Letter from the PRSA/Philadelphia President

Marisa Avallone Sharkey, APR President, PRSA/Philadelphia

Welcome to the Philadelphia Chapter of PRSA. With a membership of approximately 600 public relations professionals from throughout the region, we are one of the largest PRSA chapters in the country and are a vital resource for communications professionals throughout Greater Philadelphia.

We offer our members a variety of services including professional development, mentoring, networking, the region’s preeminent communications job bank, and an opportunity to earn professional accreditation through the APR exam, PR’s highest professional designation.

In 2008, due to our members’ feedback, we will expand our chapter’s by not only continuing to tap the invaluable resources we have within the Philadelphia market, but also by bringing recognized experts from other areas to share their knowledge. As our members also requested, we will increase opportunities for networking and shared discussions.

Our first networking reception will take place immediately following our first program – a membership orientation – on January 31. Members and non-members are welcome to attend, and representatives from the news media are being invited.

This Spring, our chapter will host our second annual “PR Institute”, where up-and-coming practitioners participate in weekly educational courses and develop integrated communications plans for “real” clients.

Also lined up for the Spring is our annual “Three Saturdays” course, which prepares PR professionals who wish to take the APR exam and provides an overview and refresher on PR basics for all practitioners.

For more information on these events, and our other programs throughout the year, please visit the Events section on this Web site. We will update this section as program details are finalized.

I look forward to seeing you and wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year!

Best,

Marisa Avallone Sharkey, APR
President