ECD Chapter Spotlight: PRSA West Virginia Chapter
The PRSA West Virginia Chapter was founded in 1979 and serves the entire mountain state. Whether you follow the fabled country roads of John Denver’s ode to the “mountain mama,” or the converging highways of I-64, I-77, and I-79, they will take you to the chapter’s home base in Charleston, a mecca for PR pros to learn, work, and attend chapter events.
A significant part of PRSA-WV’s public relations history is rooted in education. West Virginia University was among the first nine schools in the nation to charter a PRSSA chapter on April 4, 1968, establishing a strong foundation for future practitioners in the state. The Charles R. Byrd Chapter of PRSSA at West Virginia State University, founded in 1991, is another prominent student-run chapter.
Leading the 73 members of PRSA-WV is Chapter President Dr. James Owston, an educator and PR/marketing specialist with more than 40 years of experience in broadcasting and teaching. Jim and his Concord University PR students earned a “Best in Show” ECD Diamond Award for their “Career Fair 2024” event.
“My particular goal is to widely engage our membership in 2026,” Jim said. He describes his chapter’s membership as solo practitioners, corporate, state government, non-profit, and small business PR professionals, and says, “The secret to a happy chapter” is engagement. “Involving membership from across the state,” he said. “Membership comes from 12 West Virginia counties and four other states, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.”
In May 2021, the PRSA River Cities Chapter, which served the “River Cities” region of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, officially went on hiatus. River Cities Past President and ECD Past Chair Kaylin Staten, APR, joined chapter leaders in assisting members in transferring their affiliations. Many professionals in the Huntington/Charleston area joined PRSA-WV.
President-Elect Lori Chenoweth is a Marshall University graduate who launched her own business, Agency LMC, in 2014. Her agency has won more than 30 PRSA-WV Crystal Awards. She took a leap into board service as secretary in 2025 and looks forward to leading the chapter and collaborating with the East Central District.
“I’m really excited about getting involved with the ECD this year,” said Lori. “Last year was my first year serving on the PRSA-WV board, and I also attended ICON for the first time. I had the chance to connect with other ECD members at the meet-and-greet lunch, which was fun!
“This year, my vision for our chapter is to build a stronger foundation for programming and networking opportunities, giving our members meaningful ways to engage and connect.”
A “fun fact” about PRSA-WV is its history of having one of the highest percentages of APRs in the country. The chapter’s “biggest project” is the annual “Night of Honors” that includes the Crystal Awards, individual recognitions, and inductions into the Hall of Fame, which Jim called the chapter’s “proudest achievement.”
“Honoring chapters with our Hall of Fame,” Jim said. “We work with four PRSSA chapters.”
The chapter partners with PRSSA West Virginia University, West Virginia State University, University of Charleston, and Marshall University to plan and host the event, and students act as ambassadors to the honorees. The proceeds from the event benefit the PRSSA chapters.
The chapter’s 2025 premiere gala, held on November 13 at the Art Museum of WVU, was described as a celebration of some extraordinary women who made lasting contributions to the public relations profession and beyond. Entering the Hall of Fame were Karen Frashier, APR, Fellow PRSA, and Diana Martinelli, Ph.D. In the individual awards, Geah Pressgrove from WVU was named Educator of the Year.
Karen is chief strategist and CEO of Advocate Marketing PR and was recognized as a passionate advocate for lifelong learning within the profession. Diana is a former dean of the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University, where her career journey began as a PRSSA member. She guided the college through reaccreditation and was honored for her dedication to advancing PR through education, research, and leadership.
“I’m so proud of our PRSSA students,” said Geah Pressgrove, who is faculty advisor for PRSSA-WVU. “They’ve handled this event with professionalism and enthusiasm, managing everything from logistics to promotion with impressive attention to detail. It’s been a great example of learning by doing.”
The Night of Honors showcased the PRSA-WV mission: “To act as a leading professional organization serving the communications community in West Virginia, focusing on both the professional growth of its members and the development of future practitioners.”
2026 West Virgina Officers:
President: Jim Owston
Immediate Past President: Brett White
President-Elect: Lori Chenoweth
Treasurer: Courtney Johnson
Secretary: Leah Payne
Board Members: Jennifer Goddard, Sara Payne Scarbro, and Rita Colistra
