FPRA Gainesville

📣 last call! Register for our 2024 Professional Development Symposium today, click the link below. You don’t want to miss this event!

https://www.fpragainesville.com/events/pds/

Check it out! The UF College of Medicine is seeking a communications intern. Learn more at the link below!

https://www.fpragainesville.com/development/job-postings/

Register today before 12 p.m. (ET) to ensure lunch is included with your registration! FPRA members only pay $35 for breakfast, lunch from Firehouse Subs, and a half day of professional development. After 12 p.m., lunch orders will not come with your registration, and the cost will drop to $30 for members, $40 for non-members, and $20 for students. Click here to register now: www.fpragainesville.com/events/pds/

🎤 Speaker Spotlight: La’Kendra D. Garrison, MSM
Register now to learn from the Gainesville Chapter’s very own Director of Professional Development, La’Kendra D. Garrison, MSM, an entrepreneur and consultant with over 20 years of experience in corporate communications. La’Kendra will share her expertise on planning successful events, drawing from her extensive background in coordinating conferences and social gatherings. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights from a seasoned professional!
Register now to secure your spot: https://www.fpragainesville.com/events/pds/

🎤 PDS Speaker Spotlight: Gabrielle Massari, MSM
Join us at next week’s PDS to hear from Gabrielle Massari, MSM, Marketing Manager at UF Health. Gabrielle will share insights on developing and launching high-profile marketing campaigns, including UF Health's alliance with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Don't miss her session on leveraging sports partnerships for effective brand campaigns!
Register now to secure your spot: https://www.fpragainesville.com/events/pds/

🎤 PDS Speaker Spotlight: Roy W. Reid, APR, CPRC, MCPC
Get ready for our Professional Development Seminar (PDS) with Roy W. Reid, APR, CPRC, MCPC! Join us next Thursday as the Orlando Chapter President-Elect and Top 100 Thought Leader in Trustworthy Business shares his expertise on how trust can transform relationships and performance across business, government, and personal life. In Roy’s presentation, you will learn how to earn trust, cultivate trust, and repair and restore trust. Don't miss out on this chance to gain actionable insights from a true expert in the field!
Register now to secure your spot: https://www.fpragainesville.com/events/pds/

We heard a great presentation from past Chapter President Val Riley during this month’s luncheon. Val is senior director of Content and Digital Marketing for Insightly.

Val spoke about how to make your company or product stand out when you are constrained by a much smaller budget than your competitors. These tips are helpful when you are competing against household names or trying to set your company or product apart from your competitors.

She provided a couple of memorable examples of videos and her company has produced with a limited budget, including one produced for very little money. She also shared digital ad examples and terrific podcast tips.

Some tips:
- Don’t be afraid to use humor!
- Use remarkable content that is attention grabbing and unexpected
- Go after white space
- Use creativity in ways your competitor may not be able to in order to set your company apart

Our PR Masters group, members with 10+ years of professional experience, visited the Leveda Brown Environmental Park. Thank you so much Alachua County Recycles for the informative behind-the-scenes tour. We learned so much about all that goes on at Alachua County’s Environmental Park & Transfer Station!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4Dp1pXnEyRCBfuQy6

Let’s celebrate some amazing public relations professionals! Submit your nominations ASAP!

As a member of the FPRA Gainesville Chapter, you have the opportunity to help us honor three local professionals! The deadline for submitting nominations for all three awards is May 19 at midnight.

The Member of the Year Award is given to an active FPRA member whose commitment of time, energy, enthusiasm and skill contributed significantly to the success of the Gainesville Chapter above and beyond typical expectations. For full criteria and to submit your nominations, click the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EI4kTKfnqgCvxMV9cfkcRerNgs3wulimMWU5duZV6QQ/viewform?edit_requested=true

The John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC Professional of the Year Award is given to an individual who demonstrates the highest standards of ethics, performance and service to the public relations profession. This award is also designed to recognize outstanding contributions to the Gainesville Chapter. The award honors the spirit and dedication of John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC. FPRA membership is not required for this award. For full criteria and to submit your nominations, click the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fOEItgdyN7mmgqlJ8CoT-SXfMTeB-1K-18mDhE8zDdU/viewform?edit_requested=true

The Rising Star of the Year Award is given to an up-and-coming FPRA member who has demonstrated emerging leadership traits along with dedicated, active involvement in chapter activities throughout the year. The Rising Star will be the Chapter’s nominee for the Joe Curley, APR, CPRC, Rising Leader Award. For full criteria and to submit your nominations, click the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1x5fMCrVdgq-yTitlise2Mxoom4n50QIFhs27AydYzu8/viewform?edit_requested=true

For past award winners, visit our website at https://www.fpragainesville.com/about/fpra-gainesville-chapter-awards/.

Applications are now open for a professional member of the Gainesville Chapter to receive a partial scholarship to attend the 2024 PR & Comms Summit from Aug. 4-7 in Tampa.

This year, FPRA's gathering of communications professionals will engage with captivating speakers on topics that will help them “summit” to the top of their game for the organizations they represent as they hear from communication leaders from leading brands such as Microsoft, Walt Disney World Resort, Paramount / MTV Studios and more.

Applications for the scholarship, which covers half the registration cost on a reimbursement basis, will be open through Saturday, June 15. For more information and to apply, visit: https://forms.gle/7G6vEqjdqPFJMdqG9.

Need more time for your Golden Image entry? Then great news for you! The deadlines for Golden Image and Pinnacle Awards have been extended.
The final submission deadline for Golden Image is Friday, May 17, 11:59 p.m. EST and for Pinnacle Awards is Tuesday, May 21, 11:59 p.m. EST.
For rules, the judging rubric and to submit, visit https://www.fpra.org/

In light of the storms that impacted Florida last week leaving many of our North Florida members without power for several days, the deadlines for Golden Image and Pinnacle Awards have been extended.

Final submission deadline for Golden Image is Friday, May 17, 11:59 p.m. EST and for Pinnacle Awards is Tuesday, May 21, 11:59 p.m. EST.

For rules, the judging rubric and to submit, visit https://www.fpra.org/

Thanks to everyone for coming out to tonight’s Pop-Up PR at Beaker and Flask Wine Co.!
It was great to see you & enjoy time at such a terrific venue.

Registration is officially open! Join us on May 16 to learn why big budgets don't guarantee success and how to leverage your resources smartly. Get inspired by real-life examples and walk away with actionable strategies. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eqPAT-_s

Get ready to level up your budget strategy game with Val Riley from Insightly on May 16! Learn how thinking outside the box can outshine even the biggest competitors, without blowing your budget. 💰 Don't miss out—registration details coming soon!

🚨 Last Chance Alert! 🚨 FPRA Gainesville Chapter Members - time is running out to have your voice heard! Don't miss your opportunity to help shape the future of the Chapter! Complete the member survey by 11:59 p.m. tomorrow, May 2, and be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card! 🛍️ Your feedback is crucial. If you didn't receive the email, please send a message to [email protected].

Quiz for a Cause kicks off in 30 minutes! We’re exciting to raise money for a good cause while hanging out with great company! We hope to see you there!

Join us next week for some no-stress socializing at our next Pop-Up PR! Enjoy some great food, drinks and great conversation at Beaker and Flask Wine Co. on Tuesday, May 7 starting at 5:30 p.m.

📍 Venue: Beaker and Flask is located in San Felasco Tech City just outside of Gainesville on the way to Alachua. Hope to see you there!

Join us in celebrating the accomplished professionals who have earned their credentials, showcasing their commitment to excellence in and their dedication to continuous growth and within the profession.

Want to learn more about the APR process? Visit https://tinyurl.com/dtmrxfm6 or contact Sarah Coulson, APR at [email protected].

There are so many opportunities to win big at Quiz for a Cause on April 30th! In addition to the trivia competition, we will also be hosting a raffle! Check out some of the amazing prizes up for grabs. 🎁 We would like to give a big thanks to our friends at Fluid Lounge, Celebration Pointe, The Keys Grill and Piano Bar, Texas Roadhouse Gainesville, Kilwins Celebration Pointe, Escapology Escape Rooms Gainesville, and WOB Bar & Kitchen Tioga for donating fantastic gifts to give to you guys!

Raffle tickets are $3 for one or $10 for five and can be purchased using cash or card at the door. Don’t forget, all proceeds collected at Quiz for a Cause will fund professional development opportunities for PR students and professionals.

Sign up today to play: www.fpragainesville.com/quiz/

Open Job Alert for PR/Comms Professionals! There's a short window to apply, but the payoff will be rewarding! The deadline for interested applicants is April 26. Click the link for more information: https://tinyurl.com/2j6a9k82

Sara Beer, recipient of the FPRA Membership Scholarship, reflected on how it transformed her journey as a PR student. Sara, set to graduate in May of 2025, serves as Vice President of the CHOMP chapter of FPRA.

“Because I received an FPRA membership scholarship, I was able to pursue opportunities that I never thought possible. As a member of the CHOMP chapter of FPRA, I met other members who provided me with instrumental advice and connections that led me to secure my summer internship. Without FPRA’s resources and support, I would not have been able to make these important and unique connections. I am eternally grateful to FPRA and everything it has given me.”

Your support continues to make a meaningful impact! Join us on April 30th to further empower aspiring PR professionals like Sara!

Hiring! 📢

Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering is looking for a writer to join their team. Follow the link below to apply by April 25!

https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/531094/public-relations-specialist-ii

Are you looking for a way to become more involved in the Gainesville Chapter of FPRA? Join our 2024-2025 Board of Directors! Serving in a board position is an excellent way to hone your leadership skills and gain an in-depth understanding of your local chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association and the Association as a whole.

To apply or to nominate someone, click here to complete the online nomination form by Friday, May 31: https://lnkd.in/ef2syfmU

Allison Downey, recipient of the 2023 FPRA Partial Conference scholarship, shared how funds raised from Quiz for a Cause transformed her professional journey. Allison is the Director of HR Business Partner & Corporate Communications at Exactech, and she is a proud past board member of the Gainesville Chapter of FPRA.

“Having the opportunity to attend an FPRA Annual Conference is essential to the growth and development of PR practitioners in Florida and beyond, and I wouldn’t have been able to experience it last year without the support of FPRA Gainesville. While I’ve had the chance to experience the conference in years past, financial constraints on professional development opportunities in light of economic times put a strain on resources. Every year’s conference brings new, invaluable insights, and applying for a chapter scholarship to attend last year helped ease the financial burden and make the event possible for me.

In addition to world-class speakers, the networking opportunities at the conference are priceless. I hope that every FPRA member has the chance to attend Annual Conference at least once in their career, and I’m grateful to FPRA Gainesville for helping bridge the economic gap and provide a game changing experience that’s instrumental in fostering development in PR.”

Your support makes a real difference! Join us on April 30th at Quiz for a Cause to continue empowering PR professionals and students.

Join us on Thursday, April 18 as we hear from Colleen Raccioppi, APR, on the topic “Trend Forecasting: 5 Predictions for the Future of Communications”.
Let’s predict the future together! Join us for an interactive session where we explore emerging trends in the communications field. We’ll examine the impact of AI on search algorithms, the possibility of ad-free social media, the growing importance of authenticity, the rising impact of smaller influencers and the evolving role of citizen journalists in media relations. Attendees will get to participate in a lively discussion and will leave with actionable ways to future-proof their communications strategies. Register today: https://www.fpragainesville.com/events/monthly-program-registration/

Save the date! FPRA Gainesville is excited to host quiz for a cause again this year. The event will be held on
Tuesday, April 30, 7-9 p.m. at the Fluid Lounge in Tioga Town Center. Proceeds will fund professional development opportunities for PR students and professionals. We can’t wait to see you there!
REGISTER YOUR TEAM HERE: https://www.fpragainesville.com/quiz/

Register for our March professional development program as our very own Patricia Vernon shares about opportunities with UX. Follow the link below to register! https://www.fpragainesville.com/events/