WWPR Announces Woman of the Year Keynote Speaker; Register Today!
Washington Women in Public Relations’ (WWPR) 25th annual Washington PR Woman of the Year Award Luncheon will be held on Friday, November 14, 2014, at the Fairmont to celebrate the accomplishments of women who are raising the bar in public relations. The Woman of the Year luncheon, established in 1990, is WWPR’s signature event. It is an annual experience fostering camaraderie among women in public relations, culminating in a must-attend event that honors the achievements of those who have reached a pinnacle in the profession.
This year’s keynote speaker, PadillaCRT co-founder Patrice Tanaka and author of Becoming Ginger Rogers…How Ballroom Dancing Made Me a Happier Woman, a Better Partner and a Smarter CEO, will share her unique and inspirational journey as a female entrepreneur and PR professional.
The finalists for WWPR’s 2014 Washington PR Woman of the Year Award are:
Susan Matthews Apgood — News Generation
Laura Monica — Pepco Holdings
Lauren Lawson-Zilai — Goodwill Industries International
Join us for lunch as we honor these extraordinary women in the field! Register today and make sure to use the #WOY2014 hashtag to promote the event!
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Attention all PR Professionals: The Press Release Isn’t Dead!
By Alyssa Cocchi Ritterstein, WWPR Professional Development Committee Member
WWPR’s September 30th brown bag event, sponsored by Beekeeper Group, answered an intriguing question on the minds of many DC-area communication professionals — is the press release dead? The simple answer, no.
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December Events: Brown Bag Panel w/ Ogilvy; WWPR Holiday Party
Join us and our sponsor, Ogilvy, for a Brown Bag panel discussion, “How to Develop an Emotional Connection with Your Audience,” on Thursday, December 4, 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Learn how to use video, social media and branded content to build long-term, trusting relationships and influence stakeholders. For more details, a list of panelists and registration, click here.
Cost: Free for WWPR & PRSA members; $20 for non-members.
Don’t miss our annual Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 10, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Delight in delicious appetizers and drinks in a private space at The Palomar, a boutique luxury Kimpton Hotel at Dupont Circle.
Enjoy end-of-the-year cheer, door prizes and tasty treats! Each guest will receive a party favor and list of professional development events for the New Year. Register now.
Cost: $30 for WWPR & PRSA members; $45 for non-members.
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PR in Politics: You’re Just Not Ready for Prime Time Honey!
The Role of Public Relations in Politics is a monthly column written by WWPR member Margaret Mulvihill, examining the role of PR in politics.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations
PRIME TIME
I would hazard a guess that the majority of us in the public relations community have taken some type of media training for press, television, and radio. It’s a good idea, really, for anyone in a spokesperson role to have this training. It helps us and our clients in so many ways: appearance, content, delivery. It’s especially useful when your public relations business spills over into the political arena.
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Member Spotlight
This month’s Member Spotlight interview features WWPR and Woman of the Year Committee member Simran Kumar of MINT Health Club & Spa.
Q: How did you get started in communications?
A: I got started in public relations and communications when I was a student at Parsons School of Design in 2011. Parsons required students to sign up for at least one internship over the course of their program. Three of my internships were in the public relations department at luxury fashion brands. I started to see the power of a strong public relations strategy and realized I wanted to learn more about it.
Q: What inspired you to get involved with WWPR?
A: I was inspired to get involved with WWPR because I wanted to get involved with the PR community in DC. I also wanted an opportunity to meet and work with new people.
Q: What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment professionally?
A: I think my biggest accomplishment is learning how to apply the fundamental skills of public relations and communications across different industries.
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Articles of Interest
- Up Close and Personal: Getting to Know Debra Silimeo, Executive Vice President at Hager Sharp (Capitol Communicator)
- How to Get Your Message Out Via Instagram (PR News)
- Three Skills Every Communicator Must Have (Spin Sucks)
- 5 Keys to Perfecting the Art of Email Subject Lines (PR News)
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Upcoming Events
- November 5, 8:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.: PRSA NCC’s Fourth Annual Public Relations Issues of the Day for Nonprofits & Associations
- November 6, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: IPRA Lunch: PR in the Age of Millennials: Bridging Generations
- November 14, 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: Washington PR Woman of the Year Award Luncehon
- November 19, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.: Taking it to the Tweets: How Digital Advocacy Will Shape Public Affairs in 2015
- December 4, 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: How to Develop an Emotional Connection with Your Audience
- December 10, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.: WWPR’s Annual Holiday Party
If you have a suggestion for a future program topic, please contact the Professional Development Committee at professionaldevelopment@wwpr.org.
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Jobs
– Nothing But Nets Grassroots Intern, United Nations Foundation
– Nothing But Nets Communications Intern, United Nations Foundation
– Operations Coordinator, i2Coalition
– Intern, Green Buzz Agency
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Membership
September New Members
| Name | Company |
| Leslie Carlson | Beekeeper Group |
| Melissa Spade Cristler | Hager Sharp |
| Megan Dunn | Ambit Group, LLC |
| Brittany Floyd | BLR Holdings Inc. |
| Gadeer Ghannam | TriVision |
| Krystal Glass | Krystal Glass Communications |
| Kathryn Gorman | Commonwealth Consultants |
| Jillian Lama | Mind + Matter, LLC |
| Hillary Marder | Hager Sharp |
| Liz Mayes | Racepoint |
| Laura Monica | Pepco Holdings Inc. |
| Kate Naughten | NOAA Fisheries |
| Sonja Pitts | ImpressionsDC PR |
| Matthew Von Hendy | Green Heron Information Services |
| Kristen Wesley | Environics Communications |
| Ailis Wolf | The Hastings Group |
September Renewals
| Erin Connors | American Psychiatric Association |
| Jackie Dilworth | YMCA of Metropolitan Washington |
| Dana Korsen | National Academy of Sciences |
| Lisa Matthews | Hager Sharp |
| Elizabeth Stuckle | Stuckle Communications Group |
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Sponsor Spotlight
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Our years of experience, coupled with the insider knowledge of our staff, makes Strauss Media Strategies your best choice to help realize the full potential, power and influence of radio and television.