City of St. Petersburg Announces New Public Information Officer

City of St. Petersburg Announces New Public Information Officer

Samantha Bequer, a former PIO for state agencies, joins Welch Administration

September 12, 2024 - The City of St. Petersburg announces Samantha Bequer as its new Public Information Officer (PIO). As the City's PIO, Bequer will manage media relations and serve as one of the City's main spokespersons and public information liaisons. Bequer brings diverse experience in public service, media relations, disaster planning and response to the City role.

"Samantha's proven track record in public relations and critical event communications, combined with her dedication to serving the public, will be a great asset for St. Petersburg," said Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. "We're pleased to welcome Samantha to the communications team-she will ensure that our message of inclusive progress and intentional equity is communicated clearly and effectively in our community."

Bequer most recently served as Communications Director for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), where she served as the primary spokesperson for the agency and oversaw internal and external messaging to constituents, the media, and regulated entities. Before joining OIR, Bequer held key roles at the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), where she served as the lead State PIO for the State Emergency Response Team and played a pivotal role in the State's disaster response efforts, including the Surfside Building Collapse.

As press secretary for FDEM during the state's COVID-19 response, Bequer supervised local, state, and federal public information officers and oversaw the media relations strategies for the State of Florida's COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites. In this position, she also served as the State Public Information Officer for the NASA Mars Perseverance Rover launch and was awarded the NASA Silver Group Achievement Award. Bequer has also worked for the Florida Department of Commerce. Prior to her time in state government, she held positions with Visit Orlando and Orange County Government.

Bequer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Science in Political Science from Florida State University.

Bequer will report directly to Mayor Welch's Managing Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Alizza Punzalan-Randle. Bequer's first day with the City is Monday, September 23, 2024.