level, Leslie will be a great asset for our communications team and our members.”
Most recently, Shedd served as the deputy campaign manager and communications director for Kathy Szeliga, Republican Senate Candidate in Maryland. There, she served as a top strategic and communications advisor to the campaign as well as managed the day-to-day operations of the organization. Prior to that, Shedd served as the national press secretary for CARLY for America, the super PAC supporting Carly Fiorina’s presidential campaign. In that role, Shedd worked with regional and national news outlets, serving as a spokesperson for the PAC, and managed top surrogates and endorsements. She has also served in several senior communications roles, including as Georgia Victory Communications Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the 2014 election and as Communications Director for both Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03) and Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03).
Shedd earned her BA in political science and French from Clemson University and her JD from the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law.
