Barbara Peck was recently named director of communications for the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). One of Peck’s primary responsibilities is serving as a media spokesperson for the Supreme Court of Tennessee and the AOC. In addition, she will provide communications support to many of the AOC’s key initiatives, including civil access to justice, human trafficking awareness, opioid epidemic response, indigent representation, and the historic business court pilot project.
“We are thrilled to have Barbara’s blend of nationally recognized communications and advocacy work, as well as a strong legal background, at the AOC, especially at a time when outreach to judges, lawyers, policymakers, and citizens across Tennessee is so crucial,” said AOC Director Deborah Taylor Tate.
For the past ten years, Peck served as chief communications officer at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where she created, wrote, and edited its magazine, All Rise; directed media relations for several prestigious programs including Election Law@Moritz and the Program on Dispute Resolution; and managed the college’s overall brand and marketing initiatives. Prior to joining Ohio State, Peck worked in public policy at the American College of Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Washington, D.C. She also worked in several communications roles and as a sports and general assignment reporter in Chicago.
“I am excited to begin telling the stories of the Tennessee judiciary and the work it is performing on behalf of the people of Tennessee,” Peck said. “Judges play a key leadership role in many different issues facing our communities, and an effective communications strategy between the judiciary as a whole and the public is vital to solving real world problems.”
Peck earned a juris doctor from Case Western Reserve University, graduating cum laude, competing on traveling moot court teams, and serving as an extern for the Hon. Karen Nelson Moore of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University, working as a reporter and sports editor for one of the nation’s largest student newspapers.
