Home | Articles by: WWPR

Author: WWPR

NEWSLETTER: January 2013

In this issue:

President’s Letter
Emerging Leaders Awards Member Spotlight
Articles of Interest
Upcoming Events
Jobs
Membership News Sponsor Spotlight

 

President’s Letter

Dear WWPR Members and Friends,

I hope your 2013 is off to a great start! We are excited to get the year started here at WWPR.  The beginning of a year is a great time to get involved in a committee — especially because we already have some terrific events in the works!

In order to ensure we deliver the events and opportunities you need to continue your career development please take a moment to fill out this short survey .  Have your voice be heard!

Finally, I hope to see you all at the Annual Meeting and Board Induction on January 24 featuring a keynote from Geoff Livingston, social media, marketing, technology and social change expert.  The 2013 board slate, which members vote into office during the meeting, will be announced via an email blast next week.  Register here

On behalf of Vocus, all attendees will receive a copy of Geoff’s recent book, Marketing in the Round.  A book-signing will be held following the luncheon.

Wishing you continued success this year and I look forward to working with you!

Best,

Tina

WWPR President

Join the 2013 Emerging Leaders Awards Committee

Interested in getting more involved with WWPR? The Emerging Leaders Awards (ELA) co-chairs are looking for dedicated members to join the ELA committee.  Join us and help make the 2013 event another great success!  Committee members will support the ELA Co-Chairs with a variety of activities, including:

  • Venue and sponsor liaison
  • Event promotion (including traditional and social media relations)
  • Content development (such as material for WWPR’s monthly e-newsletters, social media accounts and press releases)
  • Onsite registration and day-of coordination

This is a great opportunity to network with DC-area industry leaders and fine tune your event planning and writing skills. Committee members can get involved as much or as little as their schedule permits. Email ELA@wwpr.org for more information and to join the 2013 team!

Top

Member Spotlight
By Beth Stewart This month’s member spotlight features WWPR member Julie Strack of Jones Public Affairs.

As an English major at UC Berkeley, Julie Strack found an outlet writing and editing for the college’s newspaper. It was during this experience that Strack realized she enjoyed helping reporters network and meet new people rather than being a reporter herself.

Today, Strack is an account executive for Jones Public Affairs where she is responsible for supporting nonprofit and government healthcare clients.  Her duties include media relations and events support as well as material development.  Outside of JPA, Strack is very involved with the UC Berkeley alumni chapter where she leads the networking and professional development networking events.

Strack says having some experience in journalism is a great skill to have for those wanting to break into the public relations world.  She credits her experience in journalism for honing her skills in working with the media and becoming a poised communicator.

Articles of Interest

Upcoming Events

Top

WWPR Job Board

Post a Job

Membership News

December New Members

Hilary Howes:  Encore Décor, Inc.
Stephenie Fu:  SLF Strategies
Sher Blair:  Consultant
Lisa Miller:  The Glover Park Group
Daria Steigman:  Steigman Communications, LLC
Colleen Dolan:  National Geographic Society
Lai Wei:  Emory University
Sarah Woessner: Maimi University of Ohio
Eileen Collins: C. Fox Communications
Liza Smith: Georgetown University
Kathy King: Fleishman-Hillard

December Renewals

Emily Hughes: National Environmental Strategies
Benjamin Long:  Travaille Executive Search
Susan Apgood:  News Generation, Inc.
Denise Graveline:  Don’t Get Caught

Top

Sponsor Spotlight

The Boss Ladies can help you start your 2013 off on the right foot! Learn the territory, tips and tools you need to navigate and survive working in Washington as a communications professional, from the Boss Ladies, a team of experienced entrepreneurs who run their own communications-related businesses. Whether you’re looking for help on how to manage your organizations’ finances, need help developing a social media strategy or need help finding a temporary staffer, The Boss Ladies can help!

Need help organizing your business in 2013? Check out Core Association Services, run by Sherri Core, providing the core services your association needs, including: financial management, database maintenance, event planning and logistics.  They work with your association volunteers to fill in gaps and make things run smoothly.

Need help finding a good temporary staff?  Check out PRofessional Solutions, Washington, DC area’s temporary staffing agency of choice for experienced hardworking and communications professionals, run by Kate Perrin, CEO, and Melanie Jordan, Managing Director.

Need to cut through the New Year’s media clutter with your messages? Look into News Generation, an issue-driven public relations services company specializing in using broadcast media techniques-from satellite and radio media tours to public service announcements-to earn media placements, run by Susan Matthews Apgood.

Need to understand what the new Congress and second term of the Obama Administration will mean for your organization?  Look into InkWell Duck, Inc. founder, Tracey Wood, a business/government relations and communications strategist that can help you understand today’s political and business climate.

Need help preparing for the unexpected? Don’t get caught off guard-contact Denise Graveline, founder of Don’t Get Caught, a DC-based communications consultant that has experience developing social media strategies, media training, and speaker training, so you don’t get caught unprepared or without a message.

NEWSLETTER: December 2012

In this issue:

President’s Letter
WOY Recap
Member Spotlight
Articles of Interest
Upcoming Events
Jobs
Membership News
Sponsor Spotlight

 

President’s Letter

Happy Holidays! As the year comes to a close, WWPR looks back on a great one!  2012 marked a number of milestones for the organization — we launched our first affiliate chapter — AWPR/Atlanta Women in Public Relations; we created a senior Advisory Council to lead us in a five year strategic plan; and we offered new types of events to explore the different sides of the communications field. We made these developments in order to provide the best professional development, education and networking opportunities to you, our members. WWPR’s continued mission is to be a platform to help you succeed in your careers.  In 2013, we are excited to announce a renewed focus on professional development events, mentoring opportunities, and networking — but of course we want to hear from you and what you want and need! Let us know as we are here to serve you! The WWPR board can be reached at info@wwpr.org.

Some highlights to look for in 2013 include:

  • Annual Meeting & Luncheon will feature keynote speaker Geoff Livingston, a leading social media voice, author, and marketing specialist.  Livingston will guide attendees through a journey of lessons learned based on the influence of social change efforts and will examine the importance of staying up to speed on the next generation of media technology.  Event will include the board vote, induction, seated lunch and custom dessert.  Join us on Thursday, January 24 at Noon – more info and register here.
  • On February 13th hear from AARP’s social media lead on how they manage and execute a robust social media campaign to baby boomers.
  • On March 20th join us for a discussion on how PR professionals can get past counting impressions for measurement and begin to actually measure social change.
  • April will bring to our members a new event – Minute Mentoring – a unique event where women are encouraged to lead and succeed by women who do.
  • And get ready for our signature events Emerging Leaders Awards and Washington Women of the Year 2013 – both poised to be great events honoring our local industry!

Enjoy the holiday season and I look forward to connecting with you in 2013!

Cheers,

Tina
WWPR President

DC-Area PR Community Celebrates the Washington PR Woman of the Year

The 23rd Annual Washington PR Woman of the Year luncheon was a day of celebration for the honorees and all attendees of this year’s event. Two hundred fifty women and men came together to support PR Woman of the Year Stephenie Fu and honorees Debbi Jarvis and Gwen McKinney.

The event had something for everyone, including pre-luncheon networking, a fundraising raffle for WWPR’s pro-bono client Thrive DC, and a book signing with keynote speaker Charlotte Beers. These highlights, combined with an inspiring and diverse group of honorees, drew a record crowd of public relations professionals spanning a range of experience in the industry.

The event was well attended by leaders in our industry and the entire audience was energized and inspired throughout the luncheon. Keynote speaker Charlotte Beers dazzled the crowd with her wisdom drawn from years at the helm of international advertising conglomerate Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and as Under Secretary of State to Colin Powell, among other achievements.  Her current focus on helping women be “leaderly” through realizing their own potential was an inspiration to all. She affirmed that this is the “year of the woman” in Washington, challenging the audience to “be ready” because we will all be tested in our leadership abilities.

Following on Charlotte’s heels was a presentation of the 2012 PR Woman of the Year finalists in a moving video montage highlighting each woman’s unique approach to her work.  The 2011 WOY recipient, Heathere Evans-Keenan was on hand to announce the winner.  She told the crowd that the WWPR award is a unique and esteemed honor that strengthened her confidence before announcing the 2012 PR Woman of the Year, Stephenie Fu.

Stephenie, principal at SLF Strategies, glowingly remarked, “The fact that this award is from WWPR means everything.  To have a network of women supporting each other is critical in this field.”  Fu went on to say that her career has been inspired by her passions and fueled by “the fire in her belly” that reminds her why she’s worked so hard.

Whether you were able to join us at this year’s luncheon, or if you just want to see what you missed, you can view a highlights video of the event here.

We are excited that this year’s WOY luncheon was a remarkable success and are already looking forward to next year. For those of you who attended, we would value your feedback to ensure next year’s event is even better.  Please complete the online survey to be sure your voice is heard.

Thanks to our guests and sponsors for another great year and we look forward to seeing you in 2013.

Top

Member Spotlight
By Beth Stewart

This month’s Member Spotlight features WWPR’s 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year award winner Stephenie Fu of SLF Strategies.

As a junior at American University, Stephenie Fu quickly hit the intern circuit, determined to find her place in the communications industry.  Fu soon found her calling upon interning at a global agency.  “[This] is where I fell in love (with PR) and knew where I wanted to be — lots of variety of topics and work, high energy, with fun and crazy mixed in.”

After spending more than 20 years at global agencies, Fu embarked on her own by developing SLF Strategies. Serving as principal of her own business has given Fu the opportunity to place focus on her passions; social change issues, public health and nutrition. This passion is also evident in her pro bono work for Whitman-Walker Health where she provides marketing counsel with a focus on strategies and tools specifically with fundraising in mind.

Fu’s advice for those wanting to break into the communications field is to be ready to work hard and able to laugh at yourself at times.

“Find the fire in your belly, your passion, and feed it,” said Stephenie Fu.

Follow Stephenie Fu on Twitter

Read more here on this year’s Washington PR Woman of the Year.

 

Articles of Interest

Upcoming Events

WWPR Job Board

Post a Job

 

Membership News

November New Members

Hillary Stroud- National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA)
Mary Crawford- Burson-Marsteller
Jamie Nolan- Solar Energy Industries Association
Cory Churches- Ten Ten Communications
Lisa Dale Jones- Speaking with Soul
Nancy McCormick-Pickett- American Chemical Society
Tara Meadows- Ogilvy Washington
Marie Dauenheimer- Medical Illustration Studio
Ashley Wolos- Ogilvy Washington
Devon Cohen- Edelman
Holly Wetzel- American Gaming Association
Randee Ulsh- Ogilvy
Irena Kellas- TAC
Laura Keiter- Media Matters of America
Danielle Hagen- Nahigian Strategies

November Renewals

Heidi Schoenberger-Cobert- Cobert Communications Group
Patricia McNally- Freelance Consultant
Heathere Evans-Keenan- Keenan PR, Inc.

Top

Sponsor Spotlight

Communications is a global undertaking, and Ketchum is a global agency. As one of the largest and most geographically diverse PR agencies in the world, and the leading PR agency in Europe, Ketchum has more than 80 years of success, mentoring and leadership.

We are the first PR agency to:

  • Join the UN Global Compact
  • Win a Cannes Lion
  • Give food clients an in-house test kitchen
  • Establish a unit dedicated to word-of-mouth
  • Use an open innovation platform
  • Develop a dedicated research and measurement group

Here are some other quick facts you might like to know:

  • 74 offices and 56 affiliates in 70 countries
  • We have a nine member Executive Committee
  • Unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC)

Awards and Recognition:

  • Named 2012 Agency of the Year by PR Week
  • More Silver Anvils than any other agency
  • Unprecedented three-time winner of PRWeek’s (U.S.) Campaign of the Year Award
  • Recipient of International Consultancy of the Year at the PRWeek (U.K.) Awards
  • Campaign of the Decade, 2010 – Holmes Report
  • Ranked 1 amongst “big PR agencies” for Facebook engagement in their 2012 Global PR Network Social Scorecard

Learn more about Ketchum at www.Ketchum.com.

NEWSLETTER: November 2012

In this issue:

President’s Letter
WOY Finalists Announced
Media Roundtable Wrap-Up
Engaging Industry
Member Spotlight
Articles of Interest
Upcoming Events
Jobs
Membership News

 

President’s Letter

Dear WWPR Members,

I look forward to seeing you at this month’s big awards luncheon to honor the best of the best of DC PR women! Our Woman of the Year event will be an outstanding gathering of local professionals, a robust philanthropic raffle, and a unique opportunity to hear a keynote address from a female business and communications trailblazer–Charlotte Beers. More information on the event is below–see you on Thursday, November 15th.

Also mark your calendars for the Holiday Party on December 4 at 6:30 pm–always a fun time to close out the year with colleagues, friends and new industry contacts! At the Holiday Party we will announce the start of the 2013 schedule for WWPR events so that you can get January, February and March professional development events on your calendar for the new year. We have some exciting new sessions planned!

Cheers,

Tina

Register Today for the 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year Award Luncheon

There’s still time to register for WWPR’s 23rd Annual Washington PR Woman of the Year Award Luncheon, a premier networking event that honors top women communicators in the DC area. The event, which celebrates three finalists and selects one to be the Woman of the Year, will be held Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H St., NW, Washington, DC.  Tickets are $75 for WWPR and PRSA members; $85 for non-members; and $750 for a corporate table (10 tickets).

The Woman of the Year ceremony, established in 1990, is WWPR’s signature event. The annual experience attracts some of the region’s most recognized women in public relations and has become a must-attend celebration for members of the profession who want to build relationships and improve leadership skills and influence. The event also raises funds for WWPR’s pro-bono client Thrive DC, a non-profit organization that works to prevent and end homelessness.

This year’s Woman of the Year finalists are SLF Strategies Principal Stephenie Fu; Pepco Holdings, Inc. Vice President for Corporate Citizenship and Social Responsibility Debbi Jarvis; and McKinney & Associates President Gwen McKinney.

Fu, a former senior counsel at Ketchum, recently headed the communications strategy for the return of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Washington. Jarvis, a former NBC4-TV news anchor and reporter, is responsible for developing strategies around corporate goodwill in the communities served by Pepco Holdings. And McKinney, former press secretary for U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s 1990 congressional campaign, heads her own firm, which is the first African-American and woman-owned public relations firm in the nation’s capital focused on social advocacy.

Keynote speaker for the event will be female business icon Charlotte Beers, former CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the State Department. Her new book I’d Rather Be in Charge gives women advice on how to advance in their careers all the way to the C-suite, while establishing pride and power in the workplace.  Beers will be on hand after the luncheon to sign copies of her book.  Buy your copy in advance for $15.

A raffle benefiting Thrive DC will be held during the event. The raffle will feature a number of premier items, such as a two-night stay and dinner at the new Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia, two Tiffany & Co. items, an Amazon Kindle Fire, autographed DC sports teams memorabilia, gift certificates to a number of fine DC establishments, and much more! To learn about our raffle items and other exciting event details follow us on twitter at @WWPR #WOY12.

Without the help of our sponsors, WWPR events like the Woman of the Year would not be possible. A special thanks to this year’s gold sponsors: Boss Ladies Mean Business, Central Michigan University, Edelman Public Relations, the National Press Club, Pepco Holdings, Inc., Porter Novelli, PR Newswire, Strauss Radio Strategies and zcomm. Our silver sponsors: Jones Public Affairs, Ketchum, Ogilvy Washington and Vocus.  Our bronze sponsors: Carma International,  D S Simon Productions Inc., Gibraltar Associates, Hager Sharp, Keenan PR, NAPS, National Restaurant Association, and West Glen Communications. And our media partner: Capitol Communicator.

And we are grateful to our in-kind event sponsors, which include:  Beckstein Productions, Dakota Fine Wedding Photography, Encore Decor,  InArt Design Works and Rua Creative.

Please join us for this celebratory occasion. Register today!

Top

WWPR Media Roundtable Wrap-Up

Recently, we hosted members of the media for a state of the industry roundtable at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to answer the burning questions of  PR professionals when it comes to what the media thinks in regard to pitches, what they think of PR, and their views on traditional versus digital media– here is an insider peek.  READ MORE

Engaging Industry
By Karin Bloomquist

Engaging Industry is a monthly column written by Karin Bloomquist covering the impact of public relations in the corporate, education, government, and non-profit sectors.  It dives into industry trends and issues related to the development of public relations professionals.

Internships in the public relations industry are critical for students aspiring to become successful professionals in the field. Internships enable students to gain the necessary skills and experience to be attractive to potential employers and begin establishing a career path. However, as anyone who has held one or multiple internships knows, these experiences can be mixed. A successful internship depends largely on the leadership abilities of the professional mentor or manager assigned to the intern, and not all of these leaders are adequately prepared for the task. What are these qualities, and how can they provide exceptional internship experiences?  READ MORE

Top

Member Spotlight
By Beth Stewart

In July, WWPR held its 2012 Emerging Leaders Awards.  This month’s newsletter features one of the three ELA winners, Laura Hornbuckle of Edelman Public Relations.

During her junior year at Washington Lee, Laura Hornbuckle knew she wanted to explore beyond her accounting studies.  With the addition of a few communications courses, Hornbuckle said something clicked for her and found a passion for communicating brands.

Hornbuckle now serves as an Account Supervisor at Edelman Public Relations where she manages influencer and industry outreach efforts for clients such as the American Petroleum Institute and Royal Dutch Shell.  Hornbuckle’s efforts don’t stop there.  She also serves as the philanthropy chair Edelman’s Living in Color initiative where she is responsible for organizing community outreach activities for the office.  Hornbuckle’s advice for those who want to excel in the communications industry is to connect with other professionals.

“I find that I am constantly inspired and reinvigorated and motivated to learn more and to do the best job and be the best communications professional, the more I talk about it with others,” said Laura Hornbuckle.

Articles of Interest

Upcoming Events

Top

WWPR Job Board

Post a Job

Membership News

October New Members

Stacie Paxton — H+K Strategies
Lisa Binzel — Edelman Berland
Rebecca Lyle — Miami University
Andrea Adleman– Consultant
Kate Mattos — National Education Association
Debbi Jarvis —  Pepco Holdings
Marguerite England — Ad Council
Melinda Anderson — National Education Association
Katie Test — ASCD
Pattie Yu — The Yu Crew
Andrea Summers — Adfero Group
Jennifer Myers — Edelman Berland

October Renewals

Fred Kaiser — Central Michigan University Global Campus
Erin Connors — American Psychiatric Association
Karin Bloomquist — Deltek, Information Solutions
Rockhelle Johnson — Conference of State Bank Supervisors
Lauren Lawson-Zilai — Goodwill Industries International, Inc.
Helen Mitternight — Vanguard Communications
Kirsten Seckler — Special Olympics
Top

PRESS RELEASE: WWPR Names Stephenie Fu the 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year

Pioneering Businesswoman Charlotte Beers Keynotes 23rd Annual
Awards Ceremony

Stephenie Fu, Washington Women in Public Relations’ (WWPR) 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year (Photo by Dakota Fine Photography)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 15, 2012 – Stephenie Fu, a strategic communication counselor and consumer behavior specialist, was named Washington Women in Public Relations’ (WWPR) 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year today in a distinguished awards ceremony honoring two other top public relations executives and celebrating women in communications.

Fu, principal at SLF Strategies, was one of three finalists for the 23rd annual award. Gwen McKinney, president and founder of McKinney & Associates, and Debbi Jarvis, vice president for corporate citizenship and social responsibility for Pepco Holdings, Inc. also were named in the top spots by WWPR, a professional society advancing women communicators in metropolitan Washington, D.C.

“The fact that this award is from WWPR means everything,” Fu said. “To have a network of women supporting each other is critical in this field. The infrastructure this group offers is really unmatched.”

The Woman of the Year luncheon was held at Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C., and featured former Ogilvy and Mather CEO Charlotte Beers as keynote speaker. “In Washington, it IS the Year of the Woman. And today I saw it in living color.  Great women, everywhere, leading,” said Beers. An advertising legend who broke many glass ceilings during her career, Beers is author of “I’d Rather Be in Charge,” a book dedicated to helping women achieve career success. Through her “The X Factor” workshops, Beers provides step-by-step solutions to the serious issues facing working women today.

Fu was selected by a panel of eminent industry judges based on her exceptional achievements and contributions to the field of public relations, her leadership and her contributions to the community. “Stephanie is a strong leader aligning on projects and clients she truly believes in,,” said WWPR President Tina McCormack Beaty. “We are honored to name her as the 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year for her distinguished career, focused on her passion for food and nutrition.  During the application process it was almost overwhelming to see the number of colleagues that wanted to share an endorsement of Stephanie’s work.”

Fu, a former senior counsel at Ketchum, managed the communications for the return this summer of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Washington for the first time in 16 years. She led the development of the USDA’s new MyPlate symbol, launched with First Lady Michelle Obama to replace the 20-year-old Food Pyramid. She also led the USDA’s national food guidance systems MyPyramid and MyPyramid for Kids.

From left to right: Debbi Jarvis, Charlotte Beers, Stephenie Fu, and Gwen McKinney (Photo by Dakota Fine Photography)

McKinney is a former journalist and civil rights activist who promoted former South African President Nelson Mandela’s first state visit, and took charge of a union’s crisis communication in the aftermath of Metro’s Red Line crash in 2009.

Jarvis is a former NBC4-TV news anchor and reporter who was recognized as one of 25 Women Who Mean Business by Washington Business Journal. Currently in her role as group vice president of corporate citizenship and social responsibility for Pepco Holdings Inc., her efforts are focused on corporate goodwill in the communities served by the organization.

Last year’s Woman of the Year recipient was Heathere Evans-Keenan, president of Keenan PR. A list of previous recipients of the PR Woman of the Year award is available at www.wwpr.org.

Proceeds from today’s raffle benefit Thrive DC, a non-profit organization that works to prevent and end homelessness by providing vulnerable individuals with a comprehensive range of services to help stabilize their lives.

About the Washington PR Women of the Year Selection Process

Each year, candidates are nominated through an open application process.  The applications are then reviewed and evaluated based on standard criteria, which include: accomplishments in the public relations field; contributions to the community; and industry leadership.  The final selection is made by a panel of five esteemed communications professionals based in the Washington, D.C. area.

About Washington Women in Public Relations

Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is the first and only D.C. based professional organization advancing women in the communications industry. WWPR is committed to delivering outstanding professional development, networking, marketplace positioning, and leadership opportunities to area communicators. Visit us at www.wwpr.org, “Like” us on Facebook.com/WashingtonWomeninPR, join our group on LinkedIn, and follow us on Twitter @WWPR.

Join the Mailing List

Stay connected with WWPR by signing up for our mailing list! You’ll receive the latest updates on professional development events, exclusive networking opportunities, leadership initiatives, and more!