From the President's Desk: A Welcome Start to 2026

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 Carbondale. I would not have imagined more than 30 years ago that I would have the privilege to serve alongside each of you on the PRSA Chicago Board of Directors. Coincidentally, I will also soon be serving on the board for the Southern Illinois University Alumni Association as well as the national board of directors for The Three Pillars Initiative. I honestly feel the need to be "pinched" because it's all surreal.

Whether you are a longtime member of our chapter, or relatively new like me, we collectively have the opportunity to pay it forward on this Board of Directors with appreciation and reciprocity for so many others who have helped us in our careers. The future of public relations and communications in Chicago will be brighter than ever with your time, talent and support.

My first President's Letter will be going out to our Chapter membership with a recognition of the board's new and existing roles. Formal announcements and social media posts will follow where the board encourages all of us to share with our networks, tag our employers, alumni associations, etc. Whether through social media or word of mouth, I hope and expect that all of us will lean into our roles as influencers for our chapter by inviting our networks to consider membership, engagement and even sponsorship for what we believe is the best PRSA chapter in the world.

On behalf of our dedicated Executive Committee including Bridgette Russell, APR, Immediate Past President, Jessica Gallen, APR, Treasurer, and our chapter administrator, Ann Scheible, I again welcome the 2026 PRSA Chicago Board and thank them in advance for serving all of you, our members.

Yours in Service,
Andrew

Andrew Krause
President, PRSA Chicago