Board Member Spotlight: Jared Meade, APR

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This August, we are highlighting Board Member Jared Meade, APR.

Jared Meade, APR, brings more than 16 years of public relations experience – with an emphasis on the healthcare and education sectors – to his current roles as founder and principal of Rayne Strategy Group and as manager of Public and Media Relations for Owens Community College. Located in Perrysburg, Ohio, Owens is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education serving the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on multiple campuses throughout Northwest Ohio. 

Prior to Owens, Jared served as Media/Communications Specialist for ProMedica Health System, an 11-hospital health system serving 27 counties in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. His responsibilities at ProMedica included media relations for three of the hospitals within the system: Bay Park Community Hospital, Flower Hospital and Toledo Children’s Hospital. This included all internal communications for Toledo Children’s Hospital, the second-largest hospital within ProMedica.

In addition to his role as a director for the East Central District of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), he is the immediate past president of the Northwest Ohio PRSA chapter, the founding member and former president of the public relations alumni chapter at Eastern Michigan University, where he was named the chapter’s Alumnus of the Year in 2009, a PRSA Independent Practitioners Alliance Executive Committee member, a member of the Board of Advisors for the Museum of Public Relations and a member of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the PRCA PR and Communication Council and the PRCA COVID-19 Taskforce. He is also currently serving as the Media Chair for the Toledo-Lucas County Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census. Previously he served as a board member for the Children’s Theatre Workshop, a nonprofit that provides theatrical training for Toledo-area youth. 

Most recently, he received the Gold Hermes Creative Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) in 2018. 

Meade earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Eastern Michigan University and a Masters in Strategic Public Relations from George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. He earned his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2018. 

Home Chapter: Northwest Ohio

What is your favorite part about being part of PRSA (National, District and Chapter levels)?

I am very proud of my profession and believe that public relations when used correctly can change the world for the better. Volunteering my time at the national, district and chapter levels allows me to do my part in ensuring that we all leave the profession in a better state than we found it.

What do you hope to contribute to PRSA-ECD in 2020?

I would like my biggest contribution to be an increase in chapter engagement. I want each chapter to realize the usefulness of the ECD and to feel as if their voice is not only heard but that the ECD has taken what they have said and tried to use it for the betterment of all members.

What is your favorite part of public relations (and other related communications industries)?

My favorite part of the public relations profession is its ability to truly bring people together and through communication make the world a better place.

Talk about your career. What have been some highlights and missteps, and what have you learned from them?

I think my biggest misstep in the beginning of my career was not believing in myself. Too often I would stay silent when I knew the right direction to go in a project because I felt I had not had enough experience. Looking back now I realize I missed a lot of opportunities because I didn’t speak up. I’ve since learned that no matter where you are in your career, your input is valuable and you should never be afraid to speak up.

What would you say to a prospective member who wants to join PRSA but is on the fence?

My advice to anyone thinking about joining a professional organization is to look at what is offered to members by way of professional development and opportunities to get involved. I would also look to see how that professional body is supporting and advancing the profession. If all of those things match up with a potential member’s aspirations, then jump in with both feet.

What do you like most about QuickStart, the Diamond Awards and/or other PRSA-ECD initiatives? 

I believe that any initiative that allows a professional to develop their skills or gain recognition for the amazing work they have done is something that should be applauded. That recognition and development is my favorite part of these initiatives.

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