Written by Carrie Johnson, M.A., WWPR Pro Bono Committee Member and Director of Communications, Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).
Our profession is all about connections and WWPR has been essential to my career in facilitating those connections. After meeting Kelly Mack, a WWPR Past President, early in my career, I joined WWPR’s Pro Bono Committee, and I served as WWPR Pro Bono Co-Chair (2018-2019). During this time, I co-managed projects for Sitar Arts Center, and helped bring in WWPR’s current Pro Bono Client, the Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School.
Working as a nonprofit communications professional requires a can-do attitude, and a willingness to learn and grow. It is important to be mission-focused and hungry to learn– whether that be through a WWPR networking event, or other resources.
Here are some of my favorite resources:
- Facebook Nonprofit Communications Professionals Group – This group (14.9K members strong) is a welcome forum for all nonprofit PR pos. Discussion topics include everything from annual reports to videos to sharing of resources for website redesign and social media calendars.
- Google Data Studio – Reporting to the C-Suite is a job requirement for all PR pros, whether proving the effectiveness of a media relations campaign, or putting together graphics for a quarterly Board report. Google Data Studio is a free product by Google for analytics. IndieTech Solutions, a firm that designs, develops, and deploys websites exclusively for nonprofits, held this webinar for nonprofit PR pros about how to make the most of Google Studio to create analytics reports.
- Progressive Communicators of DC (PCDC) – I was first introduced to this Groups.io through the WWPR Pro Bono committee. PCDC is a great community of like-minded professionals who share job opportunities, information about professional development events, and share information about everything from the best media monitoring products on the market to pro tips for how to use video.
- General Assembly – I learned about General Assembly during a post WWPR sent about resources for professional development. The marketing courses and curriculum that GA make it quick and easy for any PR pro to learn on his or her own time. Also, some of the courses are free!
- Progressive Exchange – The Progressive Exchange is an online community that was started in 2004 by M+R as a way to share information about online strategies, tactics and tools among people doing internet organizing, advocacy, marketing and fundraising on behalf of the public interest.
I am so glad that I joined WWPR. The benefits to me personally, the friends and colleagues I have made and the professional development opportunities it has brought me have exceeded all my expectations. It has been a challenging few years for all of us. Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, I saw a vehicle bumper sticker that read, “Inhale Courage. Exhale Fear.” I encourage you to do the same as we come out on the other side of the last two years with new hope for a brighter future.
Follow Carrie Johnson on Twitter, @CarrieJohnson75.