William “Billy” Brennan (President) - Brennan is a group manager at Weber Shandwick. In this position he conducts media relations for mainstream and trade media, as well as internal and external communications activities for corporate, consumer product, healthcare and technology clients. Brennan is experienced in planning and implementing community relations and public awareness campaigns. As a media relations veteran, he has earned his clients placements in a wide array of local and national media. Brennan holds both a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree in communication from Saint Louis University. He is a recipient of the 2008 PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Excellence in Community Relations (Business-Services) as well as four IABC Bronze Quill Awards in recognition of successful public relations campaigns. Prior to joining Weber Shandwick in 2006, Brennan held an internal communications internship at Fleishman-Hillard and a professional assistantship with Saint Louis University’s Office of Marketing and Communications.
Stephanie Flynn (President-Elect) - Flynn is vice president of public relations at Black Twig Communications. With a passion for media relations, her additional specialties include event planning, community relations, social media consulting and the development and implementation of strategic communications plans. Flynn guides several accounts in business-to-consumer and business-to-business communications and has experience in a variety of different industries such as telecommunications, banking, manufacturing, economic development, parks and recreation, real estate and construction, non-profit, education, food services and hospitality, law, and gaming. Before joining Black Twig Communications, Flynn was a director at Chicago-based Cushman/Amberg Communications’ St. Louis office, and spent a year with public relations boutique agency Beyond Concepts. A news junkie, she spent nearly three years in the newsroom at KSDK-TV, the NBC affiliate of St. Louis. Flynn has a bachelor of arts in communications from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. A St. Louis native, she has been a member of PRSA since 2005.
Carole Christie (Secretary) - Christie is an independent consultant, most recently president and creative director at Fleishman-Hillard. where she focused on business development across the firm's central region. She was director of communications when the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) opened its doors at the Missouri School of Journalism in 2008. She initiated and was responsible for communication and marketing strategies, branding, website, special events and media relations. From 1998 to 2000 Christie was the international creative director for D’Arcy Advertising in Amsterdam. She developed strategy and creative for Mars Bar, Twix, Uncle Ben’s Rice and pet foods. Before that she was senior VP/group creative director at DMB&B (D’Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles), St. Louis, where she was a leader in new business efforts for M&M/Mars, Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Brown Shoe and Procter & Gamble, among others. Christie has been a freelance writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and BusinessWeek’s SmallBiz Magazine. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Christie earned her master of arts degree in international affairs from Washington University, St. Louis, and her bachelor of arts degree from Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Mo.
Michelle Yates (Treasurer) - Yates serves as marketing services manager for Lawrence Group, a 140+ person design firm headquartered in downtown St. Louis. She has more than 15 years of marketing experience, is accredited in public relations (APR) and a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM). She received her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and is also a member of Commercial Real Estate for Women (CREW), St. Louis Writer’s Guild, and the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS). She currently chairs the national SMPS technology committee, co-chairs the CREW St. Louis’ education committee and is a past president of SMPS St. Louis. She has written articles for SMPS Connections newsletter and Marketer magazine and has spoken at the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) national conference and local SMPS programs.
Jeanne Howard (Immediate Past President) - Howard is director of regional marketing and public relations for Commerce Bank. In this position, she manages a team providing local and regional marketing programs and public relations for the corporation. Prior to this position, Howard was a consultant on Internet Banking services, the group vice president of Internet Banking Services at Wachovia Corporation in North Carolina, and manager of online and telephone banking services at Boatmen's Bancshares in St. Louis. Before her career in the banking industry, Howard managed marketing research for Sunmark (division of Nestle), a candy and snack food manufacturer, and managed consumer research for Schnuck Markets, Inc. She is a member of board of directors of Springboard, affiliated with the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network. A graduate of Washington University with a master's in business administration (MBA), Howard joined PRSA in 2003.
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Tina Carroll | Christi Dixon | Vicki Biggs | Elissa Plastino | Jill Alexander |
Christina "Tina" Carroll, APR (Director) - Term Expires 12/31/12 - Carroll has been creating effective, award-winning communications campaigns for more than 20 years. She has worked on staff in corporate and broadcast settings and as an independent contractor developing and executing creative, effective communication strategies. Most recently Carroll served as director of public relations for Magellan Health Services, a specialty health care management company providing management services in behavioral health, diagnostic imaging, and specialty pharmaceuticals. Previous work included St. John's Mercy Medical Center and KETC Channel Nine. Carroll has a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and a master's in social work from St. Louis University.
Christi Dixon (Director) - Term Expires 12/31/12 - As a vice president at Standing Partnership, Dixon manages complex clients with diverse communications needs. She guides the firm’s work for The United Way of Greater St. Louis, the National Center for Parents as Teachers (PAT), Maritz, The Private Residences at The Chase Park Plaza and The Doe Run Company. She recently led PAT's 25th anniversary campaign, including fundraising and organization awareness communications strategy among key donor targets, using media relations. The campaign resulted in more than 500,000 audience impressions during the first six months. Dixon’s efforts have earned multiple APEX awards, the HSMAI Golden Bell Public Relations Award, an IABC Gold Quill award, a regional IABC Silver Quill, several local IABC Bronze Quill Awards and recognition as a finalist for the SABRE Awards. Prior to joining Standing Partnership, Dixon was with Matthews/Mark, San Diego, where she garnered nearly $2 million in media placements for the Baja California Department of Tourism and La Costa Resort & Spa. She graduated summa cum laude from Wartburg College,Waverly, Iowa, with B.A.s in business administration/marketing and communication arts/public relations.
Vicki Biggs (Director) - Term ends 12/31/13 - Biggs is director of integrated communications for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod(LCMS). She oversees brand marketing, public relations, social media, special events and reputation management for the church body’s ministries headquartered in St. Louis. Prior to joining the LCMS in 2006, Biggs served as vice president of marketing and communications at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (2004-2005), general manager of marketing and administration at St. Louis County Fair & Air Show (2000-2004), and marketing coordinator at Baird, Kurtz & Dobson, CPAs, (1987-2000). The St. Louis native earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with dual emphases in marketing and management in from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Biggs has previously served the St. Louis chapter as job bank chair and as a member of the seasoned professionals committee.
Elissa Plastino (Director) - Term ends 12/31/13 - A former journalist, Plastino has more than a decade of experience in public relations working in government and corporate PR. She was previously the media/public information manager for Mississippi State Hospital near Jackson, Miss., the country’s largest state-funded psychiatric facility, where she was responsible for strategic planning, employee communications, media relations and maintaining the hospital’s intranet and Internet sites. As corporate brand manager for Isle of Capri Casinos Inc., she is involved with public relations, advertising and brand management for seven casino properties in four states and a new casino project in Cape Girardeau, Mo.; as well as several corporate-wide marketing initiatives. Plastino volunteers with the American Cancer Society as an annual media awards judge for the High Plains Division, and team captain of the Relay For Life of West County; and with HavenHouse St. Louis. In addition to PRSA, she is also an active member of the American Marketing Association (AMA).
Jill Alexander, APR, (Assembly Delegate) - Term Ends 12/31/14 - Alexander is the senior director of corporate communications with Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Her current role includes media relations, crisis communications, internal communications and community relations for 15 casinos across the country. Born and raised in New York, she moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast in 1990 where she was exposed to all the wonders of crisis communication at Ciba Specialty Chemicals when she was responsible for internal communication, crisis communications, and community relations. In addition to working full-time, she attended the University of South Alabama earning a master's degree in communication in 1999. After 14 years with the Ciba, Alexander left the company to explore public relations opportunities among other industries. She spent the next five years working in advertising/public relations firms in the South before landing her current position. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2007 and holds a B.A. in journalism from State University College of New York at Buffalo. She serves on the Blue Ribbon Committee for Crisis Nursery, is a board member with Jewish Family & Children’s Service, and serves as a member of Public Awareness Campaign for Focus St. Louis. A graduate of Class 51 for Coro Women in Leadership, Alexander previously served on a voluntary basis as the public information officer for the Spanish Fort Fire Department for six years, as well as served as a member of the public relations committee for Operation Brightside.
Wm. (Billy) Brennan (Assembly Delegate) - Term Expires 12/31/13 (Bio above)
Jeanne Howard (Assembly Delegate) - Term Expires 12/31/12 (Bio above)