By Lindsey Nemcek, Ed.D., APRPublic Relations ManagerCollege of Lake County APR Fee Updates Effective July 1, 2026 To ensure the APR remains strong, relevant, and well-supported, the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) has announced updated APR-related fees effective July 1, 2026. These change...

Meet Bridgette Russell, APR, Member, Board of Directors for PRSA Chicago, Immediate Past President Bridgette is the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at the Field Museum in Chicago, where she has been employed since 2021. She earned a B.A. in Print Journalism at Texas Southern Univers...

As we close out the first half of 2026 at PRSA Chicago, we have a lot to look forward to.  The 2026 PRSA Midwest District Conference is in Minneapolis June 24-26. This year’s conference invites strategic communications professionals to embrace boldness in every sense. From breakthrough...

With the Memorial Day Weekend marking the beginning of this glorious time in our beautiful city, it’s a great time to take a beat and invest in your future for the rest of 2026 with PRSA Chicago. Showcase your organization’s best work by applying for our Skyline awards before May 22. ...

By Lindsey Nemcek, Ed.D., APRPublic Relations ManagerCollege of Lake County As we navigate the increasingly complex sociopolitical landscape of 2026, the demand for public relations professionals to serve as grounded, strategic counselors has never been higher. Since earning my APR in 2021, I&...

Well, that was fast! The first quarter of 2026 is in the books. You may be a seasoned communicator planning, scheduling, reacting and communicating by the quarter or a rising professional mastering how messaging flows. Either way, you have three quarters of 2026 left to get it done. PRSA Chicago...

By Vivian Fiore, APRManager, Public RelationsRotary International Introducing the 2026 APR Logo Refresh For decades, the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) has set the standard for excellence in our profession. Yet outside the communications world, its impact is not always fully understoo...

This very old Farmer's Almanac wisdom seems to match the energy of PRSA Chicago this month. We've had two well-attended events including a virtual session on what it takes to become APR as well as an enthusiastic International Women's Day event with a panel of extraordinary role models. We have t...

Chicago communicators, I have news for you. Just like the weather in Chicago, 2026 is expected to be intense. If you thought 2025 was a wild ride, 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, beginning February 17, 2026 and ending on February 5, 2027. Occurring every 60 years (previously 1966), this year ...

As president of the Chicago chapter's all-volunteer, working board, I am excited to announce the incoming Board of Directors is ready to make an impact for you, our member community in 2026. My personal journey in public relations began as a student with PRSSA at Southern Illinois University in C...