Lorelle Atkinson is Vice President for Communications and Marketing at the Aspen Institute, where she leads the Institute’s global communications, marketing, and brand strategy. She oversees an integrated team responsible for executive communications, media relations, digital strategy, creative services, content production, audience engagement, and live event storytelling, helping amplify the Institute’s ideas and extend their impact around the world.
A communications executive and convener, Atkinson designs experiences, conversations, and platforms that help people engage more deeply with ideas—and with one another. She believes meaningful dialogue has the power to build trust, strengthen institutions, and inspire action. She has led communications for many of the Institute’s most significant initiatives while helping shape how Aspen tells its story across journalism, film, podcasts, digital media, live events, and executive thought leadership.
Atkinson also serves as co-chair of Aspen Ideas: Economy, the Institute’s annual festival exploring the future of work, markets, innovation, and economic opportunity. She is the creator and host of B-Sides, the Aspen Institute’s interview series featuring candid conversations with leaders, innovators, artists, and changemakers about the experiences, ideas, and defining moments that shape their work—and our world.
Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, Atkinson served as Vice President for Congressional and Public Affairs at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the U.S. government’s independent foreign assistance agency established by President George W. Bush. During the Obama administration, she led domestic and international communications, including executive communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, digital strategy, and public affairs. She also served on MCC’s Investment Management Committee, helping guide the allocation of more than $1 billion annually in development investments, and led communications for major initiatives including Power Africa, Feed the Future, Let Girls Learn, and the Open Government Partnership.
Earlier in her career, Atkinson founded LCA Consulting, advising mission-driven organizations, global development institutions, and companies on communications, brand strategy, narrative development, and audience growth.
A frequent moderator and speaker, Atkinson explores the intersection of leadership, communications, storytelling, and public trust. Her work is grounded in a simple belief: stories shape culture, conversations build trust, and institutions have the greatest impact when they create space for people to learn from one another.
