Message from the Chair: Fall Recap & Upcoming Events
October 2023 Message from Kaylin Staten, ECD Board Chair
Dear PRSA ECD community,
It’s now officially fall in our District! As we enter the final quarter of 2023, I am seemingly on track to end the year much as I started it: in a state of reflection. As I watch the orange leaves sway on the trees outside of my home office window, memories of the past month flood my mind. Oct. 9 is also Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and I encourage you to commemorate and acknowledge Indigenous cultures and narratives in your areas and across the world. A common thread of Indigenous culture is kinship. September was a true representation of kinship from our perspective!
I’m sure you had a bout of FOMO if you saw the social media posts from our QuickStart Leadership Conference on Sept. 16 but weren’t with us in Columbus! It was so lovely to see those of you who could attend this year, and I drove back home to West Virginia that evening with a reinvigorated zest for PRSA and our profession. It was so inspiring to see how engaged everyone was at the conference, and how our expertise, passion, and camaraderie shine through the work we do. This newsletter and other communications will showcase our illustrious lineup of speakers, key takeaways, and other highlights. Thank you to our speakers, attendees, sponsors, and everyone who made this event a success!
Stay tuned for more post-event information! We recorded each presentation, and the collection of podcast episodes will be available soon for a nominal fee. It’s another way we can continue to provide value to our members and give you the QuickStart experience if you missed it. Again, I want to thank Chair-Elect Jennifer Kramer, APR, for her tireless, exceptional work on this year’s QuickStart. I know that each attendee found immense value and tangible tidbits that they can take back to their Chapters, practice, and lives. Mark your calendars for the next year’s QuickStart on Sept. 14, 2024! You won’t want to miss it.
Our board met for an all-day retreat the day before QuickStart on Sept. 15. It was a long but lovely and productive day for ECD! In addition to our regular board meeting, we also planned for 2024-2027. It’s hard to believe our current strategic plan is almost at an end. I am really proud of the work we have completed in that strategic plan! I know the next plan will continue to build our key pillars and mission. I also loved seeing our board members in person. While I love being able to conduct meetings anywhere virtually via Zoom and other platforms, it truly is magical when all of us (or at least most of us) can meet in person together. Each board member had a role in this meeting and strategic planning conversations. I appreciate your hard work, insights, and dedication. I have been so fortunate to work with the best of the best on our board this year! And thank you for hosting us, Inspire PR!
We also completed our Annual 360 Survey, and thank you to each Chapter leader who participated. Your opinions are invaluable and will continue to shape ECD’s work and offerings. We will assess all of your feedback. Additionally, we will release our election process for our 2024 Board slate soon, as well as our Platinum Award winner. Stay tuned for our Diamond Award winners and other award updates, too. Our final deadline has come and gone, and I look forward to seeing the outstanding work of our members in our District. These awards truly reflect the care and excellence that go into your campaigns and tactics.
A couple more things before I bring my October letter to a close. Due to some suggestions in our 360 Survey, I wanted to host a PRSA ECD Chair Coffee Chat on Friday, Oct. 27 at 9 a.m. Chapter leaders and members are welcome, as well as our board and other friends and colleagues of ECD! It will be a 30-minute informal chat, and I’ll host a couple more this year before my tenure as Chair is officially over. Come and chat about your Chapter, PR in general, and other topics. There’s no agenda – just conversation! The Zoom link is here, and alternatively, you can register here so it ends up on your calendar.
And please save the date and register for our ECD Town Hall on Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. with PRSA National and 2023 PRSA Chair Michelle Egan, APR. It’s an opportunity to see everything happening at PRSA and to ask your pressing questions. We always love working with PRSA National throughout all levels of our association. Register here.
Enjoy this newsletter. Like every month before it, it’s full of accolades, happenings, and stories from across our six states. And what a wonderful September. I am still reeling from excitement about it! Here’s to a fulfilling October ahead. I hope to interact with you in some capacity soon!
Warmly,
Kaylin
Kaylin R. Staten, APR
2023 ECD Board Chair