Our very own Dana Hughens is the PRSA’s Counselors Academy Conference Chair for the 2013 conference June 9-11 in Austin, Texas. As conference chair, she has the privilege to work with other members of the conference planning committee, which consists of senior-level PR counselors and agency owners from across the United States and Canada. We caught up with these PR pros to find out their secret to success and what they love most about Counselors Academy.
Meet the first guest of this blog series – Abbie Fink, Vice President of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Ariz. Abbie was recently selected by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the Top 25 Most Dynamic Women in Business and held the position of co-chair for the 2011 Counselors Academy Spring Conference.
Getting to know you…
Name: Abbie S. Fink
Agency: HMA Public Relations – Phoenix, Ariz.
Position: Vice President/General Manager
First job in PR: I interned for The Pointe Resorts in Phoenix, Ariz.
Your insights…
Most loved thing about being in PR: No day is exactly the same, getting the chance to work with great people and great projects.
Best source for breaking PR news: Dana! Seriously, word-of-mouth, industry publications and of course, social media resources.
Number one recommendation to new PR professionals: Be smart about the world around you – know what’s happening in your community and the industries that you are working in.
About Counselors Academy…
Most valuable aspect of being a Counselors Academy member: Access to very smart people willing to share information, resources and insights.
Role on the planning committee: Past-chair there to support Dana and heading up the marketing efforts with Jon Goldberg, Heather Tweedy and Deb Weinstein.
Best thing about the Counselors Academy conference: Two and a half days of hanging out with some of the best communications professionals and business owners that “get it.”
Most fun memory of a Counselors Academy conference: My first Counselors Academy Conference was in Vancouver. We rode the ski lift up Grouse Mountain the last afternoon. I spent 90-minutes with Eric Morgenstern, drinking coffee and looking out at the beautiful city. He was generous with his time and I knew then, I wanted to be a part of this great organization. I submitted my application as soon as I got home.
No day is the same in PR, even as an intern! Love your insights, Abbie!
Loved these insights! My favorite aspect of PR is also the excitement of the industry- you never get bored!
Margot — we will meet soon, planning a trip there in the summer.
Thanks for including me as your spotlight today. CAPRSA is one of the best investments — for the networking, the knowledge and the friendships.
Great to learn some more about you, Abbie. Looking forward to meeting you in person hopefully sometime soon!