The Distinguished Communicators Series - Nickelodeon's Marva Smalls

On April 22 at 8 p.m., Marva Smalls spoke to students and the public in Physicians' Auditorium. Ms Smalls is Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Chief of Staff, Nickelodeon, a worldwide entertainment brand for kids.

Smalls oversees Nickelodeon's pro-social and corporate responsibility initiatives and the company's relationships with child advocates, government officials, educators and non-profit organizations. She also chairs The Big Help, Nickelodeon's award-winning campaign that encourages kids to volunteer in their communities.

As Chief of Staff, Smalls is the company's chief administrative officer, coordinating and directing the company's financial resources, personnel, and facilities for its New York, Los Angeles, Orlando and international offices. Smalls also manages and oversees meetings of the network's Executive Team, a strategic planning group comprised of the senior executives in charge of each line of business.

Honored with the prestigious Peabody and Golden CableAce awards, The Big Help is a national grassroots campaign designed to encourage and empower kids to volunteer in their communities. The campaign - which has garnered the support of President Clinton, Mariah Carey, Whoopi Goldberg, and other top celebrities - provides the tools and motivation to link kids to their communities and empowers them to make a difference in their world. Under Smalls, The Big Help has become universally recognized among kids in the U.S. and continues to grow in Nickelodeon's international markets.

Smalls serves on several boards that are active in causes that improve the quality of life for children including the National Democratic Institute, Brookgreen Gardens, a not-for-profit educational organization based in South Carolina, Northside Center for Child Development, and Big Brothers - Big Sisters of America, for which she serves as Board National Vice President. Smalls was elected to serve on the board of the National Bank of South Carolina. She was also named to the University of South Carolina's Education Foundation and National Alumni Council and serves on the board of Noggin, a joint-venture educational channel between Nickelodeon and the Sesame Workshop. In addition, Smalls is an active member of the Executive Leadership Council, an organization representing the top African-Americans in corporate America.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon in 1993, Smalls' career in the public sector included serving first as staff director of South Carolina's Private Industry Council for Governor Richard Riley and later as Chief of Staff for Congressman Robin Tallon for 10 years. She has a long history of political activism and public service in South Carolina, having served in a variety of positions in South Carolina State Government and the NAACP.

Smalls has a Master's Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of South Carolina. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Trinity Baptist Church in Florence, SC.