Photo of Paul D Raymond

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

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)

Meet New Member Kelly Scargill

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New Member Spotlight

Name, Title, Organization: Kelly Scargill, Executive Director of Public Relations and Communications, SolutionHealth

Originally from: Pennsylvania

Currently live in: Peterborough, NH

Work History/Background: I began my career in Los Angeles in advertising at BBDO West in client management. I then shifted into public relations when I moved to San Francisco. After working for a couple of PR firms in the Bay Area with focus in high tech PR, I decided to move back east and get my master’s degree at George Washington University.

After graduating with my master’s, I worked in house for nonprofits in DC as the media relations and communications lead. After my son was born, my family moved closer to family in New Hampshire. I then worked in house for a public college for 10 years, and followed this with my role at SolutionHealth, which currently is the umbrella organization for Elliot Health System and Southern NH Health, in Manchester and Nashua, NH, respectively.

Why I Joined PRSA: I am excited to be part of a larger community of professionals, particularly after working in house. To learn from, and share ideas with, other like-minded people keep our work interesting, rewarding, and effective.

Most Challenging PR Situation I Have Faced: When COVID-19 hit, I was working for a public college. The vast majority of students were traditional in age—meaning teens and early 20s—and they lived on campus. Ensuring the health and safety of every student, staff member, and families of the students were of utmost importance. A clear, concise, adaptable, strategic communication plan and effective delivery was essential to meeting the needs of everyone. It was a great lesson in how to pivot and adapt, and how to best reach various audiences with tools and messaging that had not been considered before.

Bucket List Trip: Bora Bora.

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, running, swimming, writing, and spending time with my husband and my two kids, who are teens.

Contact Information: krshall@gmail.com

 

 

New Member Spotlight – Stephanie Rhodes

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Name, Title, Organization: Stephanie Rhodes, Director of Public Relations and Media for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

Originally from: Massachusetts

Currently live in: Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Work History/Background: I began my career as an intern at Fleishman-Hillard (FH) in D.C. From there, I went on to work at an FH subsidiary called Stratacomm. Following my agency experience, I worked on the media relations team in-house at the American College of Cardiology. This experience brought me across the country and to Europe traveling to various scientific cardiology conferences.

I then served as a communication manager for the University of Michigan Health System for six years while my husband earned his doctorate in business economics. I currently serve as the director of public relations and media at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

Why I Joined PRSA: I was a member of PRSSA while in college, and have been a PRSA member on and off throughout my career. I was excited about the opportunity to join a local chapter as I am interested in connecting with other PR professionals in my area as I work remotely. I have already signed up for many interesting webinars and look forward to in person opportunities as well.

Most Challenging PR Situation I Have Faced: I began my position with ASTHO just before the 2021 COVID-19 Omicron peak. It was a very fast-paced introduction to the world of public health media relations. At the height of the response, I was responding to over 100 media requests per month from national health reporters. It was intensive but a great learning experience!

Bucket List Trip: Greece.

Hobbies/Interests: Yoga/pilates, reading, enjoying the beautiful Maine coastline, and spending time with my husband and toddler daughter.

Contact Information: StephanieAbraham09@gmail.com

 

New Member Profile: HAZEL KOCHOCKI

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Originally from: Plainfield, Illinois

Currently live in: Bedford, NH

 Work History/Background:

Thirty years ago, I kept a quote from Sharon Stone thumbtacked to my cubicle wall: “Today, I’m fast enough.”  That quote was from the movie, “The Quick and the Dead,” which was about a gunslinger in a deadly situation. The fact that I connected with that quote says it all: my public relations career was high stress and high stakes.

Early in my career, I worked for a few different public relations agencies, including Newsome & Co. (which became the Boston office of New York-based Hill & Knowlton) and Weber Group (now Weber-Shandwick). In those days, we talked about “publicity” rather than “earned media,” and I routinely accompanied executives to in-person interviews and backgrounders with press.  One of my most memorable clients was the World Wide Web Consortium at MIT, and I worked closely with HTML inventor Tim Berners-Lee in the mid-90s to spread the word about the World Wide Web and the need for interoperability standards.  It was exciting, but I also felt something was missing.

Taking time out for family needs gave me time to reflect and consider my personal goals and career path. I spent a decade at Malden Catholic High School near Boston, where I progressed from Director of Marketing to Director of External Affairs, overseeing Advancement, Marketing, and Admissions.  Finally, I had found a position that utilized my skills and background and resonated with my sense of mission.  My time at Malden Catholic came to an end when my husband and I moved to Los Angeles for his career.  I then worked for six years with California State University, Northridge, beginning in executive communications for the university president and later overseeing communications for the Office of Academic Affairs.

Having moved back east and settled in New Hampshire, I was delighted in 2023 to begin work with Easterseals NH & VT. As Senior Director of Communications, I love feeling like I contribute – even in some small way – to the organization’s mission to “elevate all abilities.” Easterseals NH & VT served the needs of nearly 19,500 individuals last year, and I lead a small, dedicated team of writers who are equally passionate about the work we do.  I no longer identify with gunslinger Sharon Stone, and I truly enjoy applying my skills to such a worthwhile organization.

Why I Joined PRSA: Networking, professional development

Bucket List Trip: I would love to visit Prague someday to explore my family heritage.

Hobbies/Interests: Birding and uploading lists to the Cornell Ornithology Lab; walking my two dogs, preferably on a local rail trail; hiking; reading American history (I am currently enjoying And There Was Light: Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham.) 

Contact Information: hkochocki@eastersealsnh.org

New Member Profile: BRAD BELOTE, APR

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Originally from: Kingsport, Tenn.

Currently live in: Boston area

Work History/Background: I spent 20 years in a TV newsroom before jumping into corporate communications. I worked for a Fortune 350 innovation company for a decade before moving to New England. I am currently the senior manager for internal communications at the Planet Fitness Club Support Center in Hampton, N.J.

Why I Joined: I’ve been involved in PRSA for more than a decade, serving a variety of local, regional and national volunteer leadership roles. I find the networking and professional development to be more than worth the price of admission.

Bucket List Trip: Walking the Camino de Santiago

Hobbies/Interests: Brad loves the outdoors, exercising, and reading.

Contact Information: bradbelote@gmail.com

Note:  Brad will be serving as Yankee Chapter’s Ethics Officer in 2025.

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Hanna Blankenship

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Originally from:            Born in Harbel, Liberia but I grew up in Norwich, Vermont

Currently live in:          Burlington, Vermont


Work History/Background: I am the Communications Coordinator for DREAM, a non-profit that provides mentorship opportunities to youth, and a Marketing Associate for BootstrapVT, a marketing agency in Burlington, Vermont where I interned during college for two years.

Why I joined the Yankee Chapter: I first learned about PRSA through the Champlain College PRSSA chapter during my undergraduate studies. I had the honor of serving on the e-board of Champlain PRSSA all four years, first as Treasurer in my freshman year, then as Vice President from sophomore to senior year. Our chapter had the opportunity to collaborate with Yankee PRSA in various ways, which allowed me to see the great work they were doing and encouraged me to join PRSA after graduation.

Most Challenging PR Situation: I recently helped manage the challenge of containing internal excitement about DREAM’s new island acquisition in partnership with the Vermont Land Trust, ensuring no one prematurely shared the news before the official press release and legal papers were signed.

Bucket List Trip: I would love to visit Kyoto, Japan to see the cherry blossoms.

Hobbies/Interests: In my free time, I love traveling and exploring the outdoors, whether it’s hiking, biking, kayaking, or just going for a walk with my dog, Winston. I recently started yoga teacher training and am excited to become a certified yoga teacher in May and begin teaching classes.


Contact information: My personal email is hanna.j.blankenship@gmail.com. My DREAM work email is hblankenship@dreamprogram.org, and my BootstrapVT email is hanna@bootstrapvt.com.

 

New Member Profile: ABBEY BERGER-KNORR

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Originally from: Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Currently live in: Burlington, Vermont

Work History/Background: Public Relations Associate at Cultivate, a communications firm based in Burlington, VT. This is my first full-time PR role as a young professional and where I currently work.

Why I Joined Yankee: I had the pleasure of getting to know the Yankee Chapter through leading my alma mater’s PRSSA chapter. I was President of Champlain College’s chapter, PRSSA Champlain. Our chapter collaborated with and learned from the wonderful professionals within the Yankee chapter which inspired me to join post-graduation.

Most Challenging PR Situation: I recently helped to resolve the rescinding of a press release that was mistakenly sent out for a client prematurely.

Bucket List Trip: I have always wanted to visit Peru to see Machu Picchu!

Hobbies/Interests: In my free time, I am a singer-songwriter and radio host under my artist name, “Abbey B.K.” You can find both my original music and my podcast “ab.stract” on listening platforms.

Contact information: My personal email is abbey.bergerknorr@gmail.com and my company email is abbey@cultivatepr.co.

 

NEW MEMBER PROFILE: Marissa Payne

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Originally from: Concord NH

Currently live in: Concord NH

Work History/Background: I graduated from Saint Anselm College this past spring with a major in business administration. While at Saint A’s I was a member of the Women in Business Club and I started my first full time position in operations with the Better Business Bureau in July!

Why I Joined Yankee Chapter:

While my role as a business analyst doesn’t require any media interaction, it does require communicating and building trust with the companies and organizations we serve. I joined PRSA, on the recommendation of my mom who has always described that the network of professionals helped her early in her marketing and communications career.

Most Challenging PR Situation

As a new professional, I haven’t had much PR exposure, however so far in my position I have learned much already. Because the focus of the BBB is helping the public find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust, it has been enlightening to work with the BBB operations team to experience how carefully and thoroughly my colleagues work to ensure that every business is vetted. And, as a less experienced member of the team, I’m learning every day from the expert communication skills of our leadership team.

Bucket list trip: Mykonos

Hobbies/Interests: Concerts, Reading,

Contact information:    603-931-0224     marissa@bbbnh.org