12/13/2023 - Jackson, Miss.

Laura Hipp Mayer has been named Assistant Commissioner for External Relations for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. In this role, Hipp Mayer will provide strategic leadership in government relations and communications on behalf of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. She will also serve as the legislative liaison for the university system and supervise communications efforts. Hipp Mayer comes to the IHL Board of Trustees from the Mississippi Development Authority, where she served as Deputy Executive Director.

"Laura has been an incredible asset to Mississippi," said Governor Tate Reeves. "During her tenure, we’ve brought in a record amount of new private capital investment to the state. Her work has helped to bring more jobs and more businesses to Mississippi. I’m incredibly thankful for her service to the state and wish her all the best as she steps into this new role."

Hipp Mayer most recently served as Deputy Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority, leading the state's economic and community development agency, managing almost 200 employees, and overseeing a range of services and programs that support businesses and communities. She has 20 years of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, and policy development, working with diverse stakeholders and partners in the public and private sectors.

"Successful universities are key to the state’s economic growth and retaining Mississippi’s top talent. I look forward to building on the existing momentum of our state’s higher learning institutions and helping them capitalize on the state’s greatest asset - our people," said Hipp Mayer.

At MDA, Hipp Mayer successfully led the agency, achieving more than $7 billion in new investments and a record $7 billion in tourism spending for 2022, and top tourism marketing honors from the U.S. Travel Association. She also represented the state domestically and internationally, including the Southeastern United States–Canadian Provinces (SEUS-CP) alliance, the Southeast U.S./Japan Association, and industry trade shows.

Previously, she was director of communications for Governor Tate Reeves when he served as lieutenant governor, working with elected officials and the private sector. She also served as director of communications for former Governor Haley Barbour. Additionally, she worked for 10 years as an award-winning reporter in Mississippi and Texas at several publications, including The Clarion Ledger and Austin Business Journal.

Hipp Mayer has a master's degree in public policy and public administration from Mississippi State University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas Tech University.

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The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

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