Today we honor and remember a wonderful colleague, Alicia Peterson Clark, who sadly passed away on April 12, 2017.
Alicia came to APCO in 2008, and from day one became a valued colleague, with good judgment, lots of substance and a deep commitment to her colleagues and clients alike. She had a tremendous impact on all of us. Her quiet and steady way guided us through the past nine years and she played a vital in her clients and our success. In addition to being a skilled practitioner, Alicia also found time to mentor a generation of younger people who have gone on to do amazing things.
She did this all while balancing so many things. Alicia excelled in every way; as a mother, as a wife, as a professional, as a role model, and, to all of us at APCO, as our friend. Alicia was always willing to give back to others and we were all buoyed by her boundless generosity of spirit. APCO, and indeed, our entire profession, will always be better for the role Alicia played. And to do all of this while ensuring she was there for her beloved boys is all the more inspiring.
Prior to joining APCO in 2008, Alicia was U.S. Senator Richard Burr’s chief of staff, providing daily counsel on politics, policy, legislation and communications, as well as overseeing long-range strategic planning. Alicia also held a range of key positions in the campaigns and administration of President George W. Bush, including surrogate and state media director for 2000 campaign, where she built a nationwide team to manage daily media operations. In the White House, she served as a special assistant to the president and deputy director in the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, where she directed long-range and strategic planning projects to advance presidential priorities. She also served as assistant to the vice president for political affairs.
In a note Alicia shared with APCO last week, she wrote, “I have always believed that communications is anchored in the dignity of every person having a right to have their story heard. For any small part we do play in making that happen, I am grateful. For the deeper commitment to that that can be made, I applaud.” This serves as an ongoing inspiration to us all and may we as communicators live up to the legacy Alicia leaves behind.
Our deepest condolences to her husband and her two boys and the rest of her family.
