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Communications Change Makers Honored At 10th Annual Emerging Leaders Awards

Whitney M. Faison
Digital Marketing and Communications Manager, Meals on Wheels America
WWPR Pro Bono Committee member

Ask any communications professional what her pearls of wisdom are, and she will be able to list several with ease. It’s evident that WWPR members are a dynamic breed of professionals, pushing themselves to grow within their careers, continuously learning and taking the lead.

That’s why Washington Women in Public Relations celebrates the industries rising stars each year during one of its signature events: The Emerging Leaders Awards. The awards honor women who have excelled in public relations and related fields and who have given back to the industry by contributing their skills and talents to innovative initiatives and projects.

The WWPR network in conjunction with the broader communications community gathered on June 18 for a reception and ceremony with beautiful views of the DC cityscape. WWPR President Amanda Cate, Associate Director, Political & Governmental Outreach at the American Society of Anesthesiologists graciously thanked members and guests and began the evening with remarks on the significance of the ELA nominations and the overarching sentiment that every woman working in this industry should be proud of their contributions.

Elynsey Price, ELA Committee Co-Chair went on to introduce the evening’s keynote speaker Kathy Baird. As Managing Director at Ogilvy’s DC offices, Baird is without a doubt a leading professional in communications and PR and is an inspiration to so many emerging leaders. Kathy shared her pearls of wisdom from her own professional experiences and reminded those in attendance that the path to leadership is not linear; rather the recipe for success involves many detours and unexpected moments. We wish the best of luck to Kathy in her recently accepted new role at Nike as the Senior Director of Editorial and Experiences in the global employee communications team.

Before the honorees were announced, the committee debuted a short video featuring the 18 finalists, sharing professional pearls of wisdom that they’ve learned over time. Such a unique blend of answers and insights from a fantastic group of women.

For the final portion of the night, we recognized the amazing 2019 ELA honorees—a major accomplishment for those early in their career. We were thrilled to receive the most nominations this year in the history of the Emerging Leaders Awards. The ELA Committee Co-Chair Elynsey Price and WWPR President Amanda Cate announced the following winners in each category.

  • Small/Boutique Agency: Thy-Ann Nguyen, CURA Strategies
  • Mid-Sized Agency: Jennifer Heilman, Stratacomm
  • Global & Large Agency: Jackeline Stewart, Edelman
  • Government: Courtney Cochran, Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman
  • Non-Profit: Jackie Marks, Marine Stewardship Council
  • In-House: Laura Ransone, Interel US- Women in Government Relations

Smiles and congratulations were shared between those present during the night’s celebration. The joyful atmosphere along with the celebration of honorees is a testament to the power of WWPR and the benefit of the network for professional women through the region. Many thanks to the ELA Committee for their tireless efforts, once again executing a spectacular event.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: WASHINGTON WOMEN IN PUBLIC RELATIONS ANNOUNCES 2019 EMERGING LEADERS AWARDS HONOREES

WASHINGTON WOMEN IN PUBLIC RELATIONS ANNOUNCES 2019 EMERGING LEADERS AWARDS HONOREES

ELAs Recognizes Rising Stars in the Communications Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 19, 2019)— Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR), the oldest professional society for female communicators in the greater capital area, named the 2019 Emerging Leaders Awards (ELAs) honorees Tuesday. The 10th annual ELAs honored rising stars, ages 25-35, who have excelled in public relations and related fields, and given back to the industry by contributing their skills and talents to innovative initiatives and projects. Six winners from different sectors within the communications field were announced at the ceremony to recognize the diverse group of up-and-coming communications professionals.

“The 2019 Emerging Leaders Awards honorees are a diverse group of women who all stand out for their impressive talents, record of achievement and commitment to their communities,” said Amanda Cate, WWPR President. “As change-makers and leaders, these women are a fitting tribute to celebrate the event’s 10th year anniversary. WWPR is proud to recognize their excellence and congratulates all the finalists for their accomplishments.”   

The 2019 WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards Honorees are:


Small/Boutique Agency: Thy-Ann Nguyen, CURA Strategies

Thy-Ann Nguyen is the Managing Director and Senior Vice President at CURA Strategies, an integrated strategic communications agency focused exclusively on health and wellness, where she is responsible for managing company operations and leading multiple client accounts at any given time. Thy-Ann has over eight years of experience planning and implementing successful strategic communications programs for clients across the health care spectrum—from large global medical device and pharmaceutical corporations to associations and small non-profits.

Mid-Sized Agency: Jennifer Heilman, Stratacomm

Jennifer Heilman is a vice president at Stratacomm. In her role, Jennifer provides integrated marketing and communication strategy and program management to the firm’s growing roster of government, association and corporate clients within the transportation, energy and environment, and infrastructure sectors.

Global & Large Agency: Jackeline Stewart, Edelman

Jackeline Stewart is a senior brand storyteller at Edelman with experience in creating and disseminating transformative narratives to help organizations advance multicultural engagement. She has invaluable experience working with foundations, national nonprofits, corporations, and thought leaders to develop and execute dynamic strategies that not only reach but engage and activate diverse audiences to create change.

Government: Courtney Cochran, Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman

Courtney Cochran serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), where she manages all forms of communications and outreach and supports the legislative and policy agenda for one Congress’s most progressive members.

Non-Profit: Jackie Marks, Marine Stewardship Council

Jackie Marks is a jack-of-all-trades non-profit communications professional who has dedicated her career to messaging important sustainability, conservation, and natural resources issues. She leads US, Caribbean and Latin America public relations and communications efforts for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an international non-profit focused on making sure seafood is available for generations to come.

In-House: Laura Ransone, Interel US- Women in Government Relations

Laura currently serves Women in Government Relations (WGR) as Associate Director. Through the creation and delivery of innovative engagement initiatives in education, leadership and networking opportunities Laura works to further the organization’s mission, to advance and empower women in the field of government relations.

A distinguished panel of judges selected the honorees based on their record of excellence and accomplishments in their careers thus far, as well as their leadership qualities and ethical standards. The 2019 judges included:

Jennifer Curley, President and CEO, Curley Company

Carrie Fox, Founder and CEO, Mission Partners

Danielle Hagen, Senior Vice President, Communications, Nahigian Strategies

Lauren Lawson-Zilai, Senior Director of Public Relations, Goodwill

Dani Veira, Director of Communications and Engagement, A Better Chicago

The ELA winners were announced at a cocktail reception on Tuesday, June 18. Kathy Baird, Managing Director at Ogilvy gave the keynote address. The complete list of 2019 WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards finalists can be found here: https://wwpr.org/2019-ela-finalists/

 

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ABOUT WASHINGTON WOMEN IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is a member-based professional society cultivating and inspiring female communicators to reach their full potential in the DC market and beyond. The organization is committed to providing leadership opportunities, professional development, mentorship, and industry networking. Visit us at wwpr.org connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @WWPR  and on Instagram @WWPRDC.

CONTACT:
Elynsey Price
WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards Co-Chair
ela@wwpr.org

 

PRESS RELEASE: WWPR Inducts 2019 Board of Directors with Keynote from Leslie Crutchfield, author of “How Change Happens”

WASHINGTON, January 18, 2019 — Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR), a leading resource for female communications professionals in the nation’s capital, announced its 2019 Board of Directors. The 2019 Board is as follows:

  • President: Amanda Cate, American Society of Anesthesiologists
  • Vice President: Sarah Beth Cloar, Edelman
  • Past President: Danielle Veira, A Better Chicago
  • Treasurer: Susan Matthews Apgood, News Generation, Inc.
  • Secretary: Julie Malveaux, communications professional
  • Sponsorship/ Partnership Chair: Avelyn Austin, REQ
  • Content Marketing Chair: Jennifer Dunn, Business Wire
  • Digital Marketing Chair: Christina Francisco, ASHP
  • Digital Engagement Chair: Kasey Lum Condra, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • Emerging Leaders Awards Co-Chair: Sabrena Pringle, American Diabetes Association
  • Emerging Leaders Awards Co-Chair: Elynsey Price, Pearson
  • Membership Co-Chair: Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd, North American Insulation Manufacturers Association
  • Membership Co-Chair: Zorie Valchev, Novartis
  • Pro Bono Co-Chair: Carrie Johnson, Association of American Colleges and Universities
  • Pro Bono Co-Chair: Bonnie Piper, senior communications and public affairs specialist
  • Professional Development Co-Chair: Sarah Beccio, Indigecomms
  • Professional Development Co-Chair: Katherine Hurd, Baltz & Company
  • Woman of the Year Co-Chair: Taylor Leaming, Ketchum
  • Woman of the Year Co-Chair: Christin Lewis, Hilton

“With a year full of milestones for WWPR, including the 30th anniversary of the Woman of the Year Awards and 10th anniversary of the Emerging Leader Awards, this extraordinary group of women is poised to continue advancing the impact of this organization,” said Amanda Cate, 2019 WWPR President. “It is an incredible honor to lead this group of talented, diverse and accomplished women as WWPR continues to lead the way in providing signature programming, impactful professional development and meaningful networking for communications professionals.”

The board induction meeting featured a keynote by Leslie Crutchfield, author, social change expert, executive director of Georgetown University’s Global Social Enterprise Initiative at the McDonough School of Business, and adjunct professor teaching corporate social responsibility. Crutchfield, who authored “How Change Happens” in 2018, spoke about impactful and successful movements to create social and environmental change. An authority on social change, Crutchfield challenged attendees to continue to be forces for good especially today. “Movements matter today as much as they ever have,” she said. “Change doesn’t happen by chance.”

Throughout the year, WWPR will continue to host its annual professional development and networking events for female communicators at every stage of their careers, including two signature events: the Emerging Leader Awards and the PR Woman of the Year Awards.

Learn more about WWPR and upcoming events at www.wwpr.org

ABOUT WASHINGTON WOMEN IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is a member-based professional society cultivating and inspiring female communicators to reach their full potential in the DC market and beyond. The organization is committed to providing leadership opportunities, professional development, mentorship, and industry networking. Visit us at wwpr.org, connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @WWPR and on Instagram @WWPRDC .

For more information contact:  info@wwpr.org

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President’s Note: June 2019

WWPR 2019 President, Senior Governmental and Political Outreach Manager, American Society of Anesthesiologists

Next week, we will be celebrating a milestone for one of WWPR’s signature events — the 10th anniversary of the Emerging Leaders Awards.  This will be the 10th ceremony where we’ve recognized rising stars in the communications industry who have excelled and given back by contributing their skills, talents and knowledge.

This year, we received a record number of applications and have an outstanding group of finalists.  One of my favorite components of this program is that we recognize not only individuals who go above and beyond in their career and workplace, but also who devote a part of themselves to their communities.  This event also recognizes the changing face of communications and our organization, with six various categories ranging from non-profit to global firms.  Even more exciting: our keynote speaker will be Kathy Baird, Managing Director at Ogilvy, so this is an event you definitely won’t want to miss.  This event falls under “do not miss” – from the rising stars and changemakers to the new names and faces – be sure ELAs is on your calendar.

And a hot tip: the event venue boasts an amazing rooftop view! So grab your colleagues and friends and get ‘gram ready with #ELA2019.

If you aren’t able to attend, there are a variety of other upcoming events perfect for your networking and professional development.  Join WWPR for a member recruitment happy hour on Wednesday, July 17 to meet our Board members, find out how to be involved, and network with other communications pros.  Our very popular senior-level communications breakfast is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23 and continues to sell out. Members receive priority registration, so consider becoming a WWPR member to ensure you get in the door.

As I began my role as President of WWPR, I made it a goal to expand our outreach to related organizations over the year, and I’m thrilled to say we’ve done just that with several partner events on the calendar for the summer months.  If you are a WWPR member, you can enjoy reduced prices for the PR Summit DC as well as PRSA-NCC events, like the Newseum Farewell tour.  Do you know an organization that you think would be a good partner, or do you have an idea for an upcoming event that you can either support or host? Reach out to me: president@wwpr.org.

See you at the Emerging Leaders Awards on Tuesday, June 18, where I encourage you to find a Board member — like me — and introduce yourself!  One of the greatest benefits of this organization is the personal connections, and we want to get to know you.  So I hope to meet all of you next Tuesday!

WWPR Member Spotlight: Kashanna Fair

Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd Headshot
Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd, Membership Co-Chair, Board of Directors WWPR

I had the pleasure of meeting Kashanna Fair at WWPR’s Membership Recruitment Happy Hour. We made small talk over cocktails and appetizers and whined a bit about the sweltering heat of DC (because that’s what one does at a Happy Hour in May in the DC area). We also talked about how much we were both looking forward to the long Memorial Day weekend. She’s quick-witted and laid back, but also uber professional and very charming.

Her Background

Kashanna completed a master’s degree in Management with a specialization in Public Relations from the University of Maryland University College in December 2017. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in International and Global Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Her Current Position

Kashanna is currently Office Coordinator for the Center for International Private Enterprise.

Her Interest in WWPR

“I decided to research PR organizations in the DC area and that’s when I came across WWPR. I also browsed the social media channels and saw the WWPR profile on LinkedIn. My first event was Speed Networking and I thought it was great!”

Her Out-Of-Office Hours

In her spare time, Kashanna enjoys traveling, yoga and community service activities. She’s an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Her Dream Job

“My dream job would be head of corporate communications for a brand or organization that would allow me to travel around the world collaborating with other organizations. International travel gives you a new perspective on the world and to be able to combine that with fulfilling work would be wonderful.

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