2017-2018 PRSSA Kent Executive Board
President: Latisha Ellison
Latisha Ellison is a senior public relations major who has been actively involved with PRSSA Kent since her freshman year. Previously, she served on the executive board as the Editor and YouToo Social Media Chairperson. Currently, she is a content and PR intern at True Digital Communications and is a co-assistant coordinator at Flash Communications. Latisha studied abroad in Florence, Italy where her love for traveling and meeting new people flourished. As President, Latisha hopes to create more opportunities for PRSSA Kent members to get involved and gain hands-on experience in our Chapter.
Connect with Latisha through email or LinkedIn.
Connect with Latisha through email or LinkedIn.
VP of Professional Relations: Charleah Trombitas
Charleah Trombitas is a senior public relations major with a minor in marketing. She has been heavily involved in PRSSA since the day she walked on campus freshman year. Previously, she served as the YouToo Social Media Student Chair and worked on many committees. Charleah has interned at Flash Communications and The Houck Agency. Currently, Charleah works as an intern at TalentLaunch. Charleah has a passion for writing, chocolate and all things outdoors. She hopes to help grow the Kent PRSSA Chapter by creating a welcoming environment and helping to bring empowering speakers to the members.
Follow Charleah on Twitter, or connect with her through email.
Follow Charleah on Twitter, or connect with her through email.
VP of Public Relations: Natalie Meek
Natalie is a junior Public Relations Major with a marketing minor. She has enjoyed being a part of PRSSA, and has found great friendships and helpful connections through the organization. Serving as PRSSA Editor and attending PRSSA National Conference has allowed Natalie to become more involved with the organization. She also currently serves as a PRSSA Regional Ambassador. Natalie has been a marketing intern at Consolidus, and a communications and public relations intern at Diebold Nixdorf. She plans to work in corporate communications in the future.
Connect with Natalie through email.
Connect with Natalie through email.
VP of Membership: Sarah Heber
Sarah Heber is a junior majoring in public relations and minoring in criminology and justice studies. Every year, Sarah has become more involved with PRSSA and is excited to be the VP of Membership this year. Sarah looks forward to relaunching the PR Pals program and making sure that every member feels welcomed, wanted and valued in this chapter. Sarah is leaning her career plans toward a public information officer for a department of criminal justice, but is still open to other opportunities. Outside of public relations, she has a passion for traveling and good coffee. However, Sarah's favorite thing in the world is her beloved puppy, Meka.
Connect with Sarah through email.
Connect with Sarah through email.
VP of Fundraising and Community Outreach Co-Chair: Holly Disch
Holly Disch is a senior public relations major. She got more involved with PRSSA after her trip to the 2016 PRSSA National Conference in Indianapolis. Previously, she served as the VP of Public Relations and was part of the 2016 Bateman Blue team. Holly has interned with 5 hour ENERGY, the Lake Erie Crushers, Flash Communications and the Great Lakes Science Center. Holly finds something new to love everyday, but is especially passionate about avocado toast, reading, the environment and almost all things outdoors. She hopes to spend her senior year in PRSSA getting the Chapter more involved with the community and Kent's campus!
Connect with Holly through email.
Connect with Holly through email.
VP of Fundraising and Community Outreach Co-Chair: Sam Ross
Samantha Ross is a junior public relations major with a minor in sports administration. Ross has been a part of PRSSA since she was a freshman. After her first PRSSA meeting she knew she had to switch her major and become involved with this organization. Ross has learned so many things by being a member of PRSSA such as figuring out which branch of PR she wants to pursue, which is sports PR. She is excited to work with the other officers on the executive board and can’t wait to see how the chapter grows this year.
Connect with Sam through email.
Connect with Sam through email.
Intercampus Liaison: Ian Gillan
Ian is a senior public relations major with a minor in health communication from Butler, Pennsylvania. After becoming involved in PRSSA his sophomore year he has been looking for more ways to involve himself in the chapter through different committees. Ian spent the summer interning with Alliance for Nonprofit Resources and previously worked as an assistant to the director of the CCI Commons living, learning community at Kent. With interest in healthcare, nonprofit work and entertainment, Ian hopes to help the Chapter grow by encouraging collaboration with other student organizations and creating an environment that is open to all Kent students.
Connect with Ian through email.
Connect with Ian through email.
Web and Social Media Manager: Alexandra Seibt
Alexandra, known by her friends and family as Alex, is a senior Public Relations major from Mentor, Ohio. Seibt started at Kent State as a Broadcast Journalism major, but after talking with her peers she realized public relations was her calling. She has been a member of PRSSA since her sophomore year and was a part of the YouToo Social Media Conference committee two years in a row, and she is currently serves as the Public Relations & Communications intern at Destination Cleveland. After taking Kent's digital analytics class and spending a summer doing social media for a local restaurant, Seibt hopes to bring the skills and techniques she learned to PRSSA.
Connect with Alex through email.
Connect with Alex through email.
Secretary: Lauren Garczynski
Lauren Garczynski is a junior public relations major with a minor in political science. She has been a member of PRSSA since her freshman year and has enjoyed every minute of it, making valuable connections and great friendships. After being involved in PRSSA during her freshman and sophomore year, she was excited at the opportunity of being able to be more immersed in the chapter, and can't wait to serve as secretary this year. She is currently interning at the Women's Institute of the Freedom of the Press in Washington D.C. and hopes to go into policy or advocacy PR. Outside of public relations, she is extremely passionate about film and loves anything to do with Saturday Night Live. She is thrilled about becoming more involved in the chapter and learning and experiencing more in the field.
Connect with Lauren through email.
Connect with Lauren through email.
Treasurer: Frankie Barrett
Frankie is an incoming sophomore public relations major with a marketing minor. She has enjoyed becoming a member of PRSSA Kent as a freshman and found helpful connections and friendships through the organization. After attending PRSSA 2016 National Conference, Frankie was eager to become more involved with the organization. Serving as the Treasurer for the 2017-18 year, Frankie is excited to be a part of the Darrow Board and serve along with the other officers. She is eager to pursue further with her major and discover what branch of PR fits her the best. For now, she is excited about the opportunity to be involved with PRSSA Kent and to continue growing with the club.
Editor: Sophia Iannelli
Sophia Iannelli is a freshman public relations major from Cincinnati, Ohio. This is her first year as a member of PRSSA and Sophia is very excited to serve as PRSSA Editor. She hopes to pursue a career in corporate or entertainment PR in the future, but is eager to learn about other PR fields as well. Sophia hopes to focus and improve on her communication and writing skills during her time in PRSSA. Sophia already loves the connections she has made in PRSSA and can’t wait to see what her future in the organization holds. Outside of Kent State, Sophia’s two cats are her pride and joy.
Connect with Sophia through email.
Connect with Sophia through email.
YouToo Social Media Chairperson: Hannah Wagner
Hannah is a Junior public relations major with a minor in marketing. Going into her sixth semester as a proud PRSSA Kent member, she is excited to help run the 2018 YouToo Social Media Conference to raise money for this year’s PRSSA National Conference and gain event planning experience. Outside of the classroom, Hannah is a student media board-voting member, senior writing tutor and is a Community Engagement intern at Goodyear Global Headquarters. Previously, she has gained experience through a nonprofit internship at Rose-Mary, an on-campus internship at Flash Communications and a publicist internship at Allied Integrated Marketing.
Connect with Hannah through email |
Photo credit: Special thanks to Allison Ewing and Brenna Parker
Faculty Adviser: Michele E. Ewing, APR
Michele Ewing, APR has more than 15 years experience in agency and corporate public relations. Before joining the Kent State faculty, Michele was a vice president at Marcus Thomas LLC, an advertising and public relations agency in Cleveland and Youngstown. During her 12-year tenure at Marcus Thomas, Michele played an active role in the management and growth of the public relations division with emphasis on the division's healthcare, internal and marketing public relations communications practices. Prior to Marcus Thomas, Michele worked for two Ohio hospitals.
Under her direction, PRSSA Kent has won six national PRSSA Teahan awards and numerous Kent State Student Involvement honors.
Michele teaches PR Campaigns, Public Relations Tactics and Principles of Public Relations courses. During the spring semester 2012, Michele co-taught the new Global Advertising and Public Relations course, which included a two-week study abroad experience in London.
Michele's research interests include internal communications, social media, student engagement and career preparation.
Follow Michele on Twitter @meewing, connect with her on Linkedin or email her.
Under her direction, PRSSA Kent has won six national PRSSA Teahan awards and numerous Kent State Student Involvement honors.
Michele teaches PR Campaigns, Public Relations Tactics and Principles of Public Relations courses. During the spring semester 2012, Michele co-taught the new Global Advertising and Public Relations course, which included a two-week study abroad experience in London.
Michele's research interests include internal communications, social media, student engagement and career preparation.
Follow Michele on Twitter @meewing, connect with her on Linkedin or email her.
Professional Adviser: Carrie Ann Kandes
Carrie Kandes is a public relations (PR) and marketing communications leader with more than 20 years of in-house and agency experience. Adept in relationship cultivation and team building, she is skilled across public relations sub-disciplines, has expertise in brand development and has led integrated marketing communications campaigns and teams. During her career, Carrie has worked with both consumer and business-to-business brands in the healthcare, financial, manufacturing, nonprofit, security and transportation segments.
Carrie is currently the director of marketing for the Youngstown and Lorain regions of Mercy Health, the largest health system in Ohio. In this field leadership role, Carrie drives strategies to enhance the reputation of and drive patient volumes for the system within Northeast Ohio. Her responsibilities include leading region-specific marketing planning and execution, focused on activities that effectively position and differentiate Mercy Health; strengthen audiences’ connection to the brand; drive reputation for quality; and increase awareness, consideration and preference.
Prior to her tenure with Mercy Health, Carrie spent a decade in agency leadership, including ownership of her own consultancy, as well as serving as the vice president and associate director of PR for Cleveland’s Marcus Thomas. She built effective programs, delivered strategic counsel, advised leaders and positioned brands for clients including Akron Children’s Hospital; Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems; Diebold, Incorporated; FirstLight® Home Care; Lifebanc; Nestlé Waters North America; Shearer’s Foods; Sherwin-Williams; Technology Management, Inc.; Volvo Group Trucks North America; Westfield Group; and WKSU. During the first half of her career, Carrie served in various public relations and marcom roles with organizations including Diebold and Summa Health System.
Carrie is a Kent State University (KSU) alumnus and has been an adjunct professor in the university’s PR sequence. She is a frequent guest lecturer and currently a professional adviser for the KSU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
An accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Carrie served as the president of the organization’s Akron-Area Chapter and a director for the Greater Cleveland Chapter. In 2012, she was recognized for her work mentoring students and young professionals with the Greater Cleveland PRSA Davis Young Award. A graduate of Leadership Akron (Class XXVI), Carrie was named one of Akron’s “30 for the Future” by the Greater Akron Chamber. She has been active in the community, most recently serving on the Leadership Akron Marketing and Brand Task Force and as a member of the Emerging Leaders Board of Akron Children’s Hospital.
Carrie is currently the director of marketing for the Youngstown and Lorain regions of Mercy Health, the largest health system in Ohio. In this field leadership role, Carrie drives strategies to enhance the reputation of and drive patient volumes for the system within Northeast Ohio. Her responsibilities include leading region-specific marketing planning and execution, focused on activities that effectively position and differentiate Mercy Health; strengthen audiences’ connection to the brand; drive reputation for quality; and increase awareness, consideration and preference.
Prior to her tenure with Mercy Health, Carrie spent a decade in agency leadership, including ownership of her own consultancy, as well as serving as the vice president and associate director of PR for Cleveland’s Marcus Thomas. She built effective programs, delivered strategic counsel, advised leaders and positioned brands for clients including Akron Children’s Hospital; Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems; Diebold, Incorporated; FirstLight® Home Care; Lifebanc; Nestlé Waters North America; Shearer’s Foods; Sherwin-Williams; Technology Management, Inc.; Volvo Group Trucks North America; Westfield Group; and WKSU. During the first half of her career, Carrie served in various public relations and marcom roles with organizations including Diebold and Summa Health System.
Carrie is a Kent State University (KSU) alumnus and has been an adjunct professor in the university’s PR sequence. She is a frequent guest lecturer and currently a professional adviser for the KSU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
An accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Carrie served as the president of the organization’s Akron-Area Chapter and a director for the Greater Cleveland Chapter. In 2012, she was recognized for her work mentoring students and young professionals with the Greater Cleveland PRSA Davis Young Award. A graduate of Leadership Akron (Class XXVI), Carrie was named one of Akron’s “30 for the Future” by the Greater Akron Chamber. She has been active in the community, most recently serving on the Leadership Akron Marketing and Brand Task Force and as a member of the Emerging Leaders Board of Akron Children’s Hospital.
Professional Adviser: Shantae Rollins
Shantae Rollins is a Communications Specialist at thunder::tech. Shantae was an active PRSSA member at Kent, serving as VP of Professional Relations, competing in the 2009 PRSSA Bateman Competition and attending two national conferences.
Previously, she was a Public Relations Specialist at Point to Point, Inc. and served as the Coordinator for Outreach and Marketing for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. She led marketing and alumni outreach efforts for the School and serves as the managing editor of the JMC alumni magazine, JARGON.
Before coming back to Kent State, Shantae worked as a public relations executive for Brunner, a full-service advertising agency located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she provided strategic public relations counsel to a variety of consumer packaged goods clients. Prior to joining Brunner, she was a public relations specialist for InfoCision Management Corporation in Akron
In her spare time, she travels, reads chick-lit and completes DIY projects and spends time with her bunny, Mr. Bugs.
You can connect with Shantae on LinkedIn.
Previously, she was a Public Relations Specialist at Point to Point, Inc. and served as the Coordinator for Outreach and Marketing for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. She led marketing and alumni outreach efforts for the School and serves as the managing editor of the JMC alumni magazine, JARGON.
Before coming back to Kent State, Shantae worked as a public relations executive for Brunner, a full-service advertising agency located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she provided strategic public relations counsel to a variety of consumer packaged goods clients. Prior to joining Brunner, she was a public relations specialist for InfoCision Management Corporation in Akron
In her spare time, she travels, reads chick-lit and completes DIY projects and spends time with her bunny, Mr. Bugs.
You can connect with Shantae on LinkedIn.
Professional Adviser: Allison Ewing
Allison Ewing is a wedding and lifestyle photographer in Cleveland and a 200-hour registered yoga teacher. She spent the first six years of her career working at a digital marketing agency before pursuing entrepreneurship.
As a proud PR Kent Alumna, Allison has been advising PRSSA Kent for the past five years. She was an active member during her time at Kent State and served as VP of Fundraising and President.
Outside of photography and teaching yoga, Allison can be found exploring Northeast Ohio with her husband and their chocolate lab, Bogart.
Follow Allison on Instagram @allisonewingphotography and connect with her on LinkedIn.
As a proud PR Kent Alumna, Allison has been advising PRSSA Kent for the past five years. She was an active member during her time at Kent State and served as VP of Fundraising and President.
Outside of photography and teaching yoga, Allison can be found exploring Northeast Ohio with her husband and their chocolate lab, Bogart.
Follow Allison on Instagram @allisonewingphotography and connect with her on LinkedIn.
Professional Adviser: Stephanie Duffy
Stephanie Duffy handles public relations, content marketing and more for her clients at True Digital Communications. Her background lies in the agency world with experience in writing, media relations, strategic public relations, social media planning, event planning and project management. She has worked with clients in the building industry, non-profit industry and even in the entertainment industry.
Stephanie is the Director of Student Chapters for Akron’s PRSA chapter and a co-chair of the AAF-Akron communications committee. She holds a BA in public relations from Kent State University, where she served as President of the Kent State PRSSA Chapter. Stephanie serves on the event committee for the Akron Zoo's Summer Safari and board of the Akron Chapter of the American Outlaws, a U.S. soccer supporters group.
Stephanie lives in Cleveland with her husband and her pet rabbits, Penelope and Einstein. As an overly-obsessed soccer fan, she is also a novice soccer blogger for one local and one national website, and can be found at a soccer game with her husband on any given weekend. Stephanie can be found on Twitter at @stephaniemduffy and LinkedIn.
Stephanie is the Director of Student Chapters for Akron’s PRSA chapter and a co-chair of the AAF-Akron communications committee. She holds a BA in public relations from Kent State University, where she served as President of the Kent State PRSSA Chapter. Stephanie serves on the event committee for the Akron Zoo's Summer Safari and board of the Akron Chapter of the American Outlaws, a U.S. soccer supporters group.
Stephanie lives in Cleveland with her husband and her pet rabbits, Penelope and Einstein. As an overly-obsessed soccer fan, she is also a novice soccer blogger for one local and one national website, and can be found at a soccer game with her husband on any given weekend. Stephanie can be found on Twitter at @stephaniemduffy and LinkedIn.
Professional Advisor: Sheila Vandergriff
Sheila Vandergriff is a lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio. She has over 20 years of nonprofit communications, development and public relations experience working with independent organizations, in higher education and in healthcare. With a bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University, she began writing engineering reports for a global manufacturer. Afterwards, she worked at a nonprofit organization where she wrote grants, cultivated partnerships and developed educational programs.
Sheila joined the Hiram College development department assuming responsibility for leadership giving, student projects and cross-country events. She then transitioned to Summa Health System where she built the fundraising communications platform for the Foundation and formulated publications.
With a passion for animal welfare, Sheila returned to an independent nonprofit as the executive director. It was a chance to provide direction, to use her expertise and to be part of an exceptional group of people dedicated to helping animals in need. It also led to collaboration with civic leaders, law enforcement and other animal welfare agencies.
Today, Sheila is the Director of Development at Glenbeigh, a Cleveland Clinic affiliate specialty hospital. She is responsible for internal and external communications, website development and management, social media oversight as well as fundraising and development functions. Sheila teaches ADA Title III compliance and oversees the community benefit initiatives for the organization.
Sheila holds a master’s degree from Kent State University in Journalism, Mass Communications and Public Relations. She’s served on various boards and is a graduate of Leadership Portage County. Outside of work, Sheila travels, enjoys photography and gardening, and is an avid genealogist.
Sheila joined the Hiram College development department assuming responsibility for leadership giving, student projects and cross-country events. She then transitioned to Summa Health System where she built the fundraising communications platform for the Foundation and formulated publications.
With a passion for animal welfare, Sheila returned to an independent nonprofit as the executive director. It was a chance to provide direction, to use her expertise and to be part of an exceptional group of people dedicated to helping animals in need. It also led to collaboration with civic leaders, law enforcement and other animal welfare agencies.
Today, Sheila is the Director of Development at Glenbeigh, a Cleveland Clinic affiliate specialty hospital. She is responsible for internal and external communications, website development and management, social media oversight as well as fundraising and development functions. Sheila teaches ADA Title III compliance and oversees the community benefit initiatives for the organization.
Sheila holds a master’s degree from Kent State University in Journalism, Mass Communications and Public Relations. She’s served on various boards and is a graduate of Leadership Portage County. Outside of work, Sheila travels, enjoys photography and gardening, and is an avid genealogist.