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Tracey-Ann Nelson, of Dekalb County, Ga., former director of the Georgia governor's Census Policy Office and a public relations and public affairs consultant, has been named to the Census Bureau's Advisory Committee on the African American Population.

"I'm looking forward to establishing effective working relationships with other census advisory committee members on behalf of African Americans and contributing to planning for the census of 2010," Nelson said in a statement.

As a member of the nine-person committee, Nelson will use her Census 2000 experience in Georgia to advise the Census Bureau on ways to achieve a complete and accurate count of African Americans in the 2010 census and the ongoing American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is currently being tested in some areas of the country and is scheduled to go nationwide in 2003.

Nelson was Gov. Roy Barnes' personal representative during Census 2000 operations in Georgia. Before that, she was congressional aide and press secretary to U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga. As a congressional aide, she managed women's and children's issues and international affairs. Nelson holds a bachelor's degree in political science and is currently pursuing a master's degree in public administration.

Five race and ethnic advisory committees advise the Census Bureau on issues affecting African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders. The committees consist of members of the public at large, as well as representatives of national, state, local and tribal entities, and nonprofit and private sector organizations.