REBECCA HOLMES NAMED CHAIR OF PRSA’S COUNSELORS ACADEMY
Three new members named to 2023 Executive Committee and Officers Announced

NEW YORK (May 4, 2023) – Rebecca Holmes, founding partner of Kiteocket, has been named the 2023 Chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Counselors Academy, the section focused on the business and leadership of public relations agencies. In addition, the group named three new members to its Executive Committee and announced its 2023 officers.

The new members joining Holmes on the Executive Committee are Beth Wilson, founder and chief PR officer of Wilson Public Relations in Memphis, Sarah Erkmann Ward, APR, president of Blueprint Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska, and Dan Farkas, founder of Dan Farkas Interactive in Columbus, OH.

Holmes has served on the Executive Committee of Counselors Academy since 2015 and most recently served as Chair-Elect after fulfilling the Secretary/Treasurer and Conference Chair roles.

“After emerging from a global pandemic, we all continue to navigate what’s ahead in business owners and leaders,” said Holmes. “I look forward to serving as Chair and fulfilling our member commitment to make Counselor Academy a diverse, collaborative and trusted peer network that enables public relations agency owners and leaders to grow, lead and scale successful businesses.”

The 2023 officers for Counselors Academy are:

Rebecca Holmes, founding partner of Kiteocket in Seattle as Chair.
John Walker, managing partner of Chirp in Atlanta, as Chair-Elect.
Natalie Ghidotti, APR, president and CEO of Ghidotti Communications in Little Rock, Arkansas, as Secretary/Treasurer.
Jennifer Thompson, president and CEO of Thompson & Co. PR in Anchorage, Alaska, as Immediate Past Chair.

Serving as Members-at-Large on the 2023 Executive Committee for Counselors Academy are:

Kelly Brockman, partner at McNeely Brockman Public Relations in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nicole Morgan, APR, CEO of Resolute PR in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Alexis Davis Smith, president and CEO of PRecise Communications in Atlanta.
Ben Finzel, president of RENEWPR in Washington, DC.
Hinda Mitchell, founder and president of Inspire PR Group in Columbus, Ohio
Missy Hurley, APR, co-founder and principal of B2 Communications in St. Petersburg, Florida.
LaTricia Woods, APR, president and owner of Mahogany Xan Communications, LLC in Phoenix, Arizona. Woods also serves as chair for the 2023 Counselors Academy Conference.
Jon Goldberg, founder and chief reputation architect of Reputation Architects Inc. in New Jersey.

The Counselors Academy was founded in 1960 and is dedicated to helping public relations agency owners and leaders succeed through access to collaborative peer relationships, meaningful professional development and education programs. The Academy focuses on the business of agency PR. Its entrepreneurial members are owners or senior managers of leading independent firms in the U.S. and Canada. Counselors Academy’s programs foster networking, mentoring and learning, and the Executive Committee consists of 15 senior-level public relations professionals from across the U.S. and Canada.

For more information, please visit our website http://www.counselorsacademy.org, or follow us on Twitter at @caprsa or Instagram at @counselorsacademy.

About the Public Relations Society of America
PRSA is the nation’s largest professional organization serving the communications community. The organization’s mission is to make communications professionals smarter, better prepared and more connected through all stages of their career. PRSA achieves this by offering its members thought leadership, innovative lifelong learning opportunities to help them develop new skills, enhance their credibility and connect with a strong network of professionals. The organization sets the standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct for the public relations industry. PRSA collectively represents more than 30,000 members consisting of communications professionals spanning every industry sector nationwide and college and university students who encompass the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Learn more at https://www.prsa.org

JENNIFER THOMPSON NAMED LEADER OF PRSA’S COUNSELORS ACADEMY
Two new members named to 2022 Executive Committee and Officers Announced

NEW YORK (April 19, 2022) – PRSA, the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community, announced today that Jennifer Thompson, president and CEO of Alaska-based Thompson & Co. Public Relations, has been named the 2022 Chair of PRSA’s Counselors Academy, which focuses on the business and leadership of public relations agencies. In addition, the group named two new members to its Executive Committee and announced its 2022 officers.

Counselors Academy is one of 14 Professional Interest Sections which focus on a variety of areas of expertise and are offered exclusively to PRSA members. Sections provide specialized content and networking opportunities, as well as exclusive online communities, newsletters, training and in-person events.

Thompson has served on the Executive Committee of Counselors Academy since 2016 and most recently served as Chair-elect after fulfilling the Secretary/Treasurer role. New members joining her on the Executive Committee are Kelly Brockman, partner at McNeely Brockman Public Relations in Nashville, Tennessee and Nicole Morgan, APR, CEO of Resolute PR in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“The past two years have been incredibly difficult, and as we start to emerge from a global pandemic, we are all navigating our new future in business,” said Thompson. “Having the opportunity to collaborate with fellow Counselor’s Academy members during this time has proven to be such a valuable resource and I’m looking forward to leading this group of PR professionals over the next year where we will collaborate, learn, share and celebrate our successes.”

In addition to Thompson, the 2022 Counselors Academy’s officers are:

Rebecca Holmes, managing partner of Kiterocket in Seattle, Washington, as 2022 Chair-Elect.
Natalie Ghidotti, APR, president and CEO of Ghidotti Communications in Little Rock, Arkansas, as Secretary/Treasurer.
Jon Goldberg, founder and Chief Reputation Architect of Reputation Architects Inc. in Roseland, New Jersey, as Immediate Past Chair.

Serving as Members-at-Large on the 2022 Executive Committee for Counselors Academy are:

Kelly Brockman, partner at McNeely Brockman PR in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nicole Morgan, APR, CEO of Resolute PR in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Alison King, president of Media Profile in Toronto.
Filomena Fanelli, CEO and founder of Impact PR & Communications in Poughkeepsie, New York.
John Walker, managing partner of Chirp PR in Atlanta.
Alexis Davis, president and CEO of PRecise Communications in Atlanta.
Ben Finzel, president of RENEWPR in Washington, DC.
Hinda Mitchell, founder and president of Inspire PR Group in Columbus, Ohio.
Missy Hurley, APR, co-founder and principal of B2 Communications in St. Petersburg, Florida.
LaTricia Woods, APR, president and owner of Mahogany Xan Communications, LLC in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mike Neumeier, president of Arketi Group in Atlanta, as 2022 Ex-Officio Appointee.

About PRSA
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) empowers its members to succeed at every stage of their careers through a wide breadth of professional development, networking and leadership opportunities. Guided by its Code of Ethics, PRSA is collectively represented by 110 Chapters and 14 Professional Interest Sections, as well as on nearly 375 college and university campuses in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Argentina, Colombia and Peru through its student organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). PRSA’s signature events include the Anvil Awards and ICON, the premier annual gathering for communications professionals and students. For more information, visit www.prsa.org.

JON GOLDBERG NAMED LEADER OF PRSA’S COUNSELORS ACADEMY
Four new members named to 2021 Executive Committee and Officers Announced

NEW YORK (March 24, 2021) –Jon Goldberg, founder and chief reputation architect of New Jersey-based Reputation Architects Inc., has been named the 2021 Chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Counselors Academy, the section focused on the business and leadership of public relations agencies. In addition, the group named four new members to its Executive Committee and announced its 2021 officers.

The new members joining Goldberg on the Executive Committee are Jennifer Curley, president and CEO of Curley Company in Washington, DC; Ben Finzel, president of RENEWPR in Washington, DC; Hinda Mitchell, founder and president of Inspire PR Group in Columbus, Ohio; and Alexis Davis Smith, president and CEO of PRecise Communications in Atlanta, GA.

Goldberg has served on the Executive Committee of Counselors Academy since 2014 and also serves as a director-at-large of PRSA’s New Jersey chapter and co-chair of the society’s National Civility Task Force.

“I am excited to work beside such an exceptional group of communications entrepreneurs to help guide Counselors Academy in 2021,” said Goldberg. “Counselors Academy has played a central role in Reputation Architects’ success over the last decade. The opportunity to collaborate with and learn from other highly successful professionals with a shared commitment to the PR profession and our collective business success has been nothing short of transformational.”

The 2021 officers for Counselors Academy are:

Jon Goldberg, founder and Chief Reputation Architect of Reputation Architects Inc. in New Jersey, as Chair.
Alison King, president of Media Profile in Toronto, as Immediate Past Chair.
Rebecca Mosley, founding partner of Kiterocket in Seattle, Wash., as 2022 Chair-Elect
Jennifer Thompson, president and CEO of Thompson & Co. Public Relations in Anchorage, Alaska, as Secretary/Treasurer.

Serving as Members-at-Large on the 2021 Executive Committee for Counselors Academy are:

Greg Abel president of Abel Communications in Baltimore, Md.
Jennifer Curley, president and CEO of Curley Company in Washington, DC
Darolyn Davis, principal-in-charge of Davis & Associates Communications, Inc., in San Francisco, Calif.
Filomena Fanelli, CEO and founder of Impact PR & Communications in Poughkeepsie, NY, and 2021 Conference Co-Chair
Ben Finzel, president of RENEWPR in Washington, DC
Natalie Ghidotti, APR, principal of Ghidotti Communications in Little Rock, Ark., and 2021 Conference Co-Chair
Missy Hurley, APR, co-founder and principal of B2 Communications in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Hinda Mitchell, founder and president of Inspire PR Group in Columbus, Ohio
Alexis Davis Smith, president and CEO of PRecise Communications in Atlanta, Ga.
John Walker, Managing Partner of Chirp PR in Atlanta, Ga.
LaTricia Woods, APR, founder and president of Mahogany Xan Communications, LLC in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Counselors Academy was founded in 1960 and is dedicated to helping public relations agency owners and leaders succeed through access to collaborative peer relationships, meaningful professional development and education programs. The Academy focuses on the business of agency PR. Its entrepreneurial members are owners or senior managers of leading independent firms in the U.S. and Canada. Counselors Academy’s programs foster networking, mentoring and learning, and the Executive Committee consists of 16 senior-level public relations professionals from across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please follow us on Twitter at @caprsa or Instagram at @counselorsacademy.