(Washington, D.C., May 2, 2008)—Independent Sector recently announced Brenda C. Siler as vice president of communications and marketing.

Leading IS’s communications and marketing department, Ms. Siler will focus on strengthening internal and external communications capacity and informing target audiences about issues of concern to the nonprofit community. She will also help IS move forward with its Communications Initiative, a new project that helps the charitable sector create cohesive, compelling messages to convey its value to key influential people.

Ms. Siler comes to IS with more than 30 years of experience implementing successful communications strategies resulting in global media coverage and internationally honored public awareness campaigns. She was most recently with UNCF -- the United Negro College Fund, where she oversaw the production of a new national public service campaign, helped produce the nationally televised education awareness program, “An Evening of Stars,” and oversaw UNCF’s rebranding efforts around the organization’s iconic motto: “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

“We are delighted to have Brenda join the IS team to further strengthen the impact of our communications so vital to promoting our work and the work of the nonprofit community,” said Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector.

Brenda is a past chairwoman for the International Association of Business Communicators and was named one of the 12 leading African Americans in public relations by PR Week.

She previously led public relations efforts for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Council on Competitiveness, AARP, and the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Ms. Siler is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.