2011 PRSA-LA Committees

Volunteer service on a committee is reserved for Members in good-standing with PRSA National and the LA Area Chapter. Please contact the Board Liaison and/or Committee Chairperson to communicate your interest in serving on one of our 2011 Committees. If you are not yet a member, click here for Membership information.

Or, if you would like more information about any of the committees listed here, fill out the form below.

Click Here for the Committee Signup Form

COMMUNITY

Membership

Board Liaisons: Kathleen Flood ( ), Daryl McCullough ( )

Co-Chair Recruitment:  Jean Oerlich

Co-Chair Membership Events:  Katherine Vander Ark 

Co-Chair Member Relations:  Hannah Klodt

Co-Chair New Members:  Alfredo Padilla ( )

Identify key demographics of potential members, create a plan for outreach for each area of concentration and implement recruitment plan. Work with the Newsletter and PR & Marketing committees to advertise PRSA membership promotions and plan a prospective member reception.

Reach out to new members, help them feel welcomed, find out interests and encourage active participation. Committee members will be responsible for personal phone calls to new members, meeting them at monthly programs and introducing them to others.

Develop a plan to keep current members engaged and encourage committee/leadership participation. Committee members will be responsible for personal phone calls/e-mails, tracking and forwarding member news to newsletter editor and following up with any member who has expressed interest in becoming actively involved with the chapter.

Independent Practitioners Alliance

Board Liaisons: Stephan Roth ( ) and Stephen Chavez ( )

Co-Chair:  Margot Black ( )

Co-Chair:  Cassio Trevisani ( )

Steering committee to organize programs and resources to provide a forum for independent practitioners to network, share business concepts and resources, build joint business opportunities, develop ideas and offer general support. The group also aims to support PR professionals who contract with agencies for temporary and part-time assignments.

Multicultural/Diversity

Board Liaisons: Phyllis Tucker ( ) and Stephen Chavez ( )

Chair: Open

Focus on building Board/Chapter commitment to multicultural and diverse programming and policies. Track and report multicultural diversity on all levels of Chapter activities and make recommendations to the board. Activities may focus on policies, programs, membership development, or coalition-building. Plan and coordinate one dynamic multicultural/diversity program during the course of the year.

Accreditation

Board Liaison: Sallie Olmsted, APR ( )

Co-Chair:  Rebecca Mikkelsen, APR ( )

The APR is the accreditation program open to those with at least five years of full-time, paid professional PR experience. APR is earned by passing written and oral examinations that test competence in and knowledge of the public relations field. APR committee members promote APR accreditation, mentor candidates, serve on readiness review panels, find locations and coordinate logistics and materials for preparation classes and if appropriate, participate as instructors.

Advocacy

Board Liaison: Eric Moses ( )

Chair: Open

Central to PRSA-LA’s mission is sounding a clear, consistent voice on important issues to our profession and professionals in the Greater Los Angeles area, including Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern counties. PRSA-LA’s advocacy committee works to demonstrate the leadership role of practitioners within the profession and in our community. By engaging stakeholders inside and outside the profession, the Advocacy Committee strives to enhance awareness of the important role public relations plays in our region to business and government leaders. We also contribute to public discourse on issues that affect the profession directly and those that impact free and open communications.

COMMUNICATIONS

Newsletter

Board Liaison: Erik Deutsch ( )

Chair / Editor:  Philip Sokoloski ( )

Co-Chair / Copywriter:  Andrew Hindes ( )

Create a regularly scheduled informative and entertaining electronic newsletter of chapter activities and news, soliciting and/or writing articles.

Web Site/Social Media

Board Liaison: John Musella ( ) and Denis Wolcott ( )

Webmaster: Brian Wold ( )

Co-Chair / Social Media: Filled (name coming soon)

Co-Chair / Website Content Development: Open

Work with the board, Executive Director and Webmaster to make recommendations to improve PRSA-LA’s website and institute appropriate new media initiatives to better serve PRSA-LA’s members, recruit new members and inform website visitors of chapter activities.

Public Relations & Marketing

Board Liaison: Shari Mesulam ( ) and Anna Parra ( )

Chair: Open

Create and implement a PR and marketing plan to promote PRSA-LA and its programs. Identify appropriate industry publications/online outlets to promote PRSA-LA activities; write news releases and help distribute. Act as liaison to newsletter and website committees, including making sure photos are taken at events and forwarded to these committees. Publicize chapter activities and member accomplishments such as honors and awards including preparing and sending out appropriate Chapter press releases to the appropriate general media.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Sponsorships

Board Liaisons:  Negin Kamali ( ) and Steve LoCascio ( )

Co-Chair:  Laura Calliari ( )

Review current chapter sponsorship guidelines and make recommendations to the board for changes/additions. Identify sponsorship needs for various programs/chapter activities. Develop and implement a plan for identifying potential sponsors, solicitation and sponsorship fulfillment.

Resource (Vendors) & Referral (Agency/Practitioner) Directories

Board Liaison:  Mindy Gail ( )

Chair: Open
Identify potential listing/ad leads and create a tracking database. Develop and implement a plan to promote the two Directories, solicit listings/ads and follow up as needed.

PRism Awards Call For Entries/Judging

Board Liaison: Dennis Kaiser ( ) and Eric Moses ( )
Chair: Brian Shaffer ( )

Graphic Designer: Kellen Oberts ( )

Coordinate the Awards solicitation, including the production of the “Call for Entries” materials, securing key lists for mailing, following up with appropriate agencies/companies who have not submitted entries and informing winners. Liaison with PRism Awards Show committee as needed. Convene to review and judge the award entries from another PRSA chapter (who in turn judge our PRSA-LA PRism Awards entries). This judging panel has 2-3 meetings to review all submissions, and meets based on the timing needs of the chapter awards being judged.

PRism Awards Show: Wed., Nov. 9, 2011

Board Liaisons: Brian O’Connor ( ) and Mindy Gail ( )

Producer / Director:  Michael Seel 
Co-Chair:  Natascha French ( )
Co-Chair:  Jackie Chase ( )

Work with the Executive Director to plan and coordinate all logistics related to the Award Show, including producing event invitation, design and printing of the program, securing PRSSA student members as volunteers, recruiting presenters and Emcee and producing appropriate signage. The committee is also responsible for conducting follow up calls to winners and sponsors who have not RSVP’d and making sure that all sponsors’ banner ads and links are collected and placed on website.

PRSA-LA GIVES BACK 

Don Perkins Grant

Board Liaison: Steve Roth ( )

Chair: Open

Identify and secure various non-profit lists to inform about the grant, which awards funds to help enhance PR initiatives. Create notification packet and send to non-profit prospects. Review applicants and determine winner. Follow up with grant winner to receive a final report on how the grant was used. Work with Sponsorship Committee to identify potential grant sponsors and solicit funds.

Trevett Award

Board Liaison: Kerry Sinclair ( )

Chair: Open

Manage the process to promote this scholarship award to YP professionals, accept applications, select panel of judges, manage judging process, coordinate trophy order, etc.

PROGRAMS

At Breakfast With…

Board Liaison: Alfredo Padilla ( )

Chair:  Raul Gordillo ( )

Committee:  Josie Mora, David Gomez, Marisa Jimenez, Daniel Guerrero

Develop and coordinate the topics, logistics and media/journalist speakers for five ABW programs during the year. Secure appropriate media panelists and venues, plus work with the sponsorship committee for budget needs. Create program notices and forward to Executive Director for distribution. Considering the topic/speakers, determine additional sources of attendees, beyond membership, gather contact information and provide to Executive Director.

Programs

Board Liaison: Brian O’Connor ( ), Mindy Gail ( )

Co-Chair: Open
Co-Chair: Open

Develop the topics and events for chapter meetings. Determine venue and establish budget. Conduct outreach and confirm speakers. Work with the sponsorship committee for budget needs. Create program notices (at least four weeks in advance of event) and forward to Executive Director for distribution. Considering the topic, determine additional sources of attendees, beyond membership, gather contact information and provide to Executive Director. Work with PR & Marketing committee to promote.

ConneXions Mixers

Board Liaison: Greg Jenkins ( )

Co-Chair: Open
Co-Chair: Open

Reach out to allied organizations and secure partnership agreements. Assist in identifying potential venues and caterers. Create program notices and forward to Executive Director for distribution. Create signage as needed. Work with the other organizations to coordinate event logistics. Work with the sponsorship committee to secure table-top sponsors/exhibitors and raffle prize gifts. Work with the other organizations to coordinate event logistics. Work with PR & Marketing committee to promote.

Quality Time With PR Minds

Board Liaisons: Vicky Lelash, APR ( ) and Dawn Wilcox, APR ( )

Committee:  Kristin Wood, Kerry Sinclair, Julie Benson

Engage nonprofits and public relations professionals in a one-day community service event utilizing public relations skills to benefit area nonprofit organizations. Committee members will be responsible for identifying and inviting nonprofit organizations to participate, recruiting public relations professionals to volunteer as consultants, working with the sponsorship committee to secure sponsors to cover costs of the event and conducting media outreach prior to and following the event.