PRSA Appoints Senior Counsel to 2024 Board; Certificate Program Offers Guidance for Transitioning to PR

PRSA named Heide Harrell, M.A., APR, and Scott Thornburg, APR, Senior Counsel to the 2024 Board of Directors. 

Harrell is director of communications for Central Arkansas Water, a metropolitan water system serving almost 500,000 Arkansans in eight counties. Thornburg is senior director, global marketing and communications for Sojern, a $100-million-plus travel technology firm.

“Heide and Scott are experienced servant leaders who have served across all levels of the association,” said 2024 Chair Joseph Abreu, APR. “They have worked diligently with PRSA volunteers and staff for their entire careers to improve our member experience and elevate the public relations profession. Their continued work with the Board will undoubtedly help advance our mission.”

Harrell has more than 20 years of communications and marketing experience, and her many PRSA roles include serving as a member of the Board from 2020-2022 and as secretary in 2023. She has contributed to committees and task forces that support PRSSA students and PRSA’s annual conference. Harrell has also been chair and director of the Southwest District and president of the Arkansas Chapter.

Thornburg’s PRSA experience includes previously serving as senior counsel and director at large on the Board of Directors. He has also been the chair of the Technology Committee and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee.

He has been a strategic communications adviser for top global brands, including
Oracle, ExxonMobil, Google and Nasdaq.

PRSA Certificate Program Will Help Journalists, Students Enter PR

Public relations continues to be an inviting profession for journalists. To help these professionals interested in new careers in communications, PRSA is offering a certificate program, “Transitioning from Journalism to PR & Comms,” beginning on March 12.

The five-week course of live, online modules will connect “the needs of PR and communications entities with the skill sets of journalists and other professionals eyeing a transition,” the program description reads. 

Two longtime PRSA members will present the course: Jeanne Salvatore, president of JMS Communications and a PR lecturer at Seton Hall University, and Sherry Goldman, president of Goldman Communications Group and an adjunct professor in public relations at the City College of New York. The program will feature numerous guest speakers, including several former journalists.

In an interview with PRsay, Salvatore and Goldman said communications professionals and journalists share similar skills. Strong writers with media prowess and the ability to speak clearly and concisely, journalists are well suited to work in public relations. Former journalists also understand news and how to create a story hook. 

Besides helping prepare former journalists to enter public relations, the certificate program will also benefit digital marketers, content creators, advertising pros and social media experts, Salvatore and Goldman said. 

The course will cover the fundamentals of media relations, so those starting in public relations, including students and new professionals, can also learn from the program.

Visit the PRSA website here for registration information.

Board Nomination Coming Soon

PRSA is preparing to announce the application process for the 2025 Board of Directors.

Board members meet and closely collaborate with colleagues on the local, regional and national levels, supporting efforts to champion PRSA and amplifying our value with members. Their duties and responsibilities include fiscal oversight, helping to guide and oversee PRSA’s strategic vision and goals, enhancing membership growth, and serving as the face of the organization, among many other projects and programs.

Visit the PRSA website or social media platforms for updates on the Board nomination announcement.