When I got the call about 18 months ago to ask if I’d be interested serving as the Founding President of a new Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) chapter in my area, I gave it great pause.

Life and work were busy, with plans for more business growth in 2024. I was worried adding such a big task to an already full plate would overwhelm me, but I knew my passion for continued professional development and networking with PR pros would feed my soul.

So I said yes.

Enter the 2024 PRSA Greater Worcester Chapter founding board: Kristine Maloney, President-Elect, Cristal Steuer, APR, Vice President, Lisa Swanson, Treasurer, Lorraine U. Martinelle, MBA, Secretary, and Bridget Campolettano, At-Large member.

Together, we built a website and social media presence, hosted a summer social and our chapter kick off event at the Worcester Red Sox, offered an amazing session on AI and ethics led by Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA, and ended the year with a social at Volturno. We also started an APR program and began reaching out to local colleges and universities to grow the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

And we were recognized at PRSA’s International Conference in October as the chapter with the most growth in America for 2024!

We have a talented PR community here in central Masschusetts, and it was a career highlight for me to lead the board in an effort to bring everyone together to learn, network and grow our practice.

Thank you to the board, our members, PRSA National and many others for this opportunity. As I turn the leadership over to Kristine this year, my plate may still be overwhelming but my cup is full with pride.

To learn more about the PRSA Greater Worcester Chapter and to become a member, visit https://prsaworcester.org/.