Barbara Semedo

Barbara Semedo, a senior vice president at GMMB, is a media relations specialist with more than 20 years of experience in the broadcasting news business and public affairs arenas. She currently serves as the primary media relations contact for education issues for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Barbara served for eight years in the Clinton administration as a senior communications director and primary spokesperson at several major federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Agency for International Development, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the Department of Commerce. At NOAA, Barbara was the director of public and constituent affairs, leading a 30-person staff of public affairs officers who covered climate, weather and ocean research, as well as fisheries management. She also worked for the White House as deputy director for communications for the President's Initiative on Race.

Barbara held senior communications positions with Holland & Knight, LLP and Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining GMMB, she was a senior policy officer handling media relations for the education division of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Barbara began her career as a local television news reporter. Her outstanding national reporting work resulted in a News Emmy Award nomination in 1992.