2024-2025 President’s Message | Theresa Jacobellis

Some people celebrate Christmas in July, but at PRPLI, we observe New Year’s in August. Our membership year renews on July 1, and our new board kicks off PRPLI’s new year after meeting for a marathon planning session to map out programs and activities.

This year, I’m honored to serve my second term as president alongside an incredible group of PR professionals. Our board members are smart, passionate and dedicated. I’m grateful for the hard work of our returning board members: past president Jerry Allocca; First Vice President Janine Logan; Second Vice President Brooke Oliveri; Treasurer Diana Bassett; and board member Mark Grossman. We are excited to welcome Julie Robinson-Tingue to the board as our new Secretary. Stepping into the role of our membership chair this year, Julie brings decades of experience as a public relations executive along with fantastic ideas and great energy.

Here are some of the exciting things the board has planned for our members in the months
ahead:

  • Networking Mixers – sprinkled into our schedule this year are opportunities to get together to mix and mingle, starting on October 10 at Governor’s Comedy Club in Bellmore where we’ll gather for a few laughs while raising funds to support PRPLI’s annual Scholarship Program. Join us!
  • PR in a Pinch – a bi-monthly series of 30-minute online learning sessions. Start your morning off with coffee and a bite-sized educational program to brush up on your PR skills or learn new ones! We’re kicking off the series on October 23 at 8:30 am with a session on “Launching Your First Podcast.”
  • Annual Awards Luncheon – it’s never too early to start thinking about who you’d like to nominate for our Lifetime Achievement, Jack Retaliata Outstanding Mentor, Long Island Achievement, PR Campaign of the Year, and Rising Star Awards for our annual fete in May.

Remember, membership has its privileges including discounts on PR tools; free and discounted program admission; access to our job bank; and more. If you are already a member, thank you! If you have considered joining but haven’t pulled the trigger yet, this is the year to do it!

Look for our NewsBite e-newsletter for details on upcoming programs, or visit our website to learn more.

I can’t wait to network, learn, and connect with you in the months ahead!