AGA Appoints Public Affairs Executive to Direct Association's Communications Outreach Efforts

WASHINGTON — The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced today it has appointed Holly Thomsen, a public affairs executive with nearly a decade of experience providing strategic communications counsel to corporations, government and nonprofit organizations, as its new director of communications. Effective March 7, Thomsen will serve as the primary media contact for the AGA and direct the organization’s ongoing communications outreach programs.

Thomsen will replace Naomi Greer, who has served as communications director of the AGA since 1998.

Before joining the AGA as the new in-house communications director, Thomsen was a vice president at TheWadeGroup, Inc., a Washington-based public relations firm where she provided ongoing issues management, strategic planning, media, trade show and executive communications support for the AGA. As the firm’s AGA account team leader, Thomsen developed and executed numerous communications outreach strategies to promote the industry’s responsible gaming, charitable giving and diversity efforts, as well as managed strategic communications for the gaming industry’s largest annual trade show and conference, Global Gaming Expo.

“We are fortunate to add someone with Holly’s gaming background and communications skills to our staff,” said AGA President and CEO Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. “She has worked side-by-side with us as our public relations counsel for five years now, so she steps in already understanding the important issues faced by the commercial casino industry and familiar with the ongoing projects of the AGA.”

Before joining TheWadeGroup, Thomsen served as an account supervisor at Cohn & Wolfe/Washington, where in addition to servicing the AGA account, she provided issues management, media relations and editorial services for a variety of health care, government, nonprofit, trade association and corporate clients. Prior to joining Cohn & Wolfe, Thomsen worked at Goddard Claussen Porter Novelli, now Porter Novelli Public Affairs, where she provided strategic communications services focused on environmental, international trade and tort reform issues.

Thomsen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and geology from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.

The American Gaming Association represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.