Two Clintonians elected to PR association board
Special to The Clinton Courier
Jean Cook and Kathy Dougan, both Clinton residents, have been elected to serve a second term on the board of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Central Chapter.
Cook, who holds an Accreditation in Public Relations, or APR, serves as vice president of membership for PRAM Central Chapter. She is the director of public relations for the Mississippi Department of Education.
Dougan serves her second term as PRAM Central board secretary. She is public relations director for the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission in Jackson and is a staff writer and city beat reporter for The Clinton Courier.
PRAM Central Chapter board members were inaugurated the association’s 2021 Board of Directors January chapter meeting held on Zoom. The volunteer board steers the nonprofit’s behind-the-scenes-logistics to create opportunities for the chapter’s membership to advance the practice of public relations. The chapter is an autonomous affiliate of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM State).
While typically the installation ceremony is held before the members and facilitated by a PRAM State board member, this year the group watched on screen as the slated officers, with hands up, recited their oath of office.
Most board members returned to their posts in 2021 following a 2020 term, in order to minimize disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After successfully implementing adjustments, this group was elected by a majority of the chapter’s membership to continue the chapter’s efforts to provide networking, continuing education and professional development for about 150 public relations professionals in and around the capital city. The officers were sworn in by Patrice Guilfoyle, APR, president of PRAM State.
The board also includes Mary Margaret Busby of Brandon, past-president; Chantel Lott of Brandon, vice president of communication; Matt Westerfield of Pearl, president; Mara Hartmann of Jackson, career development coordinator; Bill Moak of Madison, president-elect; Sophie McNeil Wolf of Jackson, vice president of programs; Bonnie Jackson of Hazlehurst, member-at-large; and Robyn Kennebrew of Ridgeland, treasurer.
PRAM Central, the largest of nine local chapters geographically located throughout the state, was founded in 1956 and is the top public relations professionals’ source for networking, continuing education and professional development throughout central Mississippi. Its membership consists of over 150 public relations professionals from advertising and public relations agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations, government, education and industrial entities, as well as students studying to become public relations professionals.
For more information about PRAM Central, visit www.pramcentral.org.
