Creating New Pathways to Leadership in PRSA Oregon
by Dianne Danowski Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA
2018 has been an extraordinary year for our chapter. There were still growing pains from our statewide merger of three chapters becoming one and some board vacancies created opportunities for refocusing on priority strategies and important conversations. The Presidents’ Council (comprising 12 former chapter presidents) punched in to support the priorities and helped the evolving board to implement succession planning, engage new professionals, put on the amazing Spotlights Awards, and create relevant and much-needed professional opportunities. A huge amount of credit goes to the 2018 Board of Directors for managing this transition in amazing, self-directed ways. It speaks highly of the caliber of PR pros that lead our chapter.
So, when the PRSA Oregon Nominating Committee began the work several months ago, the committee knew it had big shoes to fill. The committee‘s strategic goals to:
- Cultivate awesome leaders who work in broad array of sectors, and are diverse in age, market, experience, and culture/ethnicity.
- Build on 2018’s great expertise with key returning board members Pete Donahue; Sally Ridenour, APR; Judy Asbury, APR; Colby Reade, APR; and Dianne Danowski Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA.
- Bring in smart pros who we can support strategic succession planning.
- This coming year, we are affirming our committee for the importance of accreditation, with nine board members (if elected) who are Accredited in Public Relations (APR).
2019 Proposed Org Chart
PRSA Oregon 2019 Board of Directors Election Details and Slate of Candidates
President – Julie Reed, APR
Julie Reed is a communications strategist and leader with experience working with government, healthcare and non-profit organizations. Reed serves as a community and public relations consultant for Legacy Health, Oregon’s largest locally owned nonprofit health system. She manages communications and public relations projects, media relations and serves as Legacy’s public information officer. Reed previously worked for Metro as a business strategy and public affairs manager. She served on the boards of Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Children First for Oregon.
A native Oregonian, Reed holds a master’s degree in leadership from Capella University, a bachelor’s degree in communications, and is accredited in public relations from Public Relations Society of America.
President elect – Brad Hilliard, APR
Brad Hilliard is the Public Information Officer for the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, the state’s largest consumer protection agency where he manages communications for the state insurance commissioner and regulator of financial products and services. His public relations career spans 11 years, serving as a public affairs specialist, government relations manager, media relations manager, and public information officer.
He received a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Middle Tennessee State University in 2000. He reached his goal of living in the Pacific Northwest when he moved from Colorado to Oregon in 2009.
Secretary – Andrea Watson, APR
Andrea Watson is strategic communicator with experience in communications, public relations, outreach, and resource development in the pubic, nonprofit and health care sectors. She joined the Tualatin Valley Water District in 2017 as the Communications and Public Affairs Supervisor. She previously worked for fourteen years as Communications Director at Reynolds School District, which provided many challenging opportunities in crisis and strategic communications, as well as event and volunteer management.
She holds a Master of Public Administration from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Science in community health education from the University of Oregon.
Treasurer – Gary Rubin, APR
Gary Rubin is the co-owner and global director of marketing and communications at Premium Organics, LLC, an international pet food company. He previously served as the Managing Director of Earned Media at CMD. He has more than 25 years of experience in public relations, marketing and communications and has won more than 30 PRSA Oregon Spotlight Awards during his career.
He earned his accreditation in public relations in 2008 and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Puget Sound.
Director – Judy Asbury, APR
Judy Asbury oversees and implements marketing communication strategy to promote the reputation of the Lewis & Clark Law School. Previously, she led Smith Asbury Inc., an award-winning communications agency for more than 25 years. She is recognized for her counsel and creative campaigns for clients in higher education, healthcare, financial, law, business, and nonprofits. Asbury created many B2B and B2C campaigns, earning awards from PRSA IABC, HPRMA, Davey Award and others. Judy is a skilled presenter and facilitator and has served as a guest lecturer at the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and at Woodbury University.
Director – Debra Carnes, APR
Debra Carnes is the communications and marketing director for the Columbia network of PeaceHealth, which includes hospitals in Vancouver and Longview. She relocated with her family from Seattle last June. Her career spans more than 25+ years in strategic communications, marketing, media relations and public affairs in the public and private sectors. She’s advocated for teachers statewide, provided PR consulting services for numerous companies, served as the communications director for a governor’s campaign, and managed critical communications challenges for a state bar association.
Carnes holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Idaho and an MBA from City University of Seattle. She was a member of the PRSA Puget Sound chapter and served on the board.
Director and Assembly Delegate – Dianne Danowski Smith, APR, Fellow
Dianne is a longtime PRSA devotee. In 2017, she was awarded the National Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Paul Lund Award for Public Service; the PRSA North Pacific District Practitioner of the Year and the PRSA Oregon Ron Schmidt Community Involvement Award. She’s an experienced leader with a history of working in public relations, public affairs and communications and skilled in corporate communications, executive coaching, crisis management, nonprofit organizations, media advocacy, and social media strategy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Oregon and certificate in e-commerce and marketing from Portland State University.
Director – Shawn Patrick Floss
Mr. Rogers knew it well, “The best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts.” Inspired by Mr. Rogers, Floss serves with great empathy and compassion helping to lead employee communications at TriMet. He works closely with senior leaders to develop strategy and drive engagement throughout the agency.
His storytelling background comes from more than 15 years as a television news anchor and reporter. His work included covering Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, the space shuttle Columbia explosion, and the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver that nominated President Obama.
Director – Patrick Holmes
Patrick Holmes leads internal communications at OHSU, a nationally prominent research university and Oregon’s only academic health center with over 16,500 employees and 3,500 students and trainees. In this role he oversees OHSU-wide internal communications strategies and channels as well as internal communications for OHSU’s hospitals and clinics.
Patrick earned a bachelor’s degree in social science at Portland State University, with an emphasis in communications.
Director – Jaimee Mayfield, APR
Jaimee Mayfield is the Human Resource Communications Manager for Multnomah County Health Department. Mayfield’s professional experience ranges from community service and public speaking to government and the nonprofit sector. As a versatile PR professional, Mayfield has progressive experience developing strategies that drive objectives and align with company values.
A native Oregonian, Mayfield received her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in political science and global studies from Washington State University and a master’s degree in public relations from Michigan State University.
Director and Assembly Delegate – Colby Reade, APR
Colby Reade is the Director of Communications for the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. Colby regularly volunteers as a career mentor to young professionals, even hosting his own podcast on the subject (“Coffee with Colby”). A PRSA member since 2011, Reade joined the board of PRSA Portland in 2014 and helped oversee the chapter’s transition to PRSA Oregon as President in 2017.
When not in the office, Colby can be found attending Disney princess dance parties with his young daughter and indulging in the delicious culinary creations hand-crafted by his amazing wife.
Director – Sally Ridenour, APR
Sally Ridenour is an award-winning government communicator with a specialty in web-based communications. She currently works for the Oregon Department of Transportation as the chief content strategist. Prior to working for the state, she worked in sales and marketing.
She is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. She is the 2018 membership director for PRSA Oregon and a committee member for the North Pacific District. Sally is a graduate of the University of Idaho. In her spare time, she enjoys entering recipe contests and going on adventures with her husband and dogs.
Director – Gina Williams
Gina Williams is a Portland-based marketing communications strategist, publicist and freelance journalist. She owns Carpe Verbum/Carpe Lumen Communications. Her clients include a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization, a creative focus camera lens manufacturer, and the Siena International Photography Festival in Siena, Italy. As a journalist, she focuses on photography and photographers internationally, as well as arts, culture and travel.
Williams holds a master’s degree in strategic communication from the University of Oregon and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. She has served as PRSA Oregon board secretary and volunteer with PRSA Oregon Communications Committee providing website support.
Past President – Brian S. Terrett, APR, Fellow PRSA
Brian S. Terrett is the Director of Public Relations and Community Relations for Legacy Health. He is responsible for strategic communications and reputation management for one of Oregon’s largest healthcare systems. Brian also served as the Director of Public Affairs & Communications for PeaceHealth Oregon Region and was the Community Affairs Manager for US West for Western Central Oregon.
Brian earned an MBA from Northwest Christian University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the Metropolitan State University of Denver. He earned his accreditation in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and was recently inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows.