Gina Bever
Members of the Lookout Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) have elected Gina Bever as president.
She and 12 other public relations professionals from the Chattanooga area will lead the chapter’s programs and initiatives in 2004. Ms. Bever served as President-Elect and Program Chair this year.
PRSA is the world's largest professional society serving the public relations industry, with nearly 20,000 members nationwide.
The following public relations practitioners comprise the Lookout Chapter’s 2004 board of directors:
Gina Bever – President – As Director of Public and Media Relations for Tennessee Wesleyan College, Ms. Bever works with local and regional media to publicize the school’s events, accomplishments, students and faculty. She also coordinates the school’s community involvement opportunities and assists with the planning and execution of the college’s special events. Ms. Bever is a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan, holding a bachelor’s degree in English. Before joining the Tennessee Wesleyan College staff, she spent three years as Director of Communications for Chattanooga Goodwill Industries.
Karen Hicks – President-Elect and Program Chair – After receiving a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Mrs. Hicks began her 15-year career in nonprofit public relations and event coordination. She currently serves as Marketing Representative for Executone of Chattanooga, a local communications equipment dealer, where she coordinates advertising and marketing campaigns, public relations efforts, seminars, trade shows and sales support. Mrs. Hicks has previously served as Lookout Chapter Treasurer and co-chair of a past PRSA Southeast District Conference.
Karlene Claridy – Treasurer – With more than six years of marketing and public relations experience, Mrs. Claridy is Public Relations Coordinator for EPB, where she manages media relations and event planning for the company. Prior to joining EPB, she produced successful marketing communication campaigns and managed special events for Nissan Motor Corporation, the Central Texas Council of Governments, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture. Mrs. Claridy earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Hampton University in Virginia and an MBA from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Nicole Pilon – Secretary – As PR Director for All Pro Putting Greens, Ms. Pilon manages all media relations, copywriting, research and evaluation, and special event planning and publicity for the Ringgold synthetic turf manufacturer. She also serves as a consultant for All Pro’s distributors by acquiring publicity for them in their local markets. Ms. Pilon is fluent in French and earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Jaime Melton – Past President and Membership Chair – Mrs. Melton is Development Director at St. Peter's Episcopal School, where she is responsible for creating and implementing the school’s development, marketing and public relations plans. Prior to that, she was Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga and an Account Executive with Daniel+Douglas+Norcross. Mrs. Melton earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. She is a member of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals and a Parish Council member at St. Jude Catholic Church.
Anne Jones, APR – Accreditation Chair – Currently the Community Relations and Development Director at Lutheran School, Mrs. Jones handles all of the school’s marketing, public relations and development efforts. Before joining Lutheran School, she spent seven years in corporate communications with McKee Foods Corporation. Mrs. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University with an emphasis in advertising and public relations.
Nathalie Strickland, APR – Assembly Delegate, Ethics Chair, Southeast District Representative – As Vice President of Waterhouse Public Relations, Mrs. Strickland has been in the public relations field for more than 11 years and has worked with many local and national clients. Before joining Waterhouse PR, she managed Y2K communications for Southern Company and led public relations campaigns for the Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX 3D Theater and the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Mrs. Strickland also serves as Vice Chair of PRSA’s Southeast District.
Mary Thompson, APR – PRSSA Liaison – Ms. Thompson is a senior communications writer for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the state’s largest health financing company, where she is responsible for media relations efforts that support the company’s products, services and community relations activities. She is also an adjunct member of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Communication Department faculty. Before joining BlueCross BlueShield, Ms. Thompson worked with the Chattanooga Community Kitchen and Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS). She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from UTC and a master’s degree in public relations from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. A former Lookout Chapter President, Ms. Thompson also serves on the Tennessee Senior Games board of directors.
Angela Smith, APR – Public Relations Director and Web Master – Ms. Smith is President of Originality Public Relations, a firm specializing in public relations and special event planning and management. She has created award-winning events and communications for numerous consumer, nonprofit and business-to-business clients, including SI Corporation, the Chattanooga Convention Center, and Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise. She also recently joined the Southern Adventist University Communications Department faculty as an adjunct professor. In addition to her public relations experience, Ms. Smith is certified by the National Association of Broadcasters as a Radio Marketing Professional and spent three years as US-101 radio personality "Erin Michaels." She has a bachelor's degree in advertising and English literature from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a master's degree in public relations from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Ms. Smith is a member of UTC’s young alumni board of directors, the America’s Junior Miss Council, the American Marketing Association and Hixson United Methodist Church. She is also a member of PRSA’s 2004 international conference committee and the organization’s national committee on work, life and gender.
Angela McAllister – Director-At-Large – Ms. McAllister has spent the past five years as Executive Director of the Hamilton County Schools Fund for Excellence. The foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that handles system-wide fundraising efforts for the county’s public schools. She oversees several fundraising efforts, including the Kids First Coupon Book, which generates more than $650,000 annually during the 12-day campaign. Prior to joining the Fund for Excellence, Ms. McAllister worked as Program Director for the Chattanooga Audubon Society. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Rollins College in Orlando, Fla. Ms. McAllister previously served as Treasurer of the Lookout Chapter and is the former head coordinator of the Tennessee River Rescue. She has also logged numerous volunteer hours for Cornerstones and the Lula Lake Land Trust.
Stephanie Bever – Director-At-Large – Ms. Bever acts as marketing director for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. She has also worked as a graphic artist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. Ms. Bever earned bachelor’s degrees in communication and theatre from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Wayne Collins – Director-At-Large – Mr. Collins is Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the United Way of Greater Chattanooga. He previously served as marketing manager for Brewer Broadcasting Stations, where he was twice named as a finalist for Billboard Magazine’s national promotion and marketing manager of the year. Mr. Collins is the recipient of several professional awards, including an Addy from the Chattanooga Ad Federation and three state marketing awards from United Ways of Tennessee. He is a member of the American Marketing Association, United Ways of Tennessee’s State Marketing Committee, and the Chattanooga Community Service Club, and he serves as a staff officer with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Mr. Collins is principal trombonist for the Metropolitan Wind Ensemble’s international affiliate, the British Trombone Society. He is also a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he serves as a parish lector and catechist.
The APR designation after board members’ names indicates they are Accredited in Public Relations by PRSA’s Universal Accreditation Board. According to PRSA, APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the public relations profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment. Of the organization’s nearly 20,000 members, just over 6,000 of those practitioners have received the APR designation.
Formed in 1994, the Lookout Chapter is one of 116 PRSA chapters throughout the United States. The Lookout Chapter’s members represent business and industry, counseling firms, government associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations in Hamilton, Bradley, Sequatchie and Marion counties in Tennessee, as well as Dade, Walker, Catoosa and Whitfield counties in Georgia.
With three local Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) groups, the Lookout Chapter also has a strong dedication to supporting the area’s public relations students and providing affordable programming for them.
For more information, visit www.lookoutprsa.org.