Newsletter

President's Corner

Hello!

As I sit down to type this letter, I’m accompanied by one thing that is almost always nearby: a well-stickered tumbler full of water. It felt especially fitting this week as we celebrated National Drinking Water Week, an annual recognition of the vital role safe, reliable drinking water plays in our daily lives.

For more than 40 years, the American Water Works Association and its members have used Drinking Water Week as an opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the importance of water and the people who help deliver it every day. While many people simply turn on the tap without a second thought, there is an entire team working behind the scenes to ensure clean drinking water is available whenever it is needed.

As the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Green Bay Water, I have the unique opportunity to help tell that story. My role includes leading the Utility’s presence at community events, creating and managing social media and creative content, collaborating with City departments on programs and initiatives and visiting schools and organizations to educate others about the value of drinking water. One of my favorite parts of the job is connecting with our community and helping people better understand the journey water takes before it reaches their homes and businesses.

Public relations plays an important role in that effort. Whether it is sharing updates during projects, promoting educational programs, celebrating our employees or building trust with the community, communications help connect people to the essential services they rely on every day. Drinking Water Week is a reminder that there is a story behind every glass of water, and I am grateful to play a part in helping share it.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate all of the recipients of this year’s WisCOMsin Awards. It is inspiring to see so many talented communications professionals across Wisconsin recognized for their creativity, strategy and impact. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

Meghan Finger 
[email protected]

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WisCOMsin Awards

6th Annual WisCOMsin Awards: Find out who the trophies went to!

Public relations and communications excellence across Wisconsin was on full display as the 6th annual WisCOMsin Awards were held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The WisCOMsin Awards is the only statewide program dedicated to recognizing outstanding work in public relations and communications, hosted jointly by the Public Relations Society of America’s Madison and Northeast Wisconsin chapters.

Our chapter was well represented among this year’s winners at the virtual event, which celebrated the top communications and public relations achievements across the state in 2025.

COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR:
Angela Deja – Director of PR and Communications, Prevea Health and Hospital Sisters Health System – Wisconsin Market

PR/COMMUNICATIONS TEAM OF THE YEAR:
2025 NFL Draft Local Organizing Committee’s Communications Subcommittee, comprised of the following professionals:

• Aaron Popkey: Director of Public Affairs, Green Bay Packers

• Katie Hermsen: Public Affairs Manager, Green Bay Packers

• Nick Meisner: Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Discover Green Bay

• Nadia Farr: Director of Sales, PMI

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR:
Greta Gaworek – Community Engagement Manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin

INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN CATEGORY:
Award of Excellence – Emplify Health for the entry “Emplify Health by Bellin Children & Adolescent Center Opening”

EVENTS & OBSERVANCES CATEGORY:
Award of Distinction – ThedaCare for the entry “ThedaCare Celebrates Grand Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center – Oshkosh"

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CATEGORY:
Award of Distinction – Prevea Health for the entry “Planning with Purpose Video/Email Series”

SPECIAL EVENTS CATEGORY:
Award of Excellence – Prevea Health for its entry “Fall Into Confidence, A Prevea Plastics & Rejuvenation Event”

OPEN CAMPAIGNS CATEGORY:
Award of Excellence – HSHS St. Vincent Hospital for the entry “Cancer Centers Campaign”

DIGITAL TACTIC CATEGORY:
Award of Excellence – Prevea Health for its entry "Slaying Social Slang: Reimagining Primary Care PR”

PR/MEDIA TACTIC AND TOOLS CATEGORY:
Award of Excellence – Red Shoes and Alegria Shoes for the entry “Stepping into the Spotlight: Alegria Shoes Earned Media Campaign”

Award of Distinction – Hospital Sisters Health System for its entry "Green Bay Growth Announcement”

OTHER TACTICS CATEGORY:
Award of Excellence – Prevea Health and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital for the entry “Making the Unseen, Seen: Illuminating Northeast Wisconsin’s First Use of CYTALUX”

“The WisCOMsin Awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding communications work happening across our state,” said Meghan Finger, president of PRSA Northeast Wisconsin. “We’re proud to recognize this year’s award recipients for their creativity, strategy and impact. Their work not only advances the communications profession, but also strengthens the organizations and communities they serve.”

A full list of winners can be found on our website. You can also watch a recording of the event.

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Upcoming Event

Communication for Connection: Strategies that Build Trust Across Audiences will help you understand how your experiences shape your communication. This insightful virtual presentation will feature Dr. Pam Her, an experienced speaker and consultant who has helped organizations across the country build trust, strengthen messaging and connect more authentically with diverse audiences.

Date: Thursday, June 18
Time: 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Virtual via Zoom

$25.00 Member | $35.00 Non-Member | $15.00 Student

Register here!

In this engaging one-hour session, Dr. Her will introduce the foundations of cultural competency through the lens of self-awareness because strong communication starts with understanding the perspectives we bring to our work. Attendees will explore how personal lenses influence messaging, storytelling, and audience engagement, while gaining practical tools to help make communications more inclusive and effective.

This session is designed for marketing and communications professionals who want to sharpen their skills, build credibility and foster more meaningful relationships with the communities they serve.

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All About APR!

Today, we recognize one of our own. PRSA NEW Member and Marshfield Utilities Communications and Executive Assistant, Jessica Lewer, recently completed the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling her to use the APR professional designation!

We talk about the APR journey a lot, and while it does require a time commitment (all good things do!), the reward is worth it. Jessica was publicly honored by chapter members at the April programming meeting at Lambeau Field, which truly seemed appropriate for someone who recently took her own Lambeau Leap into accreditation.

Shoutout and thanks to 2024 PRSA NEW APR recipient Trisha Garrison, who served as Jessica’s mentor throughout her preparation process.

Jessica’s background includes experience in customer service and strategic communications training for Roehl Transport and TriMedia. She joined Marshfield Utilities in her current role in 2021.

The accreditation program aims to improve the practice of public relations by assessing competence in 60 areas of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with the profession. The examination is designed for public relations professionals with at least 5-7 years of job experience and/or a bachelor’s degree in a communication field. Candidates who successfully complete the rigorous process, including presenting his/her portfolio to a panel of three peers and sitting for an examination, are granted the APR.

From all of us in PRSA of Northeast Wisconsin, congratulations, Jessica!

For more information on kicking off your own accreditation journey, visit our accreditation webpage or reach out to our chapter’s Accreditation Chair, Janet Bonkowski, APR.

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Member Spotlight

In this member spotlight, we're pleased to feature McKenzie Kalscheuer, digital & social media specialist at Insight Creative, Inc.!

First news publication you read in the morning?
Daily Green Bay and Social Media Today 

Describe your typical day at work.
Anyone who works at an agency will tell you this exact thing: “No two days are the same.” And that’s accurate.

But to sum it up, my days consist of social media, proofreading, interpreting metrics and client meetings. The variety is what I love most about my job; I’m never bored!

Most important career mentor and why?
I have so many, but one of my most important mentors is Sandra Meinholz, my marketing teacher at Waunakee High School. I signed up for Marketing 1 to see if it was my “thing,” and safe to say, it was! Ms. Meinholz pushed me to think creatively and analytically and said I should consider a career in marketing. She was right! 

What made you decide to have a career in public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field?
I remember doing multiple projects in my high school marketing classes, and Ms. Meinholz would give us just the basic information and say, “Go for it!” That independence to take the project whichever way we wanted felt so freeing and rewarding. From then on, I knew I wanted to be in marketing.  

Why did you join PRSA NEW?
I was in PRSSA at UW Oshkosh, and I was given a scholarship to join PRSA NEW after I graduated. I went into it thinking, “I’ll just check it out," and I stayed ever since. I love working with like-minded professionals and sharing these important topics with others in our area.

Advice to new public relations professionals?
As a recent-ish (lol) grad, I encourage other young professionals to seek out different roles, even if you think you don’t want to work in a specific industry. It’s important to step outside of your comfort zone every once in a while and just try it. You never know what you’ll learn.

Where is your happy place?
My happy place is sitting on a patio, in the sun, with a good book! 

What’s on your professional or personal to-do list?
My personal to-do list is filled with things to get ready for my vacation to North Carolina in a few weeks. I can’t wait for my beach time! 

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Member Anniversaries

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