May we have the envelope, please? Learn who excelled with their PR efforts as the PRSA WisCOMsin Award winners are announced.
Join us for an exciting opportunity to go behind the scenes at WKOW News to learn best practices in pitching and working with TV media. Anchor and Producer Sara Maslar-Donar will guide us through the production process and answer all your burning questions during the Q&A session. Don't miss this chance to meet the faces behind the news and better understand how broadcast journalism works. Following the Q&A, there will be a brief studio tour and networking opportunity with fellow PRSA Madison members. We hope you can join us.
Sara Maslar-Donar Bio
Sara Maslar-Donar joined the 27 News team in June 2019 as a reporter. These days, she anchors and produces 27 News at 5 p.m. each weekday. She is also the host of Capital City Sunday, a weekly political show. Previously, she spent four years as a reporter and anchor for the ABC affiliate in Columbia, Missouri.
While growing up in suburban Chicago, Sara knew she wanted to be a journalist. She loves to write and has always enjoyed meeting new people. She spent her high school years working for the newspaper and spending time at the Fox affiliate in Chicago.
Sara got her undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri and is one of the proudest Tigers you’ll ever meet (MIZ!) She received numerous awards from the Missouri Broadcaster’s Association for her business and economic development reporting, as well as awards from the Missouri Bar Association for legal journalism.
When she’s not holding state and local officials accountable, she’s most likely relaxing at home with a craft beer and a true crime documentary. She’s beyond thrilled to be able to continue her time exploring all that Southern Wisconsin has to offer.
Location: WKOW 27 News, Tokay Boulevard, Madison
PRSA Members: $10
Non-Members: $25
Students: Free
Join PRSA Madison for an exciting online event where we delve into the world of storytelling, developing narratives and safeguarding brand image with Madison College's Communications Director Mel Charbonneau. Discover how to captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Whether you're a seasoned PR professional, just starting out or a student, this event is designed to inspire all.
Mel Charbonneau Bio
Mel serves as the director of communications for Madison College and is responsible for developing and guiding the institution’s multifaceted communications plan and strategy. She oversees internal, external and executive communications, and ensures alignment of all communication efforts with the college's mission and overall strategic goals. Prior to joining Madison College, Mel spent over a decade as an entrepreneur, launching a women’s retail brand focused on apparel, stationery and gifts, garnering interest from The TODAY Show and several other media outlets along the way. She is sought-after for her creative vision, ability to distill complex ideas and develop key messaging, and successfully managing the launches of new brands, products and events. Her unique skill is creating alignment over all creative areas and telling the brand story with unified, authentic messaging, as well as bringing audiences into unique and memorable brand experiences.
PRSA Members: $10
Non-Members: $25
Students: Free
Transform your public relations work into recognition with a WisCOMsin awards. Learn the dos and don’ts on how to submit a successful award.
It’s time to start thinking of the 2024 WisCOMsin Awards!
This awards program is a once-a-year chance for you to earn recognition for a great project or celebrate amazing colleagues. WisCOMsin Awards are judged by another PRSA chapter, so submitting an entry is also a way to get professional feedback and fresh new ideas.
This webinar will pull back the curtain on WisCOMsin awards for project submissions:
Gain insights into what judges look for.
Learn the key project elements to highlight for a winning entry.
Receive tips for producing the best award entry for your project!
How do your campaigns stack up against other projects from northeast and southwest Wisconsin? Attend this webinar and learn how to display your project in its best light for the WisCOMsin Awards!
The presenters:
Erin Elliot, APR is the public relations/social media account supervisor at Hiebing. Focusing mainly on content and media relations work, she serves a variety of clients remotely from her home in the Green Bay area. An experienced PR practitioner and longtime PRSA member, 2024 marks Erin’s fourth year of service as awards chair for PRSA Northeast Wisconsin.
Rob Gard is the director of communications and public affairs for Destination Madison, focusing on media relations, organization and industry awareness, community engagement, public affairs and crisis management. He’s received numerous awards from PRSA and other organizations, including the 2021 WisCOMsin Award for Communicator of the Year. In 2024, Rob is serving as awards chair and immediate past president for PRSA Madison.
Register today!
$10 PRSA Members
$25 Guests
$0 Students
As the charity of choice this holiday season, PRSA Madison has teamed up with the Madison Reading Project to support their mission of connecting our community with free books and literacy resources that ignite a love for reading and affirm and reflect the diversity of young readers.
Join PRSA Madison on Tuesday, December 5, from 9-10 a.m. for an hour of education, networking and community giving. Within a competitive market, the Madison Reading Project has earned media coverage and successfully leveraged social media to further its mission. The organization supports free book fairs, the Big Red Reading Bus, books for educators and much more. At this PRSA event, founder and CEO Rowan Childs will present how the Madison Reading Project leverages public relations and stretches the dollar in the non-profit setting.
Location: Madison Reading Project, 1337 Greenway Cross #186, Madison, Wis.
All event ticket net proceeds will be donated directly to the Madison Reading Project.
We hope to see you there! CLICK HERE to register today.
Join PRSA Madison for a virtual meeting, “PR & AI – A Fascinating P_AI_R” on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. The webinar will feature a presentation by Chris Harihar of Crenshaw Communications, a leading B2B tech PR agency based in New York City. Harihar will look at the evolution of AI within PR and the opportunities and challenges it presents. The presentation will be followed by a robust Q&A. Sign up today!
Have a story perfect for traditional media but don't know where to start? Learn what print and digital media editors seek with PRSA-Madison.
Meeting Location: Destination Madison, 22 East Mifflin Street #200, Madison, Wis.
We hope you can join fellow Madison PR pros on Thursday, May 18 from 9-10 am for a panel presentation on what print and digital media editors look for in pitches, sources and collaborations. Kelly Lecker with the Wisconsin State Journal and Jason Joyce with Isthmus Community Media will offer their expertise and experience on getting your story out to the masses. Coffee and pastries will be provided.
Come with your questions; there will be a Q&A after the panel.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: Madison Print and Digital Media Panel Tickets
Kelly Lecker
Kelly Lecker has been the executive editor of the Wisconsin State Journal since April 2022. It was a homecoming of sorts, as she grew up on a dairy farm in northeast Wisconsin and the State Journal sent her to the national spelling bee in 1985. Before her return to Wisconsin, Lecker worked as a reporter, editor and digital news manager at papers in Fort Wayne, Ind., Toledo, Ohio, and more recently, Columbus, Ohio. In Columbus, she served as managing editor and interim editor and led several nationally recognized reporting projects.
Jason Joyce
Jason Joyce is the publisher of Isthmus, Madison's 47-year-old alternative newspaper that rebooted as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit newsroom after shutting down during the COVID pandemic. In a 30-year career in Madison journalism, Joyce has covered presidential candidates, neighborhood kerfuffles, the Rose Bowl and a barroom fight night. His current job involves everything from closing sponsorship deals to restocking papers at coffee shops. He lives on Madison's east side with his wife, Noel, who owns a small pet supply store.
The WisCOMsin Awards shine a light on communications excellence by PR colleagues throughout the state. We received about 40 submissions between the Madison and Northeast Wisconsin chapters, members and non-members, for a variety of projects. The Upstate New York chapter is judging the entries. Our chapter will recognize award winners at our next meeting on Wednesday, April 26 at noon via Zoom. Click here to attend our virtual celebration.
Join us at NBC-15 in Madison to learn best practices in pitching and working with TV media. Morning Show Anchor Tim Elliot will answer questions during the interactive Q&A session - so bring your questions! Following the Q&A, there will be a brief studio tour and networking opportunity with fellow PRSA-Madison members. We hope you can join us. Register Here!
Program:
9-9:30: Q&A with The Morning Show’s Tim Elliot
9:30-9:45: Station Tour
9:45-10:15: Networking – Coffee & Pastries Provided
* *Per NBC-15 policy, the COVID-19 vaccine is required to attend. Please have a photo of your vaccine card available or digital proof. **
PRSA-Madison is happy to welcome Bob Giblin, APR to discuss the importance of writing quality award entries.
Do you have a PR campaign or project that might be award-worthy, but you don't know where to start? Or have you applied for awards and come up empty-handed? Well, here is your chance to learn from the expert. Please join PRSA-Madison as we host Bob Giblin, APR to discuss all things PR awards! Bob will discuss why and when it makes sense to submit an award, showcase the essential KPIs to improve upon and highlight all the little details in between.
This educational session will be available via Zoom and is free to attend. Questions encouraged.
Madison based medial software company Epic Systems develops software to help people get well, stay well, and help future generations be healthier. Attendees will learn about Epic’s approach to Public Relations to share their story and reach their target audiences. The discussion will follow a tour of Epic’s innovative campus. Cost to attend is $5, with all proceeds going to PRSA Madison events. Space is limited so RSVP today!
Learn how Madison's top cultural venue used PR tools to juggle stakeholder needs to navigate the pandemic. A behind-the-scenes tour follows. Register Here!
Overture Center closed its doors in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in our community in March 2020, canceling all performances and events indefinitely. Learn about the vital role of communications during the most challenging and uncertain time in Overture’s history. Communications Director Shari Gasper will share how Overture engaged with its key publics during its closure, exceeded its “intermission” fundraising goal and cautiously reopened 18 months later. The discussion will be followed by a 45-minute, behind-the-scenes tour of Overture Center!
The free event will be held in the Promenade Lounge (second floor). Light food and beverages will be provided.
Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison, Wis., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and four galleries where national and international touring artists, nine resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 700,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. With the vision to provide “Extraordinary Experiences for All,” Overture’s mission is to support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts.
Join PRSA Madison for a discussion on how ethics provide the true north of our profession.
PRSA Madison celebrates the true north of our profession - ethics - in April, which is ethics and APR month for PRSA.
We welcome those tenured in their career, those just starting out and everyone in between on April 14 for a virtual, lunchtime discussion. For anyone studying for their APR or thinking of pursuing their APR, this is an opportunity to dive deep into this section of the accredidation process.
Lynn Perez-Hewitt, APR and recipient of the Southern Arizona chapter of Public Relations Society of America’s Lifetime achievement Award, will present with additional APR members adding some color.
Lynn joined PRSA Madison in 2020 and is active with our APR and Awards programs. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University and a Communications and English double major from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. She is a Past President of the Southern Arizona chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and a Past-President of the Tucson American Marketing Association. For two years Lynn served as the co-chair for the annual professional development retreat for the Denver chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Wisconsin had a record year for tourism in 2019 with $22.2 billion in total tourism business sales. Wisconsin’s 113 million visitors alone spent $13.7 billion, supporting more than 202,000 full- and part-time jobs. Plans to build upon that success were dashed with the arrival of COVID, devastating the state’s third largest industry.
PRSA Madison Vice President Rob Gard of Destination Madison will moderate a panel featuring the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Visit Milwaukee and Destination Door County. Hear three top PR professionals talk about their challenges and innovations in 2020 and plans for 2021.
The 2020 pandemic has overturned much of our lives, businesses and way of life. Nonprofits aren't immune to that experience.
Join PRSA Madison for a virtual panel discussion featuring nonprofit professionals from YWCA Madison, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County and Madison Reading Project, who will delve into communications strategies that can be used to chart a path forward in these uncertain times.
The registration fee will go directly to the nonprofits participating in the panel discussion.
Join us in the timely discussion and learn how we can support our nonprofit community moving forward.
You never know when a crisis can strike. It comes when you least expect it, and every organization is vulnerable. Even though preparing for the worst-case scenario seems like a high priority, many businesses find themselves without a plan when chaos occurs.
According to a recent study by PR News, 62% of companies have crisis plans, but rarely update or practice crisis scenarios. Despite the likely chance businesses will suffer some sort of crisis, this study indicates almost 40% are unprepared.
How executives respond can dramatically impact their personal reputation along with their organization’s brand long after the crisis is over. And pairing a crisis with social media can cause a small issue to quickly go viral. How do you get a handle on communicating with your employees and stakeholders when trolls are adding fuel to the fire? Creating a plan will minimize damage and risk in the long run to protect your company’s best interests.
We are proud to present this webinar, in partnership with The Public Relations Society of America Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter. From a global pandemic to a power outage to an active shooter situation, our panel of communication experts will share advice on developing a realistic communications plan, managing media and preparing before a crisis strikes.
Moderated by: Kimberly Kane, President of Kane Communications Group
Speakers include:
Katharine Foley, Sr. PR Advisor, Kane Communications Group
Others TBA
A webinar for marketing and PR professionals presented by PRSA Madison and Big Shoes Network, with support from PRSA Northeast Wisconsin and PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin chapters.
PRSA Madison in partnership with the NE WI and SE WI PRSA chapters proudly presents a webinar featuring Martha Carrigan, founder and CEO of Big Shoes Network. This interactive, virtual presentation will offer insight on the changes facing marketing and public relations professionals in 2020.
The rise of remote working, social distancing and an uncertain future of how people gather together means communicators must think differently to develop effective communications strategies. Flexibility, creativity and proactive professional development are key to navigating the changing reality.
This webinar will offer an informed perspective on how communications roles may evolve in the coming year and steps professionals can take now to prepare themselves for the future.
Colin Wylie is the Assistant Director for Marketing and Assessment at Reeve Memorial Union, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Brigham Young University in Utah. He is serving as a PRSSA-PRSA relations co-chair for PRSA Northeast Wisconsin. Colin has worked in higher education, healthcare and the nonprofit industry. In a former life, he worked in consumer electronic sales and developed a passion for emerging technology and trends.
Join PRSA Madison for a Lunch & Learn with Food Fight's Elizabeth Garcia Hall.
Set at Food Fight Restaurant Group's iconic gastro pub in the heart of downtown Madison, hear from Director of Hospitality Elizabeth Garcia Hall over lunch at Cooper's Tavern. Hall's expertise in brand management and strategic approach to building a respectful culture are inherent to sustainable growth in an industry where culture and reputation are the foundation of success.
Food Fight is a locally owned and operated restaurant group, with a family of diverse restaurants in the Madison area. Food Fight restaurants include Monty’s Blue Plate Diner, Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace, Johnny Delmonico’s, The Coopers Tavern, Eldorado Grill, Cento, DLUX and Luigi’s. Food Fight Restaurant Group combines a creative vision and business sense, with a mission of providing the best possible service and experiences for the greater community .
Join PRSA Madison for a marketing and PR discussion with Bos Meadery co-founder Colleen Bos followed by a tasting.
While mead has been around for thousands of years, Madison's local meadery opened its doors in 2012 when co-founders Colleen Bos, Jeannine Bos and Peter DeVault's vision to start a mead hall was realized. Join PRSA Madison for a Q&A with Colleen on how she turned her dream into a reality and the marketing and PR strategy fueling the business. Ticket price includes admission to the Q&A and a drink voucher.
Telling your story is hard enough when you’ve got an unlimited budget. Is the message right? Is the mechanism right? Is the channel right? With an unlimited budget, you can throw more money at the problem to find the right mix. But who ever has an unlimited budget?
For communications professionals, many times the budget is even smaller than the limited timeframe you have to execute your campaigns. Nowhere is that more evident than in a nonprofit organization. Learn about the Marketing/PR/Communications challenges and solutions faced by a local nonprofit organization, Second Harvest Foodbank, and how to translate them into the for-profit world.
About the Presenter:
Kris Tazelaar has been the Director of Marketing & Communications for Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin since 2011. One of his primary responsibilities is to help “mobilize the public” through hunger education and awareness building. Prior to joining Second Harvest, Kris spent more than 20 years as a marketing and communications professional at for-profit companies, in a variety of sectors including publishing and financial services.
Join PRSA Madison for an event with Madison Gas & Electric focusing on the PR strategy behind ongoing energy sustainability initiatives.
We'll hear from MG&E on their communications strategy related to sustainability in energy. Lunch is included in the price of each ticket.
Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-role-of-pr-in-mges-sustainability-strategy-tickets-75225358071?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Mingle with fellow PRSA members at the chapter's annual summer social at the Olbrich Biergarten. PRSA chapter members are encouraged to bring along one non-member guest per person at no charge. Enjoy a free drink on the chapter as well!
Join Kuba Krzyzostaniak, Director of Fan Engagement & Digital Media for Forward Madison FC, as he shares what it takes to bring professional soccer to Madison and help build a brand and a community from the ground up. A brief tour will follow his presentation.
Parking Instructions:
The address for the stadium is 917 East Mifflin Street. Please look for parking on East Washington Ave, Brearly Street, Paterson Street, or at the ramp next to the Sylvee. Once you have parked, please enter at Gate 4, located at the corner of Mifflin Street & Paterson Street.
How much of your daily work produces value for customers? For many communication professionals, our days are filled with meeting business needs and responding to requests, some with nebulous ROI.
Lean approaches and activities can help communication practitioners concentrate their focus, weeding out efforts that need high resources but have relatively minor impact. Lean activities can be especially useful in helping teams bring objectivity to the table, collaboratively identifying how they can have the greatest influence with limited resources.
Join us at Exact Sciences as Angela Brumm, APR, Internal Commercial Communications Manager, shares activities and strategies you can use to strengthen the value of your work.
8am: Registration + Breakfast
9am: Morning Keynote
10am: Morning Breakout Sessions
12pm: Alchemy Award Luncheon
1pm: Afternoon Breakout Sessions
3pm: Closing Keynote
4pm: Networking Reception
Hear from communications experts behind The Green Bay Packers, Summerfest, Facebook, American Family Insurance and more! They'll explore everything from engaging a community to creating memorable experiences for the media to how you can harness social media to drive impact.
The Dane County Farmers Market is the largest producer-only farmers market in the country featuring 275 local vendors selling quality products grown, raised and produced in Wisconsin. Join Dane County Farmers Market Manager Sarah Elliott and Assistant Manager Jill Carlson Groendyk as they share their insights and best practices for creating engaging social media content that keeps customers coming week after week.
Today's technology-driven communications have transformed storytelling. With social media, email marketing, push notifications, a 24/7 news cycle and more, people today are surrounded by content. How do you cut through the clutter to make your stories stand out?
Kimberly Kane, president & CEO of Milwaukee-based Kane Communications Group, will share the practical steps to take and critical questions to ask that will help you develop stories that drive strategy, build relationships and inspire results.
As president & CEO of Kane Communications Group, Kimberly leads Kane’s business and advises senior level clients on corporate communications and strategy. Kimberly is passionate about strategic communications and has guided clients in business, government, nonprofit and health care to outstanding results by making communications a core business strategy.
Kane was an award-winning broadcast journalist prior to transitioning to public relations. Her expertise is in corporate positioning, leadership communications, reputation management and crisis.
Join us in the Overture Center's “Wisconsin Studio” on the 3rd floor.
Parking: The Overture Center ramp between West Dayton and Mifflin Street and the State Street Capitol ramp on the corner of State and East Dayton are best. For more information, including real-time parking availability, visit the City of Madison parking utility website.
Join us for our annual holiday party at the Goodman Community Center and hear from special guest Rowan Childs, Executive Director at the Madison Reading Project. To date, the Madison Reading Project has provided almost 25,000 books to the community.
Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be served. For an extra complimentary drink please bring a new or gently used children’s book to donate to the Madison Reading Project and help meet their goal of providing 30,000 books in 2018.
PRSA Madison introduces the Season of Giving. We’re taking the next two months to share time and talent with our local nonprofit communities.
Nov. 8 join us at Starting Block Madison to learn about the intersection of venture capital, start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies – all happening here in our amazing community. After a panel discussion from Chandra Miller Fienen, Starting Block director of operations and programs, Molly Lahr, head of platform American Family Ventures, and Andy Stilp, brand strategy advisor at American Family Insurance, we’ll dive in with Starting Block helping them dissect a communication challenge it faces.
To date, the Madison Reading Project has provided almost 25,000 books; the goal is 30,000 in 2018. To help them achieve this goal, we’re asking members and guests to bring new or gently used children’s books to the event to kick off PRSA Madison's Season of Giving.
Libations and light Hors d’Oeuvres will be served.
Earlier this year, the rest of the country learned what diners in Madison have known for more than a decade: Chef Tory Miller cuisine reigns supreme. Miller, known for his four high-profile Madison restaurants, L’Etoile, Graze, Estrellón and Sujeo, drew national attention and new fans as he competed on Iron Chef Showdown. Already the winner of a James Beard Award (pretty much a culinary Oscar), Miller took down “unbeatable” Iron Chef Bobby Flay on the Food Network star show.
Join us for a special Happy Hour event on Thursday, October 18 at Miller’s newest restaurant, Estrellón, featuring Chef Tory Miller as he discusses his continued success and how the publicity of Iron Chef has impacted his career. Afterwards, mingle with Miller and fellow PRSA members over drinks. Please click on the link below to register.
