APCO Worldwide’s Kelly Williamson to Lead North America Region

Washington – October 22, 2018: Kelly Williamson, a recognized corporate reputation and issues management expert, has been named APCO Worldwide’s President, North America, announced Brad Staples, CEO of APCO Worldwide.

“Kelly embodies the very best of APCO’s values and enterprising spirit,” said Staples. “Her journey, having worked her way up from intern to President of North America, during her nearly two decades at the firm, serves as an inspiration to colleagues around the globe and demonstrates that there are opportunities for all staff members to succeed and grow at APCO. Kelly’s leadership, skillset and proven management capabilities are unparalleled, and we have been so lucky to have her on our team. I want to thank Evan Kraus for his interim leadership in the region. We are delighted to announce Kelly’s new role and are excited to see the North America region continue to grow under her guidance.”

At APCO, Williamson leads teams to help clients build agility to thrive in an increasingly complex business environment. She counsels corporate and organizational leaders in protecting and building reputations, internal culture alignment and influencer engagement.

Williamson joined APCO Worldwide in 1999. During her 19 years at the company, she rose from intern, to full-time staff member, to managing director of APCO’s Raleigh office, and now to regional president.

“I’m beyond lucky to have worked with such an amazing, dynamic and talented group of colleagues at APCO,” said Williamson. “It’s truly an honor to have been named president of the region. I’m looking forward to working with our teams throughout North America and around the world to continue to innovate, experiment and deliver at the highest possible level for our clients.”

Williamson helped formally launch APCO’s Raleigh office in 2014 and has been servicing clients for APCO in the market since 2004. She has overseen its growth from a small regional team to a thriving office that boasts consistently high revenue growth and employee retention.

Globally, Williamson leads APCO’s Key Client Initiative, a program aimed at delivering best-in-class service to clients and developing the next generation of client leaders. She has also been a member of the firm’s Global Leadership Team, a group of long-tenured senior APCO leaders, who have, on average, been at APCO for more than 13 years, and oversee the strategic and operational progress of APCO’s business, since 2017.

Williamson joins a group of regional leads at APCO that includes Claire Boussagol, president, Europe; Mamoon Sbeih, president, MENA; and James Yi, managing director, Southeast Asia.

In addition to her roles at APCO, Williamson serves on the board of advisors at the University of North Carolina’s School of Media and Journalism, and is an adjunct professor as well, where she mentors students and teaches a class on what it takes to succeed in an agency environment.

Williamson received a Top Women in PR award from PR News and was inducted into PRWeek’s Hall of Femme as a Champion of Public Relations.