A new year is upon us, bringing with it new opportunities, new challenges and a new list of accomplishments for our Chapter. While many of us want to wash away 2020, let’s not forget that it showed us how strong and resilient we are. 2020 taught us to embrace our mental and physical health, the value of gratitude, the importance of personal accountability and the power of relationships. My goals for the new year are to ensure you know your membership is valued, and continue to be a resource to our members. 

I’m humbled and honored to be your next Chapter President and excited to introduce you to our exceptionally talented and dedicated 2021 Board of Directors. We proudly say diversity and inclusion is in our DNA, and live that out. We strongly believe that leadership must be reflective of our community. No matter how it is framed, diversity and inclusion will continue to be a top priority for us. We continue to lead the communications industry in our market by recognizing the ethical responsibility we have as communicators and the incredible opportunity to help inform major issues facing our sector. 

This year, we will continue to stay focused on our commitment to diversity and inclusion and leverage the passion of our directors and members as we move forward. Our definition of diversity covers characteristics, identities and their intersectionality including race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, culture, age, gender, gender identity and diversity of thought. These defining attributes impact how we approach our work, connect with others and move through the world. We will continue to offer virtual professional development programs, educate our members on the challenging landscape and elevate minority voices.

I took up the opportunity to lead the D&I Committee both on the Silicon Valley chapter board and then the San Francisco Bay Area chapter board over the last 3+ years. While attending college, I was an active member of PRSSA at San Jose State University. My journey has led me to be the youngest president for the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.

If you’re currently a PRSA member, thank you for your commitment to the PR industry and the growth in diversity and inclusion. If you’re not a PRSA member, do consider joining. Here's the link to learn more about the PRSA membership benefits. 

We also want to hear from you! If you ever have any questions, feedback, or are interested in getting more involved and learning about volunteer opportunities, please reach out to me directly at jocelynarellano20@gmail.com. Additionally, I’d love to connect via LinkedIn or Twitter. You can also connect with our stellar Board of Directors here. 

Thank you for being a part of our PRSA San Francisco Bay Area community. We’re here for you, and we’re looking forward to a successful year. 

Onwards and upwards for a more connected 2021! 

All the best, 

Jocelyn Arellano 
2021 PRSA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter President