​The Town of Seabrook Island is excited to announce the hiring of Abby Grooms as our new Communication & Events Manager. In her new role, Abby will serve as the lead communication and event manager for the town. She will be responsible for managing the town’s existing communication channels while continuing to seek new and innovative ways to engage and inform residents, visitors and property owners. She will also be responsible for planning and executing a variety of town events, including the Chow Town Food Truck Rodeos, Disaster Awareness Day and the annual Holiday Extravaganza.

Abby joins the Town of Seabrook Island from ABC News 4, where she served for seven years as a news producer. She worked every shift and produced nearly every show for the station. Most recently, she was the senior producer for the 5:00 p.m. news broadcast. She regularly wrote and posted content on the station’s social media channels as a digital producer, and also coordinated the station’s college internship program. 

Keeping people up-to-date with accurate information is a skill she learned throughout her seven years in broadcasting, especially during hurricane season. Abby has produced dozens of storm events during her time at the station and understands the importance of effective communications in keeping people safe during an emergency. She was also the head producer for the station’s Hurricane Special, where she established important connections with public safety leaders throughout the state and region. 

“We are thrilled to have someone of Abby’s caliber join our team,” said Joe Cronin, Town Administrator for the Town of Seabrook Island. “With her extensive background in broadcast news, she understands the importance of  producing content that not only informs, but also engages our audience. As we continue to grow and expand our communication and engagement efforts, I am confident that the town will benefit from Abby’s knowledge and creativity.”

Abby has a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of South Carolina. She is a native of the Lowcountry and grew up attending Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island. She is looking forward to working with residents, community groups and businesses to grow her local connections and is excited to work with the Mayor, Council and fellow staff members to expand and enhance the town’s communication efforts.

The Town of Seabrook is pleased to announce the hiring of Ms. Robin Ochoa as the town’s first Communication and Events Manager. In her new role, Robin will serve as the lead communication and event manager for the town, responsible for the planning and implementation of communication, visual information, and public outreach activities to build public trust, enhance citizen engagement, and improve access to town-related news and information. The Communication and Events Manager position was first established by Seabrook Island Town Council in the fiscal year 2023 budget.

A recent U.S. Army Retiree, Robin has served 26 years in uniform as an enlisted military police officer and a commissioned officer in the Signal Corps and as a Public Affairs Officer before joining our team. She has served three combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, deployed to Honduras for humanitarian relief efforts, worked media relations for NATO Allied Command Transformation, and served as the Chief of Operations for the Armed Services Network – Europe. After attending the Defense School for Information at Fort Meade, MD, in 2009, Robin served in many strategic communication leadership positions within the Army. Her previous roles in communication and public relations have included serving as Deputy Public Affairs officer for 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, KY, serving as a lead strategic communication planner and media relations officer for the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, and leading the Media Relations Team for Operations, Intelligence, and Logistics. Most recently, Robin served as the Chief Crisis Communication Lead with the Army Operations Crisis Action Team during the COVID-19 pandemic and for major national and international disasters for the Army Public Affairs program.

“Robin has dedicated her entire career to serving others,” said Joe Cronin, Seabrook Island Town Administrator. “She has served our country for more than 25 years, and now she will bring that same expertise, dedication, and enthusiasm to the Town of Seabrook Island. I am confident that her leadership ability and extensive public relations experience will be a tremendous asset to the entire community.”

Robin has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Northwestern Louisiana State University, a master's degree in business management and marketing from Strayer University, and a master's degree in public relations and Corporate Communication from Georgetown University. She is also a graduate of the International Public Affairs Course from Oberammergau, Germany, the Joint and Combined Warfare School in Norfolk, Virginia, and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Lee, Virginia.