President’s Note
They say “April showers bring May flowers,” but what does March bring? A respite from the “Snowmageddon of 2009-2010,” I hope, and I also hope you and yours made it through the “historic” weather safely.
While the weather might not be quite as bright as we'd like just yet, we do have something new for you here at the chapter—we’re now officially IABC/DC Metro, as voted on by you.
What's more, after many years, we've undergone an extensive redesign of our website that, we hope, better reflects the vibrant nature of our chapter. Kudos to Jim Parsons, our website grand sensei, who shepherded us through this process. You're a keeper, Jim!
We had to postpone or reschedule quite a bit of our February programming due to the weather, but we have some great events coming up in March and beyond. I hope we'll see you at one of our chapter or special interest group meetings. This month, we’re bringing back Student Shadow Day, one of our most popular events for new communicators in past years, so if you're interested in letting a student shadow you for the day on March 11 and then accompany you to our chapter meeting, please contact Jessica Read.
What do you think of our new site... and how can we continue to serve you? Please keep the feedback coming; and thank you, as always, for being a part of IABC.
Warm Regards,
Shonali Burke, ABC, Principal, Shonali Burke Consulting
President, IABC/DC Metro
March Meeting Update
As all of you probably know, our February event was canceled due to the record snow accumulations (commonly referred to as “snowmageddon”) in the region. We will reconvene on March 11 at the same location with "New Frontiers in Strategic Communication," featuring the same speakers as we had planned for the February meeting. The only change is that this meeting coincides with our Student Shadow Day.
So put your shovels down and come on out to meet your fellow communicators and swap snow stories at the March chapter meeting. Remember, we are rotating the venues of our meetings each month this year! This time, we’ll see you at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda. Christine Nyirjesy Bragale, ABC, managing director at Weber Merritt Public Affairs, and Jeffrey Brooke, ABC, director of employee communication at the United States Government Printing Office, will walk us through some of the best communication practices you can use in your daily work. We hope this meeting will be especially helpful if you’re planning on submitting a Silver Inkwell entry this year (which of course we hope you’ll do). Be sure to register today!
We’re already busy working on the April event. But if you have any ideas or suggestions for future meetings or venues, do let us know. Email us to share your suggestions or just to say hello.
Jakub Konysz and Robin Lane, Co-VPs, Professional Development, IABC/DC Metro
GOodieRecruit Launch Party Wrapup
On February 4, IABC/DC Metro was one of the participating sponsors of the GoodieRecruit launch party at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC. GoodieRecruit is a next-generation recruiting service, focusing specifically on helping employers fill entry-level jobs in public relations, communications, public affairs, public policy, government affairs, marketing, graphic design, development, fundraising, sales or customer service.
While there not as many in attendance as anticipated, Mark Sofman had the opportunity to provide an overview of the IABC/DC Metro chapter and its professional development activities to those in attendance and Jessie Read promoted our chapter's March 11th Student Shadow Day. Most of the GoodieRecruit attendees were college seniors and many were very interested in our Student Shadow Day; Jessie Read was able to fill nine slots that very evening!
Student Shadow Day
As many of you may have heard, IABC/DC Metro is bringing back Student Shadow Day!
For those of you who may not be familiar with this professional development event, Student Shadow Day is a one of a kind outreach opportunity targeted at young professionals. This March 11event pairs college seniors with IABC/DC Metro communications professionals. Student Shadow Day gives students the opportunity to have a mentor for the day to show them first-hand what the real world of communications is like. These students are also invited to attend our chapter meeting to learn more about what IABC/DC Metro has to offer them.
This year we have nine participants from Towson University, James Madison University, American University and University of Virginia who have signed up and are eager to learn firsthand from IABC/DC Metro communications professionals. We have students interested in learning in various fields from PR to Non-Profit.
If you are interested in providing one of these students the opportunity to walk in your shoes for the day; to learn and experience a field they one day hope to work in, please email Jessica Read. Also, let her know if you would be interested in hosting a full or half-day shadow as well as the field in which you work.
Jessica Read, Portfolio Director, New Communicators Group
February Senior Communicators Council Recap
It was great to see so many seasoned communicators turn out for the first Senior Communicators Council breakfast of 2010 and hear long-time IABC leader John G. Clemons, ABC, APR, talk about his graduate research project which surveyed communications industry veterans from three large IABC chapters – including Washington, DC– to determine if programming needs specific to senior communicators were being met by the organization.
Clemons, who is the Director of Communications for Raytheon Technical Service Co., is completing the Masters in Communications Management Program at Syracuse University.
Respondents from the DC, Houston, and Chicago IABC chapters answered open-ended survey questions regarding senior-level programming.
Clemons’ findings indicate that experienced members were almost evenly split on IABC’s ability to effectively develop and provide senior programming at the International level (i.e., World Conference). But it is in the IABC regions that more than 66 percent of respondents felt that the organization has fallen short on making senior programming available.
The IABC respondents asked for programming in these areas:
- Social Media
- Crisis Communications
- Best Practices
- Case Studies
Clemons’ survey results kicked off a lively discussion among the breakfast attendees about the specific kinds of programs these seasoned communicators most wanted. Participants said they would like to hear from others about the specific best practices that have been successful on a daily basis. Others were interested in the strategy surrounding social media and crisis communications.
A special thank you to John for leading such a dynamic program, and to Mike Sorohan for arranging the conference room at the Mortgage Bankers Association for the SCC meeting.
Sherie Winston, SCC Portfolio Director
Help a PR Pro Out
On Friday, February 19, the Washington, DC, chapter of Help A PR Pro Out (#HAPPO on Twitter) brought an estimated 200 PR professionals, students, employers and job-seekers to the table, in one of most engaged regions in North America. Led by IABC’s Shonali Burke, ABC, alongside local PR pros Heather Huhman and Mike Schaffer, the group energized the local community, encouraging job-seekers to “pitch themselves” and employers to take advantage of this active and talent-rich network.
As part of a partnership with the DC PR Flacks Meetup group (led by Margie Newman), #HAPPO hosted a pre-HAPPO Happy Hour, where nearly 70 pros and students mixed and mingled, discussing strategies for the day’s event, while also networking to grow the local community of PR professionals.
While job offers may be weeks or months away, #HAPPO achieved their goal of exposing job-seekers to agencies and companies. The early feedback from all sides has been overwhelmingly positive and this community appears to be more than just a one-day group.
You can learn more about HAPPO and meet the local “champions” right here.
Welcome—and Welcome Back—New and Renewing Members!
We are thrilled that the following IABC/DC Metro members have chosen to join or renew their association membership:
Jason King ABC (American Association of Motor Vehicles Administration), Kimberly Barnes (AARP), Jessica Pantages (BAE Systems), Diane Dunne (American College of Radiology), Steven Anderson (ICF International), Martin Welles (Labor & Employment Law), Donna Charapich (General Dynamics), Martha Newman, Courtney Sakai (Oceana), Dan Gerlach (Profiles & Projectalent), Mark Hein, Peggy Schoen (International Monetary Fund), Allan Muten (Airlines Reporting Corporation), Susan Broaddus (National Association of Federal Credit Unions), Ann Andrews Morris (Intuitive Marketing Services), Rebecca Yeamans (The Boeing Company), Timothy Lavery (Booz Allen Hamilton), Timothy Taylor, Amy Cohen (BECO Management Inc), Shonali Burke ABC (Shonali Burke Consulting), Tracey Turi (Freddie Mac), Melanie Mason (Marriott International Inc.), James Chase (US Office of Management and Budget), Bonnie Belkin (Social & Scientific Systems Inc.), Patricia Keaton-Williams (US Postal Service Office of Inspector General), Amie Hornbaker (American Podiatric Medical Association), Russell Woolard (MITRE), Frank Strong (Vocus), Monique McNamara (FINRA), Heather Chilcot (Maxim Healthcare Services), Jennifer Gray (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation), Laura O’Connor (Gensler), Michelle Allen (Bechtel), Anna Fry (CapRock Government Solutions), Alix Harnig (CapRock Government Solutions), Rachel Sylvan (Sodexo), Michelle Volpe-Kohler (FINRA), Caroline Scullin (Center for International Private Enterprise), and Thomas Specht (BonoTom Studio, Inc).
Thank you all for placing your trust in IABC/DC Metro as the premier professional development association for business communicators. We look forward to seeing you at a chapter event soon. As always, please contact Dan Sporer, VP/Membership, with questions about how you can get more involved with the chapter—and let us know how we can help you!
