Chapter Provides Advocacy and Resources for Southwest Wisconsin Public Relations Professionals
MADISON, WIS. —The Public Relations Society of America Madison Chapter (PRSA-‐Madison), the region’s premier association for the public relations and communications industry, announces its new board of directors. These recently elected and appointed public relations professionals from Madison-‐area businesses will provide leadership, advocacy and critical public relations industry information to the greater Madison and southwest Wisconsin region.
The board is composed of seven PRSA-‐Madison members, each serving rotating, three-‐year terms. In this year’s election, the Madison chapter welcomed Cheryl Van Tessier of Finesse Public Relations LLC to the board and voted to have Mary Erpenbach, President of Cherry Street Agency, as well as Jon Whitely, of Stephan & Brady, return to the board for their second term. Continuing their service on the board are Dan Chin, Kara O’Keeffe of The Creative Company, Anne Smith of Nelson Schmidt, Inc. and Melissa Wollering of Dean Clinic.
“Local leadership in the public relations industry is critical at this point in time,” related Jon Whitely, PRSA-‐Madison’s President. “The public relations practice is receiving attention like never before. PRSA-‐Madison is committed to advancing the use of ethical public relations practices and use of technology to enhance collaboration and improve the communications experience of public relations professionals. This is a priority for the national PRSA organization, and we want to be part of the solution. The professionals who have committed to service on the PRSA-‐Madison board exemplify this spirit and are already working hard to make a difference in 2013.”
The PRSA-‐Madison Board of Directors works to develop and prioritize chapter initiatives, including monthly development and networking luncheons, its annual Alchemy Awards Ceremony for outstanding PR campaigns produced in the Madison area and an annual scholarship to a collegiate student and aspiring PR professional. Melissa Wollering, PRSA Madison’s Vice President for 2013, hailed the diverse mix of interests held by the board.
“PRSA-‐Madison exists to advance the public relations, communications and, most recently, social media industries,” says Wollering. “With corporate crisis and political movements gaining media and consumer attention around the country, it’s imperative that local communicators have access to resources and training to provide strategic guidance to their companies and clients. This year’s board provides both via its members’ varied professional experience and the programming it has planned for the chapter in 2013.”
About the PRSA-‐Madison Chapter
The Public Relations Society of America (http://www.prsa.org), headquartered in New York City, is the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals, with nearly 31,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 111 chapters nationwide and 14 professional interest sections and affinity groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals/clinics, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The PRSA-‐Madison Chapter has served the area’s public relations professionals since 1970. It hosts a professional development meeting on the third Thursday of every month and the annual Alchemy Awards ceremony. It has also established a scholarship fund for students studying Public Relations at the University of Wisconsin -‐ Madison or the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.
