PRSA Boston Chapter

PRSA Boston is excited to continue our “Meet the Editors” series with a special meet-and-greet at the Boston Business Journal 📰 Join Publisher Carolyn Jones and Executive Editor Douglas Banks, along with senior reporters Lucia Maffei, Grant Welker, and Jess Aloe, for an engaging and insightful session. Carolyn will kick things off with opening remarks, followed by an open Q&A and discussion covering: ✅ How to effectively work with BBJ ✅ Key trends shaping the region ✅ Tips for pitching stories ✅ Your questions—bring them! 📍 Location: BBJ Offices, 70 Franklin St, Floor 8, Boston, MA 🗓 Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 ⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (EDT) 💼 Pricing: • PRSA Members: $30 • Non-Members: $40 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/duAkdPNi This is a great opportunity to connect directly with editors, sharpen your media strategy, and build meaningful relationships. Don’t miss it! #PRSA #PublicRelations #MediaRelations #BostonEvents #Networking Communications

🌟 Thinking about earning your APR? Now is the perfect time to learn more. April is APR (Accreditation in Public Relations) Month, and PRSA Boston is hosting a FREE virtual session: “All About APR.” This webinar will walk through everything you need to know about the APR process - from what to expect to how it can elevate your career. The APR credential is a recognized mark of distinction in our field, demonstrating your commitment to strategic thinking, ethical practice, and professional excellence. Earning your APR can help you: ✔ Stand out as a strategic communication leader ✔ Advance your career opportunities and earning potential ✔ Strengthen your confidence in ethical, high-level decision-making Whether you’re ready to start your APR journey now, considering it for the future, or simply curious about the process, this session is a great place to begin. 📅 Wednesday, April 29 🕖 7:00–8:30 PM (ET) 📍 Zoom Hosted by Josh Gitelson, APR, PRSA Boston Board Member and Accreditation Chair, who will share insights, answer questions, and offer a firsthand perspective on the value of accreditation. 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eVsZcedn

PR and communications are evolving — this is where you stay ahead 🚀 Registration is now open for the 2026 PRSA Northeast District Conference: Our Changing World: Tech, Social & Politics 🌐 📍 Thursday, September 24 at Bentley University Conference Center, Waltham (Greater Boston) Hosted by PRSA Boston Chapter 🎟 Register now to secure the early-bird rate! 🎤 Call for Speakers is live, too. We are looking for speakers who can present sessions grounded in real-world execution who can share: • What you implemented • What worked (and what didn’t) • What attendees can apply immediately If your work is driving results, this is your platform. Share your knowledge, expertise, and experience with 150+ PR and communications professionals from Buffalo to Bangor. 👉 Register or submit to present: https://bit.ly/PRxNE26 #PRxNE26 #PRSANED #PRSA #VisitBoston #BostonEvents PRSA Boston PRSA Buffalo Niagara PRSA Capital Region Chapter PRSA Finger Lakes Chapter PRSA Rochester PRSA Greater Worcester Chapter Yankee PRSA

Number 12 on our list of 75 PR practitioners who’ve helped shape the PR profession in Boston for years is Barbara Wellnitz, APR, Fellow PRSA. We asked Barbara: What is your current role and why did you choose public relations as your career path? My career evolved. I worked in academia, journalism and at a Fortune 500 company before I joined the business-to-business group at a major public relations agency. My niche: helping companies market their products and services to other companies. In 1994, I opened my independent practice, a virtual agency with several associates who work remotely. I’m now retired from agency management, and living on Cape Cod, but I often apply my public relations skill set to the non-profit boards on which I serve. What is your most memorable public relations success and why? Two campaigns stand out because we made an impact on people’s lives —managing the Rhode Island Campaign for Adult Literacy, which resulted in two dozen worksite literacy programs, and working with a medical device company to launch the first tubeless insulin pump, helping to ease the impact of a diabetes diagnosis, especially for children and teens. How has PRSA/PRSA Boston impacted your career? Three PRSA friends and I started the Independent Practitioners Network in Boston, which became the model for the national section. I became president of the Boston chapter in 2003. That led to my avocation of serving on, and chairing, a half dozen non-profit boards over the years. I think the APR beside my name mattered to clients and prospects.

📣 Our April program just got even better... PRSA Boston’s Annual Meet the Boston Globe Journalists event now features eight journalists and the Co-Owner of Boston Globe Media - an unprecedented lineup and a rare opportunity to engage directly with some of the region’s most influential voices in business journalism. 📍 Wednesday, April 15 at 12:00 PM 📍 The Boston Globe, 1 Exchange Place, Boston Join us for lunch and conversation with: • Linda P. Henry - CEO • Shirley Leung, Business Editor • Gregory T. Huang, Business Editor • Dana Gerber, Business Producer • Diti Kohli, Education Reporter • Aaron Pressman, Business Reporter • Joan Vennochi, Columnist • Katie Johnston, Money, Power, Inequality ✨ You’ll gain insider insights on: • What stories reporters are actively looking for • How pitches are evaluated • How to build stronger, more effective media relationships 🔗Register here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBCXY3FH

Rounding out the first 10 of our featured 75 PR pros to celebrate PRSA’s 75th anniversary is Jessicah Pierra! What have been the highlights of your career? Some of the most meaningful highlights of my career have centered on shaping narratives that drive impact at scale. Serving as Press Secretary for Michelle Wu during her historic mayoral victory in 2021, and later as Chief Communications Officer for the City of Boston, I had the opportunity to help define and communicate a vision for a more representative and inclusive narrative about the city. In that role, I led strategic communications efforts that translated complex policy into clear, accessible messaging for residents, and supported Mayor Wu in high-stakes moments—including preparing her testimony before Congress on immigration, where she powerfully stood up for Boston’s values and its diverse communities. Another highlight has been building and leading communications strategies that center equity, from advancing economic justice initiatives to supporting mission-driven organizations in defining their voice and influence. Equally important has been my work as a founder and advisor—through J. Pierre Communications and my broader ecosystem—where I’ve helped leaders, particularly women and people of color, build authentic, values-driven brands. Seeing others step into their voice and power has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey.

📣 Registration is OPEN: PRSA Boston’s Annual “Meet the Boston Globe Business Writers” lunch on Wednesday, April 15 at NOON. 👉 Purchase tickets HERE: https://lnkd.in/eBCXY3FH Join PRSA Boston for one of the year’s most anticipated events - connect with fellow communications professionals and hear directly from business reporters at The Boston Globe, including: • Linda P. Henry, CEO • Shirley Leung, Business Editor • Gregory T. Huang, Business Editor • Dana Gerber, Business Producer • Diti Kohli, Education Reporter • Aaron Pressman, Business Reporter • Joan Vennochi, Columnist • Katie Johnston, Money, Power, Inequality ✨ You’ll gain insider insights on: • What stories reporters are actively looking for • How pitches are evaluated • How to build stronger, more effective media relationships 🗓 Wednesday, April 15 🕛 Noon 📍 1 Exchange Place, Floor 2, Boston, MA 🔗Spots will fill quickly, register here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBCXY3FH

📣 Save the Date: PRSA Boston’s Annual “Meet the Boston Globe Business Writers.” Join PRSA Boston for one of the year’s most anticipated events! Connect with fellow communications professionals and hear directly from business reporters at The @Boston Globe. 🗓 Wednesday, April 15 🕛 Noon 📍 1 Exchange Place, Floor 2, Boston, MA ✨ Gain insider insights on: • The types of stories reporters are looking for • How pitches are evaluated • Building stronger, more effective media relationships Whether you’re sharpening your media strategy or expanding your network, this is a must-attend session. 💡 Speaker and Registration Info Coming Soon!

❗Sharing for anyone in PR/comms - especially students! ❗ Early bird registration + call for presentations are open for the PRSA Northeast District Conference 2026: ✨ Our Changing World: Tech, Social & Politics ✨ AI, cyber crises, nonstop social, and today’s political climate are all reshaping how we do this work - this is a space to stay current and think strategically. 📍 Bentley University Conference Center 🗓 September 24 Encourage practitioners and PRSSA students alike to attend - and consider submitting a proposal. 👉 https://bit.ly/PRxNE26

With our 75th anniversary at hand, we want to honor Pat Pollino, APR, posthumously, for his tremendous contributions to the chapter. He’s missed by many. Patrick Pollino, APR, Fellow PRSA ​​​​1943-2023 The late Patrick Pollino, APR, Fellow PRSA, was a leading practitioner for more than four decades and a longtime leader of the Boston Chapter as well as National, serving as chair of PRSA’s national conference in Boston in 1998, president of our chapter, and a director of both the National and Boston Chapter Boards of Directors. His advice to PR professionals: “Learn as much as you can about the world in which we live, master the tools that are available to you that can help you do your jobs better, and remain intellectually curious.” Professionally, he was best known for his work in senior management positions in the consulting field, first with Arthur D. Little, then Temple, Barker & Sloane, and finally with Mercer Management Consulting. Our Chapter recognized Pat’s outstanding work with these companies by selecting him in 2006 for the Beacon Award for lifetime achievement in public relations. In accepting the award, he talked about what he loved most about the profession: “There’s satisfaction that’s derived from knowing that your actions can make a difference in how the organization you work for is perceived by stakeholders both internally and externally.” Prior to moving to Boston from his native Johnston, PA, he had a distinguished career working with major utilities, including the Pennsylvania Electric Company, Southwestern Bell, and Western Electric. Upon retirement, Pat worked with the Greater Boston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau in downtown Boston and at the Convention Center where he provided information about the city to tourists and was the go-to person for restaurant recommendations.

PRSA Boston is celebrating its 75th anniversary and to commemorate the occasion, we’ll be recognizing Boston PR practitioners who’ve established and continue to shape this dynamic profession. Some may be titans of the industry, others up and comers. We’ll also honor some of Boston’s best posthumously. We’ve asked those chosen to participate a series of questions and we hope you’ll find their answers informative, insightful and inspirational. To kick off the 75th anniversary campaign, meet Adam Ritchie of Adam Ritchie Brand Direction... What is your current role and why did you choose public relations as your career path? Running my PR practice, Adam Ritchie Brand Direction, since 2007. I chose it because I really loved doing PR.   What is your most memorable public relations success and why? Practicing, defining and teaching Invention in PR: an approach to public relations that’s as powerful as it is learnable.   Reimaging PRSA Boston: 75 Forward is the theme for our 75th Anniversary year in 2026. What is your outlook for the industry, including challenges, with continued newsroom reductions, social media and artificial intelligence? Public Relations will merge into the Marketing umbrella for all capabilities except crisis and reputation management. In 75 years, there’s one thing I know for sure; public relations will be sought after and celebrated by individuals and organizations when survival is on the line.   What song is on repeat on your music playlist or what show are you streaming? This new song by Sprints, “Something’s Gonna Happen,” is most intense tension-and-release song I’ve heard in a while. If you could bottle the feel of the world right now in a song, this is it.

📣 Register NOW: PRSA Boston Virtual Open House 📣 The PRSA Boston Chapter invites PR professionals and communicators to join us for a free Virtual Open House as we celebrate our 75th Anniversary and look ahead to the future. ✨ Theme: Reimagining PRSA Boston: 75 Forward We are honored to welcome guest speakers PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial, CAE, APR and PRSA NE District Chair Kandis R. Fuller, APR, MAOL. 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/g7-Vt3QJ You’ll also hear from PRSA Boston Chapter President Jamie McIver, MASCL, who will discuss the organization’s mission, goals, and vision for the year ahead. PRSA Boston committee chairs will share updates on upcoming initiatives and programs across the chapter. Whether you’re already familiar with PRSA Boston or learning about us for the first time, this is a great opportunity to reconnect, ask questions, and explore ways to get involved with a growing community of communications professionals. 📅 Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM 💻 Location: Virtual (ZOOM) 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/g7-Vt3QJ We hope you’ll join us - and feel free to share with colleagues who may be interested!