We’re only a couple of months into 2025, but the energy and momentum within WWPR is already incredible!
Our Annual Meeting Luncheon in February was nothing short of inspiring. A huge thank you to Debbi Jarvis, who left us with so many powerful takeaways, including one of my favorites:
➡️ “Embrace who you’ve been because it’s going to lead to who you will become.”
Her wisdom set the perfect tone for the year ahead, and we are so grateful to have kicked things off with such an empowering conversation.
At the end of February, we gathered for Policy Influence in a Shifting Landscape—a timely and thought-provoking discussion on navigating today’s policy and regulatory environment. Thank you to our incredible panelists for sharing candid insights and practical strategies, and to Beekeeper Group for hosting us.
Looking ahead, I’m especially excited for the first dinner in our Executive Communicator Series this week! This new quarterly series is designed to bring senior-level communicators together for meaningful conversations in a private setting. A huge thank you to MiQ for sponsoring this initiative and helping us create a space for authentic dialogue among industry leaders. I also hope to see many of you at our Women’s History Month Happy Hour on March 27.
And if you’re already planning ahead, mark your calendars for our signature events:
✨ Emerging Leaders Awards – June 11 at the AT&T Forum, Washington, D.C. ✨ Woman of the Year – October 3 at The Salamander, Washington, D.C.
With so much happening, I’m beyond grateful to be part of this incredible community. Whether you’ve joined us at an event or engaged with us online, your presence and support make all the difference. I can’t wait to see what we continue to build together this year!
Happy New Year! (Can we still say that the last week of January?!) It’s an honor to kick off 2025 as your President, especially during this milestone year as we celebrate 45 years of Washington Women in Public Relations. For over four decades, WWPR has been a cornerstone for female communicators in the D.C. area, cultivating connections, leadership opportunities and professional growth. I’m thrilled to build on this incredible legacy alongside our incoming Board of Directors.
We’re coming into the year on such a high note after closing out 2024 with an incredible Woman of the Year event and launching a fresh, new website designed to create a much better platform and experience for both members and non-members alike.
We’ve already hit the ground running with exciting events to kickstart the year! On January 9, we hosted Recharge & Reconnect: A Guided Meditation for PR Pros, a virtual session that emphasized the importance of well-being in our fast-paced industry. Thank you to Kristi Duncan for guiding us through a calming meditation and equipping us with practical tools to prioritize mental health.
Later, on January 23, it was wonderful to see so many of you in person at Burson Global for Next-Gen Comms: Strategies for a Shifting Media Ecosystem. This insightful panel explored the challenges and opportunities of today’s decentralized media landscape. A huge thank you to Burson for hosting and to our incredible panelists for sharing their expertise. Seeing a packed room of communicators engaging in such a timely discussion reminds me of the power of our community.
Looking ahead, we have even more in store:
WWPR Annual Meeting Luncheon – Join us on February 13 at The Hamilton as we gather to thank our outgoing board, welcome the 2025 Board of Directors, and hear from our inspiring keynote speaker, Debbi Jarvis, whose journey and insights will set an exciting tone for the year ahead.
Policy Influence in a Shifting Landscape – Save the date for our February professional development event on February 25 at the Beekeeper Group. Stay tuned for details as we dive into how communicators can adapt to the priorities of a new administration.
Executive Communicators Series – We’ll soon announce dates for this exciting quarterly series, designed specifically for senior-level communicators to connect in-person, build community and share strategies on navigating today’s challenges.
This year, we are committed to providing even more meaningful opportunities for professional growth, thought leadership and connection. Whether you’re joining us virtually or in person, I hope to see you at an upcoming event as we continue to grow this amazing community.
Thank you for being part of WWPR’s legacy and future. Here’s to an inspiring 2025!
For 45 years, the organization has provided unique networking and professional development opportunities for female communicators in D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 23, 2025) – Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR), a leading membership group for female communications professionals in Washington D.C., today announced its 2025 Board of Directors. The newly elected Board is as follows:
President: Colleen Gallagher, OnWrd & UpWrd
Past President: Chelsea Echavarria, CME Communications
Vice President: Charmaine Riley, American Beverage
Secretary: Lauren Tyler, Adfero
Treasurer: Vanessa French, Vanessa French Consulting
Sponsorship/Partnership Co-Chair: Shalaya Crummie, GAP Solutions, Inc.
Sponsorship/Partnership Co-Chair: Aisha Johnson, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Pro Bono Co-Chair: Alicia Aebersold, American Psychological Association
Pro Bono Co-Chair: Christina Crawley, The Headfirst Companies
Content Co-Chair: Agatha Aramayo, Foundation for Total Recovery
Content Co-Chair: Andrea Sok, Sok Influencer
Design Chair: Kate Keverline, The Carlyle Group
Digital Marketing Chair: Derika Crowley, Skai Blue Media
Social Media Chair: Melanie Vynalek, Adfero
All WWPR members were invited to vote online for the new Board in January 2025.
For 45 years, WWPR has cultivated and inspired female communicators to reach their full potential in the D.C. market and beyond. The Board of Directors leads the charge and helps the organization to provide leadership opportunities, professional development, community partnerships, mentorship and industry networking.
“The 2025 WWPR Board of Directors represents an incredible group of leaders across the communications field,” said Colleen Gallagher, President, WWPR. “Their passion, expertise, and commitment to advancing women in our industry will drive WWPR’s mission forward. Together, we are focused on creating meaningful opportunities for professional growth, fostering connections, and continuing to make a lasting impact on our members and the D.C. communications community.”
Throughout the year, WWPR will continue to host professional development and networking events for female communicators at every stage of their careers, including the 2025 Annual Meeting Luncheon on February 13, and its two annual signature events: the Emerging Leaders Awards and the 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.
Washington, D.C., Oct. 7, 2024 – On Friday, October 4, 2024, Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) recognized Aba Blankson, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the NAACP as its 2024 Woman of the Year. Established in 1990, the Woman of the Year program recognizes individuals who have raised the bar in the communications field and raised the bar for the future of the profession.
Throughout her 25-year career, Aba Blankson has made significant contributions to public relations, all of which were distinguished by her creativity, management skills, and strategic leadership, and focused on driving organizational growth. In her role at the NAACP, Aba has been crucial in amplifying the voice of the nation’s largest civil rights organization, ensuring it remains a leading force in the modern civil rights movement. Aba’s creativity in public relations is evident in her ability to craft compelling narratives and innovative campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. Upon joining the NAACP seven years ago, she led a comprehensive brand evolution that strategically positioned the organization to address contemporary challenges while honoring its historic legacy.
Debbi Jarvis, a news reporter turned groundbreaking corporate communicator, and Linda Roth, Chief Communications Officer at World Central Kitchen, were also honored and recognized for their achievements. Kate Perrin, longtime WWPR supporter who is responsible for chairing the first ever Women of the Year (WOY) awards committee, formally presented the award.
“We are excited to name Aba Blankson as WWPR’s 2024 Woman of the Year and celebrate her remarkable achievements and contributions,” said Chelsea Echavarria, President of WWPR. “WWPR is also proud to recognize our other two incredible finalists—Linda and Debbi. Their leadership, dedication, and impact have made a lasting difference in our industry and in the community.”
The Woman of the Year honoree was announced at a luncheon held at The Salamander in Washington, D.C.
The event featured a keynote address from Sumi Somaskanda, Chief Presenter for the BBC, sponsored by AARP. Sumi has served as a senior news anchor and correspondent at DW News (Deutsche Welle), Germany’s international broadcaster. She has also reported in Germany for various international publications, including The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Global Post, Newsweek, PRI, and USA Today.
Her address highlighted her experience and expertise as a reporter, writer, and editor and important insights around today’s communications landscape. The event also highlighted WWPR’s commitment to serving the DC-area community with funds raised for the organization’s pro bono client, Running Start, a DC based nonpartisan nonprofit that trains young women to run for political office.
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 X, formerly Twitter, @WWPR and on Instagram @WWPRDC.
by Allison Gross, associate director, Vanguard Communications
As ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools emerge into our workplace, many in our firms are equal parts giddy and guarded about what it means for our short-term tasks and our long-term jobs. And the truth is, the evolution is happening so quickly that getting your head around what it is and what it does can only be relied upon for a few moments. (I mean, AI is advancing at such a rapid pace that I worry this blog post might feel outdated by the time you finish it!)
Through our research and focus on capitalizing on all that AI has to offer us, we believe the challenges we need to address with policies are clear – ethics, privacy, misinformation, and transparency.
Not surprisingly, AI usage hit a new peak in 2024. According to a McKinsey survey, 65% of respondents report their organizations regularly use generative AI – nearly double the rate from just 10 months ago. However, along with the fast growth in connection with AI, many users have already experienced some negative impacts, with 44% of those respondents indicating they have faced at least one problem related to AI use.
Implementing an ethical AI policy is a critical step to harness the benefits of generative AI while mitigating its risks, and that has been our focus for the past six months.
We have developed a robust AI policy, including an AI FAQs document that provides guidance and best practices for use on all client-related activities, as well as an AI tool vetting checklist, understanding that not all AI tools are created equally.) Creating these resources was a challenging process given the constantly changing landscape of AI. However, it was necessary to provide our staff with the parameters that can enable them to use AI ethically in this moment and ensure that their usage aligns with our values.
Here is how we tackled the AI opportunity.
Assemble an AI team
Creating an ethical AI policy should not be a solo mission. We established an AI task force composed of a diverse team and perspectives. The task force meets regularly to assess a variety of issues related to the consistently changing AI environment, including updating guidelines to better address the unique challenges (and opportunities) presented by AI. We walk through new tools together. We share stories of where AI has gone all wrong (e.g., those emails that you just KNOW were written by a chatbot). And we brainstorm on how to use specific tools so that we aren’t just chasing the bright shiny thing but actually processing how it will help our efficiency without crossing ethical lines.
By bringing together a variety of perspectives, we strive to ensure that our policy is comprehensive and considerate of different viewpoints.
Align your AI policy with your core values
At Vanguard, we pride ourselves on a people-first approach, which means that we use only human voice artists and real people in images and video to the extent possible.
Your organization should determine the ethical principles and values that guide AI development and deployment, such as inclusiveness, human well-being, transparency and accountability. These principles will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive and ethical AI policy. We think of AI as an assistant, never an author. AI should enhance, not replace, human intelligence and decision-making. Your AI policy should also include human oversight to avoid overreliance on automated decisions.
Prioritize inclusivity
Our AI task force created an AI tool vetting checklist that includes three key questions that our staff should consider before using any AI tool:
1) Is the AI tool transparent on how it formulates responses and what dataset/sources it uses?
2) Does the AI tool formulate responses based on hard data?
3) Does the AI tool include features to accommodate users with different types of disabilities (e.g., visual, auditory, cognitive)?
These questions help ensure that whatever AI tool we are considering supports our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness (DEI) efforts because we can identify how the tool is generating its response. It is essential for our staff to understand that AI can replicate the same types of biases exhibited by people.
Train and educate
A standalone policy is not enough. Pair the policy with sessions to educate staff about the ethics surrounding the use of AI. We hold regular learning sessions to help staff stay updated on best practices and new developments in AI. These trainings cover various topics, including AI implications for DEI, using AI ethically in writing, and the basics of our policies.
We also recommend creating a collaborative space (we use a Teams channel) where staff share news, research, upcoming webinars, and their personal experiences, both good and bad, with colleagues.
Promote transparency
Your policy should emphasize transparency in using AI, just as you are transparent about how you bill clients or staff your project teams. Our policy emphasizes the requirement of being open and honest with our stakeholders in how we use AI. If used in the appropriate manner, AI is simply another professional tool that can help us generate ideas and provide direction, but it can take time for organizations to come on board. Be patient with them.
Embrace the iterative process
AI is continuously evolving, and your first policy cannot possibly be comprehensive of all of your organization’s considerations in using AI. Think about including into your policy a process to regularly review and update it as the environment changes and new AI tools are introduced.
Our work with AI is just beginning, and as PR pros we probably can’t be experts right away, but we can build a framework of understanding for ourselves and for our clients. As we continue to explore new AI tools and technologies, our commitment to ethical practices remains steadfast. In fact, we almost never reference “AI” on its own; in our conversations, it’s always “ethical AI.”
By regularly updating our policies and providing ongoing education for our team, we aim to ensure that our use of AI aligns with our values and serves our mission.
Allison Gross is an associate director at Vanguard Communications in Washington, D.C. and a member of WWPR. She has extensive experience in health communications and marketing activities for government and nonprofit clients. At Vanguard, she is part of the AI task force and oversees the production of communications campaigns and materials for a Medicaid managed care organization in D.C. Before joining Vanguard, Allison led the overall marketing and communications strategy for the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC). Prior to PCC, she developed and executed communications campaigns to promote the 340B Drug Discount Program at the American Pharmacist Association.
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