Gale Jones Carson, Vice President of Community & External Affairs, is responsible for economic & community development, regional external affairs, local government relations, employee and public communications programs, customer communications, media and community relations, marketing communications, crisis communications, social media, website management, graphic arts, printing, mail services and distribution operations and the PBX (Private Branch Exchange) telephone operations.  

Ms. Carson rejoined Memphis Light, Gas and Water in January 2007 as the Director of Corporate Communications after working as Executive Assistant and Chief Spokesperson for the City of Memphis Mayor for almost seven years. 

Prior to working for the Mayor, she worked in corporate communications at FedEx for 16 years. Carson worked in public relations for MLGW for more than six years before joining FedEx.

A veteran of public relations, Ms. Carson has more than four decades of journalism/public relations/crisis communications and community relations experience. She also has experience in economic development.
In addition to her experience at MLGW and FedEx, for many years she was a freelance writer for a couple of local weekly publications. 

Ms. Carson created, produced, and hosted the local cablevision program, Memphis Style Politics, for approximately 10 years.  Currently, she is serving as President of the Memphis & Shelby County Film & Tape Commission. Ms. Carson serves as Vice President of the NAACP Memphis Branch’s Board of Directors, is a member of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Board of Governors, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis Board of Directors, and the IWF/TWF/MWF (International Women’s Forum/Tennessee Women’s Forum/Memphis Women’s Forum). 

Among the many professional, civic, and political awards she has received, her most cherished are the Memphis Business Journal’s 2017 Super Women in Business Award; the Girls, Inc. "She Knows Where She’s Going" award; the April 4th Foundation’s H. Ralph Jackson Trailblazer Award; the NBA Grizzlies’ Community Heroes Award; the Silver Star Achievers Award; Who's Who in Memphis Twitter; the Ruby R. Wharton Outstanding Women Award for Public Awareness; the 2015 Keepers of the Dream Award; the 2015 Kindle Award; the Girl Scouts Heart of the South’s One Smart Cookie Award; and the University of Memphis Alumni Association Journalism and Strategic Media Outstanding Alumni Award. Ms. Carson has also received numerous professional awards related to her work.  

A native of Memphis, Ms. Carson is a graduate of the Leadership Memphis Class of 1998, graduate of New Memphis Leadership and of the University of Memphis where she earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. As a leader, she is most passionate about providing excellence and kindness to employees, customers and all who she comes in contact with.

• Annual Financial Disclosure