Donna Lucas

Donna Lucas is the founder and principal of Lucas Public Affairs, a California-based strategic consulting, public affairs, and communications firm.

One of the nation’s foremost public affairs strategists and a widely recognized expert in media relations and political affairs, Ms. Lucas has provided strategic counsel to large corporate clients, labor unions, non-profits, and political candidates. She also has worked on several statewide initiative campaigns on a variety of policy issues.

Over her 30-year career, Ms. Lucas has held senior executive positions in both the public and private sectors. She served as deputy chief of staff for strategic planning and initiatives for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and chief of staff to First Lady Maria Shriver. Ms. Lucas also served as deputy press secretary for Gov. George Deukmejian, deputy treasurer for state Treasurer Tom Hayes, and California press secretary for the 1988 presidential campaign of then-Vice President George H.W. Bush. She was the global and public affairs practice leader for Porter Novelli, an international PR firm after Porter Novelli acquired Nelson Communications Group, where she served as president and CEO for several years.