2007 Officers

Meet Your 2007 Voting Members
(Also see 2007 Committee Chairs)

Rita Holmes-Bobo	Jim Braibish	Regina DeLuca-Imral	Chuck Reitter

Rita Holmes-Bobo, APR (President) - Rita is senior manager, Public Affairs for Express Scripts where her focus is media relations and special projects. Headquartered in St. Louis, Express Scripts makes the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable while administering the prescription-drug benefit for one of every six Americans. Prior to joining Express Scripts, Rita managed the corporate communications function for Outsourcing Solutions Inc. (OSI). A native of Wichita, Kan., she has 23 years experience working for both profit and not-for-profit organizations in the areas of communications, fundraising and marketing research. She volunteers in various capacities, including serving as chair of the Outreach committee for the University of Kansas Black Alumni Chapter. Rita graduated from the University of Kansas with an MBA in marketing research and a B.S. in business. She also earned her APR in 2003. 314-702-7584.

Jim Braibish, APR (President-Elect/Program Chair) - Jim is principal of Braibish Communications, providing services in public relations, media relations, crisis communications, marketing communications and fund-raising to a broad range of business and organization clients. Previously he served for nine years as public relations director for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter and handled media response for local and national disasters. He also has directed public relations for the service organization Optimist International and supervised client public relations programs with Edelman. He has been a PRSA St. Louis board member since 2003, serving as membership chair and co-chair. He was a Delegate in 2006. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism, he earned his APR in 1991. 314-835-9883.

Regina DeLuca-Imral (Secretary) - With more than 12 years of public relations experience, Regina DeLuca-Imral has been an active member of the St. Louis Chapter of PRSA since 2000. This is her second term serving as secretary. Regina is a senior media specialist with Edward Jones, a global financial-services firm that caters to individual investors from one-broker offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. In this position, she works on media relations and internal and external communications for the firm's 30,000 associates, including 10,000 investment representatives. Regina also is the co-chair of her division's crisis communications efforts. Prior to joining Edward Jones, Regina was a media coordinator at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis. Before that time, she was an editor and reporter for the Suburban Journals newspaper group in St. Louis. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Maryville University in St. Louis. 314-515-3050.

Chuck Reitter (Immediate Past President, Acting Treasurer) - A member of PRSA since 2002, Chuck is a director with UCG Associates, Inc. From 2001 to 2006 he was public information manager of the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Expansion Program. Prior to being part of the Lambert Expansion Team, Chuck was director of marketing for the Paragon Life Insurance Co. unit of General American Life Insurance Co. A St. Louis native, he was president and chief operating officer of the former American Paint Journal Co. and has experience as a group publisher, controller, circulation manager, M.I.S. manager, salesperson, internal business process analyst, financial manager, editor, photographer and reporter with several publishing, direct marketing and financial consulting concerns. He has an M.A. degree in management from Webster University and a B.J. degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. 314-551-5006.

	Paul Tandy	Holly O'Brien	Jeff Waldman

Paul Tandy, APR (Delegate) Term Expires 12/31/07 - Paul has been an active member of the St. Louis Chapter of PRSA since 2000. A native of Texas, he is the director of public affairs for the Parkway School District. In this position, he manages internal and external relations for the district and its 29 schools. Paul is also responsible for Parkway's Education Foundation and Alumni Association, as well as its community education and outreach programs. His previous public relations experience includes work for the Missouri School Boards Association, William Woods University, and U.S. Sales Corporation. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master's degree in business administration from William Woods University. Paul is also active in the Missouri School Public Relations Association and currently holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard. 314-415-8082.

Holly O'Brien (Delegate) Term Expires 12/31/09 - (*) Holly serves on the Board as a Delegate and is a member of the Social Committee. She has been assistant director of marketing for Harrah's St. Louis Casino & Hotel since 2004, where she oversees public relations, advertising, entertainment/special events, promotions and interactive marketing. Prior to that, she was director of Zipatoni Interactive in St. Louis. Before moving to St. Louis, she worked in fashion journalism in New York and overseas, and was formerly director of marketing at Joe Boxer. O'Brien holds a B.S. in magazine journalism from Syracuse University's Newhouse School, and an MBA in marketing and information systems from Fordham University. She is also an adjunct faculty member of Maryville University's John E. Simon School of Business. 314-770-8199

Jeff Waldman (Delegate) Term Expires 12/31/07 – A member of PRSA since 1997, Jeff will field questions about member services and benefits as one of the Chapter’s Membership Chairs in 2007. He will also serve as a Chapter Delegate. Jeff’s service to PRSA St. Louis has included being a director, program chair/president elect (2004), president (2005), an assembly delegate to the International Conference and most recently chair of the nominations committee as immediate past president (2006). Professionally, Jeff is currently "in the market," as his position as communications and media relations manager at Missouri Baptist Medical Center was eliminated at the end of 2006. Jeff has served on a number of community boards, but is limiting active involvement in many (other than PRSA) in 2007 to assure time to care for his first child, born February 2006. He has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a master of arts in media communications from Webster University. 314-878-5959.

Rob Staggenborg	Trudy Barthels	Melissa Barreca	Carolyn Green

Rob Staggenborg, APR (Director) Term Expires 12/31/07 – Rob is the Director of Communications for Christian Brothers College High School (CBC), one of the oldest private high schools in the metropolitan St. Louis area. In this position, Rob, also a graduate of CBC, helps direct the school’s communications, marketing and new student outreach programs. A native St. Louisan, he attended the University of Maryland–Heidelberg while serving as a photojournalist and staff reporter for The European Stars & Stripes. Following military service, he joined the staff of the Suburban Journals and subsequently the staff of the St. Louis Business Journal. Rob entered public relations as a media relations coordinator for the Special School District of St. Louis County in the mid-1990s. Joining the CBC staff in 1998, he has helped direct the school’s communications and marketing programs as it moved from its Clayton home of 82 years to its new location in Town & Country. Rob also consults with clients in the technology, education and non-profit sector. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Webster University with an emphasis in media communications.

Trudy Barthels (Director) Term Expires 12/31/07 - Trudy is director of communications for Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system, with more than 105,000 associates serving in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Consistent with its mission to serve all people with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, Ascension Health is an innovative leader in transforming healthcare through patient-centered, holistic care of the highest clinical quality. Trudy works with a team of communications professionals responsible for the strategic communications of Ascension Health. Her focus is on media relations, internal and external communications and special projects. Previously, Trudy was with SSM Health Care and before that in not-for-profit management. She has a master's in communications from Webster University and a B.A. in English from Marymount College of Kansas. A native of St. Louis, she has been an active member of PRSA since 1997, serving as program chair and president-elect in 2003 and president in 2004.

Melissa Barreca, APR (Director) Term Expires 12/31/08 – Melissa is communications project manager with Ameristar Casinos, Inc. and has served on the PRSA St. Louis board since 2004 – as secretary (two years), publicity chair and in her current role as director. Born and raised in St. Louis, she began her PRSA affiliation in Phoenix with the Valley of the Sun Chapter in 1999 during her time at Cramer-Krasselt Public Relations, a regional PR firm. Melissa worked on the membership committee before co-chairing the 2001 Copper Anvil Awards for that chapter. Back to St. Louis in October 2001, Melissa joined Ameristar Casino St. Charles, as PR manager for the property, before being promoted to her current corporate communications role managing special projects for each of Ameristar's properties nationwide. Melissa has also served as the marketing coordinator for Sweet Traditions, the area franchisee for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in St. Louis and Chicago. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2004, holds a B.A. in communications from Truman State University and has completed graduate work in communications at Webster University. 636-825-9802.

Carolyn Green (Director) Term Expires 12/31/08 – Carolyn is president of C. Green & Associates, a consulting firm that helps organizations build and maintain the management functions required to nurture key relationships. Since 1997 C. Green & Associates has specialized in facilitating collaboration and the development of the human systems needed to implement new ideas and services. Carolyn is serving her fourth year on the PRSA-St. Louis Board, having previously co-chaired the Career Academies and Job Bank committees. She holds a Master’s in journalism from Indiana University (Bloomington) and a B.S in public relations from Central Missouri State. (618) 659-0257.

* Appointed by the Board to fill the office of Dawn DeBlaze (temporary leave) effective June 2007.