News

Announcing the 2025 Slate of Officers

PRSA Richmond has announced its 2025 Slate of Officers. The PRSA Richmond membership will vote on the slate of officers to lead the 2025 board of directors at the June 27 program. New officers will be installed on November 21, 2024.

For a complete overview of the slating process and voting procedures, review Article III, Section 3 of the chapter’s bylaws.

President: Greg Surber, APR
Greg Surber, APR, is a skillful communications professional with nearly two decades of experience helping organizations share their stories and build meaningful relationships with audiences central to their mission. He is the vice president of research and insights for The Hodges Partnership, a Richmond-based PR and digital marketing firm, where he spearheads the agency’s research efforts and works with a variety of clients across the non-profit, corporate and government sectors. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in media arts and design from James Madison University and a Master of Science in public relations from Boston University. Greg was the inaugural recipient of PRSA Richmond’s Rising Star Award. His PRSA Richmond board service includes serving as the chapter’s President-Elect, Director-At-Large, First Vice President of Professional Development, Second Vice President of Awards, Third Vice President of Membership, Treasurer, Individual Awards Chair, and APR Chair.

President-Elect: Kenita B. Matthews, APR
Kenita B. Matthews, APR is a results-driven public relations practitioner with over 20 years of experience. She has been working as a communications consultant over the last several years and recently joined ERM in 2023 as a Principal Consultant for Strategic Communications & Stakeholder Engagement. Prior to those roles, Kenita served as Senior Advisor to the Director of the Office of Head Start at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Throughout most of her career, Kenita has worked in K-12 public education and led communications at the Virginia School Boards Association, the Virginia Department of Education, and various school districts in the Commonwealth. Kenita holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media – Broadcast Journalism from Hampton University and a Master of Arts degree in Public Relations from Norfolk State University. She has been an active member of PRSA since 2013, having previously served on the board for the Hampton Roads chapter and as Chair of the PRSA Mid-Atlantic District Board. Kenita’s service on the PRSA Richmond Board includes Director-at-Large, First Vice President of Professional Development, Treasurer, Third Vice President of Membership, and member of the DEI committee.

First Vice President of Professional Development: Madilynne Tanner
Madilynne is a Communications Coordinator at the Virginia Department of Social Services where she works on strategic internal and external communications projects for multiple divisions within the State Programs Portfolio. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech’s School of Communication with a B.A. and M.A. in public relations. Outside of her job, Madilynne volunteers with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond and Virginia Tech’s Richmond Young Alumni organization. 

Second Vice President of Awards: Connie Kottmann, APR
Connie Kottmann, APR, has served on the PRSA Richmond Chapter Board of Directors since 2022. Currently serving as first vice president for professional development, Connie previously chaired the DEI and program committees. Connie has three decades of experience in higher education marketing communications, event and project planning and management. For the past 20 years, Connie has worked in the Division of Student Affairs at VCU, and is currently the Marketing Communication Manager for DSA's Central Communications Team.  Connie holds a M.S. in Communication from Cornell University, and recently earned an Advanced Certificate in Nonprofit Management from VCU's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. They currently serve on VCU's LGBTQ+ Engagement and Philanthropy Steering Committee, and Equality VCU. Connie is also a digital artist with a passion for creating comics, and teaches a summer course on making comics at Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. 

Third Vice President of Membership: Amy Steinmann
Amy Steinmann has nearly 20 years of experience in healthcare, government and nonprofit communications. As principal at Halbrooke & Elm Strategic Communications, Amy helps organizations plan and implement communications strategies and tactics that build trust, foster relationships and establish their position as leaders in their industry. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the Mid-Atlantic Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development and the Society for Health Communication. She also serves on the board of the Richmond Behavioral Health Foundation. Amy holds a master’s degree in Strategic Public Relations from Virginia Commonwealth University and bachelor’s degree in Communication from Virginia Tech.

Treasurer: Sarah Murphy
Sarah Dawes Murphy is a strategic communications practitioner, passionate about designing and executing tailored strategies to help clients inform and inspire their audiences. Sarah values a holistic approach to communications, finding creative ways to make sure every tactic and piece of content is connected and aligned with big picture goals — yielding measurable results along the way. In her 13+ years of marketing and communications experience, Sarah has spent time both in the agency world as well as in higher education communications at Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Brandcenter. Today, she is the owner of Dawes Murphy Communications, LLC, where she works with a range of higher education and mid-sized business clients to help them achieve their communications goals. Sarah has been a PRSA Richmond member since 2011 and has served on the board since 2017. She holds an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Mary Washington and a master’s in strategic public relations from VCU.

Secretary: Rayhan Daudani
Rayhan Daudani is vice-president of earned media supporting energy clients for Edelman.

Rayhan supports global clients looking to tell their stories in the media about their work navigating the energy transition. This work earned him a PRSA National Silver Anvil award for Global Communications in 2023. Rayhan has more than 15 years’ experience working with media in the Commonwealth. He currently serves as Outreach Chair for PRSA’s Richmond Chapter. Prior to joining Edelman in 2022, Rayhan led communications for Dominion Energy’s Virginia operations from its Richmond headquarters, including messaging on political and policy issues, as well as on several high-profile capital projects and initiatives ranging from the largest offshore wind project in the Americas to energy storage and rural broadband efforts. Rayhan first moved to Virginia in 2002 to serve as Roanoke Bureau Chief for WSET-TV in 2002-2004 before joining WWBT-TV in Richmond as the City Beat Reporter from 2004-2007 covering Mayor Doug Wilder’s administration as well as high-profile events such as the Virginia Tech Massacre, for which he won a Virginia Associated Press award for continuing coverage. Rayhan returned to WWBT-TV in 2012 as the station’s Digital Content Director driving the station’s social media, app and website strategy and managing on-air and digital staff to create a 24/7 newsroom. During his tenure, the station was honored with the Edward R. Murrow, Virginia Associated Press and Virginia Association of Broadcasters awards for best website. Rayhan holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Masters of Arts in Political Science from Virginia Tech. Rayhan lives in Short Pump with his wife and two daughters.

President Emeritus: David Bass
David is a senior communications manager at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership where he coordinates economic development announcements and press events with the Governor’s office, and promotes VEDP’s target industries, Virginia’s advantage for business in core sectors, and the VEDP’s brand through media relations. A graduate of the University of Richmond, David has more than 15 years of experience as a public relations practitioner, including leading economic and financial education outreach strategy at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, overseeing public relations and communications strategy at the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, as well as working on media and public relations at a Richmond-based agency on behalf of Fortune 500 companies, special events, and nonprofit clients. David is active in the Richmond community currently serving on the board of the Church Hill Central Civic Association and founding member of FLUX: Connect with Modernism, a local group that develops gatherings and events for enthusiasts of modern architecture and design. He recently served on the board of Modern Richmond, the Virginia Jump$tart Coalition, the Venture Richmond Marketing and Advocacy Committee, and was founder and served 14 years as president of the Manchester Alliance. He has served on the PRSA Richmond board since 2016, including serving as president, first vice-president of Professional Development, second vice president of Awards, third vice president of Membership, acting as the chapter’s Secretary, and chairing the professional development workshops, sponsorship fulfillment and media relations committees.