Alton P. Dillard II, CERA (Awl-ton Dillard)

Biographical information

Alton P. Dillard II is a semi-retired government spokesperson and a communications consultant with more than 30 years of media relations experience. He has prior experience as a talk show host, anchor, reporter, and sportscaster. He also served as Press Secretary and Senior Aide to former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (CO) and in December of 2022 Dillard wrapped up a 17-year stint as Communications Manager and Public Information Officer for the Office of the Denver County Clerk and Recorder in Colorado. Alton earned his Certified Elections and Registration Administrator (CERA) from the Election Center at Auburn University in 2022, the highest professional certification in elections administration.

Upon his semi-retirement, Alton reactivated his communications consultancy, The DIllard Group, LLC. His current clients include Uber; One Chance to Grow Up; The Elections Group; The Elections Center; The Colorado Consortium (Tech Hub Now), Hancock Global, Centro Inc. and Ranked Choice Voting Colorado.

Alton serves the community as a 20-plus-year volunteer basketball coach, including 15 years at the high school varsity level. He also serves as President of the Lincoln Hills Cares Foundation, a board member for Lincoln Hills Cares, a trustee for the Friends of the Denver Public Library Foundation and a board member of the University of Northern Colorado Alumni Association.

He is also a member of the Denver Press Club and the Clayton Club. Alton has been the recipient of the Public Relations Person of the Year, the Kelvin McNeill Grace under Fire and the Pacesetters Awards from the Colorado Association of Black Journalists, the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Northern Colorado Alumni Association and was recently presented with the Chairman’s Award from the Dr. Martin Luther King Colorado Holiday Commission. He has also guest lectured on elections and government policy communications at the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Redlands in California.