Rockdale resident named county’s communications director

Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. has named Jorge Lopez, formerly Director of Public Affairs for Unico Communications, as the county’s new Director of Community Affairs and Innovative Programming.

The Board of Commissioners confirmed Nesbitt’s selection of Lopez at its Feb. 14 meeting. Lopez began his duties on Feb. 15.

“Mr. Lopez’s experience in television, mass media, and public affairs makes him a perfect fit to help move Rockdale forward and reach new potential,” Nesbitt said. “In addition, Mr. Lopez will help coordinate the relationships with economic development investors and partners, partner with local media to help shed light on what Rockdale offers, and help expand and re-develop Rockdale 23 Community Access Channel. Mr. Lopez is full of energy and anxious to hit the ground running.”

Lopez, 30, led Nesbitt’s campaign through a crowded field of primary opponents, the primary run-off, and the general election. As Director of Community Affairs and Innovative Programming, Lopez will oversee the county’s communications and branding efforts, major event planning, crisis communications, the website, media relations, all social media pages, and government access channel Rockdale 23.

Lopez said he plans to use his journalism and public affairs background to help Rockdale show the world what it has to offer.

“Rockdale County each day grows in its potential in becoming the best suburb to Atlanta. I believe there is no better geographically located county in Georgia than Rockdale. The access to I-20 not only makes it easy and quick to get to Atlanta and the airport, but it’s also a middle point for three major research universities and two of Georgia’s largest-populated cities. These incentives and more, along with a growing quality of life, make Rockdale the place to be,” Lopez said. “I was raised in Conyers, and this is personal to me. This is the opportunity for me to give back to Rockdale after all it’s given me throughout the years. I will not disappoint my community.”

Lopez is a University of Georgia graduate with a B.S. degree in Digital and Broadcast Journalism and minor in Religion.

Lopez began his career with NBC in Atlanta and worked at CBS in Augusta as a City Government reporter. He is the Public Affairs Director for Unico Communications, a consulting firm serving diverse clients in multiple states. Lopez also served as a public affairs consultant for America’s largest energy infrastructure company in North America, Kinder Morgan, Inc., on a $1 billon expansion project.