Webinar Overview

This panel of industry influencers will discuss the traits of the successful PR leader of tomorrow.  Being a public relations professional in today’s rapidly moving, digitally driven landscape certainly has its challenges, but also tremendous opportunities to set yourself apart from others—yet only if you are brave enough to make the jump.  Our panel will discuss why these traits are important, and how agency and brand leaders can set their employees and staff up for success. For those on the AE, Manager, or Director levels the idea is to help them understand what thinking and skills are required to truly become a PR leader.

Webinar will include exploration and discussion around the following:

1. Examples of PR industry leaders who have really paved the way, and what can we learn from them?
2. What does it mean to be a PR leader and why is it important?
3. What traits/skills are required for being a PR leader?
4. What are some of the challenges that face PR professionals today and prevent us from becoming leaders, not just with the PR/Comms function, but also in terms of the larger organization?

Moderator

Rebekah Iliff.....@rebekahiliff

Chief Strategy Officer

AirPR

Rebekah Iliff is the Chief Strategy Officer for AirPR, a technology platform to increase PR performance. She is currently a columnist for Mashable, Inc., and Entrepreneur, and her contributing writing can be seen in everything from Forbes to the Huffington Post. Additionally, Rebekah frequently moderates and participates on panels focused on the future of PR and big data. In 2014, Rebekah was named by Dell as a “Dell Influencer” and has been asked to sit on industry panels and think tanks dedicated to innovation, technology trends, PRTech, and social good. In 2015, Onalytica, the leading influencer relationship management software company, cited her as one of the Top 100 PR Influencer’s in the world. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Loyola University Chicago, and an M.A. in Organizational Management and Applied Community Psychology from Antioch University at Los Angeles (AULA).

Panelists

KayAnn Schoeneman.....@KSchoeneman

Senior VP Global Research & Analytics

Ketchum

KayAnn P. Schoeneman is an accomplished public and corporate affairs specialist with over 10 years of experience. She has managed complex national and international public and corporate affairs campaigns for foreign governments, Fortune 100 companies and leading trade associations. Among her areas of expertise include ally development, coalition building, issue advocacy, influencer engagement and research and measurement including focus groups and surveys. KayAnn has been active in national, state and local elections for more than a decade. In 2002, she served as an opposition researcher for the Political Division of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) where she edited, reviewed and revised print, television and radio ads for the NRCC’s successful $50 million issue advocacy effort. Active in her community, KayAnn was recently elected President of the Monticello Council of Republican Women (MCRW), a Virginia Federation of Republican Women sanctioned club representing the 11th Congressional District of Virginia. She is also an active member of Washington Women in PR (WWPR).

 

Jennefer Witter.....@JenneferTBG

CEO and Founder

The Boreland Group

Jennefer Witter is the chief executive officer and founder of The Boreland Group Inc. (TBG – www.theborelandgroup.com), a thirteen year old boutique public relations firm headquartered in New York City. The agency was selected by TheStreet.com as one of five national, black owned businesses making a buzz (www.thestreet.com/story/11376639/4/5-black-owned-businesses-making-a-buzz.html). Witter was named one of the nation’s “10 most successful black CEOS and entrepreneurs” by MadameNoire Magazine (https://tinyurl.com/lzt5l6w).

Jennefer is the author of “The Little Book of Big PR: 100+ Quick Tips to Get Your Small Business Noticed,” published by AMACOM, the book publishing division of the American Management Association. She has appeared in Fast Company, the Associated Press, TheStreet.com, Bloomberg Radio, MarketWatch Radio Network and Crain’s New York Business. She has been profiled by The Huffington Post and The Amsterdam News. Her articles have been published in Business Insider, AMA Quarterly, CommPRO.Biz and numerous small business publications. Previously, she was the public relations expert for Inc.com TV and a contributor to AOL Small Business.

Jennefer has presented at military, trade and academic venues on regional, national and global platforms, on public relations, communication and professional growth topics. Venues include: The Pentagon; the United Nations; The Brookings Institution; The Sea Service Leadership Association’s Annual Symposium; the 92nd Street Y; American University ; Ellevate Network; and Women’s President Educational Organization. Jennefer was the keynote speaker at Brown Brothers Harriman’s “Women’s Summit ” and The Communication Leadership Exchange’s Annual Conference.

Jennefer is a passionate advocate for women in the workplace. She is an active member of Ellevate Network, a global networking organization for professional women, and serves on the advisory board for Women inPower, a 92^nd Street Y led venture that seeks to support and promote senior level professional women to C-level positions. Jennefer is increasing her support of active duty service women and veterans through groups such as SWAN and Mission Getting to NEXT.

Jennefer was formerly a vice president at Ketchum, an award-winning global communications firm. There, she launched a sub-practice that generated one million dollars in revenue in its first year. She has represented numerous businesses throughout her career, from Silicon Valley start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, including IBM and FedEx.

Jennefer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications (Print Journalism) from New York City’s Fordham University. While at Fordham, she worked at WFUV Radio, which was then student run. She produced and hosted the weekly black public affairs program, “Out Front.” Jennefer received a Regents Diploma from Brooklyn Technical High School, one of the country’s leading STEM schools.

Julia Monti.....@JAmonti

Vice President, Global Communications

MasterCard

Julia Monti is vice president of global communications at MasterCard, overseeing communications for the core product group. In this role, she drives engagement around the benefits of a world beyond cash. A seasoned PR professional,Julia draws upon expertise and best practices from her background in the corporate, non-profit and agency worlds. Prior to joining MasterCard, she served as vice president for global communications at Nielsen, combining her love for great TV content, her fascination with the digital evolution and a desire to understand what makes consumers tick. Please connect with Julia via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/juliamonti.