North earns SPRF Hall of Fame honor
Elizabeth Gregory North
Elizabeth Gregory North, head of the Mississippi State University Extension Service Office of Agricultural Communications, is the newest member of the Southern Public Relations Federation’s Hall of Fame.
SPRF established a Hall of Fame in 2010 to recognize the exceptional accomplishments, commitment and leadership of professional public relations practitioners and educators from across the Southeast.
North has worked for more than 25 years as an Extension and land-grant communications and marketing professional. A recognized leader in her field, she has earned numerous state and national awards. She began leading strategy, branding, marketing and communications for the MSU Extension Service in 2013.
In this role, North created a quarterly magazine, Extension Matters, to promote the impact of Extension, as well as an award-winning video series, The Food Factor, which focuses on food, nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. She also spearheaded a campaign with quarterback Dak Prescott to promote colorectal cancer screening.
“Elizabeth North has been an asset to Mississippi State since her arrival, and her experience has made her a national leader in communications and marketing across land-grant universities,” wrote Gary Jackson, director of MSU Extension, in his letter of support. “Her work with online marketing has been instrumental in the success of Extension and has provided electronic media and marketing teams with a strategy to ensure that the promotion and branding of the faculty and staff aligns with the university’s mission.”
In addition to SPRF, North is active in many other professional associations, including the Public Relations Society of America and Public Relations Association of Mississippi. She was named national president of the Association for Communications Excellence in August 2018.
Suzanne Steel, ACE past-president and assistant director of marketing and communications for the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State University, provided another letter in support of North’s nomination.
“Please know that her influence has benefited universities and organizations nationwide, through her work, and through the work of others who have learned from Elizabeth,” she wrote.
Before joining MSU, North spent nearly 17 years with the Texas A&M University System, in a number of marketing communications roles for Extension and research. She began her professional career in Extension communications for the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service from 1989 to 1993 at Auburn University.
North earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Auburn and a master’s degree in English literature from University of Rochester in New York. She has worked toward her doctorate, most recently with Texas A&M, in agricultural education with a special emphasis in communication.
SPRF leaders announced the Hall of Fame honor at the annual meeting on Sept. 24 in New Orleans.
Mississippi State University is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.
Linda M. Breazeale | MSU Extension Service
