John Pope is an award-winning communications professional with extensive public-sector experience in media relations, community outreach, marketing, writing and public speaking. He is the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Paul B. Clark career achievement award from the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO).

Pope has served as the City of Newport Beach’s Public Information Manager since January, 2020. Prior to joining the Newport Beach team, he was the Public Information Officer for the City of South Pasadena and Communications Director for Long Beach City College, where he managed public affairs, marketing and government relations.

Pope spent several years with the City of Long Beach Harbor Department (Port of Long Beach) where he led strategic communications efforts for more than $2.5 billion in port construction projects, including the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement and Middle Harbor terminal redevelopment project.

Throughout his career, Pope has helped government agencies respond to and manage a variety of crises, including the COVID pandemic, air and water quality issues, public safety emergencies, protests, labor strikes, organized opposition campaigns, and more. In 2018 he worked with the County of Santa Barbara in the aftermath of the deadly Montecito debris flow and in 2011 assisted the City of Seal Beach after the largest mass shooting in Orange County history.

Before entering the public sector communications field, Pope was journalist with the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach Press-Telegram and other Southern California media outlets. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal State University Long Beach, a master’s degree in communications from Cal State University Fullerton, with two years of doctoral-level studies at National American University’s Rouche Leadership Program.