News / Articles

Join fellow PRSA Chapter members in the Philadelphia area for an evening of networking and conversation at one of three simultaneous Happy Hours.

Monday, March 18, 2024, 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) (UTC-05:00)

Kick off 2023 with PRSA Philadelphia as we dive into the complex lifecycle of political communications. We’ll hear about it all directly from the professionals who oversaw or played a role with these most critical communications strategies behind the scenes! Learn more about our speakers.

WOW. Everything is bigger in Texas. I recently returned from the PRSA International Conference. I started my time at the Gaylord Texan, in Grapevine, Texas, just outside of Dallas, at the Leadership Rally. This is where chapters from across the country come together to share and exchange ideas, plus learn how to lead a chapter or lead a district.

At a luncheon to celebrate PRSA Philly’s 70th anniversary, the chapter welcomed the national chair of PRSA, Felicia Blow, PhD, APR, PRSA Fellow, vice president of Development at Hampton University in Virginia. The chapter’s milestone coincides with PRSA National’s 75th anniversary.

The local Philadelphia Chapter of PRSA will celebrate two milestone anniversaries next week
when it welcomes PRSA National Board Chair Felicia Blow, Ph.D., APR, for a special luncheon
presentation.

See the full album on Facebook

See the full list of campaign and tactics winners.

In recent issues of PRSA Philly Chapter Chat, we have put the spotlight on some of the 2021 Pepperpot winners, what made their campaigns or projects exceptional, and lessons learned relevant for any of us.

The recent Pepperpot winners also described how much the award meant to them and their teams, a validation of the quality of PR professionalism, a source of pride, and a reputation boost with their colleagues and peers. And a fun night to celebrate, too.

Plenty of companies, large and small, universities, agencies, and non-profits are making a difference
with stellar PR programs. Soon, it can be your turn to display your best work for the 2022 Pepperpots!

“PRSA has enhanced my skills, increased my network, and given me leadership opportunities. It’s also introduced me to PR pros across the country.”

“I loved being president of PRSA, as we raised the level of the programing to be more thoughtful and caused people to think about how they were doing PR. We had people discuss public affairs and legal perspectives, even NBC's Edwin Newman, who spoke about grammar and redundancy, all new ideas during the late 70s.”

“I love what I do, and I’d like to think it loves me back. Working in PR has been a very rewarding and special opportunity for me to truly enjoy my professional life in my chosen career. I was proud to serve as Chapter President in 1994; it was an amazing experience. Happy 70th Anniversary and many more!”

“I've always believed that if you're in a career, you should make a commitment to professional development, professional leadership networking, and learning about what you're doing. So, PRSA seemed like the natural place to learn more about the practice of public relations to sharpen my skills to gain credibility.”

How do you break through the noise and get your story noticed? It’s not an easy question to answer, especially in a world where reporters, editors and producers are busier than ever. As part of this monthly feature, PRSA taps directly into the expertise of the pros to better identify what they’re looking for when it comes to story pitches. In today’s edition, we catch up with Matt Petrillo, a reporter for CBS3.

Upcoming Events
Member Interview
PRSA Strategies & Tactics

November typically kicks off the season of gratitude as we gather around the Thanksgiving table. For some, expressing gratitude – showing people around you that they are appreciated – is an effort that continues after Thanksgiving, according to a recent article in PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics newsletter.

The theme of this month’s edition of PRSA’s national newsletter, Strategies & Tactics, is “Transforming Company Culture.”

We all know the critical role that communicators play in ensuring a company is living up to its stated culture not just internally, but also externally.

The theme of this month’s edition of PRSA’s national newsletter, Strategies & Tactics, is “The Benefits of Continuous Learning.”

The latest issue of PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics newsletter is devoted to a topic in the workforce that is often overlooked but is as important as ever these days: mental health and well-being.

We currently have open board positions for next year’s slate of officers. We are also looking for committee chairs and committee members. There is a place for everyone, regardless of how little or how much time you have to spend with us.

Happy Spring Everyone!

I hope you have been enjoying this (somewhat) warmer weather, even though we’ve had some cooler/rainy days and even some windy ones. Hopefully nicer weather is on the way for the rest of May!

President's Letter

Hello PRSA Philadelphia!

I hope you’re enjoying the warmer weather (when it’s not raining!) and doing the things you enjoy again, like gardening or just soaking up the sun.

Obviously, we have missed seeing your faces! Our first IN-PERSON event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 at Victory Brewing Company in Philadelphia. This evening event will be a good time to network with your peers, learn about some new craft beers from a master brewer, and enjoy food and drink while meeting the 2022 new board members!

President's Letter

As we spring forward with the change of time, the days are longer and brighter! Winter may be going out like a lion, but there is no doubt that spring is in the air. It's a time of hope and new beginnings as winter lets go and the warmth of the new season makes way for growth.

President's Letter

Hello everyone!

As I write this, the temperature is over 65 degrees in FEBRUARY and it is forecasted to drop down to 40 degrees or below by tonight. I think I’m getting weather whiplash! I don’t know about all of you, but I’m ready for spring. March 20 cannot come soon enough!

President's Letter

Hello everyone! As I write this from my office, it's 12 degrees outside - brrrrr! I hope you are all keeping yourselves warm and healthy this winter!

I'm excited to work with our new PRSA board for 2022. Welcome to our new board members - Alyson Maloney, Brittany Eifert, Michelle Drager and Rachel Forth! I'm excited to see what we can do this year with the new energy and ideas coming to the table.

President's Letter

Happy December!

It seems like only yesterday we were outside frolicking on the beach or in the pool and now the sun sets around 4:30 p.m. and the weather is colder. The holidays are upon us and everyone is in a (hopefully) festive mood!

President's Letter

Happy fall!

It’s hard to believe, but we’re only a few weeks away from the 2021 Pepperpot Awards! The awards will be held on the evening of December 1 at The Lucy in Philadelphia. After last year’s virtual event, we are excited to gather in-person to celebrate this year, along with the proper protocols.

President’s Letter

Leaders and volunteers are so important, not only for PRSA, but for all non-profit organizations. Making a difference in your community and making society better is truly something to be proud of.

President’s Letter

Happy September! It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and fall is around the corner. I, for one, can’t wait to dress in long sleeves and cozy sweatpants again!
I would be remiss if I didn’t continue to hammer home the fact that the 2021 Pepperpot Awards will be held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

President’s Letter

While summer is fading fast, things are heating up on the PRSA front this August.
The tradition of celebrating excellence within our field continues with the 2021 Pepperpot Awards, to be held in person on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

President's Letter

Hi all—I hope everyone had a Happy Fourth of July! Although this summer season deems to be a particularly steamy one, we have a lot of great chapter events coming up to keep you cool and cognizant of the latest industry trends and information.

President's Letter

It’s finally June and that means summer is just around the corner! It’s also my birthday month, although who really gets excited about growing another year older--am I right?!

As Covid-19 restrictions are lifted across the Philadelphia-region, and we are able to safely meet, we look forward to hosting more of our events in person. For now, though, please enjoy two upcoming virtual programs that address important topics for many PR practitioners: crisis communications and communicating about the vaccine rollout.

President's Letter

May has arrived and Memorial Day will be here before you know it! I know we’re all looking forward to the warmer weather, getting out of the house more and taking vacations again (whether it be a car ride to the shore or a plane ride to….anywhere!)

President's Letter

Well we’ve made it – spring is here! I hope you’ve all been enjoying the warmer weather and the change from heavy jackets to short sleeve shirts!

We have a terrific program happening on Tuesday, April 13, Diversity in the Newsroom: A Fireside Chat with The Philadelphia Tribune’s Interim City Editor Sharyn Flanagan.

President's Letter

Happy (almost) spring everyone! As the temperature starts to heat up, we’re ramping up our terrific programming! Our next event will be held tomorrow night, March 9 -- The First Amendment and its Role in Journalism: A Deep Dive with The New York Times Leading Newsroom Attorney David McCraw.

President's Letter

Happy February everyone!

2021 is off to a great start, thanks to a fabulous program held last week, “Get Away with PRSA,” where we pretended we were on vacation -- dressed in beach gear, drink in hand -- while networking with each other and signing up for committees. We had a great time and were happy to welcome back existing members and connect with some potential new members too!

President's Letter

Happy New Year!

Last year was a truly challenging and let’s face it, life-altering, year for all of us with the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, our chapter celebrated our annual Pepperpot Awards in December with more than 150 attendees via Zoom! I want to thank Stephanie Byrwa for her service as chapter President and for taking the reins when Past President Martha Gaston unexpectedly moved to South Carolina early in 2020. Her leadership was critical in keeping the chapter afloat during the trying time that was the year 2020. (And we miss you Martha!)