Sandra Alstadt wraps up fall's Joel Gambill Speakers Series for Journalism Nov. 8-9

November 3, 2010 -- Sandra (Sandy) R. Alstadt, director of customer communications for Entergy Services, Inc., is the final speaker in this semester's Joel Gambill Speakers Series for Journalism. She will be on campus Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 8-9, at ASU's College of Communications. Alstadt has a bachelor of science degree in journalism/public relations from Arkansas State University (1982). She has an associate of arts degree from Williams Baptist College (1980). She is a graduate of the Little Rock Leadership Institute (1996) and Leadership America, Inc. (1998), and she currently serves on ASU's Journalism Department advisory board.

Alstadt joined the Entergy system in 1989 as a communications specialist for Arkansas Power and Light. In 1996, she was named director of utility operations communications for Entergy Services, Inc. She currently serves as director of customer communications. Her responsibilities include leading the company’s integrated customer communications initiative, a multifaceted effort that seeks to improve all of Entergy’s contacts with its customers. During major storms, Alstadt serves as Entergy’s communications command leader.

The Entergy communications team has been recognized with numerous national crisis communications awards for their work following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which struck the Entergy service territory in 2005 and hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which struck the Entergy service area in 2008. Some of the awards include PR Week’s Crisis Communications Award and their highly coveted Campaign of the Year Award, Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil Award for Crisis Communications, an American Business Awards’ Stevie Award, and an International Association of Business Communicators – Southern Region’s Award of Excellence for Crisis Communications. Alstadt was also named the “2006 Crisis Communicator of the Year” by PR News.

Alstadt’s first job was serving as a communications specialist for the United Way of Pulaski County (1983). In 1986, she was named vice president of communications. Her responsibilities included marketing, advertising, media relations, and public relations. She led over 50 volunteer communications professionals.

Alstadt has been active in several professional, civic, and charitable organizations. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America; she has served on the board of directors for the PRSA Arkansas Chapter. Other past board positions include: Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy, Inc.; Riverfest, Inc. (chairman of the board of directors); Women’s Foundation of Arkansas; Mid-South Promise advisory board, Visiting Nurses Association board of directors; Non-Profit Resources, Inc. board of directors and Delta Trust Women’s advisory board. In 1998, she was named to the “Top 100 Women in Arkansas” list by Arkansas Business. In 1999, the same publication named her to their “Top 40 under 40” list. Williams Baptist College awarded her Alumni of the Year in 2003. In 2010, she was selected as one of 12 “Powerful Women” by AY Magazine.

She and her husband, Tod, live in Little Rock. They have a son, Zachary, who is 13 years old.

For more information about the Joel Gambill Speakers' Series for Journalism, contact Dr. Gil Fowler, chair, the Department of Journalism, at (870) 972-3075.

                                                       # # #