PRSA News

Considering PRSA Board Service? Stop Thinking. Just Do It.

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PRSA is looking for leaders to serve the Society beginning in 2016. I’m here to tell you that if you’ve ever considered serving, now is the time to do so. It was some of the most enjoyable and reward times in my life. I’m not going to lie. There were also some frustrating times. Here’s why you should run:

  • Do you want PRSA to do “something” to improve our profession?
  • Are you someone who cares about the direction of our profession?
  • Should PRSA be more involved in a program you like?
  • Do you love working with others to solve problems?
  • Are you a PRSA champion?
  • Have you served on other boards and are looking for a new leadership challenge?
  • Do you like to give back to your community?
  • Do you want to make friends with other PRSA members around the country?

If you answered yes to even one or two of those questions, consider helping define the direction of our Society. The four years I served on the Board was truly memorable. We worked hard alongside PRSA staff to help improve member value. We reached out to members around the country, and globe, to help find out what members needed and created programs in response.

Early in my national service years, the strategic planning committee had a vision to create a portal within PRSA where members could create their own PRSA. We even called it MyPRSA. It took many years to develop and thousands of staff hours. But, when I log in to MyPRSA now there’s a sense of pride that our vision is what started this ball rolling. An idea plus the right technology, an incredibly savvy staff and lots of hours of sweat and trial and error.

I’m not going to lie. We worked long hours and had our share of disagreements. But we also played, and built friendships that will last forever. We didn’t do everything we wanted to by any means. But we did our best to listen to member needs, research best practices and create programs that stretched our members’ dollars.

If you have the desire, the time and the resources to serve, please consider doing so. Make a difference in the public relations profession. We need good leaders to help guide the Society through some fast changing times. I’m happy to speak with anyone considering service on the national Board of Directors.


Mary Deming Barber, APR, Fellow PRSA is president of The Barber Group and past Chair of the PRSA College of Fellows. She has counseled clients in Alaska and several western states for more than 30 years. She currently serves on the Whitman College Alumni Board. Previously, she was a PRSA Board of Directors member, and officer and president of the Ad2 Division of the American Advertising Federation and International Foodservice Editorial Council.

About the author

Mary Deming Barber, APR, Fellow PRSA

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