Updated: July 19, 2024, at 6:11 p.m. 

College of Professional Studies officials announced a new director for the public relations and communications master’s degree program in a release earlier this month.

Lesley Lopez will direct the college, according to the release July 10. She previously served as the head of global communications for the US-China Business Council, a nonprofit promoting trade with China, from 2014 to 2017 and as communications director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from 2011 to 2013.

“Lopez’s arrival comes at a crucial juncture as the program embarks on significant changes to enhance the experience for current and prospective students and the College as a whole,” the release states.

CPS has faced steep drops in enrollment over the past decade, going from 1,051 students in the college in 2013 to 624 in 2023. CPS officials said in April that the college is looking to increase funding and recruitment efforts to ramp up enrollment.

Prior to her career in politics, Lopez was a journalist with experience at ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” BBC and CNN. Liesl Riddle, the dean of CPS, said Lopez was an “innovator” that will encourage students to be creative in their own ways. 

“It is with distinct honor that I join the George Washington University legacy at a time where the Public Relations and Communication program offerings are rapidly evolving to shape the future of our industry,” Lopez said. “Our innovative focus on the non-profit, corporate, and government sectors meet the needs of our students and the field.”

This post has been updated to correct the following: