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Meet New Yankee Chapter Member Paul Raymond, Jr.

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Name, Title and Organization: Paul Raymond, Jr., Founder | Principal, PDR Strategies

Originally From: Concord, New Hampshire

Currently Lives In: Concord, New Hampshire

Work History/Background: I spent more than 23 years working in public safety. Most recently, I served as the Assistant Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Corrections. Before that, I spent more than a decade with the Department of Safety, including serving as the Strategic Communications Administrator in the Office of the Commissioner and as the Community Outreach Coordinator with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. In addition to my state roles, I serve as one of FEMA’s Executive Public Information Officer instructors and teach in the Basic and Advanced PIO programs. In July, I launched PDR Strategies to help mission-driven organizations craft clear, effective messages that support crisis readiness, strategic clarity and confident leadership.

Why I Joined PRSA: I joined at the encouragement of my mentor, Dr. Joe Trahan, APR, Fellow PRSA, who has been a tremendous influence on my communication career.

Most Challenging PR Situation I Have Faced: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Sununu tasked me with leading the state’s Joint Information Center. I directed a team of 45 communicators representing 19 state agencies and led the coordination of all media response efforts with the Governor’s Office and the Department of Health & Human Services. From March 2020 through June 2021, we addressed more than 4,500 media inquiries, supported more than 100 live news conferences and issued hundreds of news releases. It was the most demanding communications environment I have ever worked in and yet one of the most meaningful.

Bucket List Trip: It is technically not a bucket list trip since I have already been there, but I cannot wait to go back to Uganda. My wife is originally from Uganda and we were married there. It is a beautiful country and one I am eager to visit again.

Hobbies/Interests: I love spending time with my wife and our four-year-old daughter. I also referee high school basketball, which has become one of my favorite ways to stay active and involved in the community. I am looking forward to growing my involvement in PRSA and continuing to connect with fellow communications professionals. I am active in the National Information Officers Association and recently joined the Emergency Management External Affairs Association, and I am excited to keep learning from the many talented communicators across these networks.

Contact Information: paul@pdrstrategies.com (603) 825-2230

Yankee Chapter PRSA logo

New Hampshire PBS to Host Yankee Chapter Annual Meeting

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If you ever wanted a look behind the scenes at the state’s public television broadcaster, here’s your chance!

New Hampshire PBS will host the Yankee Chapter PRSA Annual Meeting on Thursday December 11, 2025. Join us for a tour of the studio, a panel discussion and a check-in with the people who are working to sustain the organization during politically-turbulent times.

A Meet the Media panel, hosted by NHPBS, will include representatives from New Hampshire Public Radio, Yankee Publishing, and more.

After the media panel, join us for appetizers and holiday cheer sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. Tours of the NHPBS studio will also be available.
 3:30-4:30 p.m. Yankee Chapter Annual Meeting
 4:30-5:30 p.m. Media Panel Discussion
 5:30-6:30 p.m. Networking with PRSA Members and Friends

Cost: $25 members; $35 non-members; Students free. See the event post here for more details, or register now at the link below!

REGISTER HERE

 

Register Now for Pro Series PR Workshop!

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Build PR skills in this half-day workshop covering strategy, crisis communications, media relations, and internal/external best practices.

This half-day workshop is intended for communications professionals at any level. It provides an overview of various aspects of public relations, best practices in internal and external communication, crisis communication, and media relationship-building, as well as strategic thinking to drive behavior change. Participants will learn from both the instructor and fellow attendees in this interactive series.

MORE INFO & REGISTER HERE

Instructor Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, is senior counsel and partner at Jackson Jackson & Wagner, a behavioral public relations and management consulting firm based in the Seacoast of New Hampshire.

Date: Friday, November 14

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon

Location: NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College

Cost: $59 (includes light breakfast)

Event Recap: The Ins and Outs of Influencer Marketing

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Strategies from Multiple Perspectives

By Casey Huczko, Intern at Cultivate

On September 5, 2025, influencer marketing experts Lindsay Bumps, Erin Torres, and Nick Mattera joined a panel discussion on influencer marketing. Organized by the Yankee Chapter of PRSA and Cultivate, a Burlington, VT-based PR and communications agency, with moderation by Lisa Lance, Yankee PRSA Chapter President and Abbey Berger-Knorr, Senior PR & Communications Associate at Cultivate and Yankee PRSA Member, the event explored strategies for finding success in today’s crowded influencer landscape.

CLICK HERE FOR EVENT SUMMARY & PICS!

Meet New Yankee Chapter Member Hannah Chauvin!

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Name, Title, Organization: Hannah Chauvin, Director of Communications (Marketing) and Legislative Affairs, Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery.

Originally from: Morrisville, Vermont

Currently live in: Morrisville, Vermont! (It was a long and winding road back to my hometown)

Work History/Background: I began my professional career as an intern on Capitol Hill, which turned into a nearly 8 year journey and encompassed time in both Senator Patrick Leahy’s personal office, the Senate Appropriations Committee full Committee office, and the Appropriations Legislative Branch and Agriculture subcommittees. I bid the Hill farewell in 2023 to pursue an MBA at INSEAD, where I spent half the year in France and half in Singapore before returning to my home state of Vermont in early 2025. I’m thrilled to currently lead the Communications and Marketing team at the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, a state agency that operates two distinct consumer-facing brands and enterprise funds that contribute revenue to the State. It’s truly the perfect nexus of business and government, and I use every piece of my academic and professional training every day!

Why I Joined PRSA: I’m new to the (formal) communications space, and am thrilled to connect with other PR professionals, especially as comms grows in recognition as a strategy rather than solely as a function. I have much to learn!

Most Challenging PR Situation I Have Faced: Every day is a fresh new challenge – as a State agency operating two enterprise funds, we manage a lot of different B2B and B2C relationships at the Department-level, and across two consumer-facing brands (802Spirits and Vermont Lottery). Leveraging strategic communications and brand-aligned messaging (and making sure it reflects our distinct entities!) to build relationships with our many audiences means I’m never bored.

Bucket List Trip: Reallllllly hoping to do a horseback tour of either Argentina, Kazakhstan, or Mongolia in the next couple years!

Hobbies/Interests: Sewing, reading, running, hiking with my very sweet pup Clover, traveling… and sending snail mail!

Contact Information: 

Hannah Chauvin – 802 760 0227 (work)
hannah.chauvin@vermont.gov (work)

hcchauvin@gmail.com (personal)

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR AI WORKSHOP!!

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There’s still time to register for the October 6 Interact AI Workshop at SNHU, but you gotta hurry!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

This event promises to be one of our best sessions of the year, and it’s definitely the best deal. Learn more at the Interact AI Event page  and sign up today!

Already registered? CLICK HERE and know what to expect.

Register Now for Interact AI Conference!

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Registration is open for what’s shaping up to be the Yankee Chapter’s best professional development event of the year!

Interact AI: Workshop for Communications and PR Professionals is a high-impact workshop exploring how public relations and communications professionals can harness the power of artificial intelligence in real-world, strategic ways. From content planning and brand messaging to research, crisis response, and internal use-case development – this session will equip attendees with the insights and tools needed to apply AI with purpose and precision.

This event will be held October 6, 2025 at Southern NH University.

GET ALL THE DETAILS HERE

REGISTER BEFORE SEPTEMBER 8 to get the Early Bird discount!

May 21 Crisis Communications Panel Wrap up

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It was a great turnout for the Yankee Chapter’s May 21 panel discussion on crisis communications. Our homegrown crisis communications experts, Clark Dumont, APR, Fellow PRSA and Lauren Collins Cline, explored how to build communication strategies in an unpredictable and ever-changing world.

Setting the Record Straight About the Ethical Practice of Public Relations

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By Teresa Valerio Parrot, Ed. D., APR

There was a time when someone asked what I did for a living, and I would give them a sly smile and say, “Do you watch Scandal?” and tell them I worked in crisis communications. Or if it were more of a policy or academic crowd, I would say, “Well, if you’re a fan of The West Wing, my job is basically an outsourced Toby Ziegler and CJ Cregg role.”

However, I quickly realized that this type of response was a disservice to the public relations profession, my work and my colleagues…

READ MORE HERE

Mix & Jingle – Yankee PRSA Annual Meeting December 11, 2024

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Yankee Chapter PRSA Invites You to Save the Date:

Wed. Dec. 11, 2024

Meet The Media “Mix & Jingle,” presented by the Nackey S. Loeb School.

Location: Nackey S. Loeb School, inside the NH Institute of Politics on the campus of Saint Anselm College, in the West Wing room.

After our media panel, join us for mocktails, appetizers and holiday cheer sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental

SEE EVENT PAGE HERE FOR MORE INFO AND TO REGISTER