MediaMasters Lecture Series: Lydia Lenker

Monday, September 30, 2019 5:00 PM-7:00 PM

Paul Roger Board Room, Ezell Center

Former press secretary for Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and communications consultant Lydia Lenker will be the fall 2019 speaker at the MediaMasters Lecture Series, held by the Department of Communication and Journalism in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

The 5 p.m. lecture in the Paul Rogers Board Room will be preceded by free pizza and a question-and-answer session will follow.

About Lydia Lenker

Lenker’s diverse communications career spans experience as a broadcast journalist, press secretary and director of leadership initiatives.

She launched her journalism career in radio news, then worked as a political reporter and weekend anchor at CBS affiliate NewsChannel5 in Nashville. She covered dozens of legislative sessions and elections and logged countless hours behind a live mic. In 2001, she won an Emmy for “Best Weekend Newscast” in the Southeast region.

Covering politics led to a political campaign and the State Capitol. Lenker served as press secretary to candidate and then Governor Phil Bredesen for his two terms in office. She managed message, crisis and reporters on deadline across Tennessee. In Bredesen’s recent U.S. Senate campaign, Lenker served as chief of staff to former First Lady Andrea Conte.

A move to higher education brought Lenker to Lipscomb University. She served as executive in residence and managing director of the Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership, and director of events and community engagement for the College of Leadership and Public Service.

Lenker serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for Lipscomb’s Department of Communication and Journalism and is a member of the leadership team for the Rotary Club of Nashville.