Josie McSpadden (formerly Duckett) is returning to Penn State Homecoming for the first time since 1999, when she was crowned Homecoming Queen and served as President of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Josie has since lived between Washington, DC, and Texas.

She graduated from Penn State in 2000 with a major in Public Relations and a minor in Political Science. Today, she leads media affairs for the United States Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she focuses on building public understanding of the foundation’s education initiatives and managing national press relations. Before joining the Gates Foundation, Josie served as a Teach For America 8th-grade writing teacher in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to teaching, she was the global spokesperson for the Peace Corps, traveling with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to handle media interviews and press conferences abroad. Josie also served in the George W. Bush administration as the Deputy Director for Presidential Press Advance.

In addition to her bachelor’s degree from Penn State, Josie earned a master’s degree in National Security from the U.S. Naval War College and a master’s degree in Journalism from Georgetown University. She currently resides in Arlington, VA, with her four children: Jojo, Miles, George, and Rose McSpadden.