Jerry Gonzalez is an Assistant Director with Arizona State University’s Office of Media Relations & Strategic Communications. Jerry joined ASU in 2014 after serving over 25 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. At ASU, he plans and executes media activities to support various university initiatives. Jerry leads crisis communications planning, manages press requests, assists with reputational matters and is part of ASU’s Salute to Service planning committee.
Prior to ASU, Jerry served at various military assignments across the U.S. and overseas, including Europe, Japan, Afghanistan and Iraq. His career highlights include serving as Director of Public Affairs at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona from 2008 to 2011. In that role, he led a team conducting internal communications, media relations, community outreach and visual communications support for an installation of 7,000 servicemembers. During his military career, he deployed to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. While deployed, he served as a counterpropaganda officer in a joint provincial reconstruction team in eastern Afghanistan, supervised a coalition public affairs advisor team responsible for training and mentoring the Afghan National Army and police in Kandahar, and led the public information function in an air base in southern Iraq shortly after the start of U.S. military operations in 2003.
Jerry graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication. He earned a master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science from the Air Force’s Air University, Air Command and Staff College. Jerry also graduated from the Defense Information School Public Affairs Officer Qualification Course in Fort Meade, Maryland, and multiple leadership schools throughout his military career.