BRIAN O’CONNOR returns to the PRSA-LA Board of Directors for a fourth year to serve as the chapter's President.

DENNIS KAISER is a communications leader with more than 30 years of experience including 11 years as a journalist and 20 years in corporate and agency communications.

STEPHEN LOCASCIO is co-president of The Michael Russell Group, an LA-based public relations and marketing firm which specializes in entertainment and consumer brand consulting.  He joins the Board of Directors bringing an exenstive background in finance and agency management. 

KERRY SINCLAIR has more than five years of experience in public relations in the planning and implementation of public education campaigns, mainstream media relations, community outreach and event planning. Kerry has worked exclusively in the healthcare arena and conducts consumer and trade outreach on behalf of well-known consumer brands, both OTC and prescription.

ERIK DEUTSCH returns to the PRSA-LA Board of Directors for the third consecutive year to focus on advocacy and marketing chapter-related activities and initiatives. Prior to launching ExcelPR Group in 2005, Erik spent more than a decade working for large PR agencies and boutique firms representing all sorts of clients -- from start-up ventures to large, publicly-traded companies. While his experience is broad, he has specialized high-tech PR and media strategy expertise in healthcare (life sciences/medical devices), digital media and entertainment.

ALFREDO PADILLA has more than 15 years of corporate and agency media relations experience in the banking and financial services industry. He has experience in media relations, issue management, and development of target markets for various corporate accounts. 

JULIE BENSON brings more than 25 years experience in the cruise industry to her position as vice president, public relations for Princess Cruises, the third largest cruise line in the world carrying 1.3 million passengers annually to destinations around the globe.

STEPHEN CHAVEZ has spent more than 20 years spearheading strategic communications on behalf of major U.S. brands, non-profits and government agencies, including Kellogg’s, Verizon, McDonald’s, National CASA, and the California Department of Health Services to name a few. His commitment to developing solid strategies that translate into results for his clients have garnered a number of industry awards, including a Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America.

HOLLY FERRIS is president of Ferris Communications, a public relations and marketing consulting firm that offers a full range of services including public relations planning and implementation, media relations, crisis communications, brand building, speech writing, project management, community relations, and special event planning and execution. Ferris Communication’s clients include the Lexus Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., LINC Housing Corporation, VantageILM Inc., WomenShelter of Long Beach, and the Los Angeles Business Travel Association.

KATHLEEN FLOOD is a returning member of PRSA-LA’s Board of Directors. Previously, she was Co-Chair of Membership, and will continue to lead the committee for a second year. She is a vice president at MWW Group / Los Angeles, where she provides strategic counseling in corporate communications.

SHARI MESULAM is a Vice President of Entertainment at MPRM Communications where she specializes in the strategic development and execution of publicity campaigns for event and corporate clients.  She also has expertise in the planning, production and execution of events, including press strategy, event design and talent outreach.

DAWN WILCOX returns to the PRSA-LA Board of Directors for a NINTH year to serve as a Director. For the past eight years she has served as the Founder and Co-Chair of Quality Time with PR Minds, an annual event at which PR professionals donate their time to consult with nonprofits.

PHYLLIS TUCKER is senior vice president in Hill & Knowlton’s corporate services group, Los Angeles office, specializing in social marketing, internal communications, issues management and community relations.

JOHN MUSELLA, APR, is Director of Government & Environmental Affairs for Newhall Land, a premier community planner in north Los Angeles County. It's primary activities are planning communities in Valencia, CA, and on Newhall Ranch, which together form one of the nation's most valuable landholdings.

VICTORIA LELASH, APR, is a senior client service manager at PainePR specializing in social marketing and public health communications for clients such as the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Health California, a statewide movement to improve the health status of low-income Californians. Victoria also is the co-founder of Quality Time with PR Minds, PRSA-LA’s annual public service event that matches volunteer PR professionals with local nonprofits to provide free strategic counsel.

STEPHAN ROTH is a newly elected member of the PRSA-LA Board of Directors. He is principal and founder of OutThink Partners, a leading communications and marketing agency specializing in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) market. OutThink Partners’ clients include General Motors, LAN Airlines, Madrid Tourism, Atlantis Events, and Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts.

DENIS WOLCOTT, APR, is president of The Wolcott Company, a full-service public relations, public affairs and strategic communications firm based in Los Angeles.   The Wolcott Company has provided winning strategies for a range of companies, public agencies and organizations involved in real estate, finance, water and more.  Denis CorporateEco subsidiary provides sustainable-related consulting services.

ANNA PARRA - As the regional director of Public Affairs for Time Warner Cable’s west region, Anna oversees public affairs initiatives for the region including community investment, communications initiatives and the company’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

GREGORY P. JENKINS, APR, partner and co-founder of the award-winning Bravo Productions, holds an impressive list of credentials and has earned a high reputation in the field of special events. As partner of Bravo Productions, Jenkins is involved in all aspects of the company’s event productions -- from designing the concept and staging the function to overseeing publicity, marketing and the administrative operation. 

With twenty three years of technology, corporate, digital media and consumer brand marketing public relations experience, Sallie oversees the Convergence unit that manages the intersection of technology and science with digital media, entertainment and consumer products.

DARYL McCULLOUGH, CEO of PainePR, has nearly 25 years communications experience, and leads PainePR in areas of client strategy and innovation. Over his 15 years at PainePR, his work on major brand-building campaigns for clients like Taco Bell, Sony, P&G, Experian, Hilton Garden Inn and Blockbuster have been widely recognized as industry-leading. He helmed the team that launched XM Satellite Radio, serving as lead strategist for a campaign that was honored with the coveted "Best of Silver Anvil Award" in 2002. 

STEFAN I. POLLACK is President & CFO of The Pollack PR Marketing Group. His responsibilities include management of client services, new business development and financial planning for the agency. Stefan also oversees and directs social media and traditional media relations and outreach programs on behalf of several clients in various industries in addition to leading the agency’s professional service firm practice.

RITA TATEEL has been working with celebrities for over twenty-five years, including the last twenty-three as President of The Celebrity Source.  Her company is hired to recruit and coordinate celebrities for special events and PR/marketing campaigns, for both corporate and non-profit clients.

MICHAEL J. FURTNEY, whose corporate public relations experience spans four decades in a variety of industries, added a Masters Degree in Strategic Public Relations from George Washington University in 2010.  He is the Visiting Instructor in Communications at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.