Red Rose Recipient 2014
Rhonda Keenum
Rhonda Newman Keenum
Rhonda Newman Keenum is President of Keenum Company, a public affairs firm that provides strategic counsel, government relations and communication services to a diverse group of leading corporations, coalitions and trade associations.
Rhonda served as Director of the Office of Public Liaison and Deputy Assistant to
President George W. Bush. In this role, Ms. Keenum led outreach and communication with constituent groups, including advocacy groups and non-government leaders. She also managed stakeholder initiatives designed to engage and advance discussions on the President’s legislative priorities. Additionally, Ms. Keenum managed Presidential events at the White House and in metropolitan Washington, D.C. Keenum reported directly to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove.
Prior to her White House appointment, Keenum served as the acting Undersecretary
for Commerce for International Trade Administration. There she focused on creating
a better economic environment for American business at home and abroad. Her
responsibilities ranged from overseeing agreements on market access to enforcing laws designed to deter unfair trade practices. Ms. Keenum held this role and at the same time served as the Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS). At USFCS Ms. Keenum managed a worldwide organization responsible for connecting small-and medium-sized businesses with export opportunities. She was the export
representative to the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Trade and Development Program, and the Small Business Administration. In this role, she directed programs to assist U.S. firms in identifying oversees projects. Keenum had oversight of the Foreign Service offices within the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She managed a budget exceeding $224 million and led a team of 1800 including Commercial Service officers and Foreign Service nationals in 162 international offices (located in the embassies and consulates) and a domestic team of trade representatives in 105 offices in 46 states.
Prior to her Senate confirmation as Assistant Secretary, Ms. Keenum was a Senior Vice President at Edelman Worldwide where she managed several award-winning national and state public affairs campaigns. Before joining Edelman, she served as Vice President at Ketchum Public Relations in Washington, D.C.
Before entering the public relations arena, Ms. Keenum was Press Secretary for then-U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS); served as Deputy Political Director for the Republican National Committee Victory 2000 effort; and played key roles in both the 1996 Dole for
President and 1992 Bush-Quayle campaigns.
Rhonda has served as a member of the board of directors of Entergy, the CREATE Foundation, and the Jackson Zoological Society. She currently serves on the boards of the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association and is an advisory board member for the Palmer Home for Children.
Ms. Keenum is a native of Booneville, Mississippi, and a graduate of Mississippi State University. She resides in Mississippi State, Mississippi, with her husband, Mark, their triplets Katie, Rett and Mary Phillips, and their youngest child, Victoria.
Rhonda Newman Keenum is President of Keenum Company, a public affairs firm that provides strategic counsel, government relations and communication services to a diverse group of leading corporations, coalitions and trade associations.
Rhonda served as Director of the Office of Public Liaison and Deputy Assistant to
President George W. Bush. In this role, Ms. Keenum led outreach and communication with constituent groups, including advocacy groups and non-government leaders. She also managed stakeholder initiatives designed to engage and advance discussions on the President’s legislative priorities. Additionally, Ms. Keenum managed Presidential events at the White House and in metropolitan Washington, D.C. Keenum reported directly to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove.
Prior to her White House appointment, Keenum served as the acting Undersecretary
for Commerce for International Trade Administration. There she focused on creating
a better economic environment for American business at home and abroad. Her
responsibilities ranged from overseeing agreements on market access to enforcing laws designed to deter unfair trade practices. Ms. Keenum held this role and at the same time served as the Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS). At USFCS Ms. Keenum managed a worldwide organization responsible for connecting small-and medium-sized businesses with export opportunities. She was the export
representative to the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Trade and Development Program, and the Small Business Administration. In this role, she directed programs to assist U.S. firms in identifying oversees projects. Keenum had oversight of the Foreign Service offices within the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She managed a budget exceeding $224 million and led a team of 1800 including Commercial Service officers and Foreign Service nationals in 162 international offices (located in the embassies and consulates) and a domestic team of trade representatives in 105 offices in 46 states.
Prior to her Senate confirmation as Assistant Secretary, Ms. Keenum was a Senior Vice President at Edelman Worldwide where she managed several award-winning national and state public affairs campaigns. Before joining Edelman, she served as Vice President at Ketchum Public Relations in Washington, D.C.
Before entering the public relations arena, Ms. Keenum was Press Secretary for then-U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS); served as Deputy Political Director for the Republican National Committee Victory 2000 effort; and played key roles in both the 1996 Dole for
President and 1992 Bush-Quayle campaigns.
Rhonda has served as a member of the board of directors of Entergy, the CREATE Foundation, and the Jackson Zoological Society. She currently serves on the boards of the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association and is an advisory board member for the Palmer Home for Children.
Ms. Keenum is a native of Booneville, Mississippi, and a graduate of Mississippi State University. She resides in Mississippi State, Mississippi, with her husband, Mark, their triplets Katie, Rett and Mary Phillips, and their youngest child, Victoria.
4/18/2014