State of the Union

State of the State

State of the Chapter

Hello and happy New Year!

What a historic time we are in.

I listened in on Member Monday, the initiative by our new national chair, Ray Day, APR, to focus on providing content of value to our PRSA members. It was a fascinating discussion with guest speaker Marian Salzman, on the challenges we face with mal-, dis- and misinformation, the speed at which communications is moving and our quest for equilibrium through it all. If you missed it, listen in at this link. It’s well worth the 42 minutes it takes.

As your incoming PRSA Sierra Nevada Chapter president, my first thought for 2025 is to say “thank you!” Thank you to our membership for your continuing support. Thank you to our 2025 Board of Directors! Your dedication, expertise and enthusiasm for what we do is inspiring. And a special thank you to our past president, Jamii Uboldi, APR, for her leadership in 2024, together we have built a solid foundation on which to base our ambitious agenda for 2025.

Reflecting on our Past Year

First, let’s take a moment to celebrate what we’ve accomplished. Over the past year, our chapter has:

·        Grown in membership: we welcomed new members, and while we said a fond farewell to others, we have expanded our network of talented communications professionals.

·        Offered impactful programming: from offering a look inside what some of our award-winning colleagues are working on, to a fascinating look at military and federal communications and much more, we provided many opportunities to learn from and network with our colleagues in communication.

·        Celebrated your wins: We received 43 entries to the Silver Spikes and 12 individual award nominations. From those, we awarded six amazing individuals for their outstanding performance in the industry, and 31 awards for excellence in our craft. Congratulations, PRSA Sierra Nevada Chapter – you guys ROCK!

Looking Ahead: Goals for the New Year

Moving forward as a board, our purpose, vision and mission echoes that of our national organization:

·        PURPOSE

o   A community of ethical communications professionals building for tomorrow, today

·        VISION

o   To be the premier communications organization that leads and connects through ethical standards, certification, advocacy and education

·        MISSION

o   To make communications professionals smarter, better prepared and more connected through all stages of their career

You may notice the emphasis (mine) on the word “communications”. We recognize, as does PRSA National, that public relations practitioners operate across many areas of expertise in a wide variety of organizations. We also know from research that many in leadership (think CEO’s and such) are less aware of what public relations is, and ‘communications’ is their preferred descriptor for what we do.

Chapter Goals:

With all of this in mind, our chapter goals are three-fold:

o   Free live learning webinars

o   Free library of on-demand professional development

o   Access to the latest trends, best practices and issues

o   Free Strategies & Tactics and Issues & Trends newsletters

o   A private online community of colleagues

o   A local/regional network of colleagues

o   Local in-person and virtual professional development and networking opportunities

o   Support for those pursuing Accreditation in Public Relations (APR)

o   Access to case studies through the Silver Anvil database

o   Professional discounts valued at $500+ a year

o   And more….

Your 2025 Board of Directors

I am so grateful for this spectacular group of communications professionals who have volunteered to serve or continue to serve our chapter. Together, we have agreed upon an ambitious, but do-able course of action that, taken together as a team, we will accomplish all this and more.

Kathie Taylor, APR, CAPM, President, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, In Plain Sight Marketing

With over 30 years of experience in communications, public relations, marketing, and operations, Kathie is a strategic and creative professional who excels in delivering impactful and engaging messages to diverse audiences. Accredited in Public Relations by PRSA and a certified associate in project management by the Project Management Institute, Kathie specializes in education, healthcare and professional services public relations and crisis communications, and is the proud recipient of 23 industry awards for excellence in public relations and marketing.

Most of all, Kathie never met a cookie she didn’t like.

Molly Ellery, President Elect, Public Relations Director, Argentum Partners

With experience in public and media relations, strategic communications, event planning and public affairs, Molly pride myself on providing clients high-caliber work. Recently named a PR News Rising PR Star 30 & Under and 2023 Person of the Year, Molly works on projects in travel and tourism, food and beverage, hospitality, healthcare and insurance, construction, transportation and more.

Jamii Uboldi, APR, Immediate Past President, System Director, Marketing and Communications, Northern Nevada Health System

Jamii is a visionary senior marketing and communications leader with experience in crisis communication, strategic planning, media relations, community outreach and brand development. Throughout her career, Jamii has developed communications strategies for some of northern Nevada's largest brands. She is passionate about building effective communications programs that propel companies and inspire employees to live out a brand's mission.

Owen Truesdell, VP Administration, Vice President, Public Affairs, The Abbi Agency

Owen Truesdell is a seasoned public affairs and communications executive with a diverse background in political campaigns, non-profits, and consulting. He brings over a decade of public affairs, public relations and campaign experience to our team. An expert at laying the groundwork for meaningful relationships between organizations and their stakeholders, you can always count on Owen to bring his extensive knowledge of public affairs and strategic communications to the table. 

April Conway, APR, MBA, VP Student Relations and Assembly Delegate, Director of Marketing, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority

April is one of those rare PR professionals who likes government. Really likes government. Truly. She has spent more than 30 years providing public relations and marketing results to governmental and quasi-governmental organizations. From promoting Antarctic operations from the ice at McMurdo Station, highlighting military operations at Balad Air Base, Iraq, working to enhance affordable housing in Washoe County, or broadening communications for the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, her breadth of knowledge and skills brings sophisticated qualities to her team. 

She’s also a big fan of Lego and when she stumbles upon it, will never not watch Blades of Glory.   

Dan Davis, APR, Co-VP Professional Development, Public Information Officer, Carson City School District

Dan Davis, APR, is a seasoned public relations professional with extensive work experience in both public (for-profit) and private (not-for-profit) sectors. He is a strategic thinker using foresight and skill to meet measurable objectives. He has helped feature the district in more than 600 total news media stories annually, earning more than $500,000 in media coverage each year; and he distributes district-driven announcements to more than 22,000 people each quarter. In 2012, Davis earned a Silver Spike Award as well as the Judges Choice Award from the Public Relations Society of America for Crisis Communications at Renown Health during the Reno Air Races Crash. He later earned a Bronze Spike Award for developing and implementing the Carson City School District’s Communications Plan. He retains extensive persuasive and news writing abilities, but his strongest attribute is his gregarious attitude, which enables him to successfully manage professional relationships with decorum.

Stacy Kendall, MA, Co-VP Professional Development, Vice President Marketing and Community Impact, Plumas Bank

Stacy Kendall is vice president of marketing and community impact for Plumas Bank. Her career in strategic communications and marketing spans healthcare, non-profit and financial services industries. A member of PRSA since 2004, Kendall received the Gold Spike for Community Excellence in 2015 and was named Mark Curtis Sr. Chapter Member of the Year in 2019. Kendall is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno with a master’s degree in Sociology. She is an active community volunteer and most proud of her work with the Nevada Victim Assistance Academy, The Discovery Museum and Nevada Women’s Fund.

Tiffany East, APR, Co-VP Silver Spikes, Owner, East Public Relations

Tiffany East has spent her professional career designing strategic campaigns that deliver results to her clients.  As a seasoned professional, she has developed award-winning (local, regional and national levels) programs, including corporate communications, media relations and publicity, internal communications, promotions, event planning and crisis management.  

Hanna Reizenstein, Co-VP Silver Spikes, Public Relations Specialist, The Ferraro Group

Hannah Reizenstein’s public relations expertise spans a wide range of industries in the Northern Nevada community, including nonprofits, healthcare, construction and state and local government. 

Hannah joined the Ferraro Group in 2023 with a background in media relations, social media management and community outreach. Prior to The Ferraro Group, Hannah worked as a news producer for Good Morning Reno at KOLO 8 News Now, developing her skills in storytelling, content creation and strategic communications.

Renee Plain, VP Programming, Chief Operating Officer, In Plain Sight Marketing

Renee Plain is the founder, owner and CEO of In Plain Sight Marketing in Carson City. IPSM celebrated its 13^th anniversary at the beginning of this year. IPSM has garnered numerous regional and national awards including the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Sierra Nevada Chapter’s first perfect score of 100 points Best in Show in 2019 for work for a client. Also in 2019, Renee received a PRSA Gold Spike award for community excellence for my commitment and outstanding excellence to non-profit clients and community-based marketing. Driven by growing strong communities and a love of learning, Renee participated in and graduated from the 2020 Douglas County Leadership class, as well as the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, National Cohort 15 in 2021.

Tracie Barnthouse, VP Publicity, Chief Communications Officer, Travel Nevada

As the chief communications officer for Travel Nevada, Tracie focuses on domestic and international media relations as well as stakeholder engagement via public affairs initiatives. Over the course of her career, Tracie has worked very closely with the local news, pitching story ideas to both local and out of market media publications and outlets, fielding press inquiries, hosting media events as well as organizing major conferences for the state of Nevada. Tracie has extensive experience writing for the government as well as implementing an online learning and development system to meet the development requirements of a wide variety of personnel.

Alli Williams, APR, VP Membership, Public Relations Consultant

Alli Williams, APR has always advocated for the power of storytelling to connect audiences, build community, and make an impact. For more than 10 years, she’s built a dynamic career in public relations, wearing many different hats along the way. Alli started her career in public affairs, collaborating with government agencies and nonprofits to define messaging and create compelling communications campaigns. She then expanded her skills, working across industries like consumer-packaged goods, education, healthcare, and economic development. Alli’s work is backed by her commitment to professional growth and excellence. In April 2024, she earned the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), a certification that reflects her leadership and expertise in the field.

Olive Giner, VP Recognition, Public Relations Specialist, KPS|3

Olive Giner a proud graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno, graduating with bachelor of arts in journalism with an emphasis in public relations and advertising, magna cum laude. Olive is currently a public relations specialist at KPS3, a Reno-based full-service marketing agency, having had the privilege of working in both account/project management and public relations roles, leading with a passion for being human-centered.

Ameda Uwaifo, PRSSA Student Leader

Ameda is a student at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, studying public relations and advertising with minors in English (cinema and media studies) and art. She am a first-generation Nigerian American from Las Vegas, Nevada, who is passionate about creating. An artist since birth: Ameda loves drawing, knitting, crocheting, painting and writing. She deeply appreciates film, music, art, animation and education. Ameda's creative abilities drove her to instill her skills to amplify the campus organizations in which she's involved. Ameda os president of PRSSA's Sierra Nevada chapter, treasurer of the Gender, Race and Identity Club and PR intern and volunteer illustrator for Insight Magazine. These positions introduced her to my passion and drive for public relations and helped to refine her skills as a PR practitioner. Ameda aspires to advance her skills and utilize her creativity to uplift the organizations she believes in.