Troy Blackwell Jr. (’27SPS)

Troy Blackwell is an award-winning public relations executive whose work sits at the intersection of culture, media, and public diplomacy. He currently serves on Google’s Changemakers Advisory Board and is Fundraising Co-Chair of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, among several leadership roles.

Blackwell previously served in both the 44th and 46th Presidential Administrations, holding senior roles in public affairs and engagement. Appointed by President Joe Biden, he served as Deputy Chief Communications Officer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he directed external affairs for a $4.5 billion agency with 14,000+ employees and became the agency’s highest-ranking Latino official during the administration.

Before this, Blackwell served as the Peace Corps’ Global Spokesperson—the first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold the role—leading communications across 64 countries and spearheading the agency’s landmark “Bold Invitation” global recruitment campaign. He represented the United States at major international convenings, including the Global Citizen Festival and the U.S.–Africa Leaders Summit.

A native New Yorker, Blackwell has also held roles in New York City government and the private sector. He has guest lectured at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics and has provided expert commentary on democracy across CNN, MSNBC, and Times Now India.