“The Organizational Statement Dilemma” Program Recap and Takeaways

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Recap of Lively Panel Discussion: “The Organizational Statement Dilemma: Respond?  React? Or Remain Silent?”

By Kelly Scargill

Daily, we learn of significant policies, tragedies, scandals, and crises that impact our world – some of these are large-scale, and others more local. Have you had to consider whether to take a public position on these types of events, on behalf of the organization you serve? It’s not always an easy answer.

On October 16, in the Addison Gallery of American Art on the beautiful Phillips Andover Academy campus, the Boston and Yankee Chapters of PRSA welcomed over 30 PR professionals and students for dinner, networking, and a panel discussion on this exact topic.

Panelists were Tracy Sweet, chief communication officer with Phillips Academy; T.J. Winick, principal with Essex Strategies; and Will Katcher, reporter with Mass Live. Nancy Sterling, APR, Fellow PRSA, and senior VP, strategic communications for ML Strategies moderated the discussion, which was followed by a lively question and answer session.

 

 

Attendees had an opportunity to wander through the gallery on a self-guided tou r before dinner provided by River St. Café, and a chocolate-tasting provided by M. Cacao of Amesbury, MA.

Key Takeaways from Our Speakers

Have a set of principles or a policy in place about when to issue a statement.

While societal events are important in our world, publicly responding to every event on behalf of an organization is not appropriate. Phillips Academy created a policy built around the foundational elements of relevance, credibility, and action to guide decisions about making statements. These guidelines ensure any statements that the school makes are mission-focused, action-oriented, and relevant to the broader conversation. Guidelines remove the ambiguity of decision making at a time when a quick response is needed and emotions may be running high. An overview of the Phillips Academy principles for issuing public statements can be found on their website HERE.

Understanding stakeholder expectations, risks, and staying true to the organizational goals.

There is growing expectation among stakeholders that they will hear from the brands they follow and invest in. Social media is an important platform for amplifying messages, but it comes with risks. Missteps and even silence become amplified on social media, which may make it seem like your organization is politicizing an event or it may appear to be indifferent to the issue at hand. The decision about whether to issue a statement and how to craft the message is based on the goal of protecting the credibility of the organization while staying mission driven.

Know deadlines, needs, and contacts for key media outlets.

When an event is unfolding, time is of the essence. Broadcast and online news outlets can’t wait for your leader or expert to be ready to talk. Most of the time, they will do the story with or without input from your organization. Be prepared in advance of a crisis or unexpected event by forming relationships with your key media contacts. Know their deadlines and how they prefer to receive information (phone call, on-camera interview, statement). The media looks to PR professionals for relevant, accurate, and timely information. When appropriate, offer any information you can, as soon as possible during an event. If you issue a statement, give an authentic point of view from your organization – differentiate your statement from the many others a reporter will receive.

As you can tell, it was an informative session! If you could not join us, we hope to see you at an upcoming event.

Visit https://www.yankeeprsa.org for more information.

Special thanks to Tracy Sweet for hosting and presenting, and Kelly Scargill and Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA for working with PRSA Boston Co-Presidents Nancy Sterling, APR, Fellow PRSA and Sarah Leaf-Hermann to put the program together.

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!

Big Turnout for AI Workshop; Join Us Oct. 16 for Next Event!

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Southern NH University hosted 50 PR professionals and students at Yankee Chapter’s Interact AI conference on Oct. 6th.  Special thanks to speakers David Humphreys, Dir. of AI Integration, SNHU; Cameron Shilling, Dir. Litigation Dept. & Chair, Cybersecurity & Privacy Group, McLane Middleton and Rebecca Emery, APR, Founder & AI Marketing Advisor, Seacoast AI and lead sponsors SNHU and Easterseals NH/VT.

Please join us for Yankee Chapter’s next event, a joint effort with Boston Chapter PRSA, “The Organizational Statement Dilemma:  React, Respond or Remain Silent?” on Thurs. Oct. 16, 2025, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA.  This event includes a viewing of the Addison Gallery of Art, a networking dinner and lively panel discussion facilitated by Nancy Sterling, APR, Fellow PRSA, co-president of Boston Chapter PRSA.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS & REGISTRATION

For more information about joining PRSA and Yankee Chapter, email Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, Membership Chair, at rschell@jjwpr.com.

AI WORKSHOP PICS


Photo captions (from top left)

  1. Thanks to Gordon College for attending the Interact AI conference: (left to right):  Evie Hammond; Prof. Brad Belote, APR; Matt DeCampos; Ainslie Milewski and Abi Paschal.
  2. YC President Lisa Lance and AI Conference Chair Jen Ranz at the podium.
  3. Thanks to all our sponsors!
  4. Rebecca Emery, APR shares her take on AI, 2025
  5. Cameron Shilling talks to conference attendees about the restrictions around the use of AI.

 

EVENT REPORT: Supporting & Empowering Employees Keeps Delta Climbing

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KEEP CLIMBING DELTA:  AN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE SUCCESS STORY

The Yankee Chapter of PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) invited Delta Air Lines communicators Kristin Seay, Managing Director of Operations Communications and Laura Smyth, General Manager of Employer Brand Communications to share their wisdom on how Delta has built a strong, people-centered culture, at their July 31st virtual lunch & learn.

Founded in 1925, Delta celebrates its centennial anniversary this year.  The airline remains focused on their mission of “connecting the world better than any other airline.”

According to Seay and Smyth, “it’s the people of Delta that make it all happen”.  Supporting them are:

  • A staff of 100 communicators (serving a workforce of 100,000) – though Seay admits, “even 500 would not be enough!”
  • A CEO and leadership team that fully support the investment in communication, employee engagement and appreciation

Size of budget and staff aside, here are words of wisdom from Delta Air Lines that we can all apply to our organizations:

  1. Give your employees a boost when they need it most.  Summer is an extra-busy, extra-challenging time for the airline industry – there are customers flying off to vacation, weather challenges etc.  Their “summer boost” campaign consists of everything from movie ticket giveaways to a “mid-summer cool down” with employee toolkits to an end of summer celebration featuring  food, fun and the presence of senior leaders.
  2. Target communication with personalized messages for different stakeholder groups. The communications team leans heavily on email, but they streamline it, and send personalized weekly messages to their internal stakeholders: Airport Customer Service; Flight Operations; In-Flight Service; Operations & Customer Center  (aka the “nerve center”); Reservation & Customer Care and Tech Operations.   “We keep the weekly communication focused on what’s most important to each group.”

In addition to email and Thursday updates, Delta offers:

  • DeltaNet (intranet) as its “communication of record”
  • SkyHub, an internal FB platform that offers employees an opportunity to share feedback, personal photos etc.
  • Life@Delta, a new platform used to showcase “a day in the life of a Delta employee” Side benefit: it’s a great talent acquisition tool!
  • Delta Vision, 800 strategically-placed digital billboards with attention-grabbing headlines
  • Delta News Hub, primarily used for press releases and other external announcements
  1. Share profits with employees. Delta’s “work together, win together” program means that when the company does well, so do the employees.  Profit-sharing is announced on Valentine’s Day and is reported to be “the happiest day of the year for Delta employees.”
  2. Offer feedback mechanisms for employees. Don’t just listen — act on their ideas.  Delta offers a variety of in-person and on-line opportunities to both celebrate employees and listen to them, including:
  • “Velvet” conferences (up to 20 per year); Two-day meetings that offer in-person updates from executive leaders for frontline employees –wildly popular!
  • Town Hall meetings – Virtual, 45-min updates, as needed (note: during COVID, these meetings happened up to 3X a week!). Done at both the corporate and divisional levels.
  • Base and station visits: An authentic way for senior leaders to meet Delta team members in their workplaces to get to know them.
  • Email the CEO: CEO Ed Bastian invites any member of the Delta team to email him directly with feedback or ideas. Some recommendations are implemented quickly; others take more time.  “We had a flight attendant who pointed out that pizza was being served on a morning flight and within a week, Delta made the change to a more breakfast-sensible inflight meal”.  Other examples include changes in family leave policy and establishment of the emergency savings fund.  “Some of the best ideas come from our frontline employees.”
  • Employee engagement surveys: These annual surveys demonstrate how the communication team “moves the needle” on engagement each year.
  1. Engage in storytelling that highlights employees. Smyth shared a heartwarming video of Delta team members who were supported by their teams during cancer treatments, highlighted for acts of heroism at the “Chairman’s Conference” and engaged in acts of extreme kindness (e.g. one Delta employee donated a kidney to a regular customer she befriended over the years).
  2. Create activities that foster teamwork. From the annual leadership conference to the “Jet Drag” competition that raises money for the American Cancer Society to the Boulevard Bash that celebrates employees, retirees and their families – Delta knows the importance of fostering collaboration and team spirit.
  3. Measure your success. Delta’s leadership team sees the impact of making their people the center of all that they do, through metrics on employee engagement and behavioral results. In addition to measuring click-through rates and engagement in activities, the annual engagement survey includes questions like, “Are you proud to work at Delta?” and “Do you have the tools you need to do your job?”.  Third-party advocates also recognize Delta’s success (Delta is #15 on Fortune 100 list of “Best Places To Work”): https://news.delta.com/delta-earns-no-15-spot-fortune-100-best-companies-work-forr-list

 

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 NH.  rschell@jjwpr.com.

 

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.

PRxNE Conference 2024

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The Annual Conference of the PRSA Northeast District was held Friday, November 15 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown and the Yankee Chapter was well-represented. Those in attendance and presenting included Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, and Lisa Lance, the 2025 Yankee Chapter President-elect. Thanks to all who made the journey and thank you to the PRxNE 2024 Conference host – the PRSA Central New York Chapter!

 

Reality Check! Real World Mash Up Arms Young Pros for Success

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What a great turnout for the Yankee Chapter’s Real World Mash Up! From free headshots to priceless advice from seasoned PR pros, the Mash Up brought together Communications students, young professionals and longtime Yankee Chapter members for a deep dive into the art and effort of getting that first PR job.

The event, held October 28 at Southern NH University, opened with a panel discussion about “Getting Hired in Today’s World.” Big thanks to our impressive panel of young PR pros and moderator Jon Boroshok, APR, professor in the SNHU Communications department. More than 20 students were on hand to hear our panel discuss the ways they used their contacts to land their first internships and jobs. Thank you to our panel:

  • Samantha Boselli, Freelance Consultant
  • Hannah Costello, Account Executive, Wireside
  • Sarah Davis, Marketing Specialist, Dartmouth Health Children’s
  • Lauren Materia, Social Media Coordinator, New England Center for Children

VIEW THE PANEL DISCUSSION HERE

Following the panel discussion, attendees engaged in a little “speed dating,” going from table to table to gain knowledge on topics of interest led by our industry experts. Thank you to our roundtable experts:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): Dave Humphreys, Director of AI Integration, SNHU
  • Communication Measurement: Katie Paine, Measurement, Insights, and Analytics Consultant, Paine Publishing
  • Crisis Communication: Lauren Keane, VP of Communications, SNHU
  • Effective Presentation Skills: Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Counsel, Jackson Jackson & Wagner
  • Maximizing Social Media and LinkedIn: Keri Pappalardo, Director of Marketing, Lavallee Brensinger Architects
  • Personal Branding: Mary Flowers, Consultant.

    In case you missed it, you can view a recording of the panel discussion HERE

     

Member Mixer – Fall Fun at Mount Sunapee!

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Members of the Yankee Chapter of PRSA gathered at Mount Sunapee for the Upper Valley Member Mixer on Thurs. Oct. 24, 2024 – they worked with Ski NH to put on the event.

After a walking tour, Abi Allen, Communications Director of NH, spoke about “Navigating Change In The Ski Industry” and shared examples of how her team has used social media and campaigns to attract skiers to Vail Resort mountains. Thank you to our hosts for providing beautiful fall color and a fun time!

ICYMI: Ethics Month Professional Development Session

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Ethics Month Professional Development Session: Rebuilding Trust, Ethics and Communication In An Era Of Innovation

On Wed. Sept. 25th, the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and the Yankee Chapter of PRSA partnered to present a virtual “lunch and learn” featuring highlights from Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer.  Drake Baer, Senior Vice President, Thought Leadership at the Edelman Trust Institute, led the discussion.  Here are some observations from that session:

Trends

  • Rapid innovation offers the promise of a new era of prosperity, but also risks exacerbating trust issues, leading to further societal instability and political polarization.
  • More people are doing their own research (Googling, etc.) to find information they trust.
  • If you want people to trust you, give them a voice. “Your constituents want you to hear their concerns and let them ask questions.”
  • In a year when half of the world’s population will elect new leaders, our communities are more politically polarized than ever. Only 30% of those surveyed would want to live with, help, or work with people who have different political views than they do.

Trusted Sources

  • Business is seen as ethical and competent, but Government is seen as the least competent and unethical of the sectors studied (there is a 52-point gap between Business and Government in the Trust Barometer).
  • While scientists are trusted sources, there are concerns that the government has too much influence on science. One observation was made that “scientists don’t know how to communicate,” and they need to make info transparent and accessible.
  • Businesses are seen as making sure innovations are safe, ahead of the sectors of government and media. “The switch from NGO’s as trusted sources to Businesses as trusted sources is striking.”
  • But, lack of confidence in government means declining trust in the institutions responsible for steering us through change.
  • Peers are among the most trusted sources of information among those surveyed.

Takeaways for Communicators

  • If more people are seeking their own information rather than relying on sources from sectors they trust, consider how your own organization’s SEO can help share information and drive inquiries to you. Build more online assets for independent research by your publics. How can you be a better, more trusted source of information about your sector?
  • Give your constituents more agency—help them to learn your goals and why they should align with your organization. “Paint the vision,” says Baer.
  • Know that the CEO is not always the best person to put out there, given subject matter expertise and peer influence—think about the best, most trusted messenger.
  • Implementation is as important as innovation. (it’s one thing to invent it and another to anticipate the issues that come along with that innovation).  Think: Issue anticipation.
  • Business must partner for change.  Think: Build collaborations with partners.
  • Science must integrate with society, as they are trusted. Think: Who are your subject matter experts? How do you build trust in these sources?

 

Laura Simoes is a member of Yankee Chapter PRSA and serves as Executive Director of the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communication.  For more information on other professional development workshops available, visit: Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.

BLOG: Purposeful Partnerships:  Building Trusted Relationships Among Collaborating Organizations

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Purposeful Partnerships:  Building Trusted Relationships Among Collaborating Organizations
by Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA

“Trust is key to having successful collaborations”: that was a major takeaway from the powerful Yankee Chapter PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Lunch & Learn session on Aug. 15th. Special thanks to moderator Jill Kimball, APR, Marketing Manager at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital and panelists Kate Luczko, Sr. Director of HealthForce NH and Peter Wright, President & CEO of Northwestern Medical Center, for sharing your insights.

VIEW LUNCH & LEARN SESSION HERE

 

Other Key Takeaways Included:

 

  1. Collaboration works when the participating organizations understand what they are going to get out of the collaboration. It’s very important to listen and not make assumptions – take the time to understand, what are their needs?  What are their concerns?
  2. Trust is the foundation for effective collaboration. Everything comes back to trust – what is the history of trust?  What are the psycho-social dynamics of trust?  How do I build trust?  “The more you are able to ‘let go’ to your partners, the more likely you are to get to that level of trust early in the relationship.”
  3. Define your shared vision and your objectives. “Take a step back and look at the big picture – where are we all trying to get to?”  Define your goals and objectives – start with the low-hanging fruit to get some early wins.  Use those goals and objectives to measure success.
  4. Be clear when you set expectations. This applies when working with all the collaborating organizations, but also when you are reporting back to your own organization – they may be looking for a “return on investment” sooner than is realistically possible.  Communication about that is key.  Sometimes the arrangements are more informal (e.g. feedback from an advisory board) and sometimes more formal (a signed Memorandum of Understanding)
  5. You need both accountability and flexibility. It’s important to have basic systems in place for clarity on how the organizations will share information, communicate between meetings, complete tasks etc.  Meeting minutes will capture who is responsible and what deadlines are involved.  Note: collaborations can start to fall apart when these expectations are not met – but sometimes, it is important to be flexible and “give each other some grace”.  Even with a plan, it’s important to be open to what you don’t expect. “Sometimes we have to fix the plane while it’s moving.”
  6. Not everything will go smoothly – expect that and make time to discuss “lessons learned” as intel for moving forward.
  7. Find the common ground. What will be beneficial for both sides?  Start with what is most easily acceptable and move forward.  “For example, people may not want to give away all their trade secrets when it comes to recruiting … but they can rally behind a goal of, ‘What can we do collectively to make healthcare more attractive’?”
  8. Get the right people in the room for decision-making. It is difficult to control which representatives an organization sends to the meetings of the collaborating partners – and if they don’t have decision-making power, they need to go back to get organization’s blessing and that doesn’t always work well.  “It’s best to define for the representatives what decision-making power they have, so they know that going in.”
  9. Renew and refresh. Specific partnerships may align for a certain period of time and in pursuit of a certain objective or audience. As organizational goals, priorities or circumstances shift, understand that partnerships – even long-serving relationships – may have to shift as well. Accept and embrace the opportunity, because it is a terrific way to align with new ways of thinking and foster additional beneficial relationships in your industry or community.

When asked what HealthForce is most proud of, Luczko talked about identifying barriers for hiring more respiratory therapists in NH.  “Instead of playing the middleman, we got practicing respiratory therapists in a room together with members of NH OPLC (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification), the NH Hospital Association, and River Valley Community College (who offers the Respiratory Therapy program) and facilitated a discussion on how to solve the problem – while an informal collaboration for now, this felt like a big win.”

According to Wright, the New England Collaborative is working well, with some early group purchasing wins and they have established themselves as a legal entity, hired an Executive Director and reached agreement on how they would be funded.  They are well-positioned for future progress. “Relationships are a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.

 

Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA is Senior Counsel and Partner at Jackson Jackson & Wagner, a behavioral public relations and management consulting firm in the Seacoast of NH.  She is currently serving as President of the Yankee Chapter of PRSA.