As Chief Communications Officer, Michelle Durand leads the County’s media relations, public affairs and crisis communications. She is responsible for strategic messaging and messaging policy on a wide variety of projects and initiatives and oversees a team charged with telling the County’s story using a variety of platforms. She co-chairs the Bay Area Joint Information System (JIS), a nine-county collection of communicators who collaborate on best practices and regional messaging to support emergency public information and warning. When the County's Emergency Operations Center is activated in times of disaster or other emergencies, she also heads the County’s Joint Information Center (JIC) which coordinates accurate and timely messaging to the public and media.
Prior to joining the County in 2015, Michelle was an award-winning journalist and columnist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in politics, a master’s degree in communications and a master of public administration. She is also certified as a public information officer with the California Office of Emergency Services and an Institute Fellow with the California State Association of Counties.
