Troy University alumna and Chief of Staff to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Liz Filmore will deliver the keynote address to graduates on the University’s Montgomery Campus on May 22.

Nearly 150 students are expected to participate in the spring commencement ceremony, which will take place at 7 p.m. in the Davis Theater for the Performing Arts on TROY’s Montgomery Campus.

Filmore, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism in 2011 and a Master of Public Administration in 2013, is the first woman to serve as Chief of Staff to any Alabama Governor in the state’s more than 200-year history.

Filmore has a long tenure of working with Ivey, starting in 2013 when she served on Ivey’s successful re-election campaign for Lieutenant Governor. In addition to several key advisory and staff positions, she played a vital role in Ivey’s transition from Lieutenant Governor to Governor in April 2017.

In her current position, Filmore manages the Governor’s Cabinet, which oversees the operations of 23 state agencies, and manages the staff of 38 in the Governor’s Office. She also leads the effort to ensure the Governor’s priorities and vision are thoroughly implemented and subsequently communicated to the citizens of Alabama. Among many responsibilities, the most important responsibility is overseeing the Governor’s day-to-day schedule, which includes all travel, meetings and events.

In addition to her work with Governor Ivey, Filmore has worked in the Alabama State Senate and at Troy University. She currently resides in Pike Road with her husband, William, who also has two degrees from Troy University and currently serves as the University’s Director of Governmental Relations, and their daughter, Frances. The Filmores can often be found cheering on the Trojans at Troy University athletic events throughout the year.