Alec Thomas appointed Communications Director

Alec Thomas has a decade of experience in communications that spans political campaigns, trade associations and public affairs firms. He has served in various roles on the campaigns of Former Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Ed Gillespie, and Pete Snyder, as well as managing several local and state legislative campaigns.

Alec has served as Communications Director for U.S. Congressman David B. McKinley and previously worked for the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, where he helped execute issue advocacy and grassroots campaigns.

He currently is the Vice President, Client Relations and Communications for 720 Strategies, a fully integrated public relations firm based in Washington, D.C. Prior to working in politics, Alec served three years in the Virginia Army National Guard as a Military Police Officer. He is a graduate of Liberty University, where he earned his B.S. in Criminal Justice and his M.A. in Public Policy. He is currently pursuing his MBA from Clemson University. 

Thomas Hyslip appointed Digital Director

Thomas Hyslip is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Criminology Department at the University of South Florida. He received his Doctor of Science degree in Information Assurance from Capitol College in 2014. His research focuses on cybercrime and cybersecurity, including computer hacking, malware, and DDoS attacks. 

Prior to becoming a faculty member at USF, Tom served as a federal law enforcement officer for over 23 years specializing in cybercrime investigations and digital forensics. His final law enforcement position was the Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Cyber Resident Agency. He was previously a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service and retired as a Colonel from the U.S. Army Reserve.  Tom was recently elected to the Tega Cay City Council in November 2021.