Ebony Rose Custis
Chief Public Affairs Officer @U.S. Department Of State
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WORK HISTORY
Chief Public Affairs Officer @U.S. Department Of State
U.S. Embassy Dakar, SN
I leverage my 15 years of experience advising senior leadership on strategic communications, stakeholder relations, and program development to develop audiences and expand economic opportunity by promoting American expertise, products, and messages to international audiences. I lead strategic communications and public outreach with a $2M annual budget and a diverse and talented team of 18 professionals. Our work includes training young Africans and business owners in digital skills to fuel the economy, conducting research to assess communications challenges and improve our strategy, and building narratives around VIP visitors such as U.S. Special Envoy John Kerry’s visit to promote sustainable energy. We also promote the positive economic impacts of American private investment in Senegal, and position American universities as the partner of choice to improve Senegal’s higher education landscape.
EDUCATION
Universidad autonoma de Queretaro
National Science Foundation Research Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy
University of Ghana
Semester Abroad, Literature and Religions of West Africa
School of Business and Industry
Bachelor of Science - BS
Howard University
Master of Arts - MA, Sociology and Anthropology
ABOUT EBONY ROSE CUSTIS
I lead public diplomacy and public affairs for the United States Embassy in Senegal and its team of 22 U.S. Federal Government agencies. We aim to increase sales opportunities and strategic partnerships for American businesses and educational institutions through advocacy, training programs, and stakeholder engagement. I believe that building diverse teams in an inclusive environment can deepen our impact and change the world. I am passionate about encouraging and enabling innovation and entrepreneurship among women and youth to fuel economic growth. I began my career in higher education and nonprofits developing pathways for women and youth to access educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. After teaching university courses and working in local underserved communities, I transitioned to local government where I designed outgoing trade missions to bring American powered economic opportunity to international communities. Wanting to have broader, global impact, I joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. First, in the Caribbean, I identified public and private sector opportunities for American businesses. In South East Asia, I helped American employers and educational institutions navigate the U.S. visa process. And now in West Africa, I manage a team of high achieving professionals to create and administer programs which prepare women and youth for success as entrepreneurs through connections to digital trade, and create partnerships between Senegalese and American universities. Throughout all of these experiences, I’ve had to manage stressful situations and a myriad of personalities and cultural backgrounds, build trust and consensus while bringing people together around a shared mission, and align messaging across large organizations and a variety of viewer touch points. I’ve loved hiring and developing big teams which bring the right people with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to the table. If you’re working on the Continent on issues related to government affairs, public policy, or communicating American business interests - please feel free to connect!
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