Raleigh Public Relations Society

The Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS) aims to advance the art and science of public relations and to strengthen communication, understanding and cooperation among the diverse individuals, groups, and institutions of the Society.

VP@rprs.org

By

Meet Your 2019 Board of Directors!

We’re a couple of months into 2019 and it’s already been an exciting year for RPRS! In addition to some incredible speakers (we see you, Kelly Propst and Jesse Lipson) and new Instagram-worthy lunch space (shout out to Tobacco Road), our 2019 RPRS Board of Directors has officially been voted on and taken office. While they all hold important jobs and make RPRS the incredible networking group it is, we thought you might want to hear more of the fun stuff. Meet your 2019 RPRS Board!

Lindsay Priester, President

Green Light Communications

Lindsay Priester - Senior Director, Rountree

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Begrudgingly training for a half marathon (I have a love/hate relationship with running), taking glamour shots of my dog (William Sampson, the Belgian Malinois), cooking up a gourmet meal or cheering on my Tar Heels
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Bida Manda for a fun dinner, Vita Vite Midtown for the best wine and charcuterie
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” or some other random 90s song!
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? I am weirdly good at Tetris, but the old school 1989 GameBoy version.
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Well, since it’s my last meal, we’re really going all out. Pork belly soup from Bida Manda, a Daredevil pizza from Trophy, a chocolate concrete with Oreos and marshmallows from Goodberry’s and a big glass of Bogle Essential Red (pro tip: it’s $7.77 at Total Wine and as good as most $50 bottles if you like big reds)
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? I’m a little obsessed with RPRS. I’ve been a member of the group for almost 10 years now and on the board for eight. The people in this group (especially board members) have been invaluable to me, both professionally and personally. They are a resource when I need help with something at work, they can relate when I talk about client events or pitching the media and they drink wine with me on the bad days (and the good).

Lisa Jeffries, Vice President

Raleighwood Media Group + Raleighwood Event Group

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… In a restaurant, on my porch, or at the beach depending on the season 😉
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Way too many options to narrow down to just one, but more often than not you can find me exploring the 350+ whiskeys available at Dram & Draught.
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Anything Whitney!
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? Ordering last-minute/”we don’t have something” deliveries from Amazon Prime. (Editor’s note: this is 1000 percent true.) 
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? “Chicken” and waffles from Fiction Kitchen with a glass of bubbles.
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? I love how friendly everyone is and getting to catch up in a real way with industry peers that I actually enjoy being connected to professional and personally.

Jessica Pope, Emails and Press Releases

Cisco

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Binging the latest Netflix show, PJs are life
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Café Luna
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Wannabe (because who doesn’t love Spice Girls)
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? Pulling out my Chambong, it’s always a crowd pleaser
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Anything Italian, probably pizza or pasta
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? The people! I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people and connections I’ve made in RPRS.

Gina Fergione, Business Manager

Largemouth Communications

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Hanging out with my dog or volunteering at the SPCA
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Beasley’s – because who doesn’t love brunch!
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time or Toto’s Africa
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? I truly don’t think I have one. I usually just find the dog at the party and hang out with them!
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Chicken penne alla vodka – basically any pasta with a lot of cheese.
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? I love meeting other PR and communications professionals – getting the chance to network, share best practices and simply learn from each other is so beneficial.

Olivia Easly, Membership (Retention)

Novaerus

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Drinking a glass of red wine and dreaming of a charcuterie board being delivered straight to my door
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Fount Coffee + Kitchen
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Toxic by Britney Spears (it was my solo in my college a cappella group)
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? Playing the ukulele
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Sounds crazy, but oftentimes my favorite part of a meal is the appetizer(s). Just give me a bowl of queso and a warm loaf of bread and I will die happy.
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? My favorite thing about being in RPRS is consistently feeling inspired. After every lunch I am inspired to work harder, smarter, and I always come away with tons of creative ideas to implement into my current projects.

Jenna Gilgore, Membership (Recruitment)

G&S Business Communications

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Kickboxing at 9 Rounds
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Tazza Kitchen in Cameron Village
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Don’t Stop Believing
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? I’m weirdly good at creating PowerPoint presentations
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Chicken Parmesan
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? The people – everyone seems to have each other’s back and want to help out. It’s just a really great culture!

Hope Torruella, Social Media

Largemouth Communications

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Hanging out on the couch cuddled up with my dog, Baylee (Editor’s note: Are you noticing a theme? Our board really values two things: dogs and wine.) 
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? Restaurant: The Pit and Beasley’s. Bar: Coglin’s (love me some good throwback music)
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Ahhhh so hard to pick one! Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC. Wanna Be by Spice Girls or Baby One More Time by Britney Spears
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? Wow…this really made me realize I don’t really have either. But I guess I’d say I have a knack for knowing if someone is a cat or dog person pretty soon into meeting them. So I guess that counts for something LOL.
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Let’s be honest…110% Moe’s
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? The sense of community and expertise we all bring to the table, and just how genuine everyone is. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that I have insanely talented colleagues and friends that I can tap if I need a professional opinion…or that won’t let me have a glass of wine alone if I’m having an off week.

Carolin Lehmann, Awards

North Carolina State University

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found… Either at the gym, road biking, or hiking.
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant/bar/coffee shop/retail shop? I love Neomonde! They have the best baba ghanoush.
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Uh… good luck trying to force me to sing LOL
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? I once won 4th place in a Connect 4 tournament, I guess that makes me a secret Connect 4 master?
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Anything my mom cooks and German chocolates (either Rittersport or Milka) as dessert.
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? Meeting a bunch of really awesome people and expanding my professional network!

Kelly Propst, Member-at-Large

Largemouth Communications

Kelly Propst - VP, Largemouth

  • When I’m not at work I’m usually/I can be found…finding fun things to do as a family, exploring Raleigh, Durham and Winston Salem.
  • Favorite Raleigh restaurant is… Oakwood Café, try the Napolitana or a grab a Cubano sandwich with their homemade hot sauce!
  • You’re forced to sing Karaoke. What’s your go-to song? Bon Jovi, Livin’ on a Prayer
  • What’s your secret talent/party trick? Discovered the art of drinking wine from a porron at a Charleston bar and have developed a pretty decent arm extension, my husband and I even had porrons at our wedding reception!
  • It’s your last meal (in a non-morbid kind of way). What’s on your plate? Cheese, olives, cured meats, mustard, big hunk of bread, and a nice red wine to wash it all down
  • Favorite thing about being in RPRS/being on the RPRS board? Networking and fellowship with people who understand the world of PR; colleagues who can relate to your challenges, share in celebrating each other’s successes and learn from one another.

By

JOB ALERT: External Communications Manager

Wake County is looking for an external communications manager to join its award-winning Communications Office. We want a proven leader who can take us to the next level using strategic and practical tactics to generate impressive results. The right person will also handle high-profile media inquiries in a transparent and timely manner while continuously seeking opportunities to highlight the good work Wake County does every day.

Find out more and apply here.

By

JOB ALERT: Account Executive

Hiring Company
Bolt Public Relations

 

Job Title
Public Relations Account Executive

 

Brief Job Description
Bolt Public Relations, an award-winning, independently owned public relations, marketing, events and digital marketing agency with offices in California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas, is looking for an experienced PR pro to join our Raleigh, North Carolina, team! This is a public relations position with primary functions that include account leadership, team management, strategic planning, media relations and writing, event coordination and community relations.

 

Requirements:
• A minimum of three years direct PR experience in an agency
• A proven track record of successful account management
• At least one year of management experience
• Established media relationships
• Thorough understanding and proven experience generating quality press coverage regionally and nationally
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Fundamental knowledge of effective social media marketing

Essential responsibilities include:
• Strategic PR planning and counsel
• Media relations, including strategy, proactive outreach and interview coordination
• Account leadership and strategy development
• Team management and project delegation
• Client relations, including daily communication and weekly reports
• Copywriting and collateral development, including press releases, media advisories, newsletters, articles, press kits, case studies and more
• Community relations, such as securing and coordinating partnerships and other marketing opportunities
• Event coordination

Bolt PR offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, as well as a comprehensive benefits package including paid vacation time, medical insurance and a 401K plan.

To Apply:
To be considered, please send your cover letter and resume to CareerNC@boltpr.com.

 

Link for More Information and How to Apply
http://boltpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PR-Account-Executive-Raleigh-January-2019.pdf

By

RPRS Member-Exclusive Savings: Think Outside the Bowl Business Strategy Conference – Durham

We have an exclusive RPRS Member Discount for the upcoming Think Outside the Bowl Business Strategy Conference happening in Durham on August 23! Want in on the deep savings? Login to your member account today at https://rprs.org/login/ and you’ll find all the details on your member homepage on how to save $26 when registering for what we know is going to be a great day with Stan Phelps and Evan Carroll – two of favorite local marketing thought leaders.

Think Outside the Bowl Business Strategy Conference - Durham

Tickets for the full-day experience are just $125 $99 (with our exclusive discount code you’ll find on the member homepage) and you’ll receive the following benefits:
  1. Continental Breakfast
  2. Morning Keynote Sessions
  3. Your Choice of Goldfish Book
  4. Lunch at The Durham Hotel
  5. Our New Business Strategy Intensive Program
  6. Small Group Access to Goldfish Series Experts

See you in Durham for a day of “thinking outside the bowl”!

By

Summer Unconference: Thank You & Shared Resources

Thanks so much to each and every one of you that attended our July Unconference event! We had some great lightning speakers and inspired conversations – not to mention the delicious food and beverages (Thanks Mulino!).

For our new guests who attended, we look forward to welcoming you as a member of the Raleigh Public Relations Society soon! You can find more details on pricing and benefits here.

If you weren’t able to make it, we recorded a few of the inspiring and informational speaker presentations so you can catch up without too much FOMO. ?

“Smash and Mash” in Your Career – Eva Hornak, APR

The Power of Transferable Skills – Stephanie Llorente, APR

Introducing Raleigh Influencers – Chris Alupului

Pictures from the Event

A big thank you to Chris Alupului of Raleigh Influencers for capturing these great event pics!

The Apps I Shared

During my lightning talk, I shared some of my favorite digital assets for marcom pros. It’s easy to think that we all have the same “toolkit” at our disposal, but I’m always amazed at the power of sharing tech tools with industry friends who have yet to tap into some of them!

Grammarly (Like built-in spell check, only BETTER! The weekly progress reports via email are totally geeky fun, too.)
CapitalizeMyTitle.com (When you just can’t remeber what to capitalize and when.)
Animoto (For creating quick storyboard videos from photos and licensed music.)
Dark Sky (Insanely accurate local weather conditions for your events.)
Cluster (Private photo sharing app with easy printed book production.)
Yammer (Team messaging app.)
Proposa (Locally-based proposal software from an experienced agency founder.)
Google Photos (Never worry about losing your phone, and your photos, again!)
And of course… the newly revamped RPRS Awards platform!

See You Again Soon!

We had a great time hosting this event and making lots of new connections as well as enjoying some OOO (out of office) time with old pals. We look forward to seeing you at our next event. As always, you can find our line-up of events here!