Happy New Year and Welcome to 2016!

A letter from Yankee Chapter president Liz LaRose, APR
We are an interesting breed – public relations professionals. Our natural affinity for communicating, whether in print, on line, on camera or in person, means that we are sought after to tell the stories that connect people. We connect customers with needed services, donors with worthy causes, legislators with key constituents, businesses with important partnerships, and the list goes on. But how often do we connect with each other?

Liz LaRose, APR

Liz LaRose, APR, Yankee Chapter President

Those of us in larger organizations or agencies may have the benefit of public relations co-workers in our midst. But many, many of us in Northern New England find ourselves working as sole practitioners or as the only public relations professional within our organization. Regardless of how many like-minded professionals we have contact with on a daily basis, we can all benefit from increased connections within our field.

This is where the PRSA Yankee Chapter comes in. Right here in our region, public relations practitioners can find a myriad of connections to services that enhance our professional lives. It’s still December as I write this message and our Professional Development Committee is already hard at work planning a full year of workshops and networking opportunities. Without taking away any of their fun in announcing this year’s lineup, I can tell you that the sneak preview I’ve seen will wow you. There will be some amazing speakers whose expertise will grow your knowledge base. There will be ample opportunities to mingle in fun and interesting places. And you’ll be able to make those important, personal connections that every successful PR professional needs to build their own success.

The connections to be made through the Yankee Chapter don’t stop there. Our Communications Committee is currently evaluating our social media presence. Their goal is to provide more opportunities between our events for members to connect and share their knowledge and expertise with each other. Stay tuned and we hope you will join in on the conversations!

In addition, our Accreditation Committee will be announcing preparation sessions and one-on-one mentoring for people interested in achieving their APR – Accreditation in Public Relations. Not only are these offerings key to earning an APR, but many lifelong friendships (connections!) have been built in the process of learning from and studying with others.

As your professional organization, the Yankee Chapter is committed to connecting you to the people, expertise and resources in our field that will make you successful in your career. Join us at our events, share your knowledge on social media and learn about our other services on our web site.

We look forward to connecting with you in 2016!

Sincerely,

Liz LaRose, APR
President, Yankee Chapter PRSA