Gary Sheffer, former VP of corporate communications at GE, appointed to chair Page Center advisory board

Gary Sheffer emphasizes the importance of utilizing trusted sources of information in today’s communications landscape. He says the Page Center is a pillar of truth and hopes his new role will help identify and strengthen such trusted sources of information.

Sheffer, a former vice president of corporate communications and public affairs for General Electric, was named chair of the Page Center advisory board. Sheffer has been a member of the advisory board since 2016.

“At a time when trust is under pressure, the role of the Page Center has never been more important,” Sheffer said. “We have an opportunity to lead conversations around integrity and help shape how our profession responds to today’s challenges.”

Sheffer has demonstrated a commitment to trust and transparency throughout his career and says that it should be at the forefront of making communications decisions and leadership.

“Great leadership starts with respect — listening carefully, valuing different perspectives and creating space for others to contribute,” Sheffer said. “You build strong organizations by empowering people, not by directing them.”

Sheffer brings a great deal of leadership experience into his role as chair of the advisory board, including chairman of the Page Society, member of the boards of the Institute for Public Relations and the GE-Reagan Scholarship Program. For the past nine years, he has been a professor of public relations at Boston University and Siena University. He is also part of the scholar-practitioner expert advisory group helping advise the Page Center x Crisis Communications Think Tank partnership.

Sheffer says he is honored to step into this role, succeeding longtime board chair and public relations legend Bill Nielsen, who passed away in January. Nielsen's leadership left a lasting impact on the Center, and on Sheffer especially.

“One of the things I learned from Bill Nielsen is when you have a passion for something, go after it and persist,” Sheffer said. “I’m very passionate about the need for integrity in public communications, to fight misinformation and do it in a way that’s not just pugilistic, but that’s intelligent.”

Sheffer said he is looking forward to working with the board, and the next generation of ethical communicators. He is deeply involved with the Center’s research, and says he hopes to expand its reach.

“What makes the Page Center so valuable is its ability to take rigorous research and make it meaningful for practitioners,” Sheffer said.

Denise Bortree, Page Center director and interim dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, said Sheffer has a deep understanding of the Page Center thanks to his involvement in so many of its initiatives over the past 10 years.

“You can tell Gary has a passion for what we do, because he consistently shows up to research presentations, he hosts webinars and he’s always offering valuable insights at board meetings,” Bortree said. “We are so happy that he’ll be leading the advisory board into an exciting new chapter.”

Sheffer said, “I’m excited to work with the board and the Page Center team to continue building on the foundation and expanding its impact.”

The Center’s advisory board consists of 18 members that represent decades of leadership in education, business, journalism, non-profit and public relations. Throughout the year, advisory board members meet to offer insights and guidance that help the Center advance ethics and responsibility in public communication.