Ellen Boyd, M.S., APR, served as the Director of Community Relations for Kannapolis City Schools for 27 years before retiring in February 2020. She became NCSPRA's Executive Director in July 2020. Ellen is accredited in public relations and holds a Master of Science degree in Communications Management from Syracuse University. Her bachelor’s degree in Political Science is from UNC-Charlotte where she graduated with high honors. She also earned an Advanced Social Media Strategy certificate from Syracuse University and Hootsuite. 

Ellen has been active in NCSPRA and NSPRA (National School Public Relations Association) for nearly three decades. She served on the NCSPRA Board of Directors from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2017 to 2019. NSPRA selected Ellen to be part of its prestigious Communications Accountability Project. She also served as an NSPRA Counselor on Call and is a member of PRSA (Public Relations Society of America). 

During her career with Kannapolis City Schools, Ellen presented at many state and national conferences and contributed to several publications. Her research was published in the Journal of School Public Relations, and she won numerous NSPRA and NCSPRA awards, including an NSPRA Golden Achievement Award, an NCSPRA Gold Medallion Award, and a Best of the Best Blue Ribbon Award. She also was part of a special collaboration between NCSPRA and the NC Association of School Administrators that created a statewide campaign to build support for public education.  

Before joining Kannapolis City Schools, Ellen served as the news assignment editor for WSOC-TV in Charlotte for eleven years. To contact Ellen Boyd, please email ncspra.executivedirector@gmail.com.