Rhoda Weiss Honored with PRSA’s Gold Anvil Award for Lifetime Achievement in Public Relations

NEW YORK, October 20, 2019 – PRSA, the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community, honored Rhoda Weiss, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, with its Gold Anvil Award, the organization’s highest individual honor recognizing lifetime achievement in public relations. The award was presented at the PRSA 2019 International Conference in San Diego.

“PRSA is honored to present the Gold Anvil Award to Rhoda Weiss,” said Debra D. Peterson, APR, 2019 PRSA National Chair. “Her remarkable accomplishments over the span of her career act as shining examples to all public relations professionals who seek to make a positive impact in this profession. Not only has she had an illustrious career, but she has continually been a leading presence as part of PRSA over the years, and her influence will continue to enrich the experience of our members for years to come.”

Throughout her more than four-decade career in the communications industry, Weiss has been touted as a leading innovator, pioneer and highly honored executive in public relations, marketing and branding for nationally recognized healthcare organizations, corporations, nonprofits and more. She is president of Rhoda Weiss Consulting Group, Inc., a Los Angeles-based corporation established in 1986, and has traveled across the globe, acting as a speaker and consultant to organizations worldwide.

Prior to establishing her consulting firm, Weiss served in communications and marketing roles for hospitals and health systems. She shifted to a career in public relations after working as a journalist in Detroit, New York and Los Angeles.

Weiss is a past PRSA National Chair/CEO and played an instrumental role in the planning and execution of this year’s conference as the PRSA 2019 International Conference Chair, resulting in one of PRSA’s most successful conferences. A member of the PRSA College of Fellows, among her other PRSA awards and accolades are the PRSA Health Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, PRSA Educators Academy Ferguson Award for Contributions to Public Relations Education, PRSA National Volunteer of the Year Award and PRSA-Los Angeles Professional of the Year Award.

In addition to leadership in PRSA, Weiss was a founding president of the American Hospital Association Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development. She was also a founder and president of Women in Health Administration and president of AHA Society for Health Care Marketing & Public Relations and Healthcare Public Relations & Marketing Association. Since 2012, Weiss has been the chair of the American Marketing Association Executive Summit of 70 top executives in marketing and communications that represent the nation’s largest and most prominent health systems and nearly one of every two U.S. hospitals. She is also co-chair of Becker’s Healthcare Spring and Fall C-suite Conferences which draw 6,000 executives annually.

Prolific writer, editor and columnist for national magazines, she is author of “Managing Health Care Reform: Ideas for Leaders,” a UCLA Extension Distinguished Faculty honoree, Kellogg Foundation Fellow and quoted extensively in the media. Named among the 24 Top Women in U.S. Healthcare by Becker’s Healthcare, she has garnered a number of awards and honors in the healthcare sector, including the inaugural Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development National Leadership Excellence Award, one of American Hospital Association’s highest honors. She was also named the Women in Health Administration Woman of the Year, has been listed among the Plank Center Legends in Public Relations and named an Outstanding Alumna from Michigan State University College of Communication Arts & Sciences.

Since 1984, Weiss has been on the UCLA Extension Faculty, and has taught and served as a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities. She is a U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force National Civic Leader, a role that includes travel to military bases around the globe. She has participated in Detroit Homecoming, joining expats dedicated to helping revitalize their hometown and authored “50 Ways to Show Your Love for Detroit.” She has also served on numerous corporate, nonprofit and charitable boards.

Weiss holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University where she presented the graduating class valedictory address. She earned her Ph.D. in Leadership & Change from Antioch University, along with a master’s degree in psychology. She also completed the Western Network for Health Care Executives at University of California, Berkeley and the Executive Leadership Institute at University of Michigan. Her decades of research and expertise on organizational name changes is used widely by companies anticipating rebranding efforts.

About PRSA
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community. PRSA is the principal advocate for industry excellence and ethical conduct and provides members lifelong learning opportunities and leading-edge resources to enhance professional connections and support them at every stage of their career. With more than 30,000 members, PRSA is collectively represented in all 50 states by more than 110 Chapters and 14 Professional Interest Sections, and on nearly 375 college and university campuses through its student organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). For more information, please visit www.prsa.org.

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Media Contact:
Vinica Weiss
(212) 460-1479 
vinica.weiss@prsa.org