2008 Committee Chairs

Also see 2008 Officers.

Michelle Yates	Nez Savala	Rebecca Rodgers	Cameron Satterfield	Gary Ford

Michelle Yates, APR (Accreditation) – Michelle serves as marketing services manager at The Lawrence Group, one of the largest and fastest growing architectural, interior design and town planning firms in St. Louis. She has 14 years of marketing and communications experience with professional service firms. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She received her certificate of accreditation in public relations in October of 2005. Michelle is also a the 2007-2008 president of the local chapter of Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA). She serves on the board member of directors for The Children’s Museum and is the marketing committee chairperson for Senior Citizens Services in Edwardsville, Ill. 314-231-5700.

Nez Savala (Community Outreach) – Nez Savala began her service with PRSA as a member of the programming committee in January 2006. This year, she’s repeating as chair of the community outreach committee. Nez moved to St. Louis from Kansas City in August 2005 to work for the City of Ferguson as the community relations coordinator and is responsible for the public relations and communications needs of the city. She now works for Hazelwood School District as a communications specialist and is responsible for assisting schools with their communications and public relations needs. While in Kansas City, she worked as an admissions representative for a community college. Savala has a bachelor’s degree in humanities from Kansas State University and a master of journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Rebecca Rodgers (Diversity) Co-Chair - Rebecca is public relations manager of The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC). She is responsible for managing the CVC's public relations and promotional programs, working with incoming international, national and regional media to showcase St. Louis as a consumer travel destination and a trade media opportunity. She also assists and organizes media press trips and manages the company's "Be a Tourist in Your Own Town" community awareness initiative. Prior to joining the CVC, Rodgers worked as a PR consultant, as well as, a publicist for Annie Malone Children & Family Service Center and St. Louis Public School District, and an officer/communications specialist for Bank of America Private Bank Sales Support Services. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member for Fontbonne University. Rodgers holds a master of arts degree in media communications from Webster University and a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Missouri.

Cameron Satterfield (Diversity) Co-Chair - Cameron has 15 years experience in media and communications. Currently, he serves as the public information officer for the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment, handling media relations, public information, and emergency preparedness duties. A Nebraska native, Cameron worked at local television stations in Lincoln and Omaha before moving to the St. Louis metro in July 2006. With his extensive experience as a television producer and director, Cameron also handles video production duties on an ad hoc basis for St. Charles County. Cameron received his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 636-949-7408.

Gary Ford APR (Ethics) – Gary is an assistant professor in the School of Communications at Webster University in St. Louis, Mo., where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in public relations and corporate communications and is program director for the graduate and undergraduate public relations programs. He is also faculty advisor for Webster’s chapter of PRSSA. Prior to entering full-time teaching, Ford was group director for Weber Shandwick Worldwide, where he managed work for several clients. He also has held positions in corporate communications for Mallinckrodt Inc., where he directed external, internal and financial communications; Southwestern Bell Corporation, where he served as chief financial spokesman; and Mayo Clinic, where he managed internal communications, handled media relations and edited medical publications. He is an independent communications consultant providing counsel to clients in St. Louis and the Midwest. Ford earned a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri, holds a master’s degree in business management from Webster University, and completed graduate work in corporate finance at the Wharton School. Before entering the public relations field, he was a reporter and newspaper editor and served as managing editor of the Kansas City Kansan in Kansas City, Kansas.

Heather McClurg	Maria Bingaman	Christine Winter	Joan Hicks

Stephanie Huff (Job Bank) - Stephanie has worked in public relations and marketing communications for more than 20 years in St. Louis, New York and San Francisco. She currently creates communication strategies and oversees implementation of brand-building campaigns for clients through her firm, Huff Communications. Prior to that she served as VP of Marketing for Whitney Design. She has a bachelor of journalism from the University of Missouri and a masters of international business from Saint Louis University. She can be reached at 314-962-6281.

Heather McClurg (Job Bank) - Heather is the manager of technology communications, internal, for the Monsanto Company. She is primarily responsible for translating complex scientific processes into easy-to-understand communications through creative story-telling, graphic elements and simple language. McClurg also develops key company technology messages and distributes to the 3,400 person, global organization, furthering the knowledge of company goals and product development. McClurg received a B.A. degree integrated marketing communication from Wichita State University and worked in the non-profit health sector for five years before coming to Monsanto. She has been a student mentor for seven years.

Maria Bingaman (Meetings & Arrangements) – Maria is a marketing and communications manager for Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, which serves more than 64,000 girls supported by 17,000 adult volunteers in the City of St. Louis and 28 surrounding counties. She joined the Girl Scouts in March 2008 and is responsible for managing public relations and marketing functions to promote the Girl Scout image both internally and externally. Maria graduated with honors from Webster University with a bachelor's of arts degree in public relations and is active with several professional networking organizations in St. Louis. She has been a member of PRSA since 2004.

Christine Winter (Meetings & Arrangements) – Christine is the communications director for the Northern Area of the American Cancer Society, High Plains Division. In this position, she provides leadership, vision, and strategic direction for the High Plains Division Communications program through public relations, media relations, and campaign management activities. She works in collaboration with the local communications directors in a three-state area to support community-based communications activities. Prior to joining the American Cancer Society in June 2000, Christine was director of special events for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She is a graduate of Missouri State University (AKA Southwest Missouri State University) and joined PRSA in 2001.

Joan Hicks (Membership) – Joan has more than 20 years of experience in marketing public relations and management consulting, rejoining PRSA in 2006. She is principal of Joan Hicks and Associates, advising clients in strategic marketing, media relations, brand promotion, events and community affairs. Previously, she had been promoted to Director, St. Louis Small Business Development Center with more than 300 clients in Eastern Missouri. Prior to that, Joan supervised corporate accounts for The Public Relations Center, Chicago, and represented The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. in St. Louis in both advertising and public relations for Coca-Cola. Before that, she worked at Famous-Barr for nine years in special events. Joan has served on numerous community boards including the Metropolitan Zoo-Museum District Commission. She has an M.B.A. from St. Louis University and a B.A. from Wellesley College. 314-544-3930.

Liese Hutchison	Carrie Trammell	Heather Henke	Beth von Behren	Brian Swift

Liese Hutchison, APR (Pro-Am Day) - Liese is an associate professor of communication at Saint Louis University and teaches courses in public relations focusing on ethics, international issues, writing and integrated communication. She has a secondary appointment with the Center for International Studies and has taught at SLU's Madrid campus, at the Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies in the Netherlands and at Concordia International University in Tallinn, Estonia, as a Fulbright Scholar. She advises the PR Club and was the recipient of the 2002 Robert A. Johnston, S.J. Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Social Sciences. An active public relations consultant, Liese has more than 15 years of public relations experience. She received her B.A. from Southeast Missouri State University and her master's from SLU. 314-997-3345.

Carrie Trammell (Publicity) – Carrie is a group manager at Weber Shandwick's St. Louis office, supporting corporate reputation, issues management, internal communications and consumer practices. She manages and executes public relations and integrated marketing programs for Medicine Shoppe Pharmacies and MasterCard Worldwide. Carrie has specialized in developing and implementing strategic communications plans and messaging for corporate issues and employee communications. She graduated from Saint Louis University with an honors bachelor's degree in communication. A member of the St. Louis University Marketing Department Professional Development Advisory Board, Carrie joined PRSA in 2003. She worked on consumer and health care accounts at Kupper Parker Communications prior to joining Weber Shandwick in 2003. 314-552-6752.

Heather Henke (Publicity) – Heather is the director of public relations at Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition (FACC), one of the area's largest recruiter of foster/adoptive homes in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. To help promote FACC within the community, she oversees media relations, public relations, crisis communications, and marketing communications. Heather is also responsible for editing several local and statewide newsletters, on-line monthly and bi-weekly newsletters, and maintaining the www.foster-adopt.org Web site. She received her bachelor's degree in communication, emphasis on public relations, from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Heather also volunteers regularly with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the St. Louis Crisis Nursery, designs layout for the Sierrean newsletter for Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Group, and is a licensed foster home. 314.799.9292

Beth von Behren - (Seasoned Professionals) - Beth has more than 12 years of experience in journalism, marketing, and public relations. She currently wears all three hats for the City of Ferguson, where her primary goal is to promote the City to both current and potential residents, business owners, and visitors. She handles media relations and internal communications, writes and edits the Ferguson Community News Page published monthly in the Ferguson Times, and administers the City's recently re-launched Web site. Prior to working for Ferguson, she was senior director of marketing and public relations for Youth In Need. As a freelance journalist, she has been published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and St. Louis Woman Magazine. Beth's undergraduate degree is in English and media studies from Webster University, where she has also completed graduate coursework. A St. Louis native who graduated from Normandy High School she now lives in Olivette with her son, a Ladue Horton Watkins High School student, and her daughter, who attends Wesleyan University in Connecticut.

Brian Swift (Social) – Brian works in sales for his family's promotional products distributorship-Swift Incentives. He is involved in numerous charitable organizations and youth mentoring programs. Brian graduated from Georgetown University in 1999 with a business administration degree in finance. This is his third year on the PRSA-St. Louis chapter board. 314-383-4370.

Nancy Schnoebelen	Kelly Doria	Michelle Mason	Ashley Gammon	Stephanie Flynn

Nancy Schnoebelen (Social) - Nancy Schnoebelen oversees media relations, advertising, marketing, and official communications for the St. Louis County Economic Council (SLCEC). In addition, she serves as a liaison with the County Executive’s office administration on various media and communication issues. Schnoebelen works directly with all the SLCEC divisions to help market and communicate their goals and objectives. She also is responsible for editing the on-line monthly newsletter and maintaining the Web site. Schnoebelen has more than 20 years of marketing experience in writing, editing, public relations, and communications. Her career experience includes writing for The Dallas Morning News, financial editor for Edward Jones, and director of marketing in the architecture industry. She has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri. Schnoebelen is a past board member of the Society of Marketing Professional Services and current member of the Society of Professional Journalists; American Marketing Association; and PRSA. She serves on the City of Frontenac’s Planning and Zoning Commission and is on the Advisory Council for the MS Corporate Achievers Campaign.

Kelly Doria (Strategic Planning) - Kelly is the manager of corporate public relations at Scottrade, one of the largest online brokerage firms in the country. Kelly oversees Scottrade's public relations strategy, including media outreach, media training and crisis communications. She is also a licensed stockbroker carrying the Series 7 and 63 broker licenses. Prior to joining Scottrade in 2002, Kelly was a reporter at the Springfield News-Leader in Springfield, Mo. A St. Louis native, she has been a member of PRSA since 2004. Kelly has a B.S. in mass media and journalism from Missouri State University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Business Administration from Webster University.

Michelle Mason, APR (Student Activities) – A member of PRSA since 2001, Michelle has served as the liaison between SIU Carbondale students and PRSA St. Louis since the program began in 2002 and expanded her activities to include all student relations in 2005. A senior PR manager with Hughes Group STL, Mason oversees media relations, public relations and marketing communications for clients in the construction, real estate, financial and non-profit industries. She also oversees Hughes' internship program. Mason joined Millennium Communications, Inc., (which merged with Hughes, in December 2007) in 2000 as a communications specialist following an internship with another St. Louis public relations firm. A St. Louis native, she was graduated summa cum laude, with honors from Baylor University with a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in public relations. Mason is a Certified Agency Account Manager (CAAM).

Ashley Gammon (Student Activities) - Ashley is an assistant PR manager at Hughes where she provides media relations, public relations and marketing communications to a broad range of business-to-business and not-for-profit clients. She writes news releases and feature materials, conducts Internet research, tracks media placement opportunities and maintains client relationships. In addition, Ashley manages the distribution of press releases to local, regional and national media and oversees clipping services for all of Hughes' clients. Ashley previously served as an intern for Ladue Schools and Cape Albeon Senior Living Community. She holds a bachelor's degree in strategic communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.

Stephanie Flynn (Young Professionals) – Stephanie is a director at Cushman/Amberg Communications, a communications agency headquartered in Chicago. Stephanie joined Cushman/Amberg’s St. Louis office in July of 2003. She has helped develop and facilitate communications, public relations, and marketing strategies in industries including banking, manufacturing, real estate, non profit, hospitality, and gaming. Prior to joining Cushman/Amberg, Stephanie spent a year with public relations agency Beyond Concepts, and two and a half years in the newsroom at KSDK-TV, the NBC affiliate of St. Louis. She has a BA in communications from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. A native St. Louisan, Stephanie has been a member of PRSA since 2004.