Beth Rue is a born and raised Alaskan who recently moved to the high desert of Los Alamos, New Mexico. She and her husband, Kevin, share two daughters, June and Zoey. Her PRSA journey began at Colorado State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Technical Communications with a concentration in public relations.

Angela Dwyer is Head of Insights at Fullintel—a media intelligence company that specializes in news monitoring and analysis. As a measurement expert, she helps brands improve business results through data-driven, actionable insights. She has worked at public relations agencies and media research firms consulting with brands across several industries including consumer, healthcare and automotive.

Hanna Goss has more than 25 years of professional communications experience that includes managing all aspects of government communications, outreach, and publications for scientific and academic organizations. Her proven track record includes providing strategic support to leadership of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) physical and computational sciences and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility.

Devin T. Knighton, Ph.D., APR, is an Assistant Professor and the Faculty Director for the PR Intelligence Lab at Brigham Young University. He came to academia with more than a decade of professional experience building corporate communications programs for technology companies. He has taught courses in higher education since 2014, consulted with executives and public relations professionals since 2015, and held his APR since 2016.

Chelsea Vongehr is a government affairs and public relations professional with over a decade of experience representing public agencies in California. Ms. Vongehr serves as the Public Information Officer/Grant Writer for the Lodi Unified School District, a large school district in San Joaquin County, California. In her role, Ms. Vongehr serves as the central spokesperson for the school district. She is responsible for all internal and external communications for the district.

Toby Nelson, APR currently works with the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he is based in Seattle as public affairs officer for Economic Development Administration projects and programs in the Western United States and Pacific region. He previously worked for the Bureau of the Census, organizing media relations in the Pacific Northwest for the 24th United States Census, and at Hunter Public Relations where he supported client accounts 3M, Amazon, Arm & Hammer, and Diageo. Earlier in his career he worked at Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast division and with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Recruited into marketing at 17, Taraneh Fultz, APR, is an award-winning mentor, thought leader, and change agent. She’s chaired industry boards, facilitated strategic planning for four different organizations in the last eight years, and has a track record of outcomes-based results. Taraneh’s been a one-woman marketing department with a budget of less than $100k to a member of a 200+ marketing department with budgets in the hundreds of millions and knows how to be creative with the resources at her disposal to achieve results.

Jillian Henze, APR is a strategic communications leader with 15 years of experience across public affairs, nonprofit and corporate communications. She is the director of communications at the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce where she leads a marketing and communications team that drives membership and engagement, and meets policy goals at the local, state and federal levels on issues like public safety, homelessness, affordability and transportation.

Devin T. Knighton, Ph.D., APR, is an Assistant Professor and the Faculty Director for the PR Intelligence Lab at Brigham Young University. He came to academia with more than a decade of professional experience building corporate communications programs for technology companies. He has taught courses in higher education since 2014, consulted with executives and public relations professionals since 2015, and held his APR since 2016.

Joshua Romero, APR is passionate about engaging and developing employees through his role as Employee Experience Program Senior Manager for the City of Bend, one of the fastest growing mid-sized cities in the nation. Prior to this role, he served as Assistant Communications Director for the City of Bend. His 15-year public relations and communications career has spanned higher education, public health, medical device and government. Joshua is a certified Advanced Public Information Officer by the FEMA Emergency Management Institute. He holds certificates in DEI from Stanford Graduate School of business and in employee engagement from Engaging Local Government Leaders.

A former television news director, reporter and anchor, Jacque’s love of strategy and storytelling has been a lifelong passion. After leaving TV, Jacque joined PRSA to build a career in strategic communications. She has led and shaped communications for some of the most interesting--and challenging--public agencies such as Washington’s Lottery, the Dairy Farmers of Washington, the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Bellevue School District, and the Seattle Public Schools. Along the way, she also served in roles in the non-profit, healthcare, and hospitality sectors.

Julie Fogerson has nearly 25 years of communications experience, beginning her career at agencies in Seattle and New York, primarily serving technology accounts such as Microsoft. She was a Wells Fargo regional communicator for eight years, covering internal and external communications for 12 markets throughout the United States. Julie currently manages her own consulting business, charting strategy and creating content for clients in technology, finance, healthcare, and more. She is also an adjunct professor, teaching courses in digital marketing, business communications, and employee engagement.

Staci West is the manager of Communications for Bechtel at its Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant project for the U.S. Department of Energy located on the Hanford Site in Richland, Wash. Staci has more than 25 years of experience across a breadth of communications functions. She has led internal and external communications for the Bechtel team in Richland for eight years. Prior to joining Bechtel, she worked at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for 17 years.

Karen has more than 20 years of experience in Marketing and Communications, bringing expertise across the entire marketing mix, including Executive Communications, Employee Communications, Speech Writing, Public Relations, Graphic Design, Event Planning, Social Media, and Strategic Planning. She has consulted with renowned Silicon Valley high-tech companies, including Adobe, AppDynamics, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, SAP, and Verifone, among others. I am a dedicated advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Committed to fostering inclusive workplaces,

Chelsea Chambers has been working in media and communications for nearly a decade. She specializes in digital and print media, public relations, and social media management. She serves as a Public Information Specialist for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and runs a freelance business doing everything from copyediting to consulting. While her skillset in the field varies, her primary passion is non-fiction writing and getting to share the stories of others. And despite a pervasive fear of public speaking, she also likes stepping out of her comfort zone and presenting at conferences and other events.

In his over 20 years of experience as a communicator, Matthew has worked at the table with senior executives and in the field and trenches – literally – with line employees, all to help create and facilitate communications. Currently serving as a Public Information Officer within the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), Matthew has a strong passion for service, and he’s very excited to be able to give back to PRSA at the district level. Matthew doesn’t just bring to this role 20 years of experience in communications and public relations, but he also a solid educational background. He has an undergraduate degree in English literature, and he additionally holds a Masters in Applied Information Management, both from the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR.

Jered Weber (He/Him) is the communications and engagement manager at the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) where he manages and executes the organization’s public relations and communications strategy to help grow minority business enterprises (MBEs) and create a more equitable economy that works for all. Prior to joining NMSDC, he spent six years in Colorado working for Voqal, a philanthropic organization committed to the promotion of social equity. Weber received his Bachelor of Arts in English and Mass Communications from Minnesota State University Moorhead and Master of Arts in Strategic Communications from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. With over 14 years of experience working in nonprofit communications, his areas of expertise include content generation, public relations, strategic communications, social media strategy, and storytelling.

As a Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging & PR Manager at Highwire PR, Jazminm combines her passion for social justice with her skills in strategic communications and media relations. She co-lead Highwire's Latine ERG, Màs Sabor, and oversee 4 other ERGs, influencing hiring and onboarding practices, and counseling a roster of companies on DEI communications. Over the past 5 years, she has supported clients from various industries including in cloud, cybersecurity, healthcare, enterprise, auto and manufacturing. Outside the workplace, she serves as a board member and a DEI chair for two professional associations, HPRA Silicon Valley and PRSA Silicon Valley, where she creates and implement initiatives to promote diversity and equity in the PR industry.

Y'Anad Burrell, MPA/MHA is a native San Franciscan and the Founder/CEO of Glass House Communications (GHC), an agency she started over 15 years ago. GHC specializes in public/media relations, strategic communications, public affairs, event design/planning, DEI consulting, crises communications/reputation management, and brand marketing. GHC's clients include elected officials, government entities, corporations, tech companies, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. GHC also has a health equity division, iHealth Innovation, whose mission is to develop and implement strategies that improve the health and wellness of diverse local and global communities through technology, innovation, collaboration, advocacy and the arts.

Dr Rachana Chowdhary is a highly experienced international PR expert with more than two decades of dedicated work in the field. She embarked on her career in the realm of print media, where she gained a profound understanding of the influential power of news media on audiences. Transitioning into the world of PR, she founded MediaValueWorks, an acclaimed PR & Digital Communications Agency renowned for its support in empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to expand their global reach. In the ever-evolving landscape of PR, Dr. Chowdhary has remained a trailblazer, consistently demonstrating innovation and leadership. Her specialization lies in revitalizing PR approaches for SMEs, with a strong focus on fostering authentic communication and global outreach.

A graduate of Washington State University with a double major in communications and political science, Janelle Guthrie, APR, Fellow PRSA, has served as communications director for the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus, Attorneys General Rob McKenna and Bob Ferguson, the Employment Security Department and, most recently, the Department of Corrections. She’s also held communications and government affairs positions at Microsoft and the Washington State Grange. Guthrie is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) National Public Affairs & Government Executive Committee and the College of Fellows leadership team. She joined the PRSA National College of Fellows in 2017 and earned the Lloyd. B. Dennis Distinguished Service Award for national public affairs excellence that same year.

She is an award-winning communication professional with over two decades of professional expertise in strategic planning, message development, and implementation, media relations, crisis communications, thought leadership, advocacy, and brand positioning. She has worked for a variety of clients within the non-profit, corporate, and agency sectors, and owns CC Communications, LLC, specializing in marketing, communications, and public relations. She recently completed the Advanced Crisis Communication Certificate Program through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).