MDAH Announces New Leadership in Programs and Communications Division
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) has named Sarah Campbell as the new director of the Programs and Communications (P&C) Division and Shelia Byrd as the division’s new deputy director. P&C focuses on programming, education, public relations, and marketing for the department.
“Sarah and Shelia bring strong backgrounds in writing, editing, and public engagement to the department,” said Katie Blount, MDAH director. “The P&C division will continue to thrive under their leadership.”
Campbell has more than two decades of experience working in communications and is the author and photo illustrator of four award-winning picture books for children. Her journalism degrees are from Northwestern University, and she has a degree in politics, philosophy, and economics from Oxford University, which she attended as Mississippi’s first female Rhodes Scholar.
In 2019, Campbell came to MDAH as director of programs and publications. After implementing a department-wide programming plan, she was promoted to P&C deputy director in 2023. In this role, she led the effort to contract with a national firm to elevate the agency’s marketing and public relations. Campbell also secured a major grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to enhance efforts to tell the stories of religion in Mississippi history.
“Stepping into this role is both an honor and an opportunity,” Campbell said. “I’m eager to work alongside our dedicated team to expand the stories we share, bringing Mississippi’s rich and diverse history to an even broader audience.”
Byrd started her career as a journalist and transitioned into communications roles in the public and private sector, winning industry awards for writing and integrated communications. Byrd comes to MDAH from Mississippi Public Broadcasting, where she was communications director and a member of the PBS/NPR affiliate's executive team.
As a former Associated Press journalist, Byrd covered civil rights, government and education, and was tapped as a rotating AP national writer.
She was previously vice president for strategic communications at HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute) and served as vice president and managing editor at Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm that selected her as managing editor for the General Motors Story Bureau.
“MDAH is a valuable resource for the people of Mississippi, and I am honored to be part of this team,” Byrd said.
Byrd received her bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Grambling State University.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is the second-oldest state department of archives and history in the United States. The department collects, preserves, and provides access to the archival resources of the state, administers various museums and historic sites, and oversees statewide programs for historic preservation, state and local government records management, and publications. For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov.