Kim Skeltis is a PRSA leader out of West Michigan. She serves as an ECD Board member. Get to know a little about Kim.

Home PRSA Chapter: West Michigan

City/state of residence: Grand Rapids, Michigan

University/degree: Central Michigan University; bachelor’s degree with a journalism major/public relations concentration and marketing minor.

What year did you join PRSA (national)? 1995, though I was a PRSSA member before that. I’ve also been a member of the Central Michigan, Detroit and San Francisco chapters before joining the West Michigan chapter.

Where do you work? Owner and principal of Blue Blaze Public Relations, a solo PR consultancy of 10+ years.

What was your first job out of college? I was an outreach coordinator with the Parks & Recreation Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. While I was a park ranger classification (and I wore the uniform!), I visited community groups to tell them why to visit Michigan State Parks. I used to do presentations using a projector and slides!

What is your biggest career lesson? Every job teaches you something – even if it’s what you don’t like to do. Be a sponge and always strive to learn and grow everywhere you work.

What was the most memorable moment in your career? Inviting national accessibility advocate Sylvia Longmire with Spin the Globe to my destination client, Ludington, Michigan. Sylvia had only been to Michigan once passing through Detroit. We showed her Ludington’s wheelchair accessible features–from plastic beach paths on Lake Michigan beaches, to adaptive outdoor equipment at the state park. She was impressed with the area’s commitment to accessibility, writing a glowing blog and social posts and vowing to return for vacation with her family. She also taught us the importance of using specific inclusivity language (because “accessible” is relative depending on the disability). 

What lesson do you want to share with graduates entering the workforce in PR? You don’t have to land the perfect job right out of college. It may take two to three career stops before you find the right fit. You often don’t know what you like or don’t like until you try different work environments – corporate, agency, nonprofit, etc. And it’s also okay to accept an internship post-college – often that becomes a three-month interview.

What is your favorite aspect of the PR profession? I love elevating an organization with a great message that needs help communicating it. There is nothing more gratifying than placing a story about an important company, product or place that makes a significant difference to their business. PR can have a profound impact, especially for smaller organizations and nonprofits that don’t have unlimited marketing budgets. 

What is your opinion about AI and how it relates to the PR profession? It’s here to stay, and we need to learn how to use it effectively to assist us in our work. It’s also incumbent upon us to communicate why PR professionals matter and that you still need PR pros (rather than cut corners and ask AI to write your press release). 

What do you most value about being a member of PRSA? It’s an incredible networking accelerator. I always join the local PRSA chapter wherever I live because it jump-starts making professional connections, especially when new to a community. Plus, it keeps me plugged in and constantly learning, particularly important as a solo practitioner without work colleagues. 

When not working, where would we find you? I’m usually on a hiking trail pounding out the miles (I’m in my fourth year of participating in the North Country Trail Hike 100 Challenge). Or in my kayak paddling a Michigan river in the summer.

What’s your favorite pastime? Besides hiking, it would be traveling with my husband – and even better if I can do both! I can’t get enough, and my bucket list keeps getting longer. Our last big trip was to Greece, and we visit New Zealand next.