PRSA Honors Exceptional Communicators at ICON 2024 in Anaheim, California Oct. 15-17

NEW YORK, October 2, 2024 -PRSA is proud to announce the recognition of six outstanding members for their remarkable contributions and dedicated service to the organization and the communications profession. These distinguished individuals will be celebrated during ICON 2024, PRSA's annual conference, taking place in vibrant Anaheim, California, from October 15-17.

"The exceptional talent and unwavering commitment of our fellow PRSA members never ceases to amaze me," said Joseph Abreu, APR, CPRC, 2024 PRSA Chair. "This year's awards recipients exemplify the highest standards of dedication and achievement within our profession."

Gold Anvil Award - Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, Fellow PRSA

PRSA's highest individual award, which recognizes lifetime achievement in public relations.

Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, Fellow PRSA, is the former Global Chief Communications Officer for Royal Caribbean Group, where she led the company's worldwide communications strategy. Currently, she is Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University in Boston. With more than 30 years of experience, Fiske has held key roles in strategic communications at major organizations, including Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo & Co. and Executive Vice President at a top 10 multicultural agency. She also developed and led the master's program in Global Strategic Communications at Florida International University (FIU) and worked with numerous global brands, such as Charles Schwab, MTV Networks, and American Airlines.

Fiske is a former PRSA Chair and CEO and is currently a proud Miami Chapter and Sunshine District member. She is a recognized leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion, having chaired PRSA's first-ever Diversity Committee and receiving multiple accolades, including PRWeek's Diversity Champion honor and the Hispanic Public Relations Association's Pioneer Award. In 2022, she was inducted into PRNews' Hall of Fame and was honored as one of PRovoke Media's Top 100 CMO & CCO Influencers of the Year.

Patrick Jackson Award for Distinguished Service to PRSA - Michael G. Cherenson, APR, Fellow PRSA

Named in honor of the late Patrick Jackson, APR, Fellow PRSA, this award recognizes a member who has significantly advanced PRSA by working to support Chapters, Districts and the overall organization, inspiring fellow practitioners, both professionally and personally.

Michael G. Cherenson, APR, Fellow PRSA, is an esteemed public relations professional currently serving as the Executive Vice President of SCG Advertising + Public Relations, a firm originally founded by his late father in 1958. Cherenson has dedicated his career to building the agency's diverse client base, which spans industries such as healthcare, technology, education, and real estate. He also contributes to academia as the Co-Academic Director of the Communication Certificate program at Rutgers University School of Communication and Information.

Cherenson's extensive service to PRSA includes serving as Chair in 2009, a National Professional Advisor to PRSSA, and past Co-Chair of PRSA's Voices4Everyone initiative. He currently is the Ethics Officer for PRSA's New Jersey Chapter, a chapter he served as president of in 2002, and is a member of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), Accrediting Committee since 2017. Cherenson earned his APR in 2003 and was inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows in 2011.

Outstanding Educator Award - Dr. Kelly Bruhn, APR

This award recognizes and celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of public relations education through college or university teaching.

Dr. Kelly B. Bruhn, APR, is a dedicated educator and public relations professional currently serving as Associate Dean at the Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She teaches undergraduate courses in public relations writing, campaign strategy, and research, and advanced topics in the Master of Arts in Communication program. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Bruhn developed award-winning campaigns for Verizon Wireless and various nonprofit organizations, leveraging her agency experience to create real-world scenarios that equip her students for success in top internships and global positions.

Dr. Bruhn's research focuses on public relations pedagogy, international public relations, and agency-client relationships. She earned her doctorate from Michigan State University, a master's degree from Ball State University, and her undergraduate degree in communications from Valparaiso University. Dr. Bruhn holds an APR, is involved with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, is a member of the Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society, and represents PRSA on the Universal Accreditation Board.

John L. Paluszek Atlas Award for Lifetime Achievement in International Public Relations -- Judy VanSlyke Turk, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA (posthumous)

This award recognizes a public relations practitioner who has made extraordinary contributions to the practice and profession of public relations in an international environment over the span of their career.

Judy VanSlyke Turk, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, was a distinguished scholar and educator who served as Professor Emerita in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), retiring in May 2013. During the 2014-2015 academic year, she was a visiting professor at Florida International University (FIU) and continued her association there as a research fellow in the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication. VanSlyke Turk held numerous leadership positions in academia, including dean at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina and director at VCU. She played a pivotal role in establishing the first women's college in the United Arab Emirates at Zayed University, where she served as the founding dean of the College of Communication and Media Sciences.

An influential figure in public relations education, VanSlyke Turk served as past president of both the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). She contributed to national accreditation efforts and was a member of the Accrediting Committee for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). Her contributions to the field include co-editing the global case study collection Public Relations Case Studies from Around the World and chairing initiatives with the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management. Recognized with numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Public Relations Educator Award from PRSA and the Pathfinder Award from the Institute for Public Relations, she was a leading voice in public relations education and practice.

D. Parke Gibson Award - Anita Ford Saunders, APR

This award recognizes a PR professional who has helped increase awareness of PR within multicultural communities and participated in the promotion of issues that meet the special informational and educational needs of diverse communities.

Anita Ford Saunders, APR, is the founder and owner of Anita Ford Saunders Communication, bringing over 30 years of experience in strategic communications and public relations. A veteran in the field, she has successfully led communication departments for various local and national nonprofits and served as a consultant for prominent regional foundations. Before re-establishing her business, Saunders held senior positions, including Director of Advancement Communications at Trinity College and VP of Corporate Communications at Connecticut Public Television & Radio, where she managed award-winning initiatives, including the promotion of UConn Women's Basketball.

Saunders is a recognized leader in her profession, having received numerous accolades, including three Emmy Awards, the Practitioner of the Year Award from PRSA Greater Connecticut in 2022, and Gold and Silver Mercury Awards from the CT Valley Chapter of PRSA. She previously served as Co-chair of the PRSA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and was a member of the PRSA Board of Directors. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Saunders is deeply involved in community service, currently serving as president of the Middlesex County CT Branch of the NAACP. She holds a degree in communication from American University and an M.S. in organizational and managerial communication from Central Connecticut State University.

PR PRO of the Year - Justin Ángel Knighten

This award honors an individual who, in the previous year, represented the best in public relations as an outstanding communicator or influencer, establishing or reinforcing the mutually beneficial relationship between an organization and the public or otherwise impacting the communications landscape.

Justin Ángel Knighten is a distinguished crisis and risk communications expert currently serving as a senior official in the Biden-Harris Administration at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the Associate Administrator of the agency's Office of External Affairs. He oversees external communications for federally declared disasters and implements culturally competent messaging and community engagement strategies across the agency. Knighten's innovative leadership extends to directing multiple teams focused on public affairs and communications, congressional and intergovernmental affairs, Tribal affairs, disaster operations, and community preparedness initiatives, such as the Ready Campaign, which educates the public on all hazard preparedness.

Previously, Knighten played a pivotal role in the California Governor's Office, co-chairing the $50 Million Listos California campaign aimed at enhancing disaster resilience among vulnerable populations. His career also includes senior positions in public affairs, where he successfully led initiatives for health care enrollment, educational equity, and large-scale renewable energy project development. A lifelong advocate for equity and human rights, Knighten's expertise has earned him recognition as a leading LGBTQIA+ figure in national security and foreign policy. He was recognized by PRWeek as a 40 under 40 forward-thinking current and future leader of the PR industry.

About PRSA

PRSA is the leading professional organization serving the communications community through a network of more than 400 professional and student chapters in the U.S., Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico. Guided by its Code of Ethics, PRSA empowers its members to succeed at every stage of their careers through a wide breadth of premium professional development programs, exclusive networking events and leadership opportunities. Signature events include the Anvil Awards, and ICON, the premier annual gathering for communications professionals and students. For more information, visit www.prsa.org.

(Pictured: l to r: top row: Rosanna Fiske, APR, Fellow PRSA, Michael G. Cherenson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Dr. Kelly Bruhn, APR, bottom row: Judy VanSlyke Turk, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, Anita Ford Saunders, APR, Justin Angel Knighten)

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