Longtime Churchill County resident Anne McMillin, APR, has been hired as the county’s first Public Information Officer and began serving in that capacity in late December 2018.
McMillin is a career-long professional communicator with extensive skills and experience in public relations, community engagement, media relations and internal/external communications serving the industries of academia, health care, media, and federal and state government. Her experience is backed by award-winning journalism and writing skills.
In her new capacity, she will head up media relations for the county, develop internal and external community engagement programs, maintain the county’s website and social media platforms and produce promotional materials for the county,
Background with NAS Fallon, University of Nevada, Reno
McMillin began her communications career in civil service for the U.S. Navy and served as the Public Affairs Officer at NAS Fallon from 1994 to 2001 before transitioning into journalism for two community newspapers, including the Fallon Star Press, under Executive Editor Anne Pershing, from 2004-2007.
She returned to the strategic communications field after her time as a reporter serving in several capacities in the Marketing and Communications Offices at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and later at the University of Nevada, Reno. Most recently, she was an account manager with In Plain Sight Marketing in Carson City.
McMillin is involved with the Fallon Chamber and the Churchill Economic Development Authority locally and is a member Western Industrial Nevada and the Public Relations Society of America’s Sierra Nevada Chapter in Reno where she has served on the board since 2012, including a year as president. She is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by PRSA and has earned the Hall of Fame award from the Sierra Nevada Chapter.
Need for information officer determined by county manager
The need for a professional communicator was established by the County Commissioners last fall following a request from Churchill County Manager Jim Barbee. Several high profile events, including the 2017 flood and 2018 church shooting, along with a desire to hire someone dedicated to communicating the county’s growth efforts and elevating the image of the county led to the establishment of the position.
McMillin's contact information
McMillin can be reached via email at: amcmillin@churchillcounty.org or by phone at (775)423-2266. Her office is in the county administration building at 155 N. Taylor Street in Fallon.