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July 2021

Published on 7/12/2021
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Hi all—I hope everyone had a Happy Fourth of July! Although this summer season deems to be a particularly steamy one, we have a lot of great chapter events coming up to keep you cool and cognizant of the latest industry trends and information.

The City of Philadelphia lifted its final Covid-19 restrictions in mid-June and thankfully our region continues to make progress. That said, while many of us are looking forward to socializing and networking in-person more regularly, in efforts to protect everyone’s health and safety our next programs are virtually upon us: communicating about the vaccine rollout as well as PR and marketing in professional sports.

Tomorrow, July 13 at 6 p.m., during “Communicating About the Vaccine Rollout: A Fireside Chat with Moderna’s Corporate Communications Director,” Colleen Hussey, Director of Corporate Communications at Moderna, will discuss developing a communications strategy for the vaccine rollout, challenges faced during the process and learnings from this experience.

We are also excited to host our in-person PRSA Philly Happy Hour in just a couple of weeks! This will take place on July 27 at 6 p.m. at Independence Beer Garden in Philadelphia and is free for all attendees.

Looking ahead to August, our next virtual program, Bring Your ‘A’ Game: PR and Marketing in Professional Sports, takes place on August 10 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Our panel includes communication pros from the Philadelphia Union, Delaware Blue Coats, and the Philadelphia Phillies, who will take an in-depth look at the role of PR and marketing in professional sports.

As many of our members can attest, the value of a PRSA membership is significant to career growth. Not only does PRSA connect you to large, professional networks but it also provides you access to various tools such as free monthly webinars, the daily Issue & Trends e-newsletter, and an online directory to engage with fellow professionals.

Lastly, I wanted to thank those who took the time to participate in our membership survey! The findings were insightful. Many respondents noted the reason for attending an event was largely due to the topic discussed. We’re happy to hear that and continue to work to develop relevant and insightful programming for the Philadelphia PR community. Again, thank you to those who contributed to the survey—your responses will help ensure members are getting the most out of their PRSA membership. We truly appreciate your feedback.

I wish you all a happy and healthy July, and I encourage you to stay cool during this heat wave! As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments or concerns at president@philly.org or michele_besso@yahoo.com.
 
Best,
Michele Besso
President, PRSA Philadelphia
           







Upcoming Philly PRSA Events





TOMORROW, July 13, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Communicating About the Vaccine Rollout: A Fireside Chat with Moderna’s Corporate Communications Director
During this conversation, Colleen will discuss developing a communications strategy for the vaccine rollout, challenges faced during the process and learnings from this experience. Colleen Hussey is the Director of Corporate Communications at Moderna where she is responsible for external media relations, PR and social media for the company. Colleen joined Moderna in August 2019 and in this role, she helps tell Moderna’s story to external stakeholders.
PRSA Members: $5 | Future Members: $10 | Students: FREE

July 27, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Independence Beer Garden
Summer Happy Hour
Join PRSA Philadelphia for a summer happy hour and networking at Independence Beer Garden. Enjoy the nice weather and the chance to catch up with your PRSA friends and colleagues. All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win a free drink and/or snack of choice.
FREE for PRSA members, future members and students

August 10, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Bring Your ‘A’ Game: PR and Marketing in Professional Sports
We're partnering with Delaware PRSA to bring you the ultimate sports insiders panel of communication pros. We'll welcome PR and Communications experts from teams in our region including: Amanda Young Curtis, Philadelphia Union, Alex Yoh Delaware Blue Coats, and Lauren Testa, Philadelphia Phillies.
FREE for PRSA Members and Students | Future Members: $10 

 
PR Institute
COMING SOON! PRI 2021 Fall Session
September 7 – November 18, 2021

Save the dates for our next PR Institute training program. 

This program is ideal for communications professionals working at an agency, corporation or nonprofit who would like to improve their public relations skills and stay-up-to-date with all aspects of the business. 

Look out for more details coming soon!

Questions? Contact Committee Chair: Melanie Wright, prinstitute@philly.org

PRSA Board Member Spotlight: Robyn Reed Frenze
By Brittany Eifert, Assistant Account Executive at RPA Advertising
 


This month, we’re sitting down with Robyn Reed Frenze, PRSA Philadelphia Director-at-Large and overall communications problem-solver. As a Global Healthcare Communications Consultant Robyn leverages her extensive PR and communications experience to counsel clients and help develop overall corporate communications strategies to achieve their goals.


When did you decide to join PRSA and what influenced you to do so?
I joined PRSA early in my career to take advantage of the networking and professional development opportunities. My career in healthcare communications is due to a friend whom I met at my first PRSA Philadelphia meeting decades ago. We continue to exchange professional advice to this day.
 
In what ways does your current job benefit you in your position as Director-At-Large?
My diversity of experience working with large multinational corporations and small start-ups helps me understand the needs of PR professionals across the spectrum.
 
In your opinion, how do Directors-At-Large contribute to improvements in the PRSA community and beyond?
As a Director-At-Large who has held various board roles over the years, I can offer a perspective that is drawn from an interdisciplinary point of view. This broad viewpoint also serves as a resource to the local PRSA community and beyond.
 
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role as Director-At-Large? As a PRSA Member?
As a Director-At-Large, I find working with the diverse board, sharing perspectives, and learning from each other to be fulfilling. As a member, I’m continually encouraged by the diversity of experience that each of us brings to our jobs and the chapter and how that experience will continue to help the profession grow as PR becomes increasingly important to organizations.
 
What advice would you give to potential members regarding the value of a PRSA membership?
Priceless! The more time and effort that you invest in PRSA, the greater the return in terms of networking, professional development and even financially!
Resources and Events Available to Members
 
Visit the PRSA National Professional Development page to see the latest webinars and workshops available free, or at a reduced cost, to members. Coming up soon:

Comms 2.0 for Business 4.0: Shifting from Firefighting to Futuring
Live July 15, 2021 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET, On-Demand July 22
In this webinar, we will discuss the future of communications. Not pie-in-the-sky theories, but real evidence about how people will consume information three to five years from now and what that means to us as comms and PR leaders to ensure we’re not only competitive, but leading the way. 

Communications Technology for 2021 and Beyond: How Data Is Helping Leaders Build More Effective, Trusted Brands
Live Jul 21, 2021 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET
This webinar features top experts who sit at the intersection of communications, marketing and big data. They will cover how advanced technologies are changing strategic communications, and how communications leaders are using these tools to make better decisions and create more effective PR and brand strategies. The webinar will feature a “fireside chat” style conversation with specific use cases and ample Q&A with participants.

The Power of Internal Branding: How to Unite and Ignite Your Team
Live July 27, 2021 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
In this session, we will discuss the value of building an internal brand culture, share examples of internal brand alignment, and provide action steps for igniting the team to have a greater impact on the performance of the company as a whole.
Love your PRSA Membership? Encourage a friend or colleague to join today!
Learn more here
PRSA Job Board
For those of you who may be in the hiring position, we hope that you will 
submit your openings as they become available so we can share them with our
community of PR and communications professionals.
If you are on the job hunt yourself, check out our local chapter listings.
We also encourage you to visit the PRSA National job board.