Kellie Twomey, APR, Coordinator of Parent & Community Relations, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District

Why did you decide to pursue your APR?
I want to continue to learn and grow so I can do the best job possible in my role for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD). The entire process for the Accreditation for Public Relations was an excellent way for me to challenge myself, grow in my position, and ensure I am staying current on best practices for public relations.

How long did it take?
After reading up on the APR process and attending a few information sessions and talking to people who had APR, it was a solid six to seven-month period of studying hard in preparation for my panel presentation and computer exam. This time frame worked well for me and I felt well prepared when I took the exam.

What challenges did you face along the way?
It has been a long time since I was in school, so it took a little bit for me to get back into a rhythm of studying. The biggest challenge though was making the time to study and prepare. We all have busy jobs with deadlines and “emergencies” that take up a great deal of our time. I found I had to really be disciplined and carve out chunks of time during the week, each week, for studying to make it happen.

How has the APR process impacted the way you practice public relations?
The process allowed me to sharpen my skills and my focus. I am definitely more strategic in my work after going through the APR process.

What advice would you give someone who was considering going through the process?
Go for it – you won’t regret it! It’s a challenging and very rewarding process and I highly recommend it. It will make you better at what you do! I found the PRSA online class invaluable and I would highly recommend signing up for the self-paced online class. And, get a mentor. Alison Gaulden was my mentor and she was an amazing resource for me. If anyone in our PRSA chapter is thinking about embarking on earning their APR, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help and be a resource.

What are your future career plans as an APR?
I’ve been in my role for four and a half years. I absolutely love my job in school district public relations ‘telling our story” and engaging our stakeholders. My hope is to have a long career with TTUSD and as an APR, I plan to continue to enhance what I learned from the APR process and I’d like to be a resource for others.

What’s a fun fact about you most people don’t know?
I love to run long distance and have completed 12+ marathons including the 100th running of the Boston Marathon.

Allison (Allie) Williams, APR, Greater Nevada Credit Union, Internal Communications Specialist

Allison Williams, APR is a communications professional with a background in public relations, internal communications, broadcast and print media, and digital marketing. Allison’s varied experience guides her extensive knowledge of the communication needs for both internal and external publics as well as media outlets locally and nationally. Managing, crafting and implementing strategic messaging are at the heart of what she does each day – from communication plans to press releases, employee emails, website and social content, and more.

Why did you decide to pursue your APR?

As a broadcast journalist turned PR and communications professional, I pursued my APR as a source of formal education in the industry. Earning my APR has made me more confident in my daily work and challenged my strategic approach from research and planning to implementation and evaluation.

How long did it take?

I completed my questionnaire and application in November, presented to my panel in late January and tested in late February.

What challenges did you face along the way?

At first, I had concerns about my background and not qualifying for five years of experience. To any communicators with a background other than PR, I encourage you not to be nervous to apply. Just as your varied experience helps in your daily work, it will help in your APR process.

How has the APR process impacted the way you practice public relations?

Because my degree is not in public relations, I think learning the terminology and having greater understanding of the entire planning process has been key for me. Feeling more comfortable and capable to differentiate outcomes versus outputs and goals from objectives has been helpful in my work. I also feel I gained a greater knowledge of the various types of research available. Often, I think our daily hustle and bustle doesn’t allow us the luxury of substantial research. Gaining a greater understanding of all the tools at my disposal makes me feel more prepared for my next big project – even when faced with a tight deadline.

What advice would you give someone who was considering going through the process?

Honestly, it is a challenging process but a rewarding one. If you’re interested in earning your APR, I encourage you to do so because you will learn something new and it will change how you practice your craft on a daily basis.

What are your future career plans as an APR?

With my APR, I hope to continue to make myself more well-rounded and comfortable in all forms of communication from broadcast writing to digital marketing to public relations and now internal communications.

What’s a fun fact about you most people don’t know?

I broke both my arms at the same time and have had 14 teeth pulled.