Candidates Announced for 2027 PRSA NCC Chapter Officers and Board
PRSA NCC Announces Candidates for the 2027 Board of Directors
PRSA NCC is pleased to announce the following candidates for the chapter’s 2027 Board of Directors.
Voting opens on Thursday, October 1 and closes at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21. Voting is limited to PRSA NCC members in good standing. Eligible members will receive an email with information about casting their vote.
Jennifer Strohm, the current president-elect, will automatically become chapter president in January 2027.
NOTE: PRSA NCC is providing each candidate’s bio as it was submitted to the chapter, which may include typographical and grammatical errors.
President-Elect | |
Julia Burgos, APR, MPSChief of School & Community Relations Julia A. Burgos, MPS, APR, is a communications and community engagement executive with more than 33 years of experience across public relations, government, healthcare, nonprofit and public education. She serves as chief of school & community relations at Alexandria City Public Schools, where she is a member of the superintendent’s cabinet and leads strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and brand positioning for the division. Julia oversees the offices of communications and community partnerships and engagement and serves as the division’s spokesperson, driving content strategy that supports fundraising, talent attraction, retention and organizational growth. Previously, she served as chief of staff at Arlington Public Schools and held leadership roles at MSLGROUP, the American Diabetes Association and in New York City government. An accredited public relations professional and nationally recognized leader, Julia serves as vice president at large for engagement for NSPRA and sits on the boards of PRSA National Capital Chapter and ACT for Alexandria. She holds degrees from Georgetown University and Iona University. | |
Two-Year Vice President | |
Victoria “Vickie” Gogo, MA, APRFounder/CEO Vickie Gogo, MA, APR, is an award-winning communications executive with 30 years of experience in strategic communications, public relations, multicultural marketing, community engagement and integrated campaign development. She is founder and CEO of Jones Gogo LLC and previously served as a Senior Partner at ICF, where she led communications initiatives for federal agencies, nonprofits and other organizations. A PRSA member since 1997 and APR since 2004, Vickie previously served on the PRSA National Capital Chapter Board of Directors and as Vice President from 2021–2022. Her chapter service has included professional development, diversity and inclusion initiatives, program moderation and long-standing support of the chapter’s awards programs. Most recently, she served on the volunteer committee for PRSA ICON, helping plan and shape the opening reception and supporting activities throughout the conference. Vickie also brings extensive nonprofit board leadership and a strong commitment to advancing the communications profession. | |
Sharon ReisPrincipal Sharon Reis, MA, is Principal of The Reis Group, a Washington, D.C.-based health care public relations firm she founded 10 years ago. Over a 30-year career, Reis has founded and led two nationally ranked health care PR agencies, guiding award-winning campaigns addressing COVID-19 response, Alzheimer’s awareness, colorectal cancer education, and health system transformation. In addition to her agency leadership, Reis has served for eight years as Executive Director of The Healthy US Collaborative, a national health philanthropy, overseeing its board of directors, financial operations, and day-to-day management. An official PRSA member since 2020, she was inducted into the PRSA National Capital Chapter’s Hall of Fame in 2023 in recognition of her career-long commitment to mentoring the next generation of PR professionals. | |
One-Year Vice President | |
Ailis Wolf, M.S., PMPStrategic Communications & PR Consultant Ailis Wolf, M.S., PMP, is a seasoned strategic communications and project management professional with over 20 years of experience leading integrated communications initiatives and portfolios for federal agencies and mission-driven organizations. For the past decade, she has managed communications and marketing contract support for several federal agencies, focusing on the public health sector. Previously, she spent over a decade at PR agencies serving advocacy, association, nonprofit, and corporate clients across health, environment/climate, investor education, and other sectors. A member of PRSA-NCC since 2007, Ailis served on the PRSA-NCC Professional Development Committee from 2014-2017, rejoined the PD Committee in 2025, and supported planning for the 2025 ICON Conference. She also volunteers with PMIWDC’s Marcomm Committee, becoming an Assistant Vice President in September 2025. She also supported the 2025 PMIWDC Conference speaker liaison team and conference promotion. She is also managing conference promotion and on-site materials development for the 2026 conference. | |
Secretary | |
Alex BudzynskiManager, Digital Communications & Marketing Alex Budzynski (he/him) is a passionate communications and PR professional who believes in the power of storytelling to drive change. He is currently the Manager of Digital Communications & Marketing at VOA (Volunteers of America), where he shapes the national organization’s digital strategy and guides strategic communications efforts. As part of his work at VOA, he is the co-coordinator and communications lead for Operation Backpack®, an annual program that provides 50,000 backpacks to low-income students in two dozen states. A graduate of Xavier University, Alex got his start in the field as Editor-in-Chief of the Xavier Newswire, where he oversaw print and digital production for the campus newspaper. His work has earned multiple accolades, including PRSA NCC’s New Professional Award and the Jay Bleeke Young Professional Award from the Association for Christian Fundraising. | |
Treasurer | |
Laura Van EperenSr. Strategic Communications Consultant Laura is an independent senior strategic communications consultant based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, specializing in public relations, public affairs, and public information communications. Laura brings more than three decades of experience spanning journalism, public relations, and integrated communications. She is the founder and former CEO of FOVNDRY, and previously held senior positions in greater Washington, D.C., and Milwaukee firms. She began her career as a broadcast news journalist in Colorado and Florida. A strong believer in civic and public service, Laura has dedicated the past decade to Maryland’s economic development community through the Maryland Marketing Partnership Corporation, which promotes Maryland as a premier place to do business, as immediate past Chairwoman and Vice Chairwoman. Laura has also served on the boards of Make-A-Wish Foundation, the International Association of Business Communicators, and local Chambers of Commerce. Laura holds a B.A. in Communication with a minor in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. | |
Two-Year Directors (four positions available) | |
Rachelina BonacciPublic Information Officer Rachelina Bonacci is an award-winning marketing, communications, and advocacy leader in the Baltimore / Washington, DC region. She is a true people-person and natural storyteller; someone who loves pitching stories, delivering engaging presentations, executing successful events, collaborating across departments, and exceeding expectations. Presently, Bonacci serves as the Public Information Officer for the Maryland Stadium Authority. Previously, she was the Chief Executive Officer of Visit Howard County and held several leadership roles at Southwest Airlines. Bonacci holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Maryland at Baltimore County (UMBC) and completed professional certificates in Digital Marketing and Social Media Management from Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. She is an active member in the Public Relations Society of America, chaired the Maryland Association of Destination Marketing Organizations, co-chaired the Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit, served on the Maryland Tourism Coalition’s Board of Directors, and completed Leadership Howard County. | |
Megan SweeneyPublic Relations Director Megan Sweeney is a public relations veteran with a background in political and governmental crisis communications. Her previous roles include serving as Senior Advisor for Communications at the U.S. Department of Labor and Special Assistant at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she oversaw and worked closely with modes to develop media strategies and responses for regulatory and grant rollouts as well as crisis situations. In her current role as Public Relations Director at the American Staffing Association, she works with communicators from across the country to develop earned media, social media, and thought leadership campaigns around economic and human resource issues. She graduated with a B.A. in History and Government with a concentration in Law and Society from Cornell University. | |
Christopher “CJ” EppsStrategic Communications Advisor Christopher “CJ” Epps is a senior strategic communications executive with over two decades of experience across public policy, private enterprise, and social impact. Most recently, CJ served as Director of External Affairs for the U.S. Economic Development Administration where he led national legislative, intergovernmental, and communications strategies to boost regional economic growth. A veteran of two presidential administrations, CJ has directed major public affairs campaigns, workforce initiatives, and media strategy for top global firms and national nonprofits. He holds an MBA from Boston University and a BA in journalism and communications from Hampton University. He currently serves as Governance Board Vice Chair for SEED, Inc., International Communications Chair for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and is a long-time member of the Public Relations Society of America. | |
Leonard Greenberger, APRVice President Leonard S. Greenberger, APR, has more than three decades of experience helping organizations navigate complex issues, protect their reputations and communicate effectively with the audiences that matter most. He is a vice president and senior counselor with AKCG – Public Relations Counselors, where he advises nonprofits, educational institutions and professional associations on crisis communications, reputation management and stakeholder engagement. Leonard currently serves as a member of the NCC Board and co-chairs the chapter’s APR Committee, where he has helped guide nearly a dozen members successfully pursue their accreditation. He is a past chair of the PRSA Association/Nonprofit Section. He developed a PRSA certificate program for association/nonprofit communicators and has provided webinars and educational sessions at ICON and other PRSA gatherings. He is the author of What to Say When Things Get Tough (McGraw-Hill, 2013). Leonard brings to board service a communicator’s perspective, strategic judgment and experience working with mission-driven, member-focused organizations. | |
Rhy WietheDigital Communications Coordinator Rhy Wiethe is an experienced utility communicator with three years of experience managing social media and website content, creating and producing an internal news podcast, handling crisis and outage communications, and digital strategy for the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative. Wiethe has been an active and engaged member of PRSA NCC, including being the chair of the University Relations committee for almost three years. In this role, she has worked to establish and maintain relationships with all area PRSSA chapters and plan events to benefit students and young professionals. Specifically, she’s planned the successful annual Speed Mentoring Happy Hour that encourages students and young professionals to network with professionals in various public relations industries/niches. This event is a collaboration with the Georgetown Communications Social Network (CSN), a graduate student organization similar to PRSSA, which has created a strong partnership between PRSA NCC and CSN. She was recognized with the “New Professional Award” at the PRSA NCC Holiday Party in 2024 for her dedication. Wiethe was the president of the West Virginia University PRSSA chapter as well as holding other leadership roles during her time as a student, so encouraging student success in public relations is a top priority. | |
Roddena KirkseyPublic Relations Specialist Roddena Kirksey is a strategic communications and public relations professional with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, government, nonprofit advocacy, alumni relations, and community engagement. She currently serves as Public Relations Specialist for George Mason University’s Office of Government and Community Relations, where she leads communications initiatives that strengthen relationships with government, business, and community stakeholders and elevate the university’s regional impact. Throughout her career, Kirksey has developed and executed communications strategies, managed media relations, led digital engagement efforts, advanced institutional branding initiatives, and supported successful fundraising and stakeholder engagement campaigns. A dedicated advocate for professional excellence and inclusion, Kirksey has been an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for 15 years. She has served in leadership and committee roles within both the Hampton Roads and National Capital chapters, with a particular focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that foster mentorship, meaningful dialogue, and greater access to the profession. Her service reflects a longstanding commitment to strengthening the communications field and developing future leaders. Kirksey holds a Master of Arts in Mass Communication and Journalism from Norfolk State University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Old Dominion University. | |
Alicia S. DavidsonDirector of Marketing Alicia S. Davidson is a marketing and communications leader with over 15 years of experience leading innovative solutions across Defense technology, government contracting, and Federal Civilian agencies. As Director of Marketing at NODA AI, she leads B2G strategy, corporate communications, brand influence, integrated campaigns, and market engagement for a venture-backed company advancing autonomous orchestration for unmanned systems. Her work centers on human-designed strategies that deploy AI to accelerate execution and define novel solutions that enhance core public relations practices across the entire RPIE framework. Alicia has served for three years on PRSA NCC’s board and currently serves as Treasurer and Executive Board Member. She previously served as Communications Chair for Women in Defense’s National Capital Chapter. Alicia’s recognitions for her contributions to strategic communications and marketing innovation include the PRSA NCC 2025 Diamond Award during her tenure as Treasurer, PRSA NCC 2024 Impact Award during her first board year, PRSA 2020 Bronze Anvil for best-executed LinkedIn tactic, and the DoW Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 2011 Seven Seals Award. | |
One-Year Directors (three positions available) | |
Thy-Ann NguyenChief of Staff and Partner Thy-Ann Nguyen is Chief of Staff and Partner at CURA Strategies, an award-winning healthcare communications and public affairs firm in Arlington, Virginia, where she has spent nearly a decade in senior leadership. Over her 15+ year career in healthcare communications, she has counseled clients ranging from the American College of Cardiology to BridgeBio Pharma, while overseeing operations, financial planning, talent strategy, and business development—contributions that helped drive CURA’s 336% revenue growth and more than 20 industry awards. She brings direct governance experience to the Director role, having served as Vice Chair of the Arthritis Foundation’s Metro DC Board of Directors, where supported fundraising efforts and chaired the organization’s inaugural Washington, D.C. gala. She is also a longtime member of Washington Women in Public Relations, and her recognitions include being named a finalist for PRWeek’s Young PR Professional of the Year and a recipient of WWPR’s Emerging Leaders Award. | |
Jasmine Washington-PriceCommunications Manager Jasmine Washington-Price is an award-winning strategic communications and public relations leader with more than five years of experience spanning media relations, executive communications, employee engagement, issues management and organizational storytelling. Washington-Price serves as the communications manager for Alexandria City Public Schools, where she advises senior leaders, manages high-profile media relations and leads strategic initiatives across an organization serving approximately 4,800 employees and more than 16,300 students and families. Her work has been recognized by PRSA, NSPRA and CHESPRA, including a PRSA Silver Anvil Award, and she was selected as one of eight inaugural recipients of PRSA’s Emerging Leader Award. Jasmine is an active contributor to the profession, having presented at NSPRA and CHESPRA conferences and participated in industry roundtables. She also serves on the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Board and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Old Dominion University. | |
Carol WilkersonDirector of Media Relations Carol is an accomplished communications and public relations leader with extensive experience shaping high-impact narratives for mission-driven organizations. She has led strategic communications, media relations, executive messaging, and reputation management across higher education and federal agencies, including serving as Press Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration and senior communications executive at Howard University and American University. Known for securing placements in top-tier outlets such as The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, Carol brings a results-driven approach grounded in clarity, strategy, and organizational alignment. She holds advanced expertise in executive briefings, media training, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement. Carol has been an active member of professional associations including PRSA and NABJ, contributing to peer learning and sector-wide best practices. She is recognized for elevating institutional visibility through thoughtful, mission-aligned storytelling. | |
Justin CreechJustin is a content creator and strategic communications professional with more than 15 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense as a civilian contractor, Army Reservist and Air National Guardsman. Throughout his career, he has written news articles, feature stories and social media content highlighting the accomplishments of U.S. service members, civilian professionals and military organizations. He has also developed and executed strategic communications plans supporting major Army modernization initiatives, including efforts to modernize information technology infrastructure and human resources capabilities. His work has included collaborating with senior leaders and subject matter experts, developing media relationships and securing opportunities to highlight organizational accomplishments in industry publications. As a Marketing & Communications volunteer with PRSA NCC, he develops social media content promoting chapter events, professional development programs and networking opportunities while collaborating with chapter leaders on member-focused communications. | |
Denise DouglasAssociate Superintendent of Communications and Engagement Denise Douglas is an award-winning communications strategist with extensive experience building public trust, managing crisis response, and driving community engagement across Prince George’s County. A recipient of the 2024 PRSA “Impact” Award, she currently serves as Associate Superintendent of Prince George’s Communications and Engagement for Prince George’s County Public Schools. Previously she served as Director of Communications for the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she led multilingual outreach and secured top-tier national coverage on CNN, MSNBC, and NewsNation. Before her transition to communications, Denise spent nearly 15 years as a television anchor and reporter, working with CBS News, C-SPAN, WTEV, WJAC-TV, and Prince George’s Community Television. Fluent in Spanish, her journalism career was defined by elevating the voices of Latino and multicultural communities. Denise holds a Master’s in Public Relations and a Bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Maryland. She served on the Board of PRSA-NCC and continues to contribute to the Professional Development Committee. Denise also coordinates the Urban Journalism Workshop for the Washington Association of Journalists. |