Gary Community School Corp. named Chelsea Whittington chief of public and community relations, effective Nov. 1.
Whittington has served as PR consultant with the district through MGT Management Firm for the past five years. She brings more than 30 years of experience to her new role.
“Having served as public relations director for the Gary Schools more than 20 years ago, this is truly a full circle moment,” Whittington said in a press release. “It is an honor to serve a school district that laid the foundation for my success.”
Whittington is a 1990 graduate of West Side High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Howard University and a master’s degree from Purdue University in organizational communications.
“The strong ties and passion that Mrs. Whittington has in this community are truly complimentary to the vast array of public relations skills she brings to the table,” Yvonne Stokes, Gary Community School Corp. superintendent, said. “She has worked vigorously for the past five years assisting the district in returning to local oversight and is now poised to work with the GCSC leadership team to take our school system to the next level.”
Whittington has operated her own PR Consulting firm, C WHITT, since 2015. She develops public relations and social media strategies for clients and presents workshops and trainings on social media and public speaking. During her role as PR consultant at GCSC, she helped keep stakeholders informed of the district's progress during state oversight.
Whittington serves as an adjunct instructor at Indiana University Northwest. She has taught courses in public relations, event planning and social media for the past 25 years.
The Gary Community School Corp. serves 10,700 students in grades kindergarten through 12. The district operates elementary schools, secondary academies, a middle school and a preschool.
