Kenny Thompson, Jr. is the Head of Strategic Communications and External Affairs at the College Sports Commission. He brings two decades of experience in public affairs, with a track record of building communications and government relations functions in complex, high-stakes environments.

Before joining the CSC, Thompson served as Chief Public Affairs Officer at Vail Resorts, where he led communications, government relations, and stakeholder engagement for a global company operating across multiple states and jurisdictions. At PepsiCo, he built and led the company’s first Office of External Affairs, establishing its government affairs and stakeholder engagement infrastructure.

Earlier in his career, Thompson held senior roles in the Obama Administration, including as Special Assistant and Advance Lead at the White House and Director of Message Events for Vice President Joe Biden. In 2021, he was appointed by President Biden to two federal advisory commissions focused on education equity and White House fellowship programs.

Thompson played baseball at Texas Christian University, where he is a former member of the Board of Trustees. He earned his MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.