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.

RPRS News

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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.

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Maximizing Your Membership

The Raleigh Public Relations Society had a great 2018 thanks to the commitment of all of our members. As we begin the New Year, we want to remind members and non-members alike of all the benefits the Raleigh Public Relations Society has to offer.

1. Monthly luncheons. Though schedules can be a bit hectic, our monthly luncheons are where the magic happens. We bring the perfect blend of networking, learning, a bit of fun and delicious food all to one place. Our speakers are always presenting new and innovative ideas in the industry.

Pro tip: Did you know if you attend just eight luncheons, your membership pays for itself and then some?

2019 Announcement: New Luncheon Location!

The RPRS Board LOVES to eat. Our board meetings are full-out snack fests. Because of that, picking a luncheon location with extremely delicious food is a top priority of ours. (No seriously, we have intense discussions about it.) We’re excited to announce a new location for our 2019 luncheons – Tobacco Road in downtown Raleigh. The food is amazing, we’ve got a sweet set-up in an upstairs private room and parking in the deck behind the restaurant is validated.

See for yourself at our next luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 26. Jesse Lipson, founder of Real Magic/LEVITATE will join us to talk about a new category in marketing software that his team has been working on in his latest company, something he calls “one-to-one marketing.” Register here.

2. Seasonal networking socials. Whether it’s our Spring Networking Social, our Holiday Social, or even an impromptu Summer Unconference – these events are packed with opportunities to mingle with like-minded professionals in the Triangle. They are free to attend, and we often fill your belly as thanks for joining us.

3. Sir Walter Raleigh Awards. Looking for a way to get the hard work of your organization noticed? Every year we host our acclaimed competition that welcomes entries from across North Carolina to recognize excellence in communication. Members of RPRS receive a reduced entry fee and discounted tickets to the banquet. Our banquet always features a prominent speaker and incredible food and drinks. Bring your clients and show off all of your hard work. You deserve it!

Model Members

Like we said, it’s thanks to the commitment of our members that this organization has grown to be so successful. Below are just two of our members who really know how to maximize their membership.

One of our newest members, Rebecca Sefter, is a recent graduate taking on the industry in full-force. She is consistently making it out to our events and uses RPRS as a tool to connect and engage with professionals. How has her experience been so far?

“Almost immediately after graduating with a degree in public relations, I joined RPRS to meet and connect with industry professionals in the local community. Throughout my post-grad job search, I was so grateful to have RPRS as a support system helping and guiding me through such a challenging time. Being able to network with this talented group of PR, marketing and communications professionals in the Triangle area is truly invaluable.”

Former board officer Evie Hornak has been a member of RPRS for 12 years and still dedicates her time to come out to all our events, including being a speaker at a few. What’s kept Evie around?

“I really love the people. I’ve made great friendships and invaluable professional relationships. I’ve also been able to watch the organization grow over the years, and one thing RPRS has been really great at is staying fresh when it comes to topics and speakers. They appeal to a lot of different audiences and tend to be very current and with the moment. I’ve really enjoyed and learned from professionals that I may not have thought to reach out to. RPRS is also extremely affordable, especially for college students or someone who has just moved to the area. I’m constantly recommending RPRS when people come to me asking for advice on organizations to join in the area because you get so much out of it for how little you’re paying.”

It’s clear membership in RPRS more than pays for itself in networking opportunities, awards, socials and luncheons. We’ve got big plans for 2019 to add even more value to your membership with a planned private Facebook group you can tap for advice, joint events with other communications-related groups in the Triangle, and additional resources for those on the job search. We’d love to have you join us – and bring a friend!

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Proposed 2019 RPRS Board Roles & Responsibilities

Hello, Members! As your 2018 board is beginning to plan for the 2019 RPRS calendar, we’ve diligently reviewed all of our current board seats and have developed a proposed update for 2019. Per our bylaws, we respectfully request that all current members please cast your vote to approve this change.

Current Board Roles

  • President Chair
  • Vice President Chair
  • Secretary Chair
  • Treasurer Chair
  • Publicity Chair
  • Social Media Chair
  • Awards Chair
  • Banquet Chair
  • At-Large: Past President
  • At-Large: Member

Proposed Board Structure & Responsibilities

In brief, we deleted one role and reorganized others to more equally distribute responsibilities throughout the calendar year.

Vote to Approve Suggested Changes
(Note: Current membership status is required to vote. You’ll be asked to provide your email address for verification when voting.)

Interested in joining us?

Keep your eyes and ears peeled! We’ll have a few board seats opening in the new year and look forward to beginning our outreach and recruitment efforts soon.

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Sir Walter Raleigh makes the digital transformation

Raleigh PR Society Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in CommunicationThe Raleigh Public Relations Society is excited to launch a new, all-digital submission platform for the 2018 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication. The award submission process will be more efficient, allowing for work to be saved, files as large as 50Mb to be uploaded, and deadline reminder notifications.

RPRS will recognize 38 award categories of campaigns and tactics, as well as PR Team of the Year and PR Pro of the Year. The Watt Huntley Lifetime Achievement Award, the society’s highest honor, will recognize an individual who has made lasting and meaningful contributions to public relations over the course of a career. See a full list of 2018 award categories by clicking here.

A big thanks to our sponsors, York Properties and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, whose generous contributions allowed RPRS to launch this powerful tool this year.

Below are some FAQs to get you started:

Q: How much do I save by becoming a member?
A: $20 on each award entry, plus $10 each month for luncheons at 18 Seaboard, and discounts at the seasonal socials. Assuming you submit one award entry a year the total estimated annual savings is $150.

Q: How do I become a member?
A: Go to the Join page on the RPRS.org website.

Q: Where can I view the full list of award categories?
A: Click here

Q: How much are the 2018 submission fees and what are the deadlines?

 

 

 

Q: How do I submit my entry?
A: Click this link and register: bitly.com/SirWalt2018. Once logged in, click on “Add Entry.”

Q: What are the judging criteria?
A: Log-in and visit the Judging Criteria page.

Q: When is the awards banquet?
A: Tuesday, October 23 at 6:00 p.m. Location TBA.

Q: I have more questions, who do I contact?
A: Awards Chair David Dean at awards@rprs.org.

Best of luck to all the nominees!

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The RPRS Experience

The idea of six degrees of separation means that anyone in the planet can be connected to anyone else in just six steps. While I want to believe this means that I’m somehow connected to the Queen of England, the Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS) members come in pretty close. We have all proved that this six degrees of separation is very much true. Most of us have RPRS to thank for our current career paths because of connections made through the society.

Jessica Pope’s RPRS Story

While I was at ECU, I was very involved in their Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter. I was president my senior year where I took the chapter to NC State’s PR Day. One of the presenters that day was Stephanie Llorente who was a RPRS board member. I went up to chat with her after she spoke about an internship she was offering at the time. I ended up not getting the internship, but I got something even better- a lifelong connection.

Flash forward to my first job out of college, I attended the RPRS Sir Walter Awards banquet and there was Stephanie! I went up to chat with her and catch up about what we were both doing. She called me up the next week to tell me about an opening on the RPRS board, I immediately jumped on the opportunity. I found myself looking for a new job about a year into being a board member and was overwhelmed with the support I received from my fellow RPRS members. I gained a connection through Kelly Propst, RPRS president at the time, with her sister-in-law at Harte Hanks onsite at Cisco. I have now been with Cisco for nearly three years and truly believe that this job was made for me.

 

Hope Torruella’s RPRS Story

While I was at ECU with Jessica Pope, I was also very involved in their Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter. Jessica was president her senior year and I was her supporting secretary (which was my junior year). After developing a strong working relationship and friendship, Jessica convinced me to run for president the following year and I ended up winning.

While fulfilling president of our PRSSA chapter my senior year, I hosted an ECU alumna who happened to be vice president at FleishmanHillard’s New York City office. Long story short, I ended up getting a position in the FleishmanHillard’s New York City position and moved up there shortly after graduation. After living out my middle school dream of living and working in NYC, I decided I wanted to move back to Raleigh to pursue a public relations career. The first person that came to mind, Jessica! After a couple texts back and forth, Jessica invited me to a RPRS monthly lunch meeting shortly after I moved back. Pushing all of my nerves and hesitations aside, I attended, connected with Jessica and then found myself next to Kelly Propst, RPRS president at the time and vice president at Largemouth Communications.

After chatting about my NYC experience and handing over my resume, I received an email from Kelly the following day about wanting to bring me in for an interview that Friday. To put timing into perspective, I went to the lunch on Tuesday, interviewed at Largemouth on Friday, received my offer letter the following Tuesday and started a week later. I have now been at Largemouth for almost two and a half years and couldn’t be happier to be working at my dream job – all thanks to a fantastic college connection and friend!

 

Lindsay Priester’s RPRS Story

I got my first “real” PR job in the fall of 2010 and shortly after heard about RPRS. The group was having a holiday social and I thought attending would be a good idea. I was pretty fresh out of college and knew no one in the Triangle PR scene, so I dragged a friend along with me.  I was also really shy at that time (weird career choice, I know – thankfully, I grew out of it!) so attending the event made me all kinds of nervous. That evening the group announced that they were looking for one more person to complete the group’s board of directors.  On a whim, I threw my name in for consideration. Soon I was the new banquet chair for Raleigh Public Relations Society. I may not have known much about PR yet, but I felt like I could plan a party. And the rest is history!

I served as banquet chair for a few more years, moved on to awards chair, served a year as vice president and now get to call myself president (while our incredible board of directors makes me look like I know what I’m doing – I’m in awe of this group every day). I went from not knowing a single person in public relations in Raleigh to calling some of them my best friends. The network I’ve made through RPRS is incredible – they’ve referred new clients to me, given me feedback on ideas and inspired me to look at things from a fresh perspective when I’m in a rut. I can truly say jumping out of my comfort zone and joining RPRS eight years ago has been one of the most essential and valuable tools for advancing my career and helping me to develop both as a PR practitioner and person.

 

Olivia Easly’s RPRS Story

Originally from the Raleigh area, I attended Appalachian State University and graduated with a degree in communications, public relations. After graduation, I decided to jump at an internship opportunity across the country and leave behind my home in North Carolina. Once I completed my internship, I was ready to move back and be close to friends and family again, but I had sort of shot myself in the foot – I had no connections to the PR world in the Triangle. The reality of adulthood and job searching was setting in, fast. I attempted to connect with a recruiter in the area, but we just couldn’t seem to get ahold of each other over the phone or in person. I was feeling so lost in a place I had always known as home.

Thankfully, a childhood friend reached out and told me about the Raleigh Public Relations Society. Setting my fears aside, I decided to attend a luncheon and see what it was all about. That very first luncheon led to the beginning of my career. The recruiter I had been longing to get in touch with was in attendance and interviewed me on the spot. I had a job a couple months later and am currently thriving as a marketing manager doing exactly what I love every day. I now proudly serve on the board of RPRS, sitting right next to that childhood friend, Hope Pittard.

 

Lindsay Poe’s RPRS Story

At the time, I was currently in between jobs. I heard about RPRS through a mutual professional contact. I decided to check out an event, in an attempt to make some professional connections that would hopefully lead to a job.

My first event was the Christmas social where I ended up knowing an attendee, a fellow PR college graduate, Olivia Easly. That night I found out about upcoming openings on the RPRS Board and expressed interest right away. I was a part of PRSSA in college and knew the benefits of joining forces with a professional organization like RPRS.

I’ve met some incredible contacts through RPRS and through this web of professionals, I’ve received valuable advice and support as I’ve since begun my own communication agency.

 

Lisa Jeffries’ RPRS Story

I wasn’t invited to be a member per se by connections to existing members, but once I found my way here the connections have been incredibly valuable. As a small agency owner, I’ve found great “therapy” moments with other senior-level decision makers. They have been gracious in sharing resources they’ve found valuable, quality vendor recommendations, and the occasional “you’re not alone!” – which is always appreciated in our crazy industry.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have fellow members reach out to my team to offer sub-agency support in areas that we have strong competencies when they have needed to temporarily “scale up” their own operations and abilities for large client undertakings. Membership in RPRS pays for itself over and over again and I’m proud to call this one of my most valuable professional associations.