Fairfax, Va. – The Public Relations Society of America National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) announced election results for its 2007 officers, board of directors and assembly delegates. This team of PRSA-NCC members oversees the chapter’s more than 40 annual professional development and awards programs designed to advance professionalism and career growth.
As the largest PRSA chapter in the nation, PRSA-NCC connects PR practitioners at all levels from all types of organizations in the Washington, D.C., region,” said Sandra Wills Hannon, Ph.D., APR, 2007 NCC president, and principal and owner of The Hannon Group, LLC. “I look forward to working with the board to provide opportunities for our members to succeed in their professional endeavors and to promote public relations education and best practices.”
Hannon is joined by 12 newly elected members of the board of directors and seven assembly delegates, as well as three returning directors, who are serving two-year terms, and five returning assembly delegates. The Chapter’s leadership team comprises the president and the executive officers of the board:
President: Sandra Wills Hannon, Ph.D., APR, principal and owner, The Hannon Group, LLC
President-Elect: Heather Evans-Keenan, APR, owner and principal, Keenan PR
Treasurer: Jeff Ghannam, communications director, Biotechnology Institute
Secretary: Mary-Jane Atwater, president, Atwater Communications
Vice Presidents:
Reggie Kouba, senior vice president, SheaHedges Group
Rita Mhley, president, Mhley/Davis & Associates
Scott Shaw, president, Creativerge Communications
Immediate Past President: Tracy Schario, director of media relations, The George Washington University
Two Year Directors (term expires 2008):
Sylvia Aguilera, counsel, global alliance development, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) (term expires 2008)
Tim Ayers, president, Ayers Associates (term expires2008)
Michelle Leff, APR, public relations manager, Consumer Devices, Sprint Nextel (term expires 2008)
Kristina Messner, vice president, public relations, Focused Image (term expires 2007)
Fred Lash, APR, manager, communications and outreach, VSE Corporation (term expires 2007)
Gary Nordlinger, president, Nordlinger Associates (term expires 2007)
One Year Directors (term expires 2007):
DeAnn Baxter, public relations specialist, Michael Baker Jr., Inc.
Amy Schossler, senior consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton
Christina Swanwick, director, Washington Speakers Bureau – Impact Channel
Assembly Delegates (term expires in parentheses):
Kathleen Bergeron, APR, marketing specialist, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation (09)
Barbara Burfeind, APR, director, external affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense (08)
John Clemons, APR, ABC, vice president of communications, Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC (07)
Ivonne Couret, director of public relations, The Art Institute of Washington (09)
Steven Grant, APR, Manager, Public Relations, National Education Association (07)
Brigitte Johnson, APR, director of communications, American Forest Foundation (07)
David Kinsman, APR, senior associate, public affairs, American College of Physicians (09)
Fred Lash, APR, manager, communications and outreach, VSE Corporation (09)
Nancy Mayes, APR, president, Mayes Communications, Inc. (09)
Kristina Messner, vice president, public relations, Focused Image (09)
Samantha Villegas, APR, manager of communications, Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (08)
Gwyn Walcoff, APR, principal, CCG, LLC Public Relations (09)
About the National Capital Chapter
The National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America represents the world’s leadership in the practice of public relations and is the essential network for practitioners in the Washington region. More than 1,300 members strong, the chapter provides high-quality and timely professional development programs, accreditation instruction, and networking opportunities. The Chapter promotes public relations education through the support of five regional PRSSA chapters and a Career Academy for inner city high school students. For more information about membership, leadership, or events, please visit www.prsa-ncc.org.
