The Department of State announced Tuesday the appointment of Dawn L. McCall, formerly a senior executive at Discovery Communications, as Coordinator of the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) within the Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs:

“Dawn McCall is an outstanding leader in international communications,” stated Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. “She will provide the IIP Bureau with vision and expertise to strengthen their important global communication and engagement activities.”

Prior to serving as Under Secretary, McHale was the President and CEO of Discovery Communications.

The Department’s press release outlined McCall’s career in media and communications:

McCall founded International Media & Entertainment Partners, LLC in 2009. From 1999 to 2007 McCall was President of Discovery Networks International, a division of Discovery Communications. During her tenure as President, as the senior executive in charge of Discovery’s international business, McCall managed a staff of 1,000 professionals worldwide and expanded Discovery Networks International from a single channel operating in a handful of western European countries to a portfolio of 19 television networks and new media products, offered in 170 countries in 35 languages.

As President of Discovery’s international business, McCall also served on the company’s six-member executive committee responsible for running Discovery Communications. As a senior executive, she sat on a number of boards overseeing joint-venture businesses with large global media organizations including the BBC, Alliance Atlantis and Liberty Media.

McCall began her career in international communications when she was named Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Discovery Networks Latin America in 1994. Prior to leading Discovery’s push into international markets, McCall held several senior affiliate sales positions for the company from 1987 to 1994. She began her career in the television network business in 1981, working for the Weather Channel in Atlanta, Georgia.