Our Blog

To PRSA-SF Bay Area Members, Friends and the larger San Francisco Bay Area public relations and communications community, 

I can’t believe it is December already. This yeaf has been a whirlwind, full of interactivity, and all around a great success. Our first full year of in-person programming since 2019 was expertly supported by a steady Board of Directors and supplemented by enthusiastic committee members within the PRSA community.

Here are some of the highlights from 2023:

• We relaunched our monthly networking programs with professional development elements and opportunities to build connections at several venues in San Francisco, hosting more than …

March is Women’s History Month and to celebrate, the PRSA-SF chapter recognizes a local woman whose efforts have made a positive impact in the community. We are proud to announce Diana Haven, president and CEO of Ellipses, as the 2023 PRSA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter PR Woman of the Year award recipient. We asked Diana a few questions to learn more about her career and her advice for PR professionals looking to grow in theirs.

Tell us the story about how you got into public relations.

In high school, I was a cast member of a student-run production of a …

In 2022, Sarah Mattina defended her Rising Star of the Year title, winning it for the second consecutive year. We catch up with her to find what lies ahead on her bright career path!

Tell us more about you and some details of your winning entry.

I lead the communications function at JetBlue Ventures, the venture capital subsidiary of JetBlue Airways. Shortly after winning the PRSA Rising Star award in 2021, I was promoted from senior specialist to manager; a professional accomplishment I’d been working towards for quite some time!

I’m always looking for ways to improve my company’s …

We interviewed the team responsible for the winning "National Smile Month" campaign and learned more about who they are and the great work that they do!

Tell us more about your company and some details of your winning entry.

Delta Dental of California is the nation’s largest dental insurance provider, covering 41 million enrollees across our 15 states and D.C. and is also committed to expanding health care access and equity, especially in underserved communities. 

In support of our company goals and in recognition of National Smile Month (May 17 - June 17), we launched a multifaceted traditional media and …

What a comeback we started in 2022! I’m excited, honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the next Chapter President (with the phenomenal support of our 2023 Board of Directors!), and help shepherd the continued growth and reemergence of our PR community in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

PRSA San Francisco prides itself on lending support and serving as a resource to our membership. This year is no different with more face-to-face opportunities to connect (and reconnect) with one another more often. We want to make sure you have as many chances to learn from our intelligent, diverse …

As we come to the end of 2022, I want to reflect on another incredible year for the PRSA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. More than two years after we entered a global pandemic unsure of what that would look like, we're finally starting to readjust to what's become a “new normal.” While we were able to resume hosting in-person events, we still have remained cognizant of the needs of the chapter, which means striking a balance between the convenience of virtual events and not adding to the Zoom fatigue. 

All of these efforts would not have been possible without …

March is Women’s History Month and to celebrate, the PRSA-SF chapter recognizes a local woman whose efforts have made a positive impact in the community. We are proud to announce Dr. Zifei Fay Chen, an assistant professor in the Communication Studies Department at the University of San Francisco (USF), as the 2022 PRSA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter PR Woman of the Year award recipient. We asked Fay a few questions to learn more about her career and her advice for PR professionals looking to grow their careers.

Tell us the story about how you got into public relations?

The way …

The Public Relations Society of America San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (PRSA-SF), one of the five founding PRSA Chapters, has announced its 2022 Board of Directors, as the Chapter celebrates its 75th year. These individuals are committed to advocacy, mentorship, diversity and inclusion, and are passionate about giving back to the industry in these volunteer roles.

As the world continues to experience new challenges, the 2022 directors are a distinguished group of leaders representative of multiple industries – including technology, higher education, nonprofit organizations, government and independent practitioners – and bring with them years of experience, with multiple members holding …

We sat down virtually with our 2021 Foggies winners to get to know them better! This year's Campaign of the Year award went to Walker Sands for "Navigating the 2020 Holiday Shopping Season," a program on behalf of their client, Iterable. Read on to learn more about the Walker Sands team! 

Tell us more about yourself.

Walker Sands is a full-service B2B marketing agency with core capabilities in public relations, demand generation, branding, creative, marketing strategy and web. The firm’s integrated approach to marketing drives awareness, credibility and conversions for …

We sat down virtually with our 2021 Foggies winners to get to know them better! This year's Standout Tactic of the Year award went to independent practitioner Lynn Harris Medcalf for "Believe in Banking: Platform with a Purpose," a program on behalf of her client, Adrenaline. Read on to learn more about Lynn Harris Medcalf!

Tell us more about yourself

I have been a public relations practitioner for more than 25 years. PR is my passion. I genuinely believe that organizations of all sizes deserve good public relations counsel and that companies could solve many of their …