Acquire and enhance the skills needed to succeed as a public relations practitioner. The chapter workshops cater to the various degrees of the communication industry in order to develop more informed and skilled professionals.

Upcoming events:

Portfolio and Digital Portfolio Workshop

November 4, 2009

6 pm, Allison Room, UC Satellite

Past events:

Resume and cover letter workshop - October 15, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

A group of seasoned professionals and recent graduates will shared their tips on how to write a successful resumes and cover letters that will catch recruiters eye and grant you job interviews. Following a Q&A session, you will have a chance to have your resumes critiqued by the professionals.

Mock interview workshop - April 9, 2009

A group of seasoned professionals and recent graduates shared their tips on how to shine during your job or internship interview. Members got the chance to "feel the heat" and practice their interviewing skills during one-on-one sessions.

Panelists included:

Meagan Stangle

Ed Davis

Margie McAda

Emily Camille

Eric Herrera

Katherine Winslow

Kelly Papinchak-George

Resume and Portfolio Workshop - February 19, 2009
A panel of PR professionals answered questions regarding resumes and proftfolios, as well as reviewed and advised how to improve them.

Panel of practitioners included:

Karen Blanchard, APR, CEO of NaumannBlanchard, LCC

Karen Blanchard, APR heads Naumann Blanchard, LLC, a local public relations and public firm. Karen is an award-winning practitioner with more than a decade of mass communications experience with a focus on media relations, public affairs and strategic development. She is accredited in public relations (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), in which she is an active member of the Houston chapter, serving on its Board of Directors. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with a minor in Political Science. She is currently working toward a Master’s degree in Communications at the University of Houston.

Ed Davis, Director, Media and Public Relations, United Way of Greater Houston

Over the course of his career, Mr. Davis has handled many communications campaigns in the health care, technology, real estate, and nonprofit sectors. Mr. Davis joined United Way of Greater Houston just days after Houston was devastated by Hurricane Ike and had to quickly refocus the community's attention on the importance of the United Way's Annual Campaign. In 2007, Mr. Davis led a team that helped raise public awareness and save the home of 200 mentally handicapped adults who live at The Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation. For their efforts, his team received an honorable mention at the 2008 PRWeek Awards and a local American Marketing Association Crystal Award. Mr. Davis has also won several other industry awards including three Houston PRSA Excalibur Awards and two Houston IABC Bronze Quill Awards. Prior to joining United Way of Greater Houston, Mr. Davis was Director of Client and Agency Operations for FrogDog Communications, a strategic marketing communications firm here in Houston . Mr. Davis has worked with all sizes of communications teams over the course of his eight year career including the international PR firm Hill and Knowlton, Toby Stark Public Relations and even an internship at the Bauer College of Business right here at UH. He earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Houston in December of 2002.

Leslie Friedman, Director of PR at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa

Leslie Friedman is director of public relations at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, overseeing media relations, publicity and promotional initiatives.  She has 25 years experience in media relations, strategic planning, event management and community relations. Before joining The Houstonian, she was director of media/public relations for United Way, and worked at three Houston PR firms, managing healthcare, hospitality, retail, financial and non-profit accounts.  Leslie also was public relations manager of The Westin Galleria & Westin Oaks, and managed communications for M. D. Anderson’s Children’s Art Project, for which she was awarded the PRSA Grand Excalibur. She has secured coverage with national media that includes Entertainment Tonight, CNN, Today Show and CBS Sunday Morning, and in The New York Times, USA Today, People, Parade, Good Housekeeping and Associated Press. Leslie has been a member of PRSA for five years, serving as programming chair in 2007-08, and is the current hospitality chair.  She has a bachelor’s of business degree in marketing from UT-Austin.

Jordan Gibennus, Account Supervisor with Pierpont Communications

Jordan Gibennus offers communications experience in media relations, crisis communications, marketing, and editorial and copy writing. She has worked with a broad range of clients, including Money Management International, a national non-profit credit and debt counseling firm, Imperial Sugar, the leading producer and refiner of sugar in the South, Integrated Benefits Solutions, a benefits and financial planning company, Merrick Systems, a technology company for the upstream oil and gas industry, SalvageSale, an e-commerce marketplace for industrial and end of life goods, and Pinnacle Financial Strategies, a community banking consultant. Her media relations knowledge has garnered coverage for clients in local, national, and trade outlets such as the Associated Press, CNN, CNBC, Houston Chronicle, the Houston Business Journal, American Banker, Offshore Engineer, Upstream CIO, Smart Money Magazine, and Bankrate. Jordan earned a B.S. degree in Communication Studies from the University of Texas.

Eric Herrera, Project Manager,FrogDog Communications

Eric Herrera provides strategic counsel and implements a variety of marketing programs for FrogDog’s diverse client roster. He specializes in public relations with a background in media relations, corporate communications and crisis management. As a former radio producer for 104 KRBE, Eric’s background in broadcasting has helped drive communications efforts for some of Texas’ largest public relations agencies including Vollmer Public Relations and Pierpont Communications, as well as Fortune 500 company Clear Channel Entertainment, now known as Live Nation. While at Clear Channel, Eric served on the corporate communications team for the live entertainment division and oversaw internal and external public relations functions for the company and its subsidiaries. Eric earned his degree in public relations from the University of Houston.

Eydie Pengelly, Eydie Pengelly Marketing Communications

Eydie Pengelly is a seasoned communications professional with extensive international, US and Houston-area communications experience. Accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and a recipient of numerous communcations awards and honors, Eydie is a recognized expert at creating results-oriented strategies and tactics for business-to-business and consumer audiences.