by Jennifer Dublisky, assistant director of public relations at Widener University and PRSA Philly News Committee chair

Tis’ the season of resolutions, so why not “resolve to get involved” with the PRSA Philly Chapter in 2012? There are a number of opportunities available within the chapter from event planning and writing to promoting and Tweeting.

This article will give you a glimpse into each committee, but be sure to attend the chapter’s first event of the year “Counting Down to 12” on Thursday, Jan. 19, to learn more and meet with the committees directly.

Interested in event planning?

The Programming Committee, lead by Lee Florida, Tonic Life Communications, and Nancy Lan, SCA Tissue North America, is the force behind all local PRSA events. “This year we are aiming to feature dynamic speakers and topics that explore new and developing trends,” Lan said. “We also want to provide more opportunities throughout the year to help members connect and meet with new peers.”

The Programming Committee is always recruiting new members. Getting involved with this committee is a great way to hone your event planning and organization skills. It allows you to see how the chapter works as whole.

The PR Institute Committee would be another fit for those interested in event planning.  Becca Barker, Miller’s Insurance Agency, Inc., and Michele Painter, TD Bank, co-chair the committee and are interested in gaining a few members to assist in planning and executing the 2012 PR Institute. The Institute is an advanced training program and unique competition for up-and-coming PR pros to learn from leading practitioners and hone their plan development skills. Participants attend weekly, two-hour educational sessions, taught by leading industry practitioners, on topics such as strategic planning, ROI, and presentation training. “For those concerned about a year-long commitment, this is a great opportunity to learn a great deal in a more manageable 7-week span,” Barker said.

Miss college life?

Then you may be interested in assisting Carly Keeny, communications manager for Villanova University’s College of Engineering and the Philly PRSA’s liaison to area PRSSA chapters, as she recruits members to strengthen ties between seasoned professionals and the next generation of practitioners. “We are looking for members to take an active role in helping local students connect more efficiently with working PR pros through student-specific networking and educational opportunities, as well as increased attendance by PRSSA members at chapter-wide events,” she said.

Are you a young professional?

If so, you may want to get involved with the Young Professionals Committee, a new committee lead by, Anna Cramer, Brian Communications, and Jessica Lawlor, Visit Bucks County.

Bridging fellow graduates and PRSSA alumni with PRSA members and PR pros, this committee embarks on its first year with the ambition to offer young professionals more than just networking opportunities, with educational workshops as well. “We want to educate members in a low-cost way, offering monthly workshops at local offices and organizations and utilizing PRSA members,” Cramer said.  “We plan to host events after work, and also are interested in having occasional Twitter chats for those who don’t have the luxury of taking extended lunches yet.” While, the programming targets those who are five years or under in the field, members new to PR are also welcome. Look out for their first event coming up in March.

Social media guru?

The Publicity and Social Media Committee is always looking for new members. “There is something for everyone, whether you love to write or tweet,” Michelle Vroom, Tonic Life Communications and committee co-chair said. “It’s the perfect committee if you want to keep learning.”

Currently lead by Vroom and Christy Ross, Tonic Life Communications, this committee has subcommittees that manage the chapter’s social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and website. The committee is not only responsible for promoting chapter events using various social media platforms and traditional news media, but also PRSA in the Philadelphia area.

Interested in internal relations?

This year the Membership Committee is interested in not only gaining new members, but also retaining existing members by finding ways to better connect with them. “This is a great committee for members who want to get involved but may have only small chunks of time to commit or want to contribute on evenings or weekends,” chair Jennifer Antonacci, Pfizer Inc, said. “You don’t have to attend all of the PRSA events to make a meaningful impact as part of this committee and it’s a great way to meet new people in the industry.”  Antonacci is seeking members to help the committee communicate the value of being involved with the local chapter, as well as identifying ways to find members, and responding to general chapter membership questions.

Under the leadership of Blair Kahora Cardinal, the Diversity Committee works closely with the Membership Committee, as it seeks to cultivate a membership that reflects the exceptional composition of the public relations industry in the Greater Philadelphia region. PRSA Philly views diversity to reach as broadly as ethnicity, experience level, geography, gender, income, and type of work whether it be agency, corporate, nonprofit, public sector or independent practitioner. The Diversity Committee seeks members to help the chapter maintain these values.

If you are familiar with the non-profit world or just want to learn more about it than you could join the chapter’s new Philanthropy Committee lead by Kory Aversa, Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. “Its our goal to link members with appropriate nonprofit organizations and events.” This year the committee is looking to gain members to help plan an event for local nonprofits to learn how public relations and social media can benefit their organizations.

On the other hand, if you are interested in learning more about sponsorship development, than you may want to join the Sponsorship Committee. This committee seeks to offset organizational expenses to provide superior membership advantages for the chapter, including educational events, training programs, and networking and job opportunities. Blair Kahora Cardinal, chapter president, is currently leading this committee.

Natural born writer?

If so the News Committee is always looking for new members. Responsible for writing and editing the Chapter Chat member newsletter, which is distributed monthly, the News Committee meets four times a year to brainstorm ideas and plan out the editorial calendar for the year. The News Committee is always trying to come up with out-of-the-box story ideas, and is interested in hearing your feedback. “This year we hope to expand our content by covering more events and incorporating multimedia,” Jennifer Dublisky, Widener University and News Committee chair, said.

Why get involved?

Getting involved in a committee allows you to expand your network of PR pros in the area. “I’ve gained so many more connections being involved,” Vroom said. “Working with different people helps expand your relationships and also improves professional development.” Jenifer Antonacci suggests attending at least three local events this year, as a way to expand your professional development.

It also gives you another outlet to expand your skill set. Not every position allows people to plan events or write, but PRSA now gives members the opportunity to capitalize on their interest. Vroom agrees, “I’ve gained so many valuable things from being a chair, it allows me use skills I don’t always get to during my job.”

It’s a resume builder. In today’s economy, competition in the PR job market is high, and being involved with organizations like PRSA helps individuals set themselves apart, it shows that you have the ability to take on additional responsibilities outside of work and that you have a diverse knowledge and skill set.

Overall, its fun! It’s professional development with a twist. Many programs and events allow you to broaden you knowledge of the industry, but you also just might have some fun along the way – there are happy hours, lunch gatherings, and a number of other events. Who knows you may even meet a friend – or 30 along the way.

For more information on the committees or chair contact information, click here.