The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) announced today that Jeffrey Julin, APR, has taken the helm as PRSA chair and chief executive officer effective Jan. 1. Julin brings to PRSA 30 years of public relations experience, with special expertise in stakeholder engagement and issues management.
As chair and CEO of PRSA, Julin will continue to advance PRSA’s role in creating a broad understanding of the vital role public relations plays in a rapidly changing world. People at all levels are more engaged than ever before in driving business, government and communities.
In addition, having led the development of the new PRSA three-year strategic plan, Julin will work closely with PRSA President William Murray to align the organization around the goals of the plan. “Implementation of the plan will maximize member value by enhancing our real and virtual communities, more aggressively profiling best practices and public relations research, and leveraging our leadership position in public relations ethics,” said Julin. He continued, “Going forward, I want to build on our great successes of the last few years and maximize PRSA’s strengths to become the touchstone of learning, guidance and recognition for every member of the profession.”
Advocating for Respectful Discourse
An expert in issues management and stakeholder engagement, Julin is known for his ability to effectively work with groups that have conflicting interests. With roots in Colorado’s mining communities, Julin developed a natural affinity for engaging all interests in respectful, productive communications.
“Public relations professionals look forward to enormous opportunities to advance the role of the profession by creating rigorous yet respectful dialogue at all levels of society,” added Julin. “The influences of new media, increasing diversity and a 2008 presidential campaign will thrust the profession into the public spotlight in new ways. PRSA is ready to advocate for communications standards, practices and ethics that emphasize the full range of public relations to create respectful engagement that honors all perspectives.”
Giving a Voice to the Profession
Julin is a recognized expert in public relations ethics who has helped professionals consider their obligations to society as well as to their employers. He was a founding member of the PRSA Advocacy Committee and has served on the PRSA Board of Ethics, playing a key role in developing the current PRSA Code of Ethics.
A PRSA national board member since 2002, Julin will serve a one-year term as head of PRSA’s board of directors and nearly 32,000 professional and student members. Over the last five years, Julin has served high-level leadership roles at PRSA. Nationally, he served as the PRSA treasurer in 2006 and secretary in 2005. He is also a past president of the Public Relations Organization International — the oldest international network of independently owned public relations firms.
Julin is president of MGA Communications, a Denver-based firm consistently ranked as one of the region’s top communications firms and nationally regarded for award-winning work in stakeholder engagement, crisis communications and issues management. In addition to his responsibilities at MGA, Julin is a leader in the community and the public relations profession. He served on the board of directors of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and is a member of their Public Affairs Council. He is a member of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities Advisory Board for the University of Colorado Denver Health and Science Center. He has also served as president of the board of Family Tree and of the National Repertory Orchestra. Julin received his B.A. in communications from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org), headquartered in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 Chapters nationwide and 20 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 291 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States and one Chapter in Argentina.