Brooke Benschoter, APR, MS is supporting AFDO and its mission as the Director of Communications. She has been working with our programs including the launch of the videocast/webcast program in September and many of you met her at the annual conference in June.

Benschoter started her career in broadcast journalism as a reporter, producer, and anchor and grew to include marketing agency management and consulting experience. She has overseen branding, marketing, communications and public relations with organizations such as Pioneer Hi-Bred, Meredith Corporation, ITAGroup, National Pork Board, Drake University and Grinnell College.

Brooke calls herself a “branding geek,” having worked with many national brands that include Kraft, Home Depot, Texas Instruments, Better Homes and Gardens, Tone’s, Frito Lay, Pork - the Other White Meat, USS Iowa, Kemin and Mary Engelbreit. She conceived and produced 26 episodes of a healthy lifestyle television program, Fork in the Road with Sheree Clark. Additionally, she has developed and hosted many development events focused on branding, diversity and inclusion and professional growth.

An Omaha native, Brooke graduated from Creighton University with a B.A. and received her M.S. in Leadership Development, Organizational Development and Adult Learning from Drake University. She is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and loves all things Des Moines (just ask her). She has been an accredited public relations practitioner since 1992 and has had placements with major media include the Today Show, CNN, Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Brooke will be working approximately 25 hours per week with AFDO. Her responsibilities will include the Conversations with AFDO podcast, AFDO messaging, developing original content about state/local program successes for eNews and other formats, and helping build media relationships.

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