New Member Spotlight – Stephanie Rhodes

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