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Ray B. Shepherd

Former Director, Defense Media Activity

 
Ray Shepherd served as the Director of the Defense Media Activity (DMA), a Department of Defense Field Activity reporting to the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. In this position, he led a worldwide media organization that provides a broad range of high quality multimedia products and services to inform, educate, and entertain Department of Defense audiences around the globe. The agency presents news, information and entertainment on a variety of media platforms, including internet, social media, radio, television, and print media. DMA is the number one media community for America’s Defense conversation and informs millions of service members, civilian employees, contractors, military retirees and their families in the U.S. and abroad.

Prior to this position, Mr. Shepherd served as the Senior Vice President, Operations for the Warwick Consulting Group. The Group provided leadership and program management guidance to for-profit and non-profit organizations.

Mr. Shepherd possesses more than three decades of experience in developing and executing communications programs at all levels and disciplines in both the public and private sectors. Mr. Shepherd formerly served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Mr. Shepherd has also served in numerous senior-level management and communications positions for two Fortune 500 companies providing brand strategy, internal and external marketing and communications programs for the companies and the military.

Mr. Shepherd is a retired United States Air Force Colonel having served more than 29 years as a commander and public affairs officer. He has been involved with numerous major military public affairs actions and contingency operations throughout his career to include crisis communications dealing with international terrorism, humanitarian operations and international aircraft accident responses. He also served in numerous senior level public affairs positions in the United States, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom where he utilized his experience to guide internal, external and social media communications programs for multi-service organizations. He also served as the Commander, American Forces Radio and Television Service Broadcast Center managing seven television and 12 radio stations providing satellite news, sports and entertainment to military personnel and their families serving overseas.

Mr. Shepherd is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism; a Master’s of Science degree in management from Troy State University and a Master’s of Arts degree in communications from University of Oklahoma. Mr. Shepherd also completed numerous civilian and military leadership and management programs.