Welcome to the PRSA National Capital Chapter eNewsletter.

Welcome to the PRSA National Capital Chapter (NCC) newsletter. This issue marks the return of a regular chapter newsletter after a year-long hiatus. During that time, we’ve been retooling our communications to better serve our membership.

In October 2004, we launched a new Web site, which included the new PRSA identity system and branding – PRSA, Advancing the Profession and the Professional. The home page features event registration, stories on chapter programming, national membership promotions, and interactive items like the “poll question.” The Web site, gives us the opportunity to streamline the delivery of our newly redesigned Capital PR News and ensure compliance with “can-spam” regulations. You can sign up for the newsletter from the Web site. Or you can opt-out. We hope you read a few issues and give us your feedback.

The newsletter is designed to provide an overview of upcoming chapter events, raise awareness of membership benefits, highlight chapter programs, spotlight new members, and address issues as necessary. The newsletter, the Web site, and email event announcements are the primary means for promoting chapter events and accomplishments, such as the recent Diversity conference and the upcoming Thoth Awards Gala.

PRSA-NCC is more than 1,200 members strong in the Washington Metro area and the largest chapter in the country. Thanks to strong board and committee leadership and member involvement, the chapter presents 2-3 programs per month, including the professional development seminar series, teleseminar, APR prep sessions, networking events, awards programs, and much more.

We are always striving to better tailor our programming to member needs and concerns. In the coming weeks, you will receive an online survey seeking your input. We ask that you please take a few moments to complete the survey. Two names will be randomly drawn to receive a complimentary ticket to the Dec. 8 Holiday Reception.

Finally, it’s election time. You will soon be receiving the ballot for the 2006 executive officers, board of directors, and national assembly delegates. Please take a few moments to complete ballot, sign the envelop, and return the ballot to the chapter office. If you are interested in committee leadership, we are still recruiting for several committees. Please contact me for more information.

I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event. If you aren’t able to join us, please contact us directly with your feedback – President Bob Bryant, bjanbryant@comcast.net or President-Elect Tracy Schario, tschario@gwu.edu.

Cheers,
Tracy Schario, PRSA-NCC president-elect

Cultivate Your Career

Receive Chapter Membership FREE when you join as a new PRSA member through Oct. 31, 2005. This $75 dollar value is available to new members or those who may have left their PRSA membership lap.

PRSA Adds Evening Hours

To accommodate our members on the West Coast, as well as those who call after close of business, PRSA now has a member service representative available to answer questions until 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Thursday at our general number: 212-460-1400. During regular business hours (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET), members may continue to direct dial individual staff. Click here to view the PRSA staff directory.

PRSA-NCC Co-Sponsors “Strategies to Achieve Minority Diversity in Public Relations”

By Linda Dickerhoof

PRSA-NCC under the leadership of the Diversity Committee co-sponsored “Strategies to Achieve Minority Diversity in Public Relations” July 19, 2005, at The George Washington University Conference Center in Washington, D.C. The purpose of this one-day conference was to elevate the dialogue regarding the need for diversity initiatives in not only employee recruitment and retention, but in everyday business. More than 150 public relations professionals heard from industry experts why it is necessary not only to hire minorities, but to tailor services and build competencies with the needs of minority groups in mind.

Be on the lookout for several educational tools created resulting from this conference, including a short documentary-style film featuring interviews with key stakeholders in the conference; an article in PRSA’s Public Relations Tactics newsletter; and excerpts from session transcripts on the PRSA-NCC Web site, www.prsa-ncc.org. One notable session that will be posted to the PRSA-NCC Web site is a presentation outlining the business case for diversity in PR firms, as presented by Weldon H. Latham, partner at Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP.

This one-day conference was co-sponsored by the Black Public Relations Society of Washington, Diversity Best Practices, and the Howard University School of Communications, as well as PRSA. Sponsors also included local public relations firms Burson-Marsteller; Edelman; Ketchum; Porter Novelli; Hill & Knowlton; Manning, Selvage & Lee; GolinHarris; Fleishman-Hillard; Ogilvy; GMMB; and Ruder Finn. 

The chairman of the conference planning committee was Ofield Dukes, APR, Fellow PRSA, who has operated his own public relations firm in Washington for 36 years, and served for three years as chairman of the PRSA National Task Force on Diversity.

For more information, visit the Diversity Committee’s page on www.prsa-ncc.org. You can also download the Diversity Toolkit, a member’s only resource, at www.prsa.org.

PR Coalition Issues Diversity Summit White Paper

The leadership of the public relations profession is stepping up its efforts to improve diversity within the industry, especially its senior management ranks. This was revealed by the issuance of a groundbreaking report entitled “Focus on Diversity: Lowering the Barriers; Raising the Bar,” by the Public Relations Coalition, an alliance of 23 major organizations representing all of the communications disciplines, comprising more than 50,000 members.

In addition to reinforcing their commitment, the Coalition members also pledged to conduct an annual survey of Corporate Communications officers and public relations agency CEOs to track progress on this topic. There were three areas that were identified as key elements for improving ethnic and gender diversity in any organization: recruiting, mentoring and advocacy. The report also includes a comprehensive resource guide, which features suggested reading as well as an overview of various programs, scholarships and incentives that are available to attract a more diverse pool of communications professionals.

To view the Diversity Summit White Paper, click here.

Miguel A. Gonzalez

Senior Communications Specialist and Spokesperson, Washington Gas

1. What skills are required to do your job? My job requires the following skills: Crisis management, mediator, project and budget management, message development and marketing, public and community relations, analytical, writing and technical skills, and multi-tasking.
2. What’s your greatest career achievement? To have served at the pleasure of the president of the united states as a political appointee.
3. How do you begin each day? By working out, biking, running or lifting weights, getting my cup of coffee, and reading the latest industry coverage
4. Who’s your role model, and why do you admire him/her? I have numerous role models from whom I draw inspiration and motivation. They vary from Gandhi, to King, to my late brother, to Kennedy. They offer me strength (Gandhi), perseverance (King), vision and inspiration (Kennedy), and wisdom (my late older brother).
5. Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance? Don’t take yourself too seriously; laugh hard and play hard; enjoy the work you do; leave work where it belongs: at the office.

Prepared by Nakisha Wiggins. If you’ve joined the chapter within the past six months and would like to receive a questionnaire, please contact newsletter@prsa-ncc.org.