Gainesville, Fla., Sept. 25, 2012—The Gainesville Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), the oldest public relations organization in the United States, recently installed 14 members to its board of directors. The 2012-2013 board’s term officially began Sept. 1. The following professionals will hold their respective terms for one year:
The 2012-2013 FPRA Gainesville Chapter was installed at the chapter’s August luncheon at Sweetwater Branch Inn, Gainesville, on Aug. 23, 2012.
President: Devon Chestnut, public affairs specialist, Cox Communications
Immediate past president: Morgan Lee, sales communications specialist, Exactech, Inc.
Vice president: Julie, Frey, APR, CPRC, director, information and communication technology, University of Florida, College of Design, Construction and Planning
Vice president, member services: Amelia Bell, APR, senior marketing and communications specialist, Gainesville Regional Utilities
Secretary: Laura Aguiar, APR, manager, public relations and governmental affairs, Gainesville Regional Airport
Treasurer: Amy Douglas, APR, director of marketing and communications, University of Florida Performing Arts
Accreditation director: Erin Morton, APR, manager, corporate communications and family services, RTI Biologics, Alachua
Communications director: Leah Craig, corporate communications associate, RTI Biologics
Community relations directory: Ginny Lawrimore, social media manager, University of Florida, Warrington College of Business Administration
Educational services director: Maria Copeland, public education coordinator for Gainesville, LifeQuest Organ Recovery Services
Electronic media director: Morgan McLaughlin, account executive, Liquid Creative Studio
Image awards director: Allison Downey, corporate communications associate, RTI Biologics
Professional development seminar director: Christine Velasquez, APR, assistant director of Advancement Communications for UF&Shands, the University of Florida Academic Health Center
Programs director: Kevin Coulson, director of marketing and business development, Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.
“The Gainesville Chapter of FPRA has a history of great leadership, a strong membership base and unyielding advocacy for our profession and our community,” said Chestnut. “This year, I envision nothing less than continuing that tradition.”
The Gainesville Chapter of FPRA was established in 1968 and boasts more than 100 members. The group hosts a variety of professional development, networking and community relations activities throughout the year, including monthly luncheons, its annual Professional Development Symposium and numerous fundraisers. In August, FPRA named the chapter its 2011-2012 Chapter of the Year—the sixth time it received the distinction.
To learn more about the Gainesville Chapter of FPRA, visit www.fpragainesville.com. Get the latest chapter news at www.facebook.com/fpragainesville and on Twitter at @FPRA_GNV.
About FPRA
Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC, established FPRA in 1938 for the purpose of helping public relations practitioners do their jobs better. As the oldest public relations organization in the country, FPRA is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners, who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. FPRA comprises 15 professional and nine student chapters throughout the state, providing professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities. For more additional information, visit www.fpra.org.
Editor’s Note: To download a high-resolution version of the embedded photo, click here.