Join us in May:

Portfolio Workshop 

We PR professionals (and soon to be pros!) make our living by building positive relationships between our organization and our targets. We make these connections very strategically and manage them with painstaking care - using carefully chosen tools and communication channels. But are you applying those same skills to marketing yourself?

No matter what stage in your PR career you're at, it's ALWAYS smart to have a top-notch resume and portfolio ready to share at a moment's notice. Those of you who have been in the biz for awhile realize the world has definitely shifted in the last decade, but do you know what things today's employers are looking for? Students and new grads: Do your materials demonstrate that you've got what it takes to make it  in our highly competitive field? And if you do land an interview, how confident are you in your ability to translate the right messages that resonate with the folks on the other side of the desk?

If the answer to these questions is, "I'm not sure...," then be SURE not to miss PRSA Northeast Wisconsin's first-ever PRofessional Skills Workshop, scheduled for Tuesday, May 22! We're holding it at LaSure's in Oshkosh in order to make the meeting extremely convenient for UW-Oshkosh students, but this meeting will be a chance for all of our members and friends to brush up on these important self-marketing tools!

We'll begin the evening with registration and hors d'oeuvres from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Then, we'll hear some brief remarks from our stellar panelists:

         -Jamie Page-Stadler: director of UW-Oshkosh's Career Service department 

         -Heidi Strand: founder/consultant of Blue Door Consulting

         -Melanie Riedman-Bruins: manager of Human Resources Compliance/HR 

          Business Partner, Oshkosh Corporation 

We'll quickly move into our "speed dating" style workshop format, in which the three experts will sit at different tables and meet in a small group setting with attendees to talk, answer questions and review your work for about 25 minutes.

At the end of the 25-minute period, the members at one table will move to another table. This will be repeated three times for a total of 75 minutes, wrapping up by 7:30 p.m. When you leave, you'll feel empowered and ready to launch a first-rate PR campaign for your most important client: yourself! 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

La Sure's Banquet Hall 

Tickets:
$20 Northeast Wisconsin PRSA Members; $25 after 5:00 p.m. on May 18

$30 Guests (non-members); $35 after 5:00 p.m. on May 18

$15 Undergraduate Students; $20 after 5:00 p.m. on May 18 

Register Today!

Make the Most of Your PRSA Membership with Free Webinars 

Your PRSA membership is more valuable than ever before. A new benefit of your membership for 2012 is access to more than 50 free live and on-demand webinars with topics ranging from communication strategy, crisis and reputation, leadership and management, media relations, social media and much more! Here are a few upcoming webinars to mark in your May calendar:

Watch What You Post - Steer Clear of Social Media Minefields May 17, 2012 1-2 p.m. CT

What Is Your Communications ROI? Make Sure Your Business Outcomes Measure Up! May 22, 2012 2-3 p.m. CT

Help Them Hire You! How to Grow Your Business When YOU Are the Business. May 31, 2012 2-3 p.m. CT

If you don't have time to set aside an hour for the live webinar, the session recordings are always available online a few days later. Visit the PRSA Training Calendar to learn about all the upcoming opportunities from PRSA.

 Save the Date: PRSA 2012 International Conference

San Francisco: October 13-16, 2012  

Each year, more than 3,000 public relations and communications professionals attend the world's largest public relations gathering. Hosted by the City by the Bay, the 2012 PRSA International Conference will feature keynote speakers Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder, and Tim Westergren, Pandora founder and chief strategy officer.

Stone was an early adapter of the social Web in 1999, went to work for Google in 2003 and, in 2006, launched the online social network and microblogging service, Twitter, effectively providing a voice for a generation. He will deliver the opening keynote presentation, “Open, Informed and Engaged: A Changing Communication Landscape.”

An award-winning composer and accomplished musician with 20 years of experience in the music industry, Westergren started Pandora, the popular Internet radio service, in 2000 with the Music Genome Project. He travels the country as Pandora’s chief evangelist to engage millions of listeners.

The Conference will be held at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Oct. 13–16. Register for the 2012 International Conference by Aug. 24 and save $200. Discounted hotel and travel rates are also available. Hope to see you in San Francisco in October!

Welcome New Member Patrick Casey!     

Q: Where do you work? What is your role at the company?    
I work at the Boldt Company as a public relations specialist.   

Q: Please share some of your education/employment background.
I have a B.A. in communication with a PR emphasis from UW-Stevens Point. This is my first job out of college, but I interned with the wonderful women at Red Shoes PR this past summer.

Q: Describe your typical day. 
Oh man...one reason I love my job is because my role is so diverse. I regularly work on everything from writing releases and contacting members of the media to preparing our crisis communication plan and managing social media channels - all with a lot of coffee mixed in, of course.

Q: What do you hope to get out of PRSA?
I'm most looking forward to professional education and networking opportunities with PRSA.

Q: Any hobbies?
I'm a pretty avid disc golfer (and hate the term "frolfing"). Sleeping is also one of my favorite hobbies, but who has time for that?

May Anniversary Shout-Outs! 

We asked your fellow PRSA Northeast Wisconsin members with May anniversaries to give us their thoughts on the following— 

"How did you decide to get into the PR profession?"

"I have a media background so it was an interesting and welcome transition to think like a reporter while developing messaging for my organization." -Kelli Karpinski, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce (member, 11 years)

"After working in newsrooms for 10 years, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what qualities it took to be a public relations practitioner. When I was offered a media/public relations position, I jumped at it. Looking back, I have to say that working in the newsroom was an invaluable way to prepare for my career in public relations. I understand what many of my 'customers' need." --Renae Bauer, Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross (member, 9 years)

Other May anniversaries include:

32 years:
Jim Streed, APR Integrys Energy Group

6 years:
Debra Fiebig, Deb Public Relations LLC

Laurie Pagel, American Cancer Society

Sherri Valitchka, Greater Green Bay YMCA, Inc.

Why did YOU decide to get into the PR profession? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.