July 2021 President’s Message
Dear NCC Members and Colleagues:
As we move into summer and the second half of 2021, our chapter leaders are hard at work putting together programs to carry us through to 2022. Whether you’re looking for ways to share your time and talents, continue your education or showcase your work, there are plenty of opportunities ahead.
Share your time and talents
PRSA NCC board members have an unparalleled opportunity to drive innovation within our industry, shape the member experience, grow their professional networks, and further develop their leadership abilities. Each has a valuable contribution to make.
In recent months, we were fortunate to welcome additional leaders to our board: Crystal Borde, Shonali Burke and Carol Lyn Colón.
We’re now gearing up to issue a call for nominations for the 2022 board in early August. All PRSA NCC members, regardless of experience level, are eligible to serve on our board of directors. Additionally, non-members can simply join to become eligible for the board of directors. Candidates should have a desire to serve a one-year term or two-year term and provide input, ideas and counsel on issues including public relations, marketing/branding, events, education and professional development.
Members interested in running for a seat should submit their applications no later than Friday, September 10. Voting will open on Friday, October 1 and end on Thursday, October 21. Please contact immediate past president Lisa Kiefer with any questions about the process or about board service more generally.
We are also looking for committee chairs and co-chairs and active, engaged committee members. If you’d like to become more involved with one of our 14 committees, please feel free to reach out.
Continuing Your Education
Our DEI and Membership Committees will host our next Diverse Dialogues session this summer with Carl Francis, director of communications for the National Football League Players Association. Carl will share his career journey as a Black PR professional, lessons learned along the way and his perspective on ways to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the profession. The Diverse Dialogues series strives to help create community, understanding and inclusion among its diverse members. PR professionals from all identity communities are welcome to attend and contribute to this dialogue.
In the coming months, we have many professional development events in the works. Save the date for a change communications session led by Angelo Ioffreda, chief engagement officer of io spark communications, scheduled for Thursday, July 29 from 2-3 p.m. Additional programming in the coming months includes the following topics: DEI organizational change, emotional intelligence, and personal branding and the new workforce.
Showcase Your Work
As you may have read in last month’s newsletter, entries for our National Capital Excellence in Communications Awards (ECAs) are now open. With 27 categories to choose from, there are opportunities for everyone to enter work from the previous year for consideration. Complete your entry online no later than Friday, August 13.
We’re also looking for nominations for our National Capital Public Relations Hall of Fame. To be considered, nominees must have at least 30 years of communications experience – at least 10 years in the D.C. area – and a record of contributing to the profession through volunteering or civic engagement. If you know someone who fits the bill, submit your nomination by Friday, July 30.
Please save the date for the ECAs – Thursday, November 4 – where we will be joined by keynote speaker, Lori George Billingsley, global chief diversity and inclusion officer at Coca-Cola.
We remain committed to our mission, prioritizing our most impactful opportunities and leveraging the passion of our members and volunteers as we move forward.
Leading with integrity and passion,
Lauren Lawson-Zilai
PRSA NCC President