Dear Members, Sponsors and Colleagues,

As the year comes to a close, I am reminded of the integral role each of you has played in helping the National Capital Chapter become stronger. I have answered countless queries for job hunting tips from those new to the profession or the DC area and those with years of experience – and we are now updating our job search resource guide for 2007. Together, we’ve learned some event planning tips and lessons in creativity from our committees and gained valuable insight into the many facets of the practice of PR through the many workshops, seminars and networking with colleagues.

We strove to achieve more in 2006, which we did.  We held nearly 50 programs in 2006—monthly PD workshops, monthly IPRA lunches, teleseminars, issues seminars, and awards programs. We welcome 300 new PRSA members. We raised over $50,000 in sponsorships plus in-kind services; introduced the Young PR Professional of Year Award; managed a successful fund-raising effort for Pam Miles our 2004 president who is in need of a double lung transplant (though we still need $20,000). We partnered with the DC Chamber of Commerce; hosted four innovative networking forums; increased our support of the five PRSSA chapters in our region; sent 13 delegates and proxies to the national Assembly; and updated our chapter bylaws. Thank you to the board, committee chairs, volunteers and members who have contributed to an extremely successful year.

I also want to thank the newsletter committee – Tim Ayers, board liaison; Linda Dickerhoof, committee chairwoman; Chanda Gilmore; Kisha Wiggins; and Scott Shaw, vice president and Webmaster. Together we reintroduced the Capital PR News newsletter in summer 2005. And Chanda, as the next newsletter committee chair, will continue to keep this key communications tool published regularly in 2007.

While I run the risk of omitting some key acknowledgements, I will close with a thank you to the 2006 executive committee – Sandra Hannon, Bob Bryant, Sean O’Neill, Mary-Jane Atwater, Scott Shaw, Christina Swanwick, Sally McDonough, and Sherri Core, our chapter manager – for helping lead the chapter throughout the year. A special thank you to Immediate Past President, Bob Bryant, who has been an active board member for more than a decade.  His wit, wisdom and institutional knowledge will be missed.

I look forward to another great year for the chapter. Please drop me a line if you have any questions or feedback.

Cheers,

Tracy Schario

2006 PRSA-NCC President

PS –  Save the Date! Jan. 18th is our annual Membership Networking & Leadership Rally at DAR Constitution Hall, 6 pm. If you would like to learn more about how to get involved, meet the new board and mingle with colleagues, don’t miss this soiree. 

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PRSA-NCC Announces 2007 Officers, Board Members and Assembly Delegates

By Mary-Jane Atwater

The Public Relations Society of America National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) welcomes its 2007 officers, board of directors and assembly delegates, which assume office January 1, 2007. This team of PRSA-NCC members oversees the chapter’s more than 40 annual professional development and awards programs designed to advance professionalism and career growth.

“As the largest PRSA chapter in the nation, PRSA-NCC connects PR practitioners at all levels from all types of organizations in the Washington, D.C., region,” said Sandra Wills Hannon, Ph.D., APR, 2007 NCC president, and principal and owner of The Hannon Group, LLC. “I look forward to working with the board to provide opportunities for our members to succeed in their professional endeavors and to promote public relations education and best practices.”

Hannon is joined by 12 newly elected members of the board of directors and seven assembly delegates, as well as three returning directors, who are serving two-year terms, and five returning assembly delegates.  The Chapter’s leadership team comprises the president and the executive officers of the board.

President: Sandra Wills Hannon, Ph.D., APR, principal and owner, The Hannon Group, LLC; President-Elect: Heathere Evans-Keenan, APR, owner and principal, Keenan PR; Treasurer: Jeff Ghannam, communications director, Biotechnology Institute; Secretary: Mary-Jane Atwater, president, Atwater Communications; Vice Presidents: Reggie Kouba, senior vice president, SheaHedges Group; Rita Mhley, president, Mhley/Davis & Associates; and Scott Shaw, president, CreatiVerge Communications; and Immediate Past President: Tracy Schario, director of media relations, The George Washington University

Two Year Directors:

Sylvia Aguilera, counsel, global alliance development, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) (term expires 2008); Tim Ayers, president, Ayers Associates (term expires 2008); Michelle Leff, APR, public relations manager, consumer devices, Sprint Nextel (term expires 2008); Kristina Messner, vice president, public relations, Focused Image (term expires 2007); Fred Lash, APR, Deputy Assistant of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense (term expires 2007); Gary Nordlinger, president, Nordlinger Associates (term expires 2007)

One Year Directors:
DeAnn Baxter, public relations specialist, Michael Baker Jr., Inc.; Amy Schossler, senior consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton; Christina Swanwick, director, Washington Speakers Bureau – Impact Channel

Assembly Delegates (term expiration noted in parentheses):
Kathleen Bergeron, APR, marketing specialist, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation (09); Barbara Burfeind, APR, director, external affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense (08); John Clemons, APR, ABC, vice president of communications, Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC (07); Ivonne Couret, director of public relations, The Art Institute of Washington (09); Steven Grant, APR, Manager, Public Relations, National Education Association (07); Brigitte Johnson, APR, director of communications, American Forest Foundation (07); David Kinsman, APR, senior associate, public affairs, American College of Physicians (09); Fred Lash, APR, Deputy Assistant of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense (09); Nancy Mayes, APR, president, Mayes Communications, Inc. (09); Kristina Messner, vice president, public relations, Focused Image (09); Samantha Villegas, APR, manager of communications, Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (08); and
Gwyn Walcoff, APR, principal, CCG, LLC Public Relations (09)     

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Amelia Townsend

Director of Communications,
Finishing Contractors Association

Amelia Townsend immediately joined PRSA upon taking her new job because as a former journalist dealing with PR professionals, “the best were always members of PRSA.”  She knew from these outstanding PR members that PRSA could help her learn, network and broaden her horizons.

1. What skills are required to do your job?
   
   The ability to listen, evaluate and anticipate and articulate the mission of our membership. We are currently working to develop a communication strategy. Therefore I write everything from newsletters to video scripts to presentations for our Board of Directors.
   
   
2. What’s your greatest career achievement?
   
   Helping a client achieve his or her message successfully is always rewarding. It’s great when someone comes to me and says it worked.
   
   
3. How do you begin each day?
   
   It sounds pretty mundane, but each day is so different, that I keep a running Task List in my head. The list evolves as the morning blends into the afternoon. I always have a deadline and a goal that I meet by the end of the work day.
   
   
4. What’s your dream job? 
   
   To help others communicate, to be respected, trusted and rewarded for that effort and to work with people who have the same goals. That’s the job I have right now. I love my job.
   
   
5. Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance? 
   
   For years, I worked out of my home, and l learned to figuratively “change hats.” I set a schedule every day based upon the needs of the project and my family. When the time came to switch roles, I envisioned changing hats. It still works today. 

DeDe Cordell

Public Affairs Specialist,
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration

DeDe Cordell joined PRSA in October 2006 after considering a few different public affairs organizations. Cordell quickly realized that PRSA was exactly what she was looking for. “I love the monthly educational opportunities, the conferences, the networking and the certification assistance. I’m especially appreciative of the opportunities to stay on top of all this changing technology. Who can keep up without help?”

1. What skills are required to do your job? 
   
   Patience, creativity and fast learning! It’s not easy to make people interested in things like railroads, and I am constantly faced with the challenge of promoting things that are usually only interesting to the trades.  I’m also faced with the challenge of convincing my colleagues that the media can be a tool to get our message out; not something we should hide from! 
   
   
2. What’s your greatest career achievement? 
   
   While I was still in broadcasting, I had the chance to report from Iraq during the 2004 summer. I was so busy, working 20-hour days, I hardly had time to think about how terrifying it really was. Until we went on a convoy through the streets of Najaf, where just a month before (and all of about two months after) there was a standoff in the streets between U.S. Forces and insurgents. At one point I could hardly breathe, I was so petrified. But my colleague (now my husband), suggested I focus on shooting teases while we drove down the road, which snapped me right out of it and got me concentrating on work. After that, I figure there isn’t much I can’t overcome.
   
   
3. Who’s your role model, and why do you admire him/her? 
   
   I don’t think I really have a role model, so to speak. I’ve always admired Audrey Hepburn, both because she seemed so classy and because she used her fame to make a difference. But I also admire my husband. He’s not only a soldier specializing in public affairs but he is also my own personal hero. But more than that; he really knows his stuff and always seems to know the exact right way to handle difficult situations. His leadership skills leave me in awe, and I’m always learning from him.
   
   
4. Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance? 
   
   I’ve found that you have to be willing to sacrifice something. I gave up broadcasting, which I absolutely loved, because I wanted a normal life, the ability to spend holidays with my husband. Before, I was always sacrificing my personal life for work, and my health, too! Now I take time for me, I’ve made myself a priority and refocused on what’s really important in life. My career may not be as sexy and exciting as it used to be, but in reality I’m much happier, more centered and truly blessed.

Jennifer Rogers

Assistant Manager, Media Relations, Booz Allen Hamilton

Jennifer Rogers joined PRSA-NCC in September 2006 to get the chance to network with others in public relations outside her company and, of course, to attend the annual conference.

1. What’s your greatest career achievement?
   
   Receiving three Team Appreciation Awards for my communications work from Booz Allen within my first year with the firm.
   
   
2. Where would you like to see yourself in five years?
   
   At Booz Allen in a communications position that I’m passionate about.  I like to write and that skill is in high demand here, so there are plenty of opportunities to continue building my skills and exposure.
   
   
3. Who’s your role model, and why do you admire them?
   
   My grandfather. He was a prisoner of war in WWII, and in his 80’s he has an extremely positive outlook on life.
   
   
4. What’s the last book you read or movie you saw?
   
   I’m currently reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn about a poor Irish family trying to make a better life for themselves in Brooklyn.
   
   
5. Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance?
   
   Get a personal trainer! That’s one of the few things that may motivate me to leave work and do something productive.

We have welcomed nearly 300 new members this year to the National Capital Chapter. New Member Profiles are prepared by Chanda Gilmore. If you’ve joined the chapter within the past six months and would like to receive a questionnaire, please contact newsletter@prsa-ncc.org.

To view past new Member Spotlights, visit the membership section of the Web site – http://www.prsa-ncc.org/content/blogcategory/26/100/

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