Shirley Powell is Senior Vice President of Communications and Industry Relations at Cox Automotive, a global automotive services and software company whose vision is to transform the way the world buys, sells, owns and uses cars. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of family-owned Cox Enterprises, Inc.

Based in the Cox Automotive corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Powell leads and manages the day-to-day operations of the company’s communications organization, which includes internal and executive communications, public relations, industry relations, and reputation and crisis management.

Powell joined Cox Automotive with more than 30 years of strategic communications experience. Previously, she served as the executive vice president and chief communications officer at The Weather Company where she oversaw all internal and external communications, executive communications, corporate brand/reputation, issues management, community relations and social media strategies for all of Weather’s consumer and business-to-business brands.

Prior to The Weather Company, Powell held a variety of senior level corporate communications roles at Turner Broadcasting System, NBC Entertainment and Disney Channel.

She serves on the board of directors of Open Hand Atlanta and on the board of visitors for Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication. Previously, she served on the boards of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation, Leadership Atlanta, Women in Cable & Telecommunications, and Girls Inc. Atlanta.

Powell earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and presented her with a Lew Klein in the Media Award in 2005, Women in Cable & Telecommunications Atlanta named Powell “Woman of the Year” in 2014.

Favorite Quote:

“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon