PRSA Welcomes 11 New Members into Its College of Fellows in 2019

Honorary Organization Celebrate 30th Anniversary

NEW YORK, July 10, 2019 — PRSA, the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community, today announced the election of 11 new members into the College of Fellows, an honorary organization within PRSA comprised of 350 active senior professionals and educators, each of whom has left a significant footprint on the public relations profession.

“Election to PRSA’s College of Fellows, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, recognizes the many outstanding accomplishments of these accredited members in the areas of leadership, service and contributions to the public relations profession,” said Debra Peterson, APR, 2019 PRSA Chair. “Members of the College exemplify the very best of PRSA and provide ongoing support to the association, donating their time and expertise as volunteers and mentors to students and professionals. We congratulate these 11 new Fellows who have attained the highest designation PRSA bestows, and we look forward to their continuing contributions to our profession.”

The 2019 College of Fellows inductees, who will be welcomed officially at a special ceremony and dinner on Saturday, Oct. 19 in San Diego, prior to PRSA’s 2019 International Conference, are:

Stephen Michael Brown, APR, Fellow PRSA, President, Cookerly PR; Atlanta, Georgia

Gail Dundas, APR, Fellow PRSA, Principal, CommSeas Strategic Communications; Warrenton, Oregon

Jennifer Young Dzwonar, APR, Fellow PRSA, Partner, Borshoff; Indianapolis, Indiana

Jessica M. Graham, APR, Fellow PRSA, President, Fionix Consulting LLC; Charlotte, North Carolina

Kenneth Hagihara, APR, Fellow PRSA, President, Integrity Public Relations, Inc.; Mission Viejo, California

Rebecca Huckaby, APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President of Public Relations, Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority; Knoxville, Tennessee

Thomas J. Jollie, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Vice President, Padilla; Minneapolis, Minnesota

Paul G. Omodt, APR, Fellow PRSA, Owner & Principal, Omodt & Associates Critical Communications LLC; St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Echelle Jobe Rutschman, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Director of Communications, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, Tennessee

William Swanger, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Public Relations, Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries and Diakon Child, Family & Community Ministries; Middletown, Pennsylvania

Janet E. Swiecichowski, APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President, CEL Marketing|PR|Design; Minneapolis, Minnesota

Members of the College of Fellows serve in Chapter, District, Section and National leadership positions. To qualify for admittance, the public relations professional must have at least 20 years of experience, hold the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential and have demonstrated exceptional capability and accomplishment in the practice or teaching of public relations.

About PRSA
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community. Founded in 1948, PRSA is the principal advocate for industry excellence and ethical conduct and provides members lifelong learning opportunities and leading-edge resources to enhance professional connections and support them at every stage of their career. With more than 30,000 members, PRSA is collectively represented in all 50 states by 110 Chapters and 14 Professional Interest Sections, and on nearly 375 college and university campuses through its student organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). For more information, please visit www.prsa.org. 

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Media Contact:
Rod Granger
(212) 460-0307
rod.granger@prsa.org