Each week, PRsay will interview one of the nominees for the 2022 PRSA Board of Directors.
Name: Joseph Abreu, APR
Location: Fort Myers, Fla.
Current job title: Chief Communications Officer, Lee County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller
Board nominee position: Treasurer
Alma mater: The University of Florida (GO GATORS!)
Number of years a PRSA member: 18 (plus two years as a PRSSA member)
While writing is a passion, you’ve said that numbers have always been your strength. How has this expertise played a role in your professional career?
Being comfortable with analyzing numbers is a critical component of being an effective communicator. I love gathering quantitative data to show how far I’ve moved the needle. It shows our value to our colleagues and clients, and it elevates our profession as a whole.
What have you learned about governance from your roles these past 15 years as a volunteer leader within PRSA?
It’s an honor to serve PRSA alongside like-minded, ethical professionals throughout the country. With every board and committee I’ve served on, I’ve grown professionally and personally. Every situation has its challenges and successes, and being able to bring everyone across the finish line together, respectfully, is effective governance.
How do you describe your leadership style?
I always lead by consensus and listen to everyone’s feedback. Providing guidance and embracing differences of opinion are what draws strength to a board and encourages everyone to be effective leaders.
What do you see as the top challenges for PRSA right now and into 2022?
The effects of the pandemic have dramatically impacted our membership and professional development registrations. As a membership association, we need to continue pivoting to meet the needs of our members as we navigate through the COVID crisis.
John Elsasser is PRSA’s publications director and editor-in-chief of its award-winning publication, Strategies & Tactics. He joined PRSA in 1994.