In this issue:

Emerging Leaders Awards
Technically Speaking
WWPR Blog
April Event Recap
Event Sneak Peak
Upcoming Events
Jobs
Membership
Member Spotlight
Articles of Interest
Membership News
Sponsor Spotlight

WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards

It’s time to shine a spotlight on the future leaders of PR! The WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards (ELA) honors outstanding young women in the Washington, D.C. metro area who have excelled in public relations and related fields. The annual event recognizes rising stars in the industry, and showcases the field’s most talented young women for their professional accomplishments.

This year’s event will take place at the end of July and you won’t want to miss it! Details about nomination instructions and eligibility requirements will be posted on the WWPR website soon, so check back often. Keep an eye out for updates and more information through WWPR’s Twitter account and Facebook page.

Can you plan an event that stops your target market in their tracks? Join our ELA committee to shape this year’s award ceremony for the young leaders of the DC PR scene.

Email ELA@wwpr.org for more information and to help make the 2012 Emerging Leaders Awards
another raging success!

Top

Technically Speaking
By Tabatha Thompson

Technology is amazing! Thanks to tools such as iChat, Skype and GoToMeeting, we can talk face-to-face with colleagues in various time zones around the world. We extend our beach vacations by a day and still access the office via VPN. We keep up with email traffic while taking the afternoon “off” or while surfing the web and taking in a colleague’s presentation. Debates abound about the perils of multitasking and whether we’re really more productive, but let’s save that discussion for another day. This inaugural Technically Speaking post is about finding the best method to keep your workday and your projects on track, preferably without 2 a.m. emails.

On the WWPR blog in March, in her excellent re-cap of Kiki McLean’s WWPR annual meeting keynote, Tracy Mason asked whether work-life balance is an oxymoron and advised setting boundaries to create a more productive work environment. In a still-recovering economy, our clients, colleagues, and managers all are under pressure to accomplish more with less. How do we make the most of our most precious resource – the only one we truly own – our time?

For me, a solid project management tool is the answer. But to identify the right tool, you have to know your challenges and come to terms with your own time management shortcomings. READ MORE

WWPR April Event Recap

Sarah Gershman, President of Green Room Speakers, had a room full of WWPR members up on their feet at the EntrePReneur professional development brown bag event, “How to Speak with Presence.” Gershman tutored the audience on how to shake off nerves, move with purpose, and stand in the “heroic neutral stance” shoulder-width apart to feel the most confident. She asked attendees to consider not just what they plan to say during a speech, but also what they want the audience to feel, remember, and do.

At one point, Gershman instructed two audience volunteers to tell a story at the same time and compete for the audience’s attention. “This is real life,” she explained, “When you get up to give a presentation, you are competing with all the things running through your audience’s mind-what to cook for dinner, what to wear to that big meeting etc.” Remember to sound excited, and vary your tone and pitch to keep everyone’s attention. Most of all, treat every presentation as a conversation, using eye contact and enthusiasm to make each person feel personally addressed.

For more tips vist the WWPR blog where Sarah Gershman, shares clips and highlights top take-a-ways from the program. READ MORE

Sneak Peek: DC IdeaCurator

WWPR is hosting a unique opportunity for female entrepreneurs to live dialogue with renowned global PR strategist, TED speaker, entrepreneur, and author of the new book Likeonomics, Rohit Bhargava, tapping his expertise. The DC IdeaCurator is a chance to hear about the power of likeability and its influence on the business world PLUS the opportunity to pitch your business or an entrepreneurial client’s idea live in front of Rohit. Three top local entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to receive live feedback and guidance from Rohit; will be featured as part of Likeonomics; among other great rewards and press buzz! The DC IdeaCurator event will also offer structured and open networking. Join the waiting list today!

Upcoming Events

For the latest information about our exciting events and programs, please visit our Events page.

WWPR members receive member rates for PRSA-NCC and AWC events.

  • 5/11/2012: Do Good Summit: Creating Community by Transforming Business
  • 5/14/2012: 6:30-8:30 p.m.- StartOut presents exclusive screening of documentary, Miss Representation: Your chance to view award winning documentary
  • 5/18/2012: 6pm-game- PRSA-NCC Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Enjoy an evening of
    networking and america’s favorite pastime — Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
  • 5/19/2012: 5:00-10:00 p.m.- Thrive D.C. fundraiser at Mio Restaurant. $10 of every meal goes to Thrive D.C. Make your dinner reservation at www.opentable.com for May 19th!

Top

WWPR Job Board

In the market for a new job? Visit the WWPR job board to help you find your dream position!

View More Positions

To post an open position for free visit wwpr.org/jobs. Contact web@wwpr.org with questions.

Not Currently a WWPR Member? Join Us!

WWPR is a vital resource for metro DC communications professionals and if you’re not already a member we’d love to have you join! Members enjoy many benefits including:

  • Discounted rates or free registration for WWPR events
  • Member only professional development events
  • Opportunity for leadership positions on WWPR board and committees
  • Access to WWPR members directory online

For more information on WWPR membership, please visit: http://wwpr.org/membership/

Top

Member Spotlight: Natalia Martinez Duncan

by Beth Stewart

Growing up in a family of reporters, Natalia Martinez Duncan always knew writing would play a large role in her life. Whether she was journaling or contributing to the Virginia Commonwealth University student newspaper, Duncan laid the groundwork for a career in communications.

Duncan now boasts nearly 14 years of experience, currently serving as the Communications and Publications Manager of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). Duncan is responsible for promoting the organization’s programs and initiatives through strategic marketing and media relations. She also writes and edits content for the website and the CADCA’s two publications.

In addition to being an active member of WWPR, Duncan enjoys putting her energy into other organizations that incorporate her passion for running while also benefiting a cause. Through Washington, D.C.’s So Others Might Eat (SOME), Duncan is able to combine the two by participating in SOME’s Trot-a-thon to benefit feeding the homeless and extremely poor of the city.

Articles of Interest

Top

Membership News

New Members

April

– Natalie Barg, Vitamin
– Whitney McGoram, ICBA
– Katy McKegney, Blue State Digital
– Molly Brauer, George Washington School of Business
– Kathryn Chmura, CityStaff
– Danielle Veira, Bertelsmann
– Sarah Holt, Freelancer
– Julie Strack, Jones Public Affairs
– Kristine Austria, Ketchum
– Juliette Rizzo, U.S. Department of Education

Renewals

April

– Sherri Core, Core Association Services, Inc.
– Maria Ibañez, National Academy for State Health Policy
– Elisse LaMay, American Association for Justice
– Tina McCormack Beaty, Porter Novelli
– Katie Lipton, Center for LNG
– Racine Tucker-Hamilton, Bread for the World
– Natalia Martinez, CADCA

Interested in joining or renewed your membership? Simply complete the online membership form.

To learn more, please contact Leslie Rutledge, Membership Chair, at membership@wwpr.org.

Top

Sponsor Spotlight

PR Newswire is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content – from rich media to online video to multimedia – and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world’s largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world’s enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.

For more information visit www.prnewswire.com.

Top