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End of Year Message by 2021 President Jocelyn Arellano

The holiday season brings thoughts of joy and gratitude, and there’s no better time to express our sincere appreciation than now. On behalf of the PRSA-San Francisco Bay Area board, I want to say thank you to our members, future members, students, sponsors, and the whole PR community in the Bay Area (and beyond) for a memorable year. 

It has been a privilege to serve as your 2021 President and as I reflect upon the year, I’m reminded of all the highlights, including:

  • The never-ending (but beneficial) virtual Zoom Events. This year we put together 15 virtual events spanning from professional development to informative Happy Hours. We held an APR open house, women leaders in PR paneland Ethics in PR panel. But the fun did not stop there! We also held water cooler events, virtual yoga and a Game Night.
  • Continued our Chapter’s commitment to Diversity & Inclusion. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we announced our PR Woman of the Year and recognized Catherine Hernandez, senior vice president and chief communications officer for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, whose efforts have made a positive impact in the community.
  • Kept our members informed on important topics. To commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we held a #StopAsianHate panel where we heard from members in the AAPI community and listened to their perspectives of the Stop Asian Hate movement and the role communicators play. Later in the year we hosted a post-COVID panel discussing trends in healthcare and technology. 
  • Teamed up with local universities and PRSSA Chapters. Throughout the year, we enjoyed partnering with University of San Francisco, Cal State East Bay, San Francisco State University and San Jose State University on a variety of initiatives, including a virtual graduation ceremony.
  • Held our 3rd Annual Foggies Award Ceremony. This was our first hybrid event where we recognized the San Francisco Bay Area’s best public relations and communications programs and the brightest professionals who brought  them to life. Read the full list of winners here.
  • Partnered with AMA SF and hosted our annual Jingle, Mix and Mingle Fundraising in-person Holiday Party. Check out our photo album here. (PC: Paul Sakuma Photography)

All of these efforts would not have been possible without the incredible dedication of our stellar board of directors and committee members. It has been an honor to work alongside a diverse group of experienced leaders and I hope each of you feel proud of the work you’ve done this year. I’m excited to pass the presidential baton to Harper Schmidt who I know will lead the 2022 board to ensure PRSA-SF is providing our members the tools and resources they need to succeed in our evolving profession.

Be sure to sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest events, job opportunites, promotions, resources, and more. If you’re not a PRSA member, do consider joining. Here's the link to learn more about the PRSA membership benefits. 

May the holiday season end this year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year. 

Thank you, and happy holidays!

 

Cheers, 

Jocelyn 

2021 PRSA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter President