Volunteering with PRSA NJ is an exceptional way to sharpen your skills and expand your capabilities, while networking with others in the New Jersey public relations community!
We have a wide range of committees, comprised of volunteers like you, that support the chapter’s work to make new contacts, gain experience in different areas, and aid others in their growth as PR professionals.
Committee Chairs – Stephanie K. Reed (skreed13@outlook.com), Dalya Ewais (dalyaewais@gmail.com)
The DIB committee is integral to the evolution and growth of PRSA NJ and the public relations industry. They identify and support the DIB needs of the PRSA NJ in the areas of race, ethnicity, religion, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, country of origin, culture, diversity of thought, and other diversity dimensions.
Committee members serve as advisors to the executive committee and board members to ensure our DIB commitment is embedded into the chapter’s culture, communications, programming, and operations.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Partner with membership committee to increase outreach and retention of diverse public relations and communication agencies, organizations, practitioners, prospective members, and students from historically underrepresented groups.
- Identify, plan, and execute programming focusing on a trend or issue impacting diversity, inclusion, and belonging within organizations.
- Increase outreach to diverse students to encourage their participation in the public relations profession.
- Increase outreach and engagement with diverse public relations and communications vendors that represent historically underrepresented groups.
- Create and/or repurpose content to generate awareness and discussion on the chapter’s website, newsletter, and social media platforms.
- Secure speakers for NJ-based PRSSA chapter events (women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, etc.)
- Obtain feedback from membership on progress vs. goals regarding the chapter’s DIB ef
- Support board commitment on membership and sponsorship committee initiatives.
- Partner with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media & Newsletter) on educational and event promo opportunities.
Requested Skills/Abilities/Experience of Volunteers
Experience: At least one year working in communications, public relations, and/or marketing
Skills: Research on DIB trends and topics, event planning, writing (news articles, website, and social media content), project management, Google Calendar, Google Drive
Estimated Time Commitment
1-2 hours a month for meetings
30-90 minutes/week for research, planning, follow-up
Committee Chairs – Ryan Smith (rsmith@riverbedmp.com), Carrie Cristello (Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org)
The Earned Media committee provides media relations services to the chapter through external communications that showcase the chapter’s latest news, events, successes, opportunities, and happenings.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Write and distribute news releases on programs, events, successes, and other newsworthy stories that help raise brand awareness, attract engagement, and position the chapter.
- Build and nurture relationships with local and industry media representatives.
- Pitches stories to local, regional, and industry media outlets.
- Work with event champions on securing event photos and content for media opportunities as well as to disseminate on our internal communication channels (social, newsletter).
- Support board commitment on DIB, membership, and sponsorship committee initiatives.
- Partner with Newsletter and Social Media Committees on content creation and execution.
- Produce the PRSA NJ Annual Meet the Media event.
Estimated Time Commitment
2-4 hours a month
Requested Skills/Abilities/Experience of Committee Members
- Media relations/media pitching experience 2022 Committee Chair:
- PR writing experience
- Strategic mindset
Committee Chair – Jemia Kinsey-Singleton (jemia@kinseycomm.com)
The Membership Committee is focused on the sustainability and growth of the chapter through member recruitment, engagement, and retention. This committee oversees the chapter’s membership efforts and communication strategy to promote its mission, message, benefits, and values to current and prospective members.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Develop/implement an outreach plan for each area of concentration (corporations, agencies, in-house practitioners, nonprofits, independent practitioners, new professionals, etc.).
- Partner with DIB committee to increase membership promotion, outreach, and engagement of underrepresented public relations and communication practitioners, prospective members, and students.
- Partner with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media, Newsletter) to create campaigns that promote PRSA NJ membership benefits and value proposition.
- Enhance value proposition through special recognitions (new member welcomes, member anniversaries, etc.)
- Follow-up with non-member event attendees via e-mail/phone call with information about membership benefits, perks, and discounts.
- Enhance retention through outreach to members who are about to drop off membership.
- Reengage former members with outreach about membership benefits, perks, and discounts.
- Promote membership opportunities on all external chapter communications channels.
- Review opportunity to provide group memberships benefits for agencies, universities, and corporations.
Estimated Time Commitment
2-4 hours a month
Committee Chair – Liam Oakes (liamoakespr@gmail.com)
The New Pros committee offers peer-to-peer support, professional development programming, and networking opportunities specific to the challenges and experiences of new professionals during their first five years in the industry.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Identify and engage new pros in active participation within the chapter by coordinating, planning, and executing events that aid in their professional development and networking.
- Secure guest speakers that will energize and engage the new professionals on career development, trending topics, peer-to-peer support, and networking opportunities.
- Partner with membership committee on outreach opportunities and promotions to attract and retain new pros.
- Partner with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media & Newsletter) on event promotions and content that will attract, educate and offer tools to aid new pros on career development.
- Support board commitment to DIB, membership, and sponsorship committee initiatives.
Estimated Time Commitment
1 hour a month for meetings
2-4 hours researching and planning events
Committee Chairs – Shana Walther (swalther@coynepr.com), Brendan Middleton (bmiddleton@mww.com)
The Newsletter Committee is responsible for keeping all PRSA NJ members’ prospective members and partners up-to-date on internal and external chapter events, successes, industry trends, and career development tools through our quarterly newsletter.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Content development, asset creation, and analytics reporting.
- Partner with admin on setting quarterly newsletter execution dates, layout, and website updates.
- Partner with board members, committees to gather information on timely event promotions, successes, and opportunities within the chapter.
- Partner with Earned Media and Social Media Committees for content acquisition, creation, and execution.
- Work with social media chair to share newsletter content on social chanels
Estimated Time Commitment
1-2 hours a month
3-4 hours a month during newsletter execution
Committee Chair – Open
The professional Development Committee builds awareness and acceptance for the value of earning the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential among members of the PRSA NJ Chapter.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Promote the benefits of accreditation to chapter members.
- Mentor APR candidates in preparation for the Panel Presentation and computer-based exam. Work with candidates to schedule these milestones.
- Outreach and engagement of current APRs in chapter activities, specifically those in support of the accreditation process.
- Partner with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media, Newsletter) to promote events and APR recognitions.
- Support board commitment to DIB, membership, and sponsorship committee initiatives.
Committee Chair – Michael Lauer (michael@mdlcomms.com)
The Pyramid Awards recognize excellence in public relations and communications in New Jersey and is PRSA NJ’s premier industry recognition event held annually.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Partner with Admin on venue booking, vendor logistics, email promotions, et al.
- Managing all logistical details such as signage, entertainment, photography, video, and budgets.
- Develop, produce, coordinate promotion, and distribute the “Call for Entries” promotional content.
- Develop, produce, coordinate promotion, and distribute the “Call for Judges” promotional content.
- Develop, produce, coordinate promotion, and distribute the “Excellence Awards” promotional content.
- Plan and coordinate all logistics related to the Judging Night event including setting dates, setting up Openwater, judging teams creation, follow-up communication with judges, manage “Best in Show” nominees/winners.
- Partner with sponsorship committee on Pyramid sponsor renewals, procurement, and fulfillment.
- Partner with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media & Newsletter) on promotional and celebration opportunities.
Skills/Abilities/Experience of Committee Members
Google Drive, Openwater (can be learned)
Committee Chair – Open
The Senior Pros committee offers professional development programming specific to challenges, opportunities, and experiences of senior PR pros. Committee programs offer value to Senior PR Pros by helping them do their senior-level jobs more successfully, to help them become more effective leaders of teams, peers, clients, bosses, and stakeholders, and to help them grow their business, as appropriate.
Since the founding of the committee, we’ve identified Senior Professionals as having at least 15 years of professional communications experience.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Provide value and benefit to current and prospective senior PR professionals.
- Identify, plan, and execute programming such as expert panels, themed roundtables, and open roundtables that focus on trends or issues impacting senior pros.
- Partner with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media, Newsletter) to promote events and APR recognitions.
- Support board commitment to DIB, membership, and sponsorship committee initiatives.
Requested Skills/Abilities/Experience of Committee Volunteers
15+ years professional experience, understanding the issues affecting senior PR professionals, copywriting, social media, connections to bring in appropriate experts.
Committee Chair – Alyssa Bauer (abauer102@gmail.com)
The social media committee promotes the latest news, events, successes, opportunities, and happenings within the PRSA NJ chapter. The committee works with board members, committee chairs, and event champions to create campaigns that promote the chapter’s value proposition, increase awareness and encourage engagement for chapter events, membership, and sponsorship opportunities.
Social media platforms currently include Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, along with Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Oversee all PRSA NJ social media channels, actively posting and engaging with online audiences.
- Showcase chapter benefits for professional development, networking opportunities, and industry advancement.
- Collaborate with chapter leadership to optimize our social media channels.
- Promote chapter programming, events, members, networking opportunities, and successes.
- Partner with event champions, Earned Media and Newsletter committees on creating and sharing pre and post-event content.
- Partner with Earned Media and Newsletter committees for content acquisition, creation, and execution.
- Support the chapter’s value proposition, DIB, membership, and sponsorship initiatives through quality social content.
Requested Skills/Abilities/Experience of Committee Volunteers
Understanding of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and excitement to learn.
Estimated Time Commitment
2-4 hours a month
Committee Chair – Open
The Sponsorship Committee cultivates relationships with individuals, agencies, vendors, and other corporate entities to secure funding and in-kind partnerships that support the operations of the PRSA NJ and its year-round events. In addition, the committee ensures that sponsors receive and see the value of their contributions.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Work with executive committee/treasurer to set sponsorship projections and timelines.
- Research and identify organizations seeking to raise their brand awareness and visibility among PR and communication professionals and agencies.
- Provide agencies, vendors, and other corporate entities with comprehensive information about the chapter’s sponsorship package.
- Partner with board members on developing and implementing a plan for procuring sponsorships.
- Ensure that the chapter delivers on all its sponsorship incentives.
- Work with chapter communications (Earned Media, Social Media & Newsletter) on sponsorship fulfillment and promotional
- Support board commitment to DIB and membership committee initiatives.
Estimated Time Commitment
2-4 hours a month
Interested in Volunteering?
Send us an email with your name, company, email, phone and volunteer positions that you are interested in.
Social Media Committee