2013 Board of Officers and Directors (Proposed Slate): The PRSA Central Ohio Nominating Committee
is pleased to offer the following slate of candidates for 2013 chapter leadership. Biographical information is
also provided for each person listed below. Please indicate a “yes” vote with a check mark or offer a “writein” candidate in the space provided. Ballots can be returned to todd.bailey@huntington.com or 614-480-4973
(fax).
Officers (One-Year Terms)
President
Kerry Francis, APR
The Ohio State University
Director, Communications
Elected 2011
Past President
Kristin Mack Deuber, APR
Public Relations and Marketing Consultant
Elected 2010
President-elect
Karen Bailey
Glimcher Realty Trust
Director, Corporate Communications
__________
VP Planning & Procedures
John Palmer
Ohio Hospital Association
Director, Media & Public Relations
__________
VP Membership
Amy Peach, APR
Bath & Body Works
Director, Internal Communications
.
Lora Deeds
Veeam Software
Public Relations Manager, Americas
__________
Secretary
Sandy Spieker
Ohio Society of CPAs
Senior Manager, Communications
__________
Ethics Officer
M.J. Clark, APR
M.J. Clark Communications, LLC
__________
Erin Pope
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Media Relations Specialist
__________
Treasurer
__________
Board of Directors
Terms expiring in 2013
Dr. Jane Dailey, APR
__________
Marietta College
Associate Professor of Communication & Media Studies
Michele Bretscher, APR
Columbus Chamber
Vice President, Communications & Marketing
Elected 2011
Dace de la Foret
Nationwide Financial
Director of Communications
Elected 2011
Terms expiring in 2014
Aimee Shadwick
ADAMH Board of Franklin County
Public Information Manager
__________
Hartley Suter
Fahlgren Mortine
Account Director
__________
Kristyn Wilson
Resource
Director of Media Relations
__________
Assembly Delegates (Three-year terms)
Term expiring in 2014:
Kara Allison, APR
___________
Hull & Associates
Director of Communications, Community and Government Relations
Term expiring in 2015:
Jaron Terry, APR
Jaron Terry Communications Ltd.
___________
OPEN – ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS
___________
Standing one-year appointment
(Chapter President)
Kerry Francis, APR
2013 Officers, Directors and Delegates – Biographies
Officers
Kerry Francis, APR, President, is a communications director at The Ohio State University. In her role, she
provides oversight, coordination, editorial content, and web development and management for
communications for the university’s human resources department. Prior to joining Ohio State, Kerry worked
at J.P. Morgan, Nationwide, and Alliance Data Systems. She has been active within the Central Ohio PRSA
chapter for more than 15 years, having served as vice president, Planning and Procedures; secretary; and
board member at large. In addition, she has chaired the Liaison and Professional Development committees,
and serves as a professional adviser to the Ohio State chapter of PRSSA.
Kristin Mack Deuber, APR, Past President, is a public relations and marketing consultant with expertise in
strategy development, media relations, thought leadership programs, crisis communications, executive
communications, social media programs and community relations. Kristin is an active member of the Central
Ohio PRSA chapter having served as President (2012) treasurer (2010), vice president of membership
(2009), as well as a board member (2008 and 2007). She has also been on several chapter committees
including chairing the APR committee for three years. An active member of the community, Kristin is on the
board of trustees for the Central Ohio Diabetes Association and the communications committee for Women’s
Fund of Central Ohio.
Karen Bailey, President-Elect, is director, corporate communications at Glimcher Realty Trust, where she
leads internal and external communications for one of the top 10 mall REITs in the U.S. She was elected to
the PRSA Central Ohio board of directors in 2008 and previously held the roles of treasurer, vice president of
membership and director. She has been board liaison to the membership, professional development and
PRism committees and previously co-chaired the PRism, liaison and development committees. She is an
advocate for PRSSA, serving as a professional adviser to the Ohio Northern University PRSSA chapter, a
past judge of the Dr. F.H. Teahan Chapter Awards Program for PRSSA and a member of Champions for
PRSSA. Outside of PRSA, she is involved in the International Council of Shopping Centers and the National
Association Real Estate Investment Trusts.
John Palmer, Vice President – Planning and Procedures, has been an active member of PRSA since
2002 and worked with a variety of committees within the Central Ohio chapter. He most recently completed a
two-year term with the PRSA Central Ohio Board of Directors working with the PRSSA and website
committees. As a recipient of the 2010 PRSA Walt Seifert Award for Outstanding Service to PRSSA, John
continues to work with the regional PRSSA chapters and serves as professional adviser to the Capital
University chapter. He is a member of the PRSA National Health Academy community. He is director of
media and public relations for the Ohio Hospital Association. Prior to OHA John was with Ohio Dominican
University (2008-2012) and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (2004-2008). He is a 2004 graduate of Capital
University and recently earned his master’s degree in organizational communication from Ohio University.
Amy Peach, APR, Vice President - Membership, has been an active PRSSA and PRSA member in
various chapters for more than 25 years. In the Central Ohio chapter, she was appointed to fill a vacant
director position on the board in early summer 2010. Since then, she has served on the board leading
development of the chapter’s strategic plan and most recently serving as secretary. Amy has also served the
local chapter as a PRSA assembly delegate, Masters Committee co-chair and Accreditation committee
member. Amy is a communications director for Limited Brands, where she is responsible for internal
communications and associate events. She lives in Grandview with her husband and spends time playing
tennis, traveling and eating her way through new, local restaurants.
Lora Deeds, Treasurer, is public relations manager at Veeam. In this position she develops and executes
communications plans for virtualization management solutions. She manages all aspects of external
communication including multiple outside PR agencies. Prior to joining Veeam, Lora spent six and one-half
years at Quest Software as senior analyst and public relations specialist for more than 40 products. She has
been a member of the board of directors (2010-2011), programs committee co-chair (2009), and editor of
Tabletalk (2005-2010). As a member of the board in 2012, she worked with the Programs committee and in
2011 she worked with the Website committee and Oxiem to launch the new website in August 2011. Outside
of work and PRSA, Lora is a member of Columbus Young Professionals, enjoys playing volleyball, cheering
on the Buckeyes and spoiling her nephew and soon-to-arrive niece.
Sandy Spieker, CAE, Secretary, is senior manager, communications at The Ohio Society of Certified Public
Accountants, one of the nation’s leading associations for accounting professionals. She is responsible for the
organization’s overall communications strategy, monthly print publication, website content and electronic
publications. She earned her designation as a Certified Association Executive from the American Society of
Association Executives in 2011. She joined the Membership Committee in 2006, chairing it from 2008-2009.
She is a graduate of Otterbein University and a professional adviser to the university’s PRSSA chapter.
M.J. Clark, APR, Ethics Officer, is president of M.J. Clark Communications, a public relations, marketing
and advertising consultancy. She is also a leadership consultant to Integrated Leadership Systems, where
she engages in executive coaching and workplace training, including ethics training. She has been active
within the chapter for many years, serving in various committee roles and board positions, including
president in 1995. She has received the PRSA Central Ohio’s Walt Seifert Award and the Tom Poling
Practitioner of the Year Award, is a member of Champions for PRSSA, and is a professional adviser to Ohio
University PRSSA's student-run firm, ImPRessions.
Directors
Erin Pope, Director, is a media relations specialist at Nationwide Children's Hospital where she assists with
the hospital’s media relations efforts – including coordinating media interviews, providing media training to
hospital staff and writing media materials. In the last year, she has expanded her role at Nationwide
Children’s by taking on additional tasks such as managing the blogger relations strategy and working
alongside the social media manager and SEO specialist on content creation and managing social channels.
Prior to joining Nationwide Children's, Erin was an account associate at Fahlgren Mortine working on a
variety of accounts including Kroger, Donatos Pizza, Franklin Park Conservatory and Cardinal Health. She
graduated from Ohio Dominican University in 2009 where she was a founding member and past president of
the university PRSSA chapter and a member of Delta Sigma Pi. She currently serves as chair to PRSA
Central Ohio’s Career Center committee, board-chair of the ODU PR Advisory Council, committee chair of
the Social Media and Web Committee for the ODU Alumni Council and volunteer for Big Brother Big Sisters
in their Project Mentor Program.
Jane Dailey, Ph.D., APR, Director, is an associate professor in the Media Studies Department at Marietta
College. In her role, she teaches the core public relations courses and serves as faculty adviser for the
PRSSA chapter. Prior to this, she worked as a public relations practitioner in the environmental industry for
nearly 20 years, including work in both private and government sectors. She has presented research on
media and environmental advocacy at national conferences and has published articles and a book chapter
on various environmental topics. She has been a member of PRSA for more than 15 years.
Michelle Bretscher, APR, Director, is vice president of marketing and communication for the Columbus
Chamber. With experience in corporate, agency, government and non-profit organizations, Bretscher’s areas
of expertise include business-to-business marketing, media relations, social media, event promotions,
employee communications, public affairs and strategic planning. Before joining the Chamber, Bretscher
managed corporate communications for an international software company. An accredited member, she has
served as co-chair of the Masters Committee. In addition, she is a graduate of the Leadership Columbus
Class of 2011. Bretscher received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Ohio State University. She lives in
Gahanna with her family and is passionate about Guatemala, having participated in a mission trip to a
remote Mayan village in 2007.
Dace de la Foret, Director, is director of communications for Nationwide Financial and oversees the media
and public relations team supporting Nationwide’s financial services businesses across the United States.
Prior to Nationwide, de la Foret was an AVP and director of public relations for Paul Werth Associates where
he developed, managed and implemented public relations and marketing communications programs for
clients ranging from non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies. He has been active in the chapter,
currently serving as the board liaison for the PR Committee for Central Ohio PRSA (2011) and co-chair of
the PR Committee (2010/2011). He is a graduate of Miami University, where he earned his bachelor’s
degree in mass communications.
Aimee Shadwick, Director, is the public affairs manager at the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of
Franklin County (ADAMH), where she manages the strategic communication plan to raise awareness and
create support of ADAMH throughout the Franklin County community. She has been an active member of
PRSA Central Ohio since 2008 and served as co-chair of the PRism Committee in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Aimee is a current member of the Leadership Columbus Class 2013. She received a master’s degree in
public relations from The University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ohio Wesleyan
University.
Hartley Suter, Director, is an account director at Fahlgren Mortine where she has worked on business-tobusiness, professional services, healthcare and consumer products accounts including Liebert, Grange
Insurance, EMH Healthcare and Kroger. In her role at the agency, she works to champion comprehensive
collateral projects, pitch trade and consumer media, develop technical content for bylines and keep clients
apprised of the most recent industry news and trends. Hartley is a graduate of Ohio University's E.W. Scripps
School of Journalism and was recognized as the 2010 PRSA Central Ohio Rising Star. She has previously
co-chaired the chapter’s public relations, programs and membership committees, and is also an active
mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio.
Kristyn Wilson, Director, is director of media relations at Resource, a digital marketing agency that works
with Fortune 500 companies in retail, consumer goods, and technology. There she leads the company’s
external media relations outreach promoting Resource’s thought leadership, client work, and regional offices.
Prior to Resource, Kristyn was director of media relations at MediaSource and worked as a reporter/anchor
at WMFD. Kristyn has been an active member of PRSA Central Ohio since 2004, having served on a
number of committees. She also leads PR efforts for Tyler’s Light, a grassroots non-profit organization
fighting the growing suburban drug epidemic. Kristyn is a graduate of Ohio University. She lives in Powell
with her husband and two kids.
Assembly Delegates
Kara A. Allison, APR, Assembly Delegate, is director of Communications, Government and Community
Relations for Hull & Associates, Inc., an environmental consulting and project development firm based in
Dublin. Kara has served at both the local and national levels of PRSA since becoming a member in 2003.
Locally, Kara is currently the Central Ohio chapter APR chair and a professional adviser to the Marietta
College PRSSA chapter. She served on the Board of Directors (2006-2010) as secretary and vice president,
Planning and Procedures, and was a member of the programs committee. Nationally, Kara is currently the
secretary/treasurer of the Public Affairs and Government Section. She served previously as chair and
secretary/treasurer of the Environmental Section (2005-2010), has served as a five-time delegate at PRSA
Assembly, has served twice on the National Board of Directors Nominating Committee, and was a member
of the National Capitol Committee initiative.
Jaron M. Terry, APR, Assembly Delegate, 2010 Central Ohio Chapter President, has been a member of
PRSA since 1980, having served on the board 1995-1999 and 2009-2011. During her presidency, PRSA
Central Ohio noted the 60th anniversary of its founding. She was named 2011 Tom Poling Practitioner of the
Year and is past assembly delegate and chair/co-chair of numerous committees, including Masters. An
independent practitioner since 1995, she is president, Jaron Terry Communications, Ltd., and a member of
the adjunct faculty, Franklin University. Her more than 30-year career includes public relations positions with
PriceWaterhouse, Mount Carmel West Hospital and hospitals in Richmond, Virginia. She holds an MS in
media management and a BS in mass communications, magna cum laude; both from Virginia
Commonwealth University. A member of Kappa Tau Alpha, National Journalism Honor Society, Jaron
resides in Hilliard with her husband, Brian Smith; their son, Kevin, is a junior at Capital University – studying
public relations and electronic media.