October President’s Message
Dear PRSA Richmond friends,
Happy fall and welcome back from what I hope has been a restful summer. We are entering an exciting time of year for PRSA – award season! In late September, we officially announced the winners of the Rising Star, Excellence in Public Relations and Commonwealth and Capital best in show awards. On October 11, we will gather at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden to celebrate all 115 winners from more than 37 categories. Each year, it is exciting to see the exceptional work that has taken place across the Commonwealth, and the submissions for work completed in 2021 were no different. The work of our PR colleagues was top quality and impactful. I hope you will join us to celebrate!
October is also DEI Month and this year, we have planned a series of events that will transform rich conversations and connections into meaningful actions around inclusion, equity, diversity and belonging. I hope you will be able to join us for one or all these events:
- 5: You Belong Here: How RVA Companies are Creating and Communicating About DEI Programs. Join PRSA Richmond as it kicks off DEI Month with a panel discussion featuring local leaders highlighting the importance of DEI programs through a communications lens. Register here.
- 12: Mix it up with the future of PR! Gather for food and fun with early-career professionals making an impact and soon-to-be PR professionals! In collaboration with PRSA RVA Young Professionals, HYPE RVA and PRSSA at VCU, this event promises to be more than networking. Register here.
- 19: PRSA Mid-Atlantic & Southeast District Professional Development Conference. During this collaborative virtual conference, you’ll hear from a dynamic keynote speaker, attend informative breakout sessions on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility topics, as well as network with chapter members from both districts. Learn more here.
- 27: PRSA Richmond Luncheon. We’ll welcome Tomika L. Ferguson, PhD, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence and Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership at the VCU School of Education. Dr. Ferguson will focus on how we can transition to a more active phase of inclusion and equity, both internally within organizations and externally as communicators. Register here.
Finally, thank you to everyone who completed the survey about our in-person events. We received great feedback, which will be incredibly helpful as we plan for 2023.
Thank you and I hope to see you soon!
Diana Miller, APR,
PRSA Richmond President
