Drake students and alums were front and center at the Public Relations Society of America Central Iowa Chapter’s annual conference on Oct. 18 at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield headquarters in downtown Des Moines.
Guest speakers included Andy Gerlt, JO’02, senior director of global innovation communications of Visa, and Emily Abbas, JO’97, MCL’09, senior vice president, chief marketing and communications officer of Bankers Trust. Jessie Scott, JO’12, MCL’12, digital content director at Meredith Corp., and Mario Rossi, JO’15, digital executive producer of WOI-TV’s We Are Iowa, also participated in a panel discussion.
In the awards ceremony, campaigns created by the 2018 senior public relations class won two PRIME awards in the Student Campaign category and a Community Champion award in the professional contest. Abby Delaney, JO’13, of Bankers Trust won outstanding chapter member.
Dr. Kelly Bruhn, associate professor and SJMC associate dean, serves as PRSA of Central Iowa president.