Patricia Harrison
Patricia Harrison (aka Patricia de Stacy Harrison) is the President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a position she was appointed to with strong backing from CPB chairman Kenneth Tomlinson. Her candidacy arose in the midst of a slew of criticism from the right that the CPB and public broadcasters that it indirectly funds, namely NPR and PBS, exhibit a "liberal bias" that excludes conservative viewpoints and participation.
Background
In 1973 she, according to an official biographical note, co-founded the PR agency the E. Bruce Harrison Company with her husband E. Bruce Harrison. [1] One biographical note states that while working with the company, which was sold in a merger deal in 1996, "she created and directed programs in the public interest comprising diverse stakeholder groups, including the National Environmental Development Association, a partnership of labor, agriculture and industry working for better environmental solutions together." [2]
George H.W. Bush appointed Harrison to the President's Export Council in the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1990. She was elected Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee in 1997, serving until 2001 when she was appointed to her current post of Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell. [3]
Harrison's PR skills were called upon to help with the U.S. government's unsuccessful public diplomacy program during the Iraq war. "As Acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy during the Iraq conflict, Ms. Harrison also collaborated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to bring the Iraq National Symphony Orchestra to Washington, and she has initiated a comprehensive renewal of the Baghdad National Museum," the biographical note states.
In June 2005 she was appointed as President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. [4]
Books
- Patricia Harrison (ed), America's New Women Entrepreneurs: Tips, Tactics, and Techniques of Women Achievers in Business, Acropolis Books, May 1986, ISBN 0874918103
- Patricia Harrison, Seat At The Table: An Insider's Guide for America's New Women Leaders, Mastermedia Publishing Company, February 1996, ISBN 1571010424
External links
Speeches by Harrison
- Patricia Harrison, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, "The Role of International Education in the Struggle Against Terrorism", U.S. Department of State, November 25, 2003.
- Pat Harrison, "Ask the White House", The White House, March 12, 2004.
Articles & Commentary
- "Biography of Patricia de Stacy Harrison -- Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs", The White House, accessed June 2005.
- "Page Society Annual Conference Closes With a World-View of Listening", Arthur W. Page Society, September 13, 2004. (A brief report on Harrison's speech on public diplomacy work in the Middle East).
- Center for Digital Democracy, "CPB’s Propagandist-in-Chief Ken Tomlinson and his Choice for its next President: Another Government Propagandist--Patricia Harrison: Conflict of Interest between his Role as Chair of Broadcasting Board of Governors and CPB is Another Reason Why He Should Resign", Common Dreams Progressive Newswire, May 19, 2005.
- Paul Farhi, "Front-Runner for Public Broadcast Agency Job Is Former GOP Chair", Washington Post, June 9, 2005.
- "Patricia S. Harrison Named President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting", Media Release, June 23, 2005.
- Paul Farhi, "Public Broadcast Agency Picks GOP Appointee Over Protests," Washington Post, June 24, 2005.
- "Harrison name CEO of CPB," O'Dwyer's PR Daily, June 24, 2005.
