Month: January 2011

Introducing your 2011 Executive Committee

Heather Sliwinski Leave a comment

In addition to new blog chairs, the New Professionals Section is happy to introduce the rest of the Executive Committee members for 2011.  Below are our new volunteers, with a selection of their New Year’s PR resolutions:

Sarah Siewert, Chair

-Learn more about leveraging mobile technology and location-based apps

-Keep up with my RSS reader

Noelle Pennyman, Member Chair

“My PR Resolution for 2011 is to always remember the value of a personal connection. Technologies will continue to integrate into our communication tools, but the basics will always remain the same.”

Joshua Romero, Member Chair

-Get more involved with my local PRSA chapter through service to our profession and the community. 

-Incorporate more online videos into the stories and web content I create for the law school. 

-Continue building the law school’s innovative social media program. 

-Launch my consulting company and get tons of clients!

Crystal Olig, Mentorship Liaison

“Get better at helping clients think through their online content strategy (link to oxiem.com) and how it ties into social media, SEO and sales.”

Anna Cramer, Programming Chair

“Although out of college, I would like to continue my curiosity, stay up-to-date and learn as much as possible about PR, my specific industry (sports and non-profit) and any industry trends.  I would also like to remain as involved if not more so in PR as I was able to in college. I hope to remain involved locally with my PRSA chapter as well as continue my influence with PRSA nationally with New Pros.”

Elizabeth Rhoads, Programming Chair

“Explore web design and photography a bit more. My position as Web Content Coordinator includes quite a bit of writing and scheduling photo shoots – hopefully this year I’ll be making my way into taking some of those pictures and having the ability to do a bit more web design.”

Alyssa Bronikowski, PRSSA Liaison

Ashlee Tate, Section Liaison

Eva Aivaliotis, Newsletter Editor

“Leveraging more digital influencers (a.k.a. bloggers) for media placements”

Diahnn Henderson, Blog Chair

Heather Sliwinski, Blog Chair

Tamara Halliburton, Social Media Editor

Leah Moon, Social Media Editor

“Attend more PRSA events and meet more PR pros in the Dayton area”

Adrienne Bailey, At-Large Member

Kate Bergeman, At-Large Member

Katie Bryant, At-Large Member

Andrea Nourse, At-Large Member

“As a recent graduate and entry-level public relations professional, my 2011 New Year’s PR Resolution is to learn as much as humanly possible in the field, and to apply the knowledge and experience I have gained in my previous fields to my current position.”

John Whitcomb, At-Large Member

-Get up before 6 each day

-Read 20 pages out of a book

-Go to bed earlier

-Utilize to do lists to help organize my life

-Improve my writing

2011 Blog Chair Introductions

Heather Sliwinski 1 Comment

Welcome and Happy New Year, New Pros!

While 2011 marks the end of term for last year’s Executive Committee, the new year also ushers in a new crop of PR professionals excited to serve as Executive Committee members.  We are so grateful for the 2010 team and strive to follow their example.  We are your two new Blog Chairs—Diahnn Henderson and Heather Sliwinski. 

Allow us to introduce ourselves:

Diahnn Henderson is a human resources generalist with an emphasis on employee relations at ProQuest LLC, an electronic publisher in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  With 10 years of experience in the HR profession, she needed a change of pace and began focusing her attention in a new direction.  In 2010, she completed her studies in Communications at Concordia University and recently launched a new business venture, Collaborative Communications.  As a new professional, she looks forward to serving in her role as the Blog Co-Chair.

Heather Sliwinski is a marketing communications manager at United States Drug Testing Laboratories, a forensic drug testing laboratory in the Chicago suburbs.  After receiving her degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with an emphasis on Strategic Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she has enjoyed learning every aspect of marketing and event management for almost two years at USDTL.  She joined PRSA hoping to increase her network of peers, especially within the New Professionals Section.  Heather looks forward to the new year serving as Blog Co-Chair, offering New PR Pros a wealth of information and professional development.

Together, we hope to meet your expectations for this blog.  We look upon this blog as an outlet for virtual mentorship, through perspectives from new professionals like yourselves and seasoned professionals who have insider tips for those of us still learning.  For example, each month we will continue to feature a different aspect of the public relations field in the “Intro to…” series.  Look for our “Intro to Sports and Entertainment PR” post from a seasoned professional later this month. 

We encourage dialogue from fellow members.  After all, we only consider this blog successful if we are able to provide information you find useful.  So please, comment on posts.  Tell us which trends you are interested in.  We welcome the feedback.  Respond to the blog on Facebook or Twitter.  If you are itching for a more involved role, contact either of us to make your voice heard in your own New Pros blog post.  Our goal is to collaborate with members and create a discussion important to your careers.

So, New Pros, what do you want to see in the New Pros Blog in 2011?  We are excited for the coming year!

-Diahnn and Heather