Esther Campi
During a career spanning nearly 30 years, Esther Campi has been a trusted adviser to America’s top leaders — from Fortune 500 CEOs to U.S. senators.
Her rare “trifecta” of experience at the highest levels of business, government and media stems from her previous roles as communications chief for one of the nation’s top chambers of commerce, U.S. Senate press secretary and award-winning journalist.
From these roots, she has emerged as a leading expert in the field of public relations, with specific expertise in political communication. Whether covering politics as capital bureau chief for one of Mississippi’s largest newspapers, helping leaders advocate for legislation in statehouses from New York to Georgia, or working directly with members of Congress, Campi has spent a career harnessing the power of persuasive communication in the policy arena.
Outside of politics, she has found that corporate clients are also eager to apply the political communication model in today’s rapid-response world. Since its founding in 2011, her firm Campi & Company has served a robust client roster of companies that rank among the world’s most admired. She counsels C-suite executives at critical moments across diverse industries, including health care, hospitality, financial services and more. Whether clients are preparing to take on a new leadership role, communicate their vision to stakeholders, manage a crisis or speak at a White House press conference, Campi & Company is by their side.
Campi is also a passionate educator, serving as a professor of the practice at UNC’s prestigious Hussman School of Journalism and Media, where she imports lessons directly “from clients to the classroom.” Her teaching philosophy is based on the premise that every student who walks through the door is brimming with potential. She is known for telling students, “The best part of our profession is having a front-row seat on history. And we get to craft the words and ideas that shape how that history unfolds. My job is to teach you how to practice your craft effectively — and ethically.”
Education
- M.S., Northwestern University
- B.S., Middle Tennessee State University