PRSA Tulsa - Newsletter

February 2013

President's Message

Hello everyone!

As are in the swing of things for 2013, I am excited about what the Tulsa Chapter will be doing this year to advance our profession. Last year was an outstanding year highlighted by the Tulsa Chapter hosting the PRSA Southwest District Conference and I want to thank our President Nicole Morgan for all of your hard work and dedication in 2012! It was a big year for Nicole with a new baby as well as several events and she handled it beautifully. We truly appreciate her service to the chapter.

This year I am particularly proud to be joined by a team of committed PR professionals on our board. I'd like to recognize those who will be serving this year and let you know that we are here to ensure that you get the most out of your membership in PRSA.

President-Elect: Jeff Pounds, APR

Treasurer: Bonnie Rucker

Secretary: Kari Cup

Director (3-Year Term):Leah Harper, APR

Director (2-Year Term): Melissa Clark, APR

Director (1-Year Term):Kelli Bruer

Ex-Officio: Tracy Kennedy

Ex-Officio: Amber Remke, APR

Ex-Officio:Kristen Ware

Past President: Nicole Morgan, APR

We still have roles on committees that need a volunteer, so I would encourage you to get more involved by signing up to help this year. Email [email protected] to let us know if you'd like to help!

Your input continues to be vital as we plan out the programs for the year as well as the PRSA Silver Link Awards this summer and Professional Development in the fall. We hope you'll join us this month for our meeting highlighting effective government relations and lobbying. While we may not all have a hand directly in this world, we all know that that could change at any point and it's important to keep our knowledge fresh and be informed in order to be effective. Be sure to sign up today!

If you have any ideas, questions or comments, I would love to hear from you!

All the best,

Lucinda Rojas Ross, APR

PRSA Meeting Notice

February 14, 2013

Back in Session!

February 14, 2013
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

El Guapo's
332 E. 1st Street
Tulsa , OK 74120
http://www.elguaposcantina.net/

The PR Pro’s Need-to-Know Update on Government Relations

It's February, the time of year when the Oklahoma legislature is in session. What does that mean for you as a public relations professional? While our roles vary, it's always important to consider not only direct communications with our elected officials, but also ensuring that we are up to speed and current about what's going on so we can effectively communication with our audiences.

At this month's lunch, Gwendolyn Caldwell, Senior VP - Government Affairs, Registered Lobbyist for the State Chamber of Oklahoma and Michael Willis, Public Information Officer, Tulsa County, will educate us on effective government relations and lobbying efforts as well as give us an update on what is expected in this year's session.

Silver Link 2013

We are in the planning stages for the 2013 Silver Link Awards and this year is going to be the best year to date! We are excited that Ken Busby has agreed to be our emcee for the Silver Link awards banquet, which will be held at Southern Hills Country Club on June 27, 2013.

PRSA Tulsa’s Silver Link Awards is the highlight of the year for the public relations industry as professionals are recognized for their hard work in our community and for their clients. However, none of this would be possible without the support from our sponsors. I hope you will consider supporting our public relations professionals by considering a sponsorship. With your help, we can help make this event everything it is meant to be in recognizing the top public relations professional in our area.

The deadline for sponsorships is Thursday, April 4, 2013. For more information, please contact Lindsey Wichern at (918) 949-8186 or email at [email protected].

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Tulsa chapter has awarded Jordan Ballard and Dae'lyn Smith the Chuck Schnake Memorial Scholarship for the 2017-2018 spring semester. Both Ballard and Smith will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Jordan Ballard of Independence, KS will be entering her junior year in 2019 at Rogers State University. Ballard is majoring in corporate communications and working towards two minors in public administration and technical writing. Ballard also self-publishes her own work.

Dae’lyn Smith of Mannford, OK and a first generation college student will be entering her senior year at Northeastern State University. Smith is majoring political science and media studies with an emphasis in public relations. She is actively involved in student government at Northeastern Stare University, a member of Rho Theta Sigma and is a Delta Zeta. She is also the Editor in Chief of the Northeastern State University newspaper.

The Chuck Schnake Memorial Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students beginning their junior or senior year pursuing a degree in communications, public relations, journalism or a closely related area. Selection of the scholarship winners is based on an essay response detailing how the scholarship will help them achieve academic and career goals, along with their overall involvement in communications, academic standing, and campus and community involvement.