Douglas Shackelford, APR

Public Affairs Officer

Douglas Shackelford is the Public Affairs Officer for Central Arkansas Water.

Shackelford serves as the face and voice of the utility as well as an advisor to senior leadership on public policy, industry trends, crisis communication, and community outreach programs. He also represents the utility on an international level as an elected member of the American Water Works Association Public Affairs Council. An award-winning former journalist, Shackelford has accumulated more than 25 years of experience in the communications and public affairs industry.

A native of Hot Springs, Shackelford attended Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he graduated in 1998 with a degree in Journalism/Mass Communications. Doug holds the Accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He is a 2005 graduate of Leadership Hot Springs, a 2008 graduate of the inaugural Jeff Faris Leadership Academy, and a 2017 graduate of Leadership Arkansas. Doug was named as one of the "40 In Their Forties" by Arkansas Money & Politics magazine in 2022. He holds several leadership roles within Scouting BSA, has served on the Museum of Discovery Board of Directors, is a member of the Arkansas Chapter of PRSA, serves as an officer with Knights of Columbus Council 10167, is a current member and past-president of the West Little Rock Rotary Club, and is an Eagle Scout.

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