Nan Sanseverino was named Deputy Secretary of Communications and Public Affairs for the Department of Commerce in March 2021, where she oversees the department’s internal and external communications, including digital media, public speaking engagements, media relations, and public records programs.

Nan brings 30+ years of broad professional experience in administration, communications and public affairs to Commerce, with the last 17 years rooted in State Government. Prior to her joining the Commerce leadership team, Nan served as Communications Director and Public Information Officer for the Department of Administration, where she led a busy press office and communications program, served as senior spokesperson for the agency, and oversaw the statewide marketing campaign for the State of North Carolina’s participation in the 2020 Census.

Within her previous public service roles, Nan led marketing and strategic communications for the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI), where she oversaw efforts to launch their first podcast series, collaborated on public policy initiatives and was integral to planning and production of their 1000+ attendee annual conference – one of the largest cross-sector public policy gatherings in the state. Prior to joining IEI, Nan served as a long-time member of UNC-Chapel Hill’s federal advocacy arm, where she established one of the country’s first advocacy-focused social media programs for higher education, created the “Hill-to-Hill” newsletter, and led communications and public affairs as a liaison for state-federal relations, with efforts contributing to more than $40M in federal funding to Carolina’s $800M research enterprise.

Nan is a native of North Carolina and a proud UNC Alum, having studied Journalism, Communications, Public Relations and Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.